Christian Life Ranch Students

In a house where I was being raised by my Dad and step Mother, I was always getting into some type of trouble. My addiction first began at eleven years old. I started off abusing substances as a means of dealing with stress. Eventually my addiction took me to the point to where I was kicked out of my parent’s house and ended up here at Teen Challenge with nowhere else to go. Being here my hope is to get as close to God as possible as well as have a life that produces fruit that can only come through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Favorite Scripture: Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Growing up I wasn’t in a very good environment. It actually was extremely toxic because of the fact that my parents were both very heavy drinkers, but both were functioning addicts. My addiction took off at an early age and just continued to get worse. I was using substances to numb the pain I had from dealing with problems at home. I came to Teen Challenge to get off drugs and learn about myself and get the necessary tools to stay clean. I hope to serve a purpose in the body of Christ while I am here, as well as become a teacher to those wanting to learn about the word. During my stay here, I plan to grow in my relationship with the Lord and hope that it will become stronger and stronger.

Favorite Scripture: Philippians 3:13 Brother and sisters, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.

Growing up I felt unloved and depressed. My addiction started when I was 7 years old with smoking cigarettes. By the age of 13, I had my first drink and I’ve been drinking since then. That led me to a marijuana and cocaine addiction. I continued to use alcohol and drugs to fill the void in my life of being alone. Then one day, my alcoholism brought me to Teen Challenge. I am here now to regain the faith that I’ve lost and I agree that I do have a drinking problem that I need to take care of. My hope now is to accomplish what I came here to do. I need to regain my faith so I can be a better uncle, brother, and son for my family back home. Also, I’d like to help people that were in similar situations as me one day. 

Favorite Scripture: Matthew 7:1-2 Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

Life was pretty simple growing up.  I was into most sports, but really loved martial arts. I started using alcohol soon after high school at the age of seventeen. I believed I turned to alcohol because I was afraid of success and what I had to do with my life. My life was going nowhere, I was lost and so was my mental health, so by coming to Teen Challenge I hope it will help me clean up. I want to find my true calling in life being sober, a godly man, and even a family man.

Favorite Scripture: I Thessalonians 4:11 And to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you.

I grew up in a great Christian home with both of my parents involved in my life. My addiction really started to take off once I was let go and let down by a church where I served as their youth pastor. I turned to drugs and alcohol to numb the pain of the church letting me down, and also so I wouldn’t have to deal with my problems head on. I heard about Teen Challenge from another pastor and I have committed to the program so I can reconnect with God and let Him take full control of my life. I hope while being here I am find purpose and the calling that God has for me.  

Favorite Scripture: Psalm 61:2 From the end of the earth; I cry out. When my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

It was hard for me growing up. I lost my dad to a drinking and driving accident at a young age. Without him around I fell into the street/gang life. My addiction started when I was 14 years old. I learned to use needles through my stepdad. I believed that using drugs and alcohol were normal things in life. I need a place like Teen Challenge to help stop believing the lies I was taught about myself and my life. I hope to find my calling here. I hope to draw closer to God here. I want to learn more about Jesus so I can be able to trust in Him.  

Favorite Scripture: Jeremiah 33:3 ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’

I grew up in a Christian household and things were generally good. As I got older, I started to rebel. I started getting high at a young age. When I started using drugs it was just for fun, but before I knew it I was a drug addict. I came to Teen Challenge to finally break free from the chains of addiction I have been under for so many years. I know that it is only through Christ that I can overcome my addiction. I hope to grow in Christ as I go through this program.

Favorite Scripture: John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him shall never perish but have eternal life.

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 grew up in a good, loving, Christian home being raised in church. While everything was going so well, it was all taken from my family and me. My parents ended up getting divorced. I was constantly put down by mom after the divorce because she was angry with my dad.  That’s really when I started to get into my addiction. I started to feel less than and as if I was never going to amount up to anything. I began hanging out with the wrong kids in school to be what I was told I was going to be. I’m here at Teen Challenge to change my life so that I will be ready to marry my fiancée, and be the man God wants me to be. I am sick and tired of always living for the devil and being in darkness. I’ve always known I have a calling on my life and it is time to submit and let God be in control of my life. While here, I hope to be in constant relationship with God, be a leader, and learn how to be the head of my household.  

Favorite Scripture: I Peter 1:22 “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart”

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 had a great childhood growing up with loving parents in a Christian home. I grew up in church but grew further away from God as I got older. My addiction began a couple of years ago around the age of 24. At that age, I seem to be going through a lot, so I used drugs to numb the pain. I came to Teen Challenge because I noticed that I was slowly losing everything I had and needed to turn it around quickly. I’m here now to obtain sobriety so I can become a better man, father and son. I hope to renew my relationship with God and use the opportunity to live in His will this time and not mine.  

Favorite Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creation, old things are passed away behold all things have become new.

My early childhood with my father was strict. I didn't have any real positive guidance in my life, so I fell in with the wrong crowd. However, I was a happy kid. I love my Grandma. I had a good sense of humor, a strong work ethic, and a real positive mindset thanks to Jesus. My addiction began in 2008 with marijuana and gradually developed into a desire for harder drugs. I believe I used drugs for temporary happiness. After making a decision to use methamphetamines and pornography, I came to Teen Challenge. I am here now to grow spiritually and emotionally. I hope to accomplish victory and sobriety.   

Favorite Scripture: Philippians 1:20-21 I will not be at all ashamed but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ and to die is to gain.

