Hope Center Ministries celebrates another powerful story of transformation, this time through the incredible testimony of Waverly, TN alumni Terry Irvin!
From a young age, Terry's life was ruled by drugs and drinking: from starting with alcohol and marijuana at only 8 years old to discovering cocaine at 12 and meth at 15, from a young age Terry had little hope of learning how to navigate the world around him outside the scope of addiction. He describes his life at this time as a constant battle – fighting to find brief stints of sobriety in the madness of the world around him before inevitably being drawn back in as the stress began to mount.
By doing his best to limit his usage to 'lighter' substances such as alcohol and marijuana, and only occasionally using meth, Terry believed that he was able to maintain a state that most addicts describe as 'functional'. While the argument of the 'functional' addict is usually one more of self-justification than reality, for years Terry was able to, for the most part, find something resembling a normal rhythm in an otherwise chaotic life. Until 2015.
In 2015 Terry's use came to a head when he lost his relationship due to his continued substance abuse. He felt that since he no longer had any responsibilities and no one to hold him accountable for his actions, he might as well take advantage of it. His drinking took on a new, heavier pace than before, and he began using meth daily as a way to cope with the direction his life had taken him – which, of course, only sent him further down the spiral. In 2016 he found himself in prison after picking up a DUI charge, and in 2017 violated his parole and ended up a fugitive from justice after his continued abuse saw him being let go from his job. Being unable to stay in his hometown where he was a wanted man, Terry slept where he could – sometimes with friends, sometimes in the woods when he had nowhere else to go.
Terry describes this period in his life as his darkest, and that darkness very nearly claimed him. Seeing no way out of his situation he attempted to take his own life not once, but twice.
But God had other plans for Terry.
For the first time since he was a child, Terry reached out in prayer, begging for some sense of direction in the turmoil of his life; and deciding that he was done running, he found himself led home, to Humphreys County, Tennessee.
After turning himself in to face punishment, Terry was blessed to meet a friend on the inside who told him about Hope Center Ministries, and soon after found himself on the doorstep of our center in Waverly, TN. Terry describes the Hope Center as acting as vessel for God to enter his life in a brand new way: by receiving the spiritual tools necessary to form a personal relationship with Christ, Terry gained more than just his sobriety – he gained a brotherhood, a church, and a support system that will stay with him as he rebuilds his life with God at the center.
After completing his program with Hope Center Terry has gone on to do incredible things: he