From an early age, Joann often wished she had been born into a different family. Witnessing the physical abuse that their mother had to endure at the hands of their father, she and her siblings lived in constant fear of his violent temper and unpredictable mood swings throughout their childhood. Their mother finally files for a divorce, only to remarry a deputy sheriff with dark intentions set on Joann. Already emotionally and psychologically scarred for life, Joann becomes involved in an unhealthy relationship with a possessive, physically abusive boyfriend. She later leaves him for the man she eventually marries, one who causes her further heartache and emotional turmoil. After a failed suicide attempt, Joann learns to put her own needs before those of others, to be "selfish" for once in her life, and to come to terms with her codependency. She begins to rebuild her faith and her relationship with God, and only then does she find a clear pathway to recovery.