Tucson Center Students

As a child I grew up in a Mormon house. I was always playing sports, had a lot of friends and was in school. My addiction took off when I took my first sip of alcohol. I believe I used alcohol to drown my sorrows I had to live with such as guilt and shame. I came to Teen Challenge because I was on the verge of losing my life to my addiction. While at Teen Challenge I hope to have a new and genuine relationship with God as well to have restoration with my family and children.

Favorite Scripture: Ephesians 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

I had a really good childhood. My twin brother and I were very active, involved in sports such as baseball, basketball, and soccer. Camping and fishing have always been our favorites. My addiction began in high school with drinking alcohol, but I began to experiment with marijuana and my grades began to drop so I decided to drop out of school but it didn’t stop there. I ended up using Heroin and Meth. I used drugs at first to fit in with the crowd, but eventually I used to just feel happy. I came to Teen Challenge because I had just got released from jail and didn’t want to go back to my old stomping ground in fear I might relapse. I also am getting to know my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I want to develop a relationship with Him and leave the old me behind. I hope while at Teen Challenge I am able to find myself, learn about myself, and learn about Christ.

Favorite Scripture: John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

As I was growing up, life was fun but was also very rough. My addiction really began to take off when my father passed away at the age of 16. I began to use drugs to fit in with the crowd and sense everyone else was already doing them. I came to Teen Challenge to find out my purpose in life. I want to get back on track because of all the trouble I continued to get in while in Tennessee. I was not getting anywhere good in life. I hope while being here that I will gain a completely renewed mind and body while growing everyday with God and developing my own personal relationship with Him.

Favorite Scripture: Romans 6:6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.

I had a good childhood. My mom and dad worked all the time and unfortunately they fought all the time. They divorced when I was 16 years old. I am closer to my dad and his family, but I love my mom. I started smoking weed when I was 14. It was my gateway drug. My life started to get turned upside down from my addictions. I used drugs to push the hurting inside of me down. I wanted the drugs to help me with my screw ups in life. I want to follow Christ. I want to really give my life over to Him. At Teen Challenge I can get close to the Lord, and work towards restoring my relationships with family and my children. I want God to soften my heart.

Favorite Scripture: I Corinthians 13:11 When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things.

Growing up for me my youth was rough. I dealt with severe trauma, my mother was using crack-cocaine but we did go to church during the holidays. My addiction really took off when my mother passed away when I was 13, but by the age of sixteen I was using Meth intravenously. I believe I was using drugs because I felt hollow inside. I had no father figure to guide me, but I knew I had potential.  At one of my lowest points, I reached out to my sister for help and they brought me to Teen Challenge. I’m here to build that firm foundation with Christ I so desperately need. During this program I hope to build my relationship with God and know what it’s like to have a heavenly father that loves me unconditionally. I’m also trying to become the father I need to be to my 3-year-old son Dominic JR.

Favorite Scripture: Romans 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good.

Growing up life was pretty good up until I was seven years old when my dad decided to leave. From that day forward I always had a feeling of being alone in life. In order to mask the pain, I started using drugs at the early age of 13 and progressively started to get worse. I moved from alcohol to cocaine by the age of 16. I realized that when I was using drugs, I didn’t have to face any of the problems that I had going on in my life or deal with myself. I came to Teen Challenge in order to find my true self, but most importantly grow my relationship and get to a deeper connection with my Savior. Where I find my motivation to stick it through in Teen Challenge is my two beautiful daughters who deserve to have me at my best. I hope during these 13 months I am able to finally figure out the calling God has on my life so that I can have a firm foundation and a purpose for life after Teen Challenge.

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

As I was growing up, my parents were divorced by the time I was twelve which caused a tremendous amount of trauma for me. In high school I was selling marijuana but when my grandparents passed away is when I really started to get curious about the other drug substances out there. I began to use drugs to escape a reality I didn’t want to deal with and soon that turned into just staying ahead of withdrawals. I came to Teen Challenge so I could get closer to God and gain self-control over my fleshly desires. If it wasn’t for Teen Challenge, I would be homeless in the streets. While here at Teen Challenge I hope to conquer my drug addiction and my addictive personality as well as figure out the calling God has on my life.

Favorite Scripture: 1 Peter 5:6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

I grew up in a pretty good family unit  until I turned 14, at which point our home turned into a drug house. I started using alcohol at 13 years old and methamphetamine at 17 years old,   mostly because everyone else was doing it- I thought it would all be okay. I came to Teen Challenge because God definitely has a calling on my life and I know it. I don’t want to slip back into  alcoholism and meth use, I want          restoration and healing through Christ and His power.  

Favorite Scripture: James 5:16 “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”

I was fortunate to have a really good childhood. I was homeschooled and was always in attendance of church services. My addiction first began when I was in high school. I began using drugs because I wanted to rebel from authority while having fun with my friends. My parents and a pastor we know encouraged me to go to Teen Challenge. I’m here in this program so that I can get spiritual help and have a relationship with God as well as get clean and stay clean from my meth addiction. I hope while being here I can help myself and fellow brothers become aware of the life that Gods has planned for us all.

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

While I was growing up we were poor and I was lonely most of the time. I never had any direction growing up as a kid so I never really felt accepted. My drug addiction started when I was a teen smoking pot and eventually escalated to meth use. I used drugs to feel accepted and escape the reality I was living in. I’m in Teen Challenge because I asked to come. While here, I want to get closer to God and become the father my children can look up to. During my stay at Teen Challenge, I hope to become a stronger Christian and a productive member of society as well as a role model for my two daughters.

Favorite Scripture: Proverbs 16:4 The LORD works out everything to its proper end- even the wicked for a day of disaster.

Life was pretty normal growing up. We had a low income family, but we had everything we needed. I started drinking in my late teens, it wasn’t really a problem until my parents passed away. I started drinking because I enjoyed it, but I kept drinking to deal with stress. I came to Teen Challenge to straighten my life out. My brother came through the program so my family encouraged me to do it. I hope to achieve a better connection with God and overcome my addiction.

Favorite Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind.”

Life growing up for me was decent, but always trying to meet my dad’s expectations put a weight on my shoulders. My addiction began when I had suffered a torn LCL in my left ankle. I was prescribed pain medication to help ease the pain, but that soon turned into an addiction because I had no way to stop using the pain pills without getting sick. I chose to come to this Teen Challenge because of the high success rate it has but also to develop a relationship with Christ and face my addiction head on so I didn’t have to worry about it anymore. While here at Teen challenge I hope that I can learn to stay sober and talk about issues that are bothering me instead of bottling them up. Ultimately I want to have a better relationship with God.

Favorite Scripture: Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

I grew up in a good loving Christian home, but I always felt something was missing. My addiction began when I was about 13 years old. I started to use drugs to numb the pain of my abandonment and to please my selfish desires. I came to Teen Challenge because my grandfather was a mentor to Snow Peabody’s mentor, and my parents knew this place would help me. I was ultimately tired of living a life of addiction. I also believe this place will give me a firm foundation to stand on and to pursue my calling of youth ministry.

Favorite Scripture: James 1:2-3 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.