The daughter of United States Marines, Alison learned the value of hard work early in life.
As soon as she could, Alison got a job and began earning money. The only downside? She wasn’t taught how to properly use her income.
Alison moved after graduating from high school. But her addiction went with her.
Even after joining the Marines herself, Alison was surrounded by drug use. Then her addiction expanded to painkillers.
“I was arrested on felony charges a month before getting discharged from the Marines,” Alison shares. “While incarcerated, I found out I was 6-1/2 months pregnant. I gave birth to my daughter, Nalani, shackled to the bed in an orange hospital gown. I still remember my mother saying, ‘This is not how I envisioned meeting my first grandchild.’”
Crushed by guilt and shame, Alison returned to drugs after her release from jail and left her Nalani with her mom.
But it all came to a head when a physical altercation with a man left Alison in the hospital with a broken jaw and arm. Alison’s father took her to a safe house.
There, they learned about Hoving Home.
Finally, Alison laid down her burdens, including the need to work in order to “earn” feeling worthy of love.
After five months in our women’s program, Alison joined our Lioness and the Lamb Home with her precious 2-year-old daughter.
Alison has had to work hard (again), but she’s regained confidence in her ability to be a mom. God has very kindly restored the mother-daughter bond!
Today, Alison is eager to help other women and mothers find their identity in Christ, not in how they perform.
Her transformation is a testimony to God’s plan—to give all of us new life—and she is walking freely in God’s grace and sharing His love with her daughter. We celebrated as Alison graduated from our program last month!
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Ever since Beth can remember, her mom and dad worked hard and loved her deeply. But some situations they just couldn’t control … like when she went to a friend’s house as a kindergartner and found her friend’s mom dead … or when she moved to a new grade school and her new best friend died of cancer.
Those traumatic experiences shaped the rest of Beth’s childhood and gripped her with fear of death. Feelings of anxiety tortured her.
Despite her mom and dad’s careful parenting, Beth was exposed from a very early age to alcohol and even tried cocaine before attending high school.
Once Beth went off to college, she was drinking all the time. At a party, she took a pill that was laced with something dangerous. The next day, she woke up hearing voices and spiraled into a mental health crisis.
Over the next three years, Beth lost everything.
She dropped out of college. She couldn’t keep jobs. She was in and out of jail. She even tried to take her life three separate times.
Beth spent so much time in hospitals, she felt hopeless. The spiritual battle raged in her mind, and she was literally trying to die just to find relief … but God saw her, loved her and had a plan for her.
At the urging of her grandmother, Beth’s childhood pastor visited her in the hospital. He gave her the number of a local program in Texas, but they didn’t have any room. So, they gave her the number of Hoving Home.
Thirty years ago this past January, Beth’s church bought her a one-way ticket to Garrison, New York.
At Hoving Home, Jesus took hold of Beth’s life, healed her mind, and saved her soul. She was freed from the power of addiction and got her thoughts back, thanks to the mighty Word of God.
God never gave up on Beth. Neither did the community at Hoving Home!
Beth knows from personal experience that Hoving Home is special. Thanks to John Benton, Hoving Home’s founder, believing in Beth and her gifts, she now serves as President & CEO, three decades after her own recovery, helping women start their own path of healing with a seedling of hope.
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At only eight years old, Rosie’s innocence was stolen from her.
Before she was out of elementary school, she knew the horrors of abuse, sexual exploitation and drug use.
As a little girl, Rosie’s perception of the world was distorted. So it’s not surprising she ran away from home and started a life on the streets, stripping and escorting to make money to take care of her new baby and support her drug habit.
But while she was on those streets, missionaries, whom Rosie used to call “crazy church ladies,” planted seeds of faith and God’s love into her heart.
Desperate for help, those tiny seeds took root and led Rosie to cry out to God.
Through a series of open doors and answered prayers, Rosie sought help from a women’s ministry that eventually lead her to Hoving Home.
God showed Rosie what true, unconditional love looks like.
As Rosie remembers, “I was immediately surrounded by an army of women who radiated the love of Jesus.”
In addition to seeing what God’s kindness and grace looked like in real life, Rosie gained a structure her life desperately needed. Routine, consistency and stability were critical parts in helping her develop healthy patterns and grow in her trust of others.
After completing our program in our Las Vegas Home, Rosie heard God calling her to share her experiences with others through ministry.
Rosie’s first stop was our very own Leadership Academy! She showed incredible potential to serve and lead the way in ministries. Shortly after graduation, we hired her as Community Engagement Coordinator at our North Carolina Home.
