Phoenix Center Students

Life growing up for me was informative, I learned everything the hard way. My childhood was a military structure, it wasn’t really a childhood. My parents got divorced when I was eight years old. We moved a lot, and I moved out for good when I was a junior in high school. My addiction began at age eighteen.  I used to dull the pain of stress and being mistreated. The recent crisis that brought me to Teen Challenge was my divorce after twenty years of marriage and living in my car. I am here at Teen Challenge because my mother recommended it to me, and I hope to grow closer to God and stay sober.

Favorite Scripture: Job 14:13 If only you would hide me in the grave and conceal me till your anger has passed! If only you would set a time and then remember me.

My life was fairly decent growing up, I used drugs and alcohol to have fun. I ended up coming to Teen Challenge because I was not enjoying life. I am here to find my purpose and what I need to do in my life. I hope to become a better man so that one day I will have a good life as a  great husband and father.

Favorite Scripture: 1 John 4:7 “Beloved, let us love one another for love is from God and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.”

My life growing up was rough, when I was five years old, I was sexually abused. My father had 3 ex-wives, and I moved back and forth from Salt Lake City and Baltimore. I went from being Mormon to Atheist. My addiction began when I was eighteen. I believe I used drugs because life was fun as someone in the crowd.  I was shooting meth even when I was a “true believer” and grieving God at the same time. I believe I am here at Teen Challenge because God brought me here. I hope to stay in God’s will.

Favorite Scripture: John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

I grew up in the church with my dad and mom constantly arguing at home and rarely did I find peace in my own home. I learned church was only for Sunday’s, and Monday through Saturday’s I could do what I wanted. My addiction began in 8th grade smoking weed and never stopped until I came to Teen Challenge. My alcohol addiction started at 17 and stayed with me until I was 20. My addictions helped me to escape from all the chaos in my life and to put a temporary solution on a long lasting problem, helping me hide from my responsibility. I found myself having no purpose in life, abandoning my son, pushing away my family, hurting the people I held close to me. I’ve been walking in the desert at night in need of a place to change my life. I am here to build my relationship with God again, get involved in ministry, and obtain my GED.

Favorite Scripture: Psalms 27:8 You have said, “Seek my face.” My heart says to you, “Your face, Lord, do I seek.”

I was raised with my two siblings and both of my parents. I developed disruptive behaviors throughout middle and high school and dropped out. My addiction began after serving six years in prison at 19 years old. I began to have drinking issues which led to the bondages of addiction to drugs. I used drugs to isolate myself from my shame and guilt. I was committing crimes to support my habit. The law and consequences soon caught up to me, my family bonded me out and we found Teen Challenge. I am here to honor God’s restoration process and hopefully gain His favor for my obedience to His will. I hope to find endless blessing as evidence of God’s work within me.

Favorite Scripture: Ephesians 2:8 For by Grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not of my own doing, it is the Gift of God.

I grew up in a Christian family, my grandparents and my mother were involved in my life. I’ve never met my father who is alive to this day. I started consuming marijuana and alcohol at 13 years old, then I used meth and heroin in prison. I started to use it at age 13 to fit in with my friends, then realized I was abusing substances because I felt rejected and had no one to teach me anything. I couldn’t stay off meth, I had weekly relapses while my wife and kids were at home. I didn’t know how to be there, only to provide and pay the bills. I’m here to get to the root of my addiction and pain and be fully delivered in the name of Jesus Christ. I want to establish a firm foundation in Christ Jesus, find my purpose in life and find who I really am.

Favorite Scripture: Isaiah 43:18 Do not remember the former things nor consider the things of old.

I grew up in a broken home, my father was an abusive alcoholic. I started being verbally, mentally, and emotionally abusive towards family and friends. I began smoking marijuana at the age of 17 and then hard alcohol came at 18. I was drinking and smoking to cope with anger and depression and suicidal tendencies. The recent crisis that brought me to Teen Challenge was homelessness and my suicidal tendencies. I came to Teen Challenge because I want to learn to be less angry, depressed, and suicidal. I hope to experience true joy and learn to feel truly loved.

Favorite Scripture: Proverbs 10:12 Hatred stirreth up strife: but love covereth all sins.

I grew up in a broken home filled with abuse of all types; physical, sexual and verbal. I started using drugs at the age of twelve. I used because of the trauma that I had experienced when I was a child. I was going through a traumatic season in prison and people there were trying to take my life. Through all of that, God brought me to Teen Challenge. I am here to strengthen my faith because I know that God is the only one that can save me. I hope to be healed, to be delivered from my enemies and to get my life back so that I can be used for God’s glory.

Favorite Scripture: Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

I grew up in the church, like most church families we were middle-class and never had too many family struggles. For me addiction began at the age of 21, I began to drink. I really started drinking and partying during my time in the Navy. I was the life of the party and loved losing control. For me drinking was a way to escape my life and problems and it was a lot of fun. People wanted to hang out with me, and as I got older alcohol became more of an issue. Recently, after burning every bridge and finding myself at the end of total financial destruction, my alcohol and drug addiction brought me to a place where I knew that I needed major change. I came to Teen Challenge not just to get sober, but to rekindle my relationship with Jesus and my family. My hope is to put all of this behind me to find sobriety, restoration, a renewed spirit, and my purpose in life.

Favorite Scripture: Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

My life was fragmented, I had divorced parents and I was bouncing in and out of the streets. My addiction started twelve years ago. There was a lot of violence and death in my childhood. While growing up, I was alone on the streets. I suffered alcohol withdrawal last year that stopped my heart several times and a recent failed attempt at another rehab brought me here. While being here at Teen Challenge I am seeking the Lord and a better life for my son. I hope to accomplish stability, healing, and community.

Favorite Scripture: John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.”

Growing up, I was an orphan, in and out group homes, mental homes and foster homes. My addiction began when I was sixteen and eventually got clean when I was twenty-seven, thirteen years later I began drinking. I was running from the calling God had on my life, because of the things I saw in church and in ministry. I was ready to stop running. God shut every door except one, the one that would lead me back to who He called me to be. The Lord spoke to me, He told me to rest here while He restores me to the man of God He called me to be. I hope to grow an even deeper relationship with God, to allow him to heal the things I haven’t allowed Him to heal in the past and to rest in Him.

Favorite Scripture: Job 42:5 “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.”

I grew up in the housing projects with my mom raising me and my two sisters, with very little guidance or support. I know that mom tried as best as she could. At age 13 I was allowed to be out all night. Unfortunately, at those times nothing good is going on and I joined a gang and abused drugs and alcohol.  Mom didn’t have parenting skills showing love or support and dad wasn’t around. I know now that I joined a gang to fill the void of belonging. My goal is to seek the Lord with my whole heart. I have a wife and kids. I am here to become the spiritual leader of my family and to get delivered and set free. I hope to graduate! Like Jacob wrestled with God. I won’t stop praying, worshiping, and seeking the Lord until He blesses my family!

Favorite Scripture: Joel 2:25 “I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroy and the cutter. My great army which I sent among you.”