Ep 3. Tough Love

In the season 1, episode 3 of Touched By An Angel titled "Tough Love," Monica, the angel of God, is sent to assist a young man named Josh who is struggling with addiction. Throughout the episode, Monica faces difficult challenges as she tries to help Josh see the error of his ways and make amends with his estranged father.

Josh's addiction has led him down a destructive path, causing him to lose his job and other aspects of his life as he plunges into a downward spiral. When shockingly he tries to harm his father, who had come to help him out of his addiction, he run out and shabbily leaves behind a note to his father begging him to forgive him for everything.

Monica intervenes at this point and helps Josh's father cope with his son's struggle by opening a door for him to be able to see the degree of addiction Josh is in. She explains addiction as an illness that causes a person to lose control of their emotions and actions, and encourages Josh's father to stand by and support his son to beat addiction.

With an effort to pull Josh out of his addiction, Monica convinces him to attend a substance abuse support group and helps him understand that he needs to take responsibility for his actions. As she stays close to him, Monica encourages Josh to apologize to his father for his past mistakes and make amends.

In parallel, Monica is struggling with her own faith in God after she couldn't help Josh escape from his addiction completely. She encounters God in her dreams as a gardener, where He talks about patience being necessary to help people find their own way even if it takes longer. Monica is moved by this encounter, which allows her to understand that helping others is not always about results but taking the right actions, walking the journey with them, and having faith.

The episode ends on a high note, with Josh finding redemption and many healing his broken relationships. He apologizes to his father heartily and embarks on a journey to stay sober and rebuild his life. Monica walks away from the episode with a newfound sense of faith in God and her ability to help those in need.

Overall, the episode "Tough Love" delicately tackles a sensitive topic about addiction and family relationships that hits close to home. The episode showcases the challenges of a person struggling with addiction and how it takes support and faith from loved ones to pull through. It also highlights the profound impact of a guardian angel's role in healing relationships and restoring faith in people, including angels.