Rosie laughs at herself when she shares she’s looking forward to being a “crazy church lady” who plants seeds of faith in the hearts of women like her.
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When all hope seemed lost three years ago, the only thing that kept Maria going was her fierce love for her three precious boys.
She wanted to be the mom they needed. She wanted to give them a stable home life. And she wanted to be there every morning when they woke up in cute pajamas and ran to greet her with a big hug.
But for so, so long, alcohol had a firm grasp on Maria’s life.
When trauma from her childhood resurfaced or disappointment in her marriage arose, Maria turned to alcohol to cope. As with any addiction, Maria felt powerless to stop. And the consequences of her drinking were gravely dangerous.
One night, Maria felt especially low. After drinking to the point of blacking out, Maria tried to take her own life.
Thank God He spared Maria’s life.
After that night of despair, once Maria was safe and stable, she went to church with a friend and learned about Hoving Home.
Even though it was heartbreaking to do, Maria left her three boys with her parents while she worked on her own heart in our women’s home. She learned how to trust God’s love for her and not let shame write her story.
Throughout the healing process, Maria missed her kids like crazy and prayed fervently to see them as she went through recovery.
God answered her cries and opened space for Maria and her three adorable boys to be part of our Lioness and the Lamb Home – and even moved her ex-husband’s heart to allow her sons to join us here!
In our program, God showered Maria with grace, redemption and renewed purpose. He also placed a hedge of protection around her children as they watched their mommy dedicate her life to Jesus and to them.
Today, Maria and her boys live in a new cozy home, lovingly furnished by Hoving Home. They are creating a beautiful, healthy family life, anchored by God and His Word. And Maria is living her dream of being the mommy her sons run to each and every morning.
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It’s remarkable to see Brandi’s beautiful smile today. Many would be surprised to learn she wasn’t always so joyful.
At the innocent age of twelve, Brandi was molested by a friend of the family and “groomed” for ongoing abuse.
After the horrific trauma, Brandi sought any semblance of control she could find, eventually suffering from eating disorders for years. Then a triple homicide-suicide rocked Brandi’s family when she was eighteen.
The shock and devastation ripped Brandi’s family apart. Her father to abandon his family and, inside, Brandi felt more rejected and unloved than ever before. To numb her pain and fit in, Brandi started shooting heroin and prostituting to support her habit.
Seven times, Brandi overdosed, waking up in ambulances and hospitals. But her last overdose was a suicide attempt.
But seven times, God preserved Brandi’s life.
After surviving a suicide attempt, Brandi couldn’t deny a divine intervention. So she opened her Bible and landed on Isaiah 1:1. “Though your sins are red like scarlet, I will take them and wash them and make them as white as snow.”
Knowing her choices took her to rock bottom, Brandi questioned why God would save her. But she was determined to find out if He would.
Brandi searched online for recovery programs. She saw that Hoving Home provided meals, living arrangements and drug rehabilitation support. It was also centered around faith. She knew God answering her prayers.
Knowing she needed a program far from the temptations of her past, Brandi flew to our California home, barefoot, with a backpack and dim hope that God could transform her life.
“The ladies in the program were experiencing restoration and reconciliation. And they wanted that for me,” Brandi adds.
Finally, Brandi had time, not just to survive, but to work through her past and build a foundation for her future.
She admits she made mistakes along the way, but Brandi was graciously given second chances. “They offered immense love that was so sincere,” she says.
Brandi also discovered that she loved learning! She spent free time in our learning center, devouring books about what it means to live for God. And she didn’t stop at Hoving Home.
After graduating from our program and serving on staff for a year, Brandi earned a degree in Biblical Theology! Today, Brandi is happily married to a man of God, they’re raising a precious little girl and serve the Lord and others together.
“God is so amazing,” Brandi expresses. “He doesn’t just save you from your addiction and let you figure things out on your own. He continues to carry you.”
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Ruth’s family loved Jesus and gave her a strong foundation of faith. From children’s choirs to church events, God was all around her. But even though Ruth knew about God, she didn’t build a personal relationship with Him.
At the same time, as a first generation Kenyan-American, Ruth struggled with who she really was.
Ruth responded like many young people do… by rebelling.
“I started drinking at age twelve,” Ruth remembers. “It led me down the path of just not making the wisest choices and not hanging out with people who would be beneficial to my life.”
At nineteen, Ruth became a single mother of twins. After they were born, the constant drinking continued… until Ruth hit rock bottom.
“For the first time, I reached out for help,” Ruth shares.
