Before Joy

Before Joy House, I was broken and lost.  I could not even lift my head and look people in the eyes.  I remember sitting in a cold, 8x10 jail cell having everything I hold so dear stripped from me; not knowing where my 4-month old son was or if I would hold or see him again.  I cried out to the Lord because I wanted out of the abusive relationship I was in. He answered my prayer by leading me to Joy House and giving my son and I a new life, a hope and a future.

A Will to Live

I am 30, married with two children and have been battling drugs and alcohol since the age of 13. In 2007, I found myself alone and near death. That’s when I turned to the Lord for help and was lead to the Providence homes. Through the support of counselors and an accountability partner, having the Lord in my life as well as peers who struggle with similar challenges, my relationship with my family has been restored and I’ve found peace and happiness for the first time in my life.

A New Dawn

I spent many years in jail as a result of my additions, ending up homeless where I was forced to do things I did not want to do, just to survive. Then I met someone who showed me Christ’s love and introduced me to Providence House. This is where I found the family atmosphere that was missing in my life. Through this support system, I have been sober for 15 months, am enrolled in college, maintaining multiple jobs and saving money for my future.

Lena and Sean Got Married!

Sean, a previous Providence House II resident, & Lena, a previous Joy House resident, were lost in their addictions from the damage that had been done to them throughout their lives. They were broken spiritually, emotionally & mentally. After graduating from our transitional program, they were married! Not only have we witnessed the blessing of their union, but they are now Live-in Staff members at Victory Apartments, giving back to the community that provided the love and support they needed to regain their lives.

God reached out to me

Seven years ago, I made a conscious decision to turn my back on God. I decided that he wasn’t doing me any good and was trying to keep me from having fun. I quickly found friends who were more than happy to help me distance myself from Him. I left my church and dove head first into the world of excess. Daily alcohol use and smoking weed was the norm. Soon my family, my job, and all my responsibilities were no longer as important as my new life. Over time, the whiskey stopped working, the weed stopped numbing and I started searching.

Methamphetamine was the answer to it all, so I thought. Meth took over my life faster than brush fire and I was seriously out of control. I was a slave to the chemical that I thought would free me. In one year, meth was able to take my family, my house, two cars, multiple jobs, all my money, any trace of respect or dignity, put a bullet in my leg and landed me in jail.

Then God reached out to me. He brought me to the Providence Homes. He saved my life. Even though I chose to turn away from him, he refused to turn from me. I don’t think I realized what I was getting myself into when I walked into Prov II that day to interview. But whether I was ready or not, God changed my live.  I’m a different person today. By God’s grace and mercy, I am a psychology major at Colorado Christian University, a volunteer staff member at Providence House II, am married with two children and have respect, dignity and integrity.

All those things that drugs and alcohol took from me, well, they can keep them. God has restored to me a life that is better than I could ever have imagined.

~ Nate Hill