William
William’s early years with his siblings were marked by abuse and instability at the hands of their parents. The family frequently moved from place to place, and the only constant was the chaos at home. “Between my stepdad’s drinking and infidelity and my mom’s poor mental health, it was a miserable place to be,” he remembers, sadly.
At 17, William was sent out of state to live with his father, who took him to bars. Encouraged to “be a man” by suppressing emotions, he discovered he could mask his feelings with alcohol and, eventually, drugs. Soon, he found himself in the grips of addiction.
Problems with the law landed William in prison. Even when it was behind him, this conviction made it nearly impossible to find employment or housing. Out on the streets, he spiraled in his addiction and fell into legal trouble again. “I was overwhelmed and even planned to end it all,” he shares.
By the grace of God, William was given a second chance through a faith-based rehab program for incarcerated men. That’s when his perspective began to change, and upon his release he was led to Bread of Life.
“For the first time, I started to envision a future for myself.”
At the Mission, William began to rebuild his life in a stable environment. “At first, they wanted me to just rest. No one had ever done that for me before!” he remembers.
Through Christ-centered classes and counseling and a focus on relapse prevention, William experienced healing.
In his new, sober life, walking with the Lord, William gives back whenever he can. His goal is to help steer young people away from drugs. In his own life, he’s repaired relationships with family. “I have more empathy now and I understand how important it is to forgive myself and others.”
This Easter, William is experiencing God’s gift of new life! Thank you for empowering him to follow Christ’s calling in his life. “The Mission pushed me to be more open and to have courage outside my comfort zone. I’ll always be grateful!”