Wanting her to get the support she needed, Ruth’s family looked for programs for her. Her mom and dad discovered Hoving Home, which felt like just the right place for Ruth to figure out who she is and heal.
From the moment Ruth walked in, it felt familiar.
“I just knew the presence of the Lord was there [at Hoving Home],” Ruth says. And it compelled her to stay!
Facing her past was difficult, but Ruth persevered. God even opened a door for her children to stay with her at our Lioness and the Lamb Home, too!
With vulnerability, Ruth came to terms with decisions that hurt her and her family. But God blessed her humility and showed her the power of surrender.
“It’s a consistent dying to self every day,” Ruth expresses.
Since graduating from our program, Ruth has been working full-time and plans to take her state board exam in cosmetology. Her relationship with her children and her family is “the most beautiful it’s ever been.” Best of all, Ruth shares…
Ruth knows that God uses our supporters to help ladies at Hoving Home experience the joy of transformation—and the excitement of graduation! “Thank you for your compassion,” Ruth shares to our ministry friends.
Because of our Hoving Home supporters, not only is Ruth’s life changed, everyone around her is impacted, too!
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As a little girl, Patricia remembers when her dad started drinking. It disrupted their home life and forced Patricia’s mom to work more hours to care for everyone.
Spending more time away from her mom, Patricia endured horrific abuse from an adult she thought she could trust—deepening her growing feelings of low self-worth.
As she got older, Patricia’s insecurities grew along with her.
After marrying a man who physically abused her, Patricia had the courage to leave. Sadly, she sought acceptance in the streets, which cost her what little self-worth she had left.
While Patricia thought she was worth nothing, God thought she was worth everything.
Time and again, He sent staff members from Hoving Home to visit Patricia on the streets. They pursued her relentlessly, assuring her that she could have a safe place to rest and learn about a God who could heal her brokenness.
But hearing promises like “You are cherished” and “God loves you” were hard for Patricia to believe. Her past gave her every reason not to trust anyone’s promises, not even of someone who said they cared.
Then Patricia had a realization.
We’re so thankful God guided Patricia to Hoving Home!
For Patricia, knowing she was loved, even at her lowest, spoke to her heart.
“The thing that helped me most was being accepted,” Patricia shares. “Growing up, I went through so many times of rejection. At Hoving Home, I was welcomed. Mom B and Dad B kept telling me ‘we have a bed for you.’ And because of that, I’m here today.”
In addition to helping Patricia break free from the drugs, Patricia learned how to turn to God. She learned to pray, read Scriptures and talk with others when she felt sadness, regret, loneliness, and all the other feelings she tried to numb through drugs.
“The Hoving Home offers so much more than just a roof over your head and food on the table and clothes on your back,” Patricia adds. “It teaches you the principles that God instructed for us. It offers a foundation for you to live by.”
Through applying proven tools and Scriptural wisdom, God empowered Patricia to escape her life of drug use.
And here’s the amazing news…
She’s enjoyed decades of living with God as her comfort, turning to Him in the ups and downs, and enjoying the blessing of restored relationships she once thought were severed forever. The Lord also provided Patricia with a great job until retirement.
“I cannot thank you enough,” Patricia says to friends who support Hoving Home. “We can say ‘I care,’ but not do anything. Your giving is tangible.”
She has thirty-plus years of faith-filled living to prove it.
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Growing up on a farm in New York, Amanda remembers a normal childhood. Her family went to church and Amanda believed in the Lord.
Deep down, Amanda always desired to explore, to adventure, and to pursue an independent life. Unfortunately, Amanda’s dream to be on her own came as a result of her parents’ divorce.
Her mom moved away and her father worked all the time, so Amanda and her two younger siblings were left without supervision. It didn’t take long before Amanda started to push the boundaries and try new things, including drinking and smoking marijuana.
Amanda remembers getting into so much trouble, she ended up in foster care for a period of time. But she got kicked out of there, too! With no guardrails around her life, Amanda plummeted into addiction as a teenager.
Becoming a mom began to give Amanda clarity, but she didn’t know how to stop her drug use. After two DUIs, Amanda’s girls went to live with their dad and Amanda went to rehab.
While she was in rehab, a pastor gave Amanda a Bible. “I really couldn’t stop reading it,” Amanda remembers.
For five years, Amanda teetered between recovery and relapsing. She wanted to get well, but the stronghold of addiction was so tight.
God answered Amanda’s prayers through a memory her aunt had of Hoving Home’s choir visiting her church twenty years ago!
