Michael, 45, never used to consider himself a big reader. But that all changed during his time in our life recovery program. His work skills assignment included overnight shifts at the front desk, which gave him lots of time to crack open a book.
Specifically, the Bible. “I read through the Bible in six months!” he recounts. “And I think I’m on my fourth time reading the Gospels. It’s what I need. I’m taking steps to keep from falling back into my old life.”
That old life included rough seasons, stretching back to his childhood in Las Vegas. “I was left alone a lot. Sometimes I was there for days by myself. I had to cook, get myself up for school, clean the place, pretty much be an adult.”
“And Vegas wasn’t a good place to be anyway,” he adds. “I remember feeling unsafe, covering up, hoping people couldn’t see me or take my things. That was a trauma early in my life.”
When he was 12, Michael was introduced to marijuana. Within a few years, he’d tried other drugs. But it was the end of a long-term relationship six years ago that brought him to his lowest point, eventually leading to homelessness.
“I felt lost. I felt worthless,” he remembers. “The worst part is, I always say ‘hi’ to people, and I guess I expect them to say ‘hi’ back. But when you’re walking down the street and you’ve got a backpack and you’re not dressed the greatest, no one acknowledges you.”
Thankfully, he had the complete opposite experience when he came to Hope Ministries. “The fellowship here is amazing. Hope Ministries welcomed me. They treated me like a human being.”
Michael
“This has given me stability, showed me how to build a foundation for my future. That’s something I haven’t had in a long time.”
Earlier this year, on March 10, Michael hit his one-year sobriety date! That same month, he graduated from our program. Today, he’s got a good job and he’s active in church, Bible study and a faith-based recovery group.
One of the things he’s grateful for about his time at Hope Ministries is how his money management skills grew. “I was honestly worried when I got my first paycheck. It was my first time with a significant amount of money again, and in the past, whenever that check would hit, I’d already be thinking about where I could get this drug, that drug.” So with the help of his resident advocate, he put safeguards in place and developed a money management plan.
“I’ve changed,” he says today. “I’ve set boundaries. I just couldn’t find my footing before and that’s when I’d stumble the most. But I have a foundation now. I don’t want to go back to how things used to be.”
These days, Michael is focused on his restored relationship with his kids, growing in his faith, maintaining the positive changes he’s made . . . and living a life of gratitude.
“Thank you,” he says to the ministry partners who have helped transform his life. “I appreciate everything you’ve done for us. Whether it’s one plate of food or one dollar you’ve donated, you’ve helped all of us.”