My life growing up was difficult with no mother or father and not much family support. My addiction began when I was a young boy because of peer pressure and a desire to fit in. I first started using to be a part of what others were doing and to try and relate, then later on in life I used drugs just to cope with life. After realizing that I wasn’t serving any purpose in my life and I really didn’t know who I was, I came to Teen Challenge. I’m here now because I know that Jesus is here for me and He can tell me who I am and why I’m here. My hope now is to find others that can relate with me so that I can be of help to them. 

Favorite Scripture: Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this that he who began a good work in you will carry it out on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

I'm a high school graduate born in Baltimore. I grew up in Napa, California and played baseball and basketball. Four of my friends plus I went to junior high and high school together and joined the US Marines in 1972 and US Army in 1974. My addiction began in 1973 through 1978 stopped, and then began again in 1990 up till now. I believe I use substances so I can stay in a fantasy land of action and adventure, always being a hero. I’ve always loved Jesus, however a divorce in 2003 led me to drink, use drugs, and watch pornography again. I eventually found myself homeless. I’m in Teen Challenge now to establish a real relationship with Jesus during these 13 months of discipleship. I hope to accomplish a solid future serving Jesus in any capacity available. 

Favorite Scripture: Matthew 4:19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”

I grew up with two loving parents. However, my parents got divorced when I was in high school. I started my drug use at the age of 20. I believe I was using drugs to feel whole again. I entered Teen Challenge because my life became completely unmanageable. I didn’t know how to become the man my kids and family need me to be on my own.  I didn’t have enough discipline to seek God by myself. So now I’m in Teen Challenge to find my life so that I can help others find theirs. I hope to build a relationship with God and learn to be a good Dad and break a family generational curse. 

Favorite Scripture: Isaiah 54:17 No weapon forged against you will prevail and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.

Life was really good growing up, I had a great childhood. I grew up playing sports and being involved in school activities. My addiction didn’t begin until my early 30’s. I think I started using drugs and alcohol to deal with the stress from my job. I tried other treatment centers and 30 day programs, but nothing worked. Through my church and my family, I heard about Teen Challenge. My goal is to grow in Christ and to achieve sobriety.

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

My life was okay growing up until my Mom went to prison and I was forced to live with a Dad that doesn’t like me. My addiction began right after my Mom got out of prison and decided to leave me and my siblings behind. I didn’t know how to cope with the depression I was feeling so I suppressed it with drugs. After burning so many bridges from letting my addiction run my life, I finally found Teen Challenge. I am here now to restore my relationship with God and to recover from my addiction. My hope is that I accomplish a sense of purpose and a better understanding of our world.

Favorite Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

I had a very protected and sheltered childhood. My father passed away when I was 8 years old and left my mother to raise three children on her own. She remarried and my stepfather was a good man, but he worked a lot. I started getting high around 18 years of age. At first it started innocently enough, and I used drugs to deal with my insomnia. As I got older, I used it to suppress my feelings and emotions. I came here to Teen Challenge to get close to God and train myself for the fight outside of Teen Challenge. I hope God will reveal the purpose He has for my life.

Favorite Scripture: Galatians 2:20a "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me."

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 grew up in a good household with caring parents. As I got older, I started to rebel. I began smoking weed for the first time at fourteen years old. I abused drugs and alcohol to mask the pain I had of feeling never good enough or that I would never amount to anything in life. I came to Teen Challenge to finally break free from the chains and torment of addiction I have been under for so many years. I hope to break free from all of the lies being told to me, and become a Godly man of Christ who can walk in integrity.

Favorite Scripture: Micah 6:8 He has shown you, O man, what is good and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

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.

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 multicultural family in Romania, Hungaria, and Germany. My parents divorced when I was 10 years old. I felt God did not care, so my heart grew cold towards him. My addiction began in my 30’s. I was a professional athlete, swimming and playing basketball until my late 20’s. Due to so much partying, alcoholism became prevalent. I drank for recreational purposes, then I drank because of anxiety and loneliness. Eventually it became an addiction to cover my fears and bitterness in life. In June 2021, I turned myself into Banner Health ER with severe suicidal thoughts. I underwent 9 days of detox followed by 30 days of rehab at the Native American Center. Now I am at Teen Challenge in pursuit of God restoring my relationship to Jesus. I want to be healed and restored to the calling God has planned for me. I hope to become a better servant and revive my prayer life. I would like to release the gifts I have of writing music, healing, prophecy and teaching. 

Favorite Scripture: Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Growing up I was afforded every opportunity to be successful and I had a loving family. When I was about 14 years old I started to drink alcohol and party, although my drug addiction wouldn’t start until years later. I stared to abuse drugs because a lot of my friends and family did and before I knew it, I couldn’t stop. I came to Teen Challenge to break free from addiction and to grow in my faith. I hope to achieve a drug free and productive life through Christ Jesus.  

Favorite Scripture: Ephesians 4:2 “Always be humble and gentle, be patient with each other making allowance for each other’s faults. “

My life growing up was fulfilling. I was loved and everything I needed was provided for. I had a great education with a family that supported me. My addiction began when my biological mother supplied me with opioid prescription painkillers and muscle relaxers. Then it spiraled out of control when she abandoned my father and brother and me in the midst of her addiction. I continued to use substances to deal with the emotional pain of not having my mother around me anymore. In search of the love I so desperately strived for that I missed from my Mom, I came to Teen Challenge. I am here now because God met me right where I was and took me right where I needed to go. I hope now to re-learn how to endure hardships in a healthy manner.  My goal is not just sobriety, but an emotional and spiritual recovery too. 

Favorite Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1: 17 then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom and also of madness and folly but I learned that this too is a chasing after the wind.