Amanda called and the door Jesus opened led to her freedom!
Amanda finally had the structure her life desperately needed. She was able to look back on her childhood and mourn her losses and also acknowledge her mistakes.
Most important for Amanda, she began to work on healing her relationship with her daughters.
“Every phone call I got, I would call them,” Amanda shares. “I would write them every week just to tell them I love them.”
During a chapel service, Amanda received a jar with a mustard seed in in and began to write down things she thought would be impossible. Amanda wrote down that she wanted a full-time job and for both of her daughters to live with her in a house.
Of course, with God, all things are possible! And in time, Amanda saw those impossible prayers answered!
Within a year of writing down those “only-by-faith” requests, Amanda became an intern at Hoving Home. Then, we hired her as a business office manager!
Next, Amanda moved to her own home and both of her daughters came to live with her. She knows she can’t ever get back the time she lost with them, but she is determined to make the most of the time she has now.
Today, Amanda is not only there for her daughters. She’s also back to being a big sister and daughter who can be counted on for support, guidance, laughter and hugs! As Amanda’s own mother shares: “Since [Amanda] came to the Hoving Home, I watched her grow so much … It’s a true testimony to the grace of God and what He can do for you … [Amanda] has a charisma that lights up the room, and I’m so happy to see it back!”
Amanda stands on the promises of Romans 8:28, that “God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.”
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There’s no way to make sense of abuse when you are seven years old…
With a single mom who worked and traveled all the time, Elia and her siblings often stayed with an aunt and uncle steeped in gang life. For four of those years, Elia was sexually molested. And nobody believed her.
At just fourteen years old, Elia ran away from home, searching for love and comfort in all the wrong places.
She endured living with an abusive boyfriend. She tried to find purpose in strip clubs. Then she drowned out her pain through drugs and alcohol.
“My life turned into a vicious cycle to numb the pain I felt as a kid,” Elia shares.
Deep inside, Elia knew there was a God. She just didn’t know how to connect with Him. So she humbly took a first step, got down on her knees and begged Him for help.
It turns out God answered Elia’s prayer by shutting down Hoving Home’s air conditioner! Elia’s brother is the repairman who came to fix it. Then he told Elia about our program for women in need.
“I was very lost, and when I got here I felt loved,” Elia expresses.
“Hoving Home provided me with things I’ve never known,” she continues. “They’ve shown me how to live a sober life and that it wasn’t my fault what I went through.”
Here, Elia has gained the personal skills, emotional tools and spiritual foundation to build a healthy future! And she is eager to use what she’s learned for the Lord!
Elia’s redemption story is a beautiful reminder that our past doesn’t define us. God can take the broken pieces of our heart and make us a new creation in Christ!
With God’s help, Elia has overcome the shame of her past and fully trusts in God’s unfailing love.
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Grieving the death of a loved one can overwhelm anyone. Noraleesha knows firsthand.
By age thirty, Noraleesha had lost her step-sister, mother and the father of her oldest son.
Not knowing how to cope, Noraleesha did what so many do: she turned to drugs. A physically abusive boyfriend even introduced her to crystal meth.
Out of control, Noraleesha left her children to different family members. It all came to a head when her boyfriend tried to throw her off their roof.
In desperation, Noraleesha called her father and brother who rescued her from harm … a miracle in itself since she didn’t have the best relationship with her family. Looking back, she sees God’s hand at work. Just ten days after escaping her abuser, Noraleesha came to Hoving Home as our last guest before the COVID-19 stay-at-home order.
For the first time in Noraleesha’s life, she has had time to rest, grieve and consider how her choices have affected her now teenage boys. She also discovered the very best support system she has ever found… God!
Noraleesha also gained practical skills at Hoving Home to help her as a daughter, sister, friend and mother.
“Parenting classes have helped me respond to my neglect toward my kids,” Noraleesha wisely expresses. “I’ve come to grips with learning a better way to parent. I’ve also learned there is a Redeemer, and it has created a sense of hope.”
Noraleesha’s work on her own heart has helped her take small steps to restoring her relationship with her sons. Since coming to Hoving Home, Noraleesha has written her sons letters and given them the time they need to respond.
Now, she and her boys talk regularly over the phone—a blessing Noraleesha is thankful for since COVID-19 has kept them physically apart.
Just over a year ago, Noraleesha had just quit a rehab program and relapsed. Today, she is getting ready to enter our Emerging Leaders Program as God continues to guide her forward.
She is grateful for the time and support she’s had at Hoving Home as she grows in her faith and restores her relationship with her children!
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