Phoenix Center Students

I grew up in a broken home. I found myself in the streets early in life. I was 13 when I started doing weed, that jumped to crack and then pills. By 17 I was a heroin addict. I used because I did not want to hurt, and I wanted to put a wall between my heart and everyone around me. I need help to get over the things I have done to myself. Here at Teen Challenge I hope to learn to let the Lord restore everything I have lost. I must stop trying to do it on my own. I need a strong relationship with the one true God. I want to build a strong foundation in Christ Jesus.  

Favorite Scripture: Psalm 116:4 Then I called on the name of the Lord: “Lord, save me!”

I grew up with good parents who loved me and took me and my twin brother to church every Sunday. My brother and I shared everything, so I grew a bit of a rebellious spirit. Trying to fill a void in my life and numb emotional pain, I started smoking marijuana by the age of 13, drinking at age of 14, doing cocaine by the age of 16, and doing crack by the age of 27. As I got older, I discovered that I was drinking vodka every day. I was also living with my daughter at the time and because of my alcohol abuse she asked me to leave, but I had nowhere to go. So I came here to Teen Challenge to get my life together and strengthen my relationship and faith in Jesus Christ. I hope to discover God‘s will for my life and to develop a close and personal relationship with him. 

Favorite Scripture: Philippians 3:13-14 Brothers and sisters I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

My life growing up was more than I could ask for. My parents gave me everything I could’ve wanted. I was educated, I had good friends, and came from a God-loving family. Once I turned 21, I moved out of my parent's house and then my addiction began. Thinking that it was cool, I began to hang around bad company and started drinking and smoking. Even though I was doing these things to impress friends and to be cool, eventually it numbed out the plans and goals I had for my life. After burning through my savings, I knew I needed help. I came to Teen Challenge to change my life and create real accountability, to get my head on straight, but most important to let God become king of my life. My goal is to give full authority to the Holy Spirit in my heart and to allow him to take control of my life. To become a finisher and not a quitter. 

Favorite Scripture: Lamentations 3:22-23 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end, they are new every morning, great is your faithfulness.

My life started with a pretty decent upbringing. Both of my parents were together until my father started to drink and eventually left me and my siblings behind with an abusive mom. I thought that was normal. So I started to use at the age of 10 believing that no one cared for me. I was allowed to do whatever I wanted and using helped me to feel better. After living a long drug-addictive lifestyle, after mental breakdowns, and after losing everything I owned, I started to seek help. I came to Teen Challenge to recommit my life to Jesus Christ and to build a new family.  My hope now is to build a strong foundation in Christ and life-lasting relationships with my Teen Challenge brothers.   

Favorite Scripture: Hebrews 12:2 Looking to Jesus the founder and perfecter of our faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross despising the shame and seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Growing up in my household I was usually able to do what I wanted. I was raised by my mom and my stepdad who were addicted to drugs and alcohol so there was always drugs and violence that surrounded my sister and me. At the age of 11, I started to smoke marijuana and tobacco and I started to drink alcohol. By the age of 16, I was using cocaine. By 19 I was addicted to heroin. I used drugs and alcohol to numb the pain I felt growing up from being sexually abused as well as always feeling like I’m less than others. Four different times I tried to kill myself by overdosing and four different times the Lord has allowed me to survive and has brought me to Teen Challenge. I am here now to gain a solid relationship with God and learn to rely on him in good times and bad. I hope to gain knowledge from the Bible and an intimate relationship with God. 

Favorite Scripture: Galatians 6:9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

I was brought up in hard times as a child. At the age of 12, I was already involved with gangs and drugs. Feeling the need to fit in with other people, I was constantly defending myself. Eventually I came to a place in my life where I was able to stop doing drugs. Unfortunately I remained in bondage to the use of alcohol. I’ve found Teen Challenge to be my only chance for a change in life. While I’m here I hope to gain self respect, and to make amends to all those I’ve hurt. My desire is to regain my belief in God because I know that He will help me change my life.   

Favorite Scripture: John 8:32 “Therefore you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

 

Favorite Scripture: Zechariah 3:2 The Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?”

I was blessed with a fun and exciting life growing up. I was well respected and always filled with joy. I first used drugs at the age of 19 as a means to have fun with friends. Not knowing the severity of using, I was led down a horrifying path. I wandered from the streets to shelters and eventually found myself in jail. At that time I knew I needed help so I came to Teen Challenge to get my life back on track. My hope is to increase my knowledge and to acquire good character qualities along the way. I am determined to work hard to graduate successfully and live a better life. 

Favorite Scripture: Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

I had a good life while I was growing up with a Mom and Dad that loved and raised me. I also went to church so I was brought up Christian. At some point in middle school, I found a group that I wanted to be a part of. Unfortunately, this group's time was spent smoking weed and drinking so that’s where my addiction began. As I aged one drug led to another and my addiction grew stronger. Finally, I reached a turning point in my addiction where I was fed up with the drugs that I was doing and not being able to quit on my own. I reached out for help and God brought me to Teen Challenge. Now that I’m here, my goal is to get back to the life that God wants me to live and to learn how to minister to others.   

