Program Living: Joe's Story

"I grew up in a family of alcoholics and drug addicts, and I always told myself I wouldn’t be anything like them… but I turned out just like them. I’ve had an ongoing battle with drugs for years, and in 2017 I caught three different charges of possession and one charge for trafficking methamphetamine. Because of these charges, I was facing a total of seven years behind bars.

I was given the option to participate in a rehabilitation program, but I didn’t want to do just any recovery program. I had been sober for ten years after drug use in the past, so I knew my continued use wasn’t because of the drugs themselves; there was an underlying cause.

I had tried to commit suicide several times by drug overdose because I didn’t care about life anymore. I believe that God allowed me to go to jail to give me sobriety, and I was in a cell with a lot of guys who found God in jail. They influenced me a lot, and my time in jail put me on a path to finding God and better intimacy with him.

When I learned that Program Living at Hope House was focused on developing a better relationship with God, I knew that it was where I needed to be. I didn’t just need sobriety, I needed something to satisfy the underlying cause of my addiction.

After two months in the program, I decided to leave. I was allowed to come back but had to restart the program, so I’m officially one month into the program, with eleven months left. This whole experience has made me realize I can’t do anything on my own. Without God in your life, you’re truly lost. He’s the only way you’ll be able to accomplish anything that matters.

I’ve learned that nothing is finished in my time. God is still working. Since I’ve been in Program Living and truly given my life to the Lord, I wrote a letter to my ex-wife taking responsibility for my mistakes. I invited her and my son to come see me at church, but I didn’t expect it to happen anytime soon. They were there a week later. It’s nothing short of a miracle and has definitely caused my faith in the Lord to grow stronger.

I’m looking forward to simply getting back to life, having a job and a home, and building a better relationship with my children. While I’m still in the program, I hope to gain a stronger relationship with Christ and get to the point that I’m a disciple for the Lord. I want to help other people who have walked the same path as me see how great life can be when Christ is your center point."

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