THE DAY THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING

By Marla Merritt

“You don’t know me, but I would want someone to call me if I were in your shoes. Your daughter is friends with my daughter - and last night, she called asking my daughter to pick her up at the emergency room.”

I don’t remember the exact words after that, but this woman went on to tell me that my daughter, Madison, had overdosed. She was found on the side of the road and taken to the hospital, where they pumped her stomach. Madison called this lady’s daughter when they released her, and she told her mom because she was scared.

I was in complete shock as the woman went on to tell me about a 3-day detox facility nearby. She had experience with drug addiction. I did not. She told me my daughter needed help and I should act fast while she “was still scared from her experience last night.” I hung up the phone and headed to pick up my daughter.

On the drive to pick up Madison, I reflected on the last year. She had started college, but quit after only 2 semesters. She wanted to be an artist. Against our wishes, she had moved in with her boyfriend. They were a very odd pair, but I thought he seemed harmless. The last time I had seen her, I remember thinking she had anorexia. She was working long hours as a server at Ruth’s Chris, so I dismissed it. “She probably doesn’t have time to eat,” I had thought. Now I knew I was obviously wrong. How could I be so blind?

After picking up Madison, I asked if she was hungry. I remember she ate an entire footlong sub in about 2 minutes. She said it had been several days since she had eaten. “Nick and I got in a fight, and I have been living in my car.” I was shocked. This was my private school-educated baby girl, right? Actually, no. She had grown up. She was 19 years old and had become someone I didn’t know or understand. I said, “You need help that I don’t know how to give you. I am scared for your life.” She agreed that she needed help.

I took Madison to the detox center, and at the end of 3 days, they recommended a 30-day rehabilitation center in Nashville. Madison was worried about losing her job and she wanted to talk to Nick. Meanwhile, I struggled to know if a 30-day program was the right path. This was all so foreign to me.

Other things came to light while Madison was in detox. She confessed that her older sister Marissa was also using drugs. This complicated things because Marissa had a young son, and the facility had to report her to child services. I felt my life spinning out of control as I realized my daughters had already lost control of their own lives.

“Don’t you dare leave, Madison.” I said. “There is nowhere else for you to go, and we have spent too much money already moving you from house to house. Sit through this, do what they ask, and I will come see you in a week or so.” Madison wasn’t having it. She took her car and headed home. I knew what waited for her in Chattanooga. Nick. Drugs. Continued Addiction. I was angry and scared. That is when I decided to call my church Calvary Chapel Chattanooga.

“I don’t know what else to do.” I was sobbing uncontrollably. “I know she will get back on drugs as soon as she gets home. For all I know, she never stopped.”

Then the voice on the other end said something I will never forget. “You know, Marla, there is one piece of The Prodigal Son story that people often forget. Remember that it says, ‘and when he had nothing, he returned home.’ Madison hasn’t gotten to ‘nothing’ yet. You need to tell her she isn’t welcome to come home tonight.”

As this sunk in, I became sick to my stomach. It was Christmas. It was cold. She would be a young girl alone on the streets. How could I do this to her? What if she froze to death? As these thoughts spun in my head, I heard God whisper to my soul, “Just put one foot in front of the other. You have sought Godly advice. Do what you were told to do.”

When I told Madison she couldn’t come home, she called her father and asked if she could stay with him. He let her, and she spent Christmas in his home. He had bought each of the girls a nice pair of flip-flops as a gift. When Madison opened hers, he said, “Last night, I dreamed that you died, and I had to identify your body. When they lifted the covers, you were wearing those flip-flops.” I am convinced this dream is why Mike allowed Madison to come home, protecting her from big trouble that Christmas Eve and allowing me to stay firm in my resolve not to let her come home.

A NEW BEGINNING:

The day after Christmas, I drove Madison to Calvary Chapel Chattanooga. We were meeting with Jay, the man who had told me the story about The Prodigal Son returning home. Jay told Madison about a one-year discipleship program helping men and women overcome addiction. The program, based in Bangor, Maine, operated on the premise that The Cure to addiction is the renewing of the mind through scripture. “Madison, you’re a mess. What do you have to lose? Your mom says she is finished helping you, so what does your life hold next?” Somehow, those words rang true for Madison, and she was on a plane to Maine by New Year’s Eve.

The next year, Madison learned some hard lessons, made some mistakes, and even got kicked out once. Through this season, I remained firm that there was no other choice for her. She could finish the program, or they could drop her off at the homeless shelter. Again, I shed many tears after phone calls where she would beg to come home, but I stood firm.

Over time, I saw a genuine transformation in my daughter. God worked miracles in her life, and she decided to stay on for a 2nd year to help others through the program. Throughout these two years, she begged Marissa to join her in Maine. Marissa’s story took many more dark turns, but she finally agreed to go join her sister over 2 years later in February 2016.

LIFE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF ADDICTION:

My daughters ended up staying in Maine. As each transitioned out of the residential discipleship program, they met their husbands. Ryan and Travis had also overcome addiction through the power of God’s Word and had become good friends while in the program. In June 2020, these two married couples moved to Portland, Maine, and started Calvary Chapel Greater Portland. The church currently has over 400 people in attendance each Sunday, and they will soon move to a larger building.

People often ask me if I worry about them relapsing. The truth is that I don’t. I honestly believe they have found The Cure, but it wasn’t a short-term fix. These families are diligent about starting each day with bible study, and they pour their entire lives into ministry. My son-in-law, Ryan, put it this way … “My addiction would have killed me, but God saved me. I wouldn’t be alive if He hadn’t rescued me, so this new life is completely His.”

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Madison and Travis married in April 2017. They have 5 year old twins, and Travis is the Pastor at Calvary Chapel Greater Portland (www.ccgreaterportland.org) Madison leads worship for the church services, and also owns her own business selling custom painted bibles. Many of her bibles are named after men and women who have been set free from addiction. You can find her work at sparrowsxwildflowers.com.

Marissa fought to regain custody of her son Hayden, and they were reunited in December 2017. She married Ryan in July 2019. He is the Assistant Pastor at Calvary Chapel Greater Portland, and Marissa is the Administrative Assistant, also managing the kids’ ministry. Hayden is currently 12 years old, and they have a 3-year-old son and a 2-year-old daughter.

My youngest daughter, Montana, also moved to Maine. She and her husband serve at the church in Portland and recently had their first child. Mallory is still in Chattanooga. We all secretly hope she will join her sisters in Maine one day, too.

Calvary Residential Discipleship remains true to its mission to help individuals and families struggling with addiction. I am so grateful for this ministry. www. ccbangor.org/crdmaine

About the Author:

Marla Merritt is the VP of Strategic Partnerships for OrthoFi where she coordinates a broad range of company growth initiatives through strategic affiliations. She is known for her passionate and high-energy approach to leadership, marketing, and relationships with customers and partners. She joined OrthoFi’s Executive Leadership Team in 2020.

Prior to joining OrthoFi, Marla was CMO for OrthoBanc LLC where she lead the marketing, sales, training, and customer support teams. During her tenure there, OrthoBanc received 5 consecutive mentions on the Inc 5000 Fastest Growing Companies list and she won both the Exhibitor Magazines Sizzle award and the coveted Tradeshow Marketing All-Star award for her creativity in creating memorable exhibit spaces for industry meetings.