Nine years in recovery has been such a wonderful journey. I entered Recovery Point Bluefield on January 6, 2016. Hopeless, scared, and defeated, this was my last chance according to the judge over my case. He was finished with me, and I was going to prison for a long time if this did not work. I had given up and just knew that there was no helping me. I wanted to change but figuring out how was the problem. After a few months in the program, something happened, I started to think recovery might be possible. It worked for the crazy men running the place, so why would it not work for me too?? Their stories and just their happiness to be there made me think they either got something or they needed a psych ward, but at this point, I was ready to listen and try whatever to be better. Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months, and at some point, I was just different, and I didn’t know how to explain it. The more I studied, the more I realized the only answer was God. He was the only common denominator in everything that was taught to me from day 1.

I became a peer mentor and started helping others through their step work and found that I enjoyed seeing the light come on when something finally made sense. It was one of the most satisfying experiences I had ever felt. I decided that I would like to work for Recovery Point and started working hard to prove myself. I was offered a position straight out of the peer mentor’s office. It was part-time but at that point, I knew If I kept doing what I was doing God would move mountains for me to get where I wanted to be. Part-time turned into full-time work. Then from full-time to a leadership position. When I thought moving up at Bluefield was over, God said wait a minute, He moved some stuff around and I was sitting the Program Director chair of the place that changed me.

Life could not get any better. I was married to my wonderful wife, I was a dad, I was a son, and I was a true friend. 4 years sober and life couldn’t get any better or at least I thought. But it gets better… The thief, drug addict, convicted felon, liar, and manipulator from the past was buying a house, buying vehicles and motorcycles, paying bills on time, married, loving life, happy, and now sharing a story that others would not have believed unless they saw it firsthand. I did end up leaving Recovery Point and now work at Southern Highlands Community Mental Health Center where I am the Administrative Director over two residential treatment facilities but Recovery Point Bluefield and the men who showed me how to live will always hold a special place in my heart. Recovery Is real if you give it a chance. If you don’t believe me, ask somebody in recovery, I am sure they would love to tell you.