09/02/2026
Recovery Month story.
“For me, recovery isn’t just about not using drugs or alcohol anymore. It’s about everything that came back when I got sober.
The picture on left is me sitting in jail. Addiction had taken me places I never thought my life would go. I had hurt people I loved, damaged relationships, lost trust, and honestly had no idea what my future was going to look like.
The picture on the right is me and Heather today. And that picture represents so much more than two people smiling.
Recovery gave me the opportunity to become a husband Heather can count on. It gave us the chance to build a marriage centered around God instead of chaos. It gave our kids a dad and stepdad who is present, dependable, and actually there for the moments that matter.
Recovery has changed our entire family.
It hasn’t made life perfect. We still have hard days. We still have things we have to work through. But today we get to work through them together instead of addiction tearing everything apart.
One of the greatest things recovery has taught me is that God can take the parts of your story you are most ashamed of and use them for something you never could have imagined.
That mug shot is part of my story, but it doesn’t define my story.
Today, Heather and I get the privilege of walking alongside other people and families through Recovery Refuge and Celebrate Recovery. We get to watch men rebuild relationships, become fathers again, find purpose, grow in their relationship with Christ, and discover that their worst chapter doesn’t have to be their last chapter.
That’s what recovery means to us. It means restoration, It means family. It means second chances, It means freedom, And most of all, it means Jesus.
Your story isn’t over.” -Ryan
Happy Recovery Month. 💜