Five months ago, Tommy arrived at our 12-month residential Spiritual Recovery Program a young guy who seemed to have nothing to feel good about in his life. To me, he just looked “lost” with no sense of where to go, let alone any idea how to get there.
Insecure and quiet, Tommy always sat up front in class and we got to know each other a little better. From the beginning he struggled with every assignment – starting with getting his brain going by memorizing some Bible verses.
Tommy hardly said anything out loud in class, but would get with me before or after class about his work. He knew he couldn’t do it, but we kept talking – and he kept trying!
So Tommy stumbled through a couple verses and got credit for his accomplishments. I could see a smile of relief. As he kept going – getting better by the week – came a smile of accomplishment.
After he finished his black-out period, Tommy was really tuned-in and focused. Now he walked into class with a smile and some confidence he probably never experienced in his life.
Tommy is also working on his high school diploma through our Innovative Learning Center here on campus. I’m confident he’s going to get it!
Today he writes prayer requests on our Daily Prayer Sheet and I feel it a sacred trust to pray for those that matter to him. I can’t remember Tommy’s drug of choice, but I don’t think it matters – because drugs weren’t his real problem.
Once Tommy began to feel some hope and then began to experience some answers, he felt some supernatural empowerment that he’d never known before. This was something booze or drugs could never do for him!
I love my job!
Pastor Gary Byers
Deputy Director