Favorite Scripture: Psalm 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want.

I was raised by a beautiful family with a father who worked and a Mom who stayed home and raised us children. At the age of 14 years old, to escape the abuse of reality, I started huffing gasoline and snorting meth and cocaine. After a recent relapse, I was lost in a reality where I believed I could control certain circumstances of life. To reestablish my relationship with the Lord, I came to Teen Challenge. I hope to obtain an obedient heart in every activity in my life according to the will of God.   

Favorite Scripture: 1 John 4:16 God is love and whoever abides in love abides in God and God abides in him. God is love and all who live in love live in God and God lives in them.

My Mom and Dad battled with many things during my childhood, but they were still very nice to me and loved me through their struggles. I grew up around smokers, so my addiction to cigarettes and weed began when I was 12 years old. I wanted to experience what everyone else was doing and my addiction led my life with no purpose. Doing drugs for so long, I became lost and homeless wandering the streets “blind”. After going to CBI, I was taken to Teen Challenge where I decided I wanted to become more like Christ. My hope now is to be set free from the chains of addiction.   

Favorite Scripture: Philippians 4:13 I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength.

I was super blessed growing up with a strong Christian upbringing.  Peer pressure was the starting influence of my addiction. In school my friends were all into partying and drinking, unfortunately peer pressure got the best of me and I gave in. Eventually my alcohol use took over my life. Coming here to Teen Challenge my goal is to be able to have a normal life. This of course will only be possible by focusing on my relationship with God, and by His power, overcome my addiction.

Favorite Scripture: John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that if you believe in Him you will not perish but have ever lasting life.”

Growing up I had no father due to drugs, alcohol, gangs and prison - so I was on my own at a young age. I started using at the age of 15 years old to cope with my childhood and losing my father to a drug and alcohol overdose. I started to drink and use hard drugs like pills and cocaine. I have been abusing substances for a long time now and things have gotten out of hand. I can’t hold onto relationships and I would like to get clean with a new start in Phoenix and start a brand new chapter in my life away from my hometown. My hope here in Teen Challenge is to start over again in Phoenix and to remain sober.  

Favorite Scripture: Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

I grew up in a very conservative family. We went to church on Sundays. Both my Mom and Dad were present in my life. I feel I had a very privileged upbringing. I started using drugs recreationally when I was 18 but started using Meth when I was 30. I believe I used because it gave me a sense of freedom from responsibilities and just made me feel good. I want to overcome my addictions and grow closer to God. I want to create new and healthy habits. I came to Teen Challenge after release from jail. The path that I was on was leading me to prison or death. I hope to gain a more intimate relationship with Christ here at Teen Challenge. I hope for restoration with my family. I want to be stronger than my addiction.  

Favorite Scripture: Romans 10:9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

At a young age I started forming unhealthy habits. Growing up with depression from lost loved ones, I began to feel unworthy. In the midst of my depression I started to use drugs and alcohol to cope with all my troubles in life. I even became violent and got put in jail. From jail I came to Teen Challenge to seek God and to experience change in my life. My hope is to accomplish a genuine relationship with God.

Favorite Scripture: John 15:5 I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit, apart from me you can do nothing.

I lived a pretty normal life as a kid. My addiction didn’t start until my late 20’s early 30’s. Even though my life was normal growing up, I had a void in my heart that couldn’t be filled with the love of my family. So eventually I turned to drugs and alcohol and I found that getting high wasn’t enough either. It became an addiction. At last the Lord has brought me to Teen Challenge to find a purpose through my faith in him and not drugs. My goal here is to not only accomplish sobriety but a better relationship with Jesus Christ.  

Favorite Scripture: Proverbs 19:1 Better is the poor man who walks in his integrity than one who is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.

My life was really good until I began struggling with depression at the age of fifteen, then things began going down-hill. At the age of sixteen I started smoking weed, which eventually progressed into harder drugs. I continued to medicate in order to avoid my problems and all the hurt I had inside. I wanted to feel good even when I wasn’t good. God’s hand really began working in my life after I over dosed, and He began moving things to bring me here to Teen Challenge. I’m here at Teen Challenge to get closer to the Lord every day and work on becoming the man God always meant for me to be.

Favorite Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:7 “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but a spirit of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline.”

I was raised by my Mom growing up. Due to not having a Dad, I did a lot of fighting as a boy. At the age of 14 years old I began using drugs to escape from reality. Eventually I started using intravenously and I ended up damaging my arm so badly that I needed surgery. Having no place to go, I found Teen Challenge and was provided with the opportunity to not only have my surgery done but have a place to get sober and grow closer to God. Through the help of Teen Challenge, I hope to stay connected with God through good relationships with other Christian brothers. 

Favorite Scripture: Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

I have been on the streets since I was 15 years old. I had already been in my addiction for two years when my mom kicked me out the house. It was devastating because I felt she chose her boyfriend over me. I would get high and stuff just to fit in. I also got high to cover my pain. I wanted to be tough and not let the pain of my broken family take me out. Teen Challenge has  given me the opportunity to look at myself and see the damage and to see who Jesus is and what a relationship with him looks like. I want my old lifestyle to be over. I do not want my old neighborhood anymore. God’s purpose for my life is what I desire. I want to get there.  

Favorite Scripture: Proverbs 3:1-2 My son, do not forget my teaching, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity.

I had a childhood filled with fun.  My family was very loving.  It wasn’t until I became an adult that my addiction began. I found myself in a stressful environment when I left my childhood home.  I became lonely and didn’t have any friends. In order to fit in with the people I was surrounded with, I started doing what they were doing.  As a result, I became addicted to drugs. The choices I have made have caused great struggle in my marriage. I came to Teen Challenge to quit using drugs, commit my life to God, and work on learning to love and honor my wife.  I’m hoping to achieve the discipline of daily Bible study in order to gain a relationship with the Lord that is a 24-7 relationship and will be everlasting.

Favorite Scripture: I Corinthians 13:11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

Growing up my life consisted of sexual, mental, and physical abuse. As a result, I became homeless at the age of 15. Shortly after that, my addiction began and aggressively increased with age. My substance abuse was a way to hide my emotions and feelings from the world and to mask the mental and physical pain I was experiencing. Amid my attempted suicide through drugs and alcohol, the Lord sent me a graduate of Teen Challenge and shared with me the hope that he found through this place and the power of Jesus Christ. I am here now to experience a new journey with the Lord. I hope to acquire a new love for myself for others and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Favorite Scripture: Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit joints and marrow it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Life was great growing up until the age of 9 when my parents divorced. It was at that time that I felt like my life and dreams had fallen apart. My addiction started at 11 with cigarettes and alcohol then progressed to marijuana and cocaine. I continued using to fill that void in my life and to cover up the loneliness, depression, and anxiety resulting from it. A few guys from Teen Challenge came to my church and that planted a seed to get my life on the right track. With help from my mentor and sponsor, I was able to become a student here and continue building my relationship with the Lord so I can serve and teach my brothers and sisters.  

Favorite Scripture: Romans 12:2 “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is- His good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Growing up for me was pretty intense. I had a mother and a father that were both Christ-followers. I verbally gave my life to Christ, but never really committed. Sometime in high school, I started to develop a habit of going to parties. I never picked up an addiction to drugs or alcohol, but I was addicted to the party scene. I ended up getting admitted into rehab, but shortly after being admitted got kicked out of it. I decided the best thing I could do would be to call my pastor and he told me about this place called Teen Challenge. I am here now to become a leader, to gain wisdom, and to build my relationship with my family. My biggest hope is that I can rebuild my relationship with Christ to become a better person. 

Favorite Scripture: Ephesians 2:6-7 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace expressed and his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

My life was filled with good times and bad times. Growing up I had two older sisters that were always getting into trouble. Hanging around older kids, I was influenced early on at the age of 9 to smoke cigarettes. Then by 11 years old I started smoking marijuana.  Eventually I started using harder stuff at the age of 16. As I got older, my addiction started to affect my life in my marriage and my relationship with Jesus. God has called me to Teen Challenge. This program is the process necessary for me to overcome my giants. My hope is to accomplish perfect communion with my father in heaven and to have freedom from addiction.

Favorite Scripture: 1 John 4:17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.

I had a good life growing up. I had a great family that took me to a private school and raised me in church. I didn’t start using up until about two years ago in 2019. I began to drink socially with friends and eventually started using methamphetamine and got put on psych meds. And now I have legal issues I have to attend to because of it. I’ve never had legal issues or been in trouble with the law before this. I am here at Teen Challenge to get my life back, my family back and my relationship with Jesus Christ back. My hope is for restoration of mercy and forgiveness to be extended to me by my family, by the Lord, and by the law. 

Favorite Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:13 If we are faithless he remains faithful for he cannot deny himself.

I grew up in a home where drinking alcohol and domestic violence seemed like a normal way to live. So at the age of 12, my alcohol addiction began. I drank for instant gratification and since it made me feel good, I was drinking all the time. As I got older I started a family and drinking was no longer tolerated. The drinking started to affect my marriage and hurt my children. To put an end to the pain that I was causing my family, I sought help. I am now in Teen Challenge to improve my relationship with Jesus and to fulfill his calling for my life. I hope to accomplish having a full dependency on my Lord and Savior.

Favorite Scripture: 1 John 4:17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.

It wasn’t easy growing up. My father passed away when I was only nine years old and my mom became an alcoholic. My use of drugs and alcohol began when I was 11. In order to feel like I had a family, I started to run around with gangs. It wasn’t until about five years ago that I started to use drugs every day. After being hurt so much in my past, using became my coping mechanism. Then one day, my brother passed away and I got even worse. I went to jail, got out of jail, was involved in a high-speed chase, got away and realized I needed God in my life, so I came to Teen Challenge. I’m here now to get my life back on track and to get my wife and kids back. My hope is to fully restore my relationship with my family and with my God.   

Favorite Scripture: John 3:16 For God so loved the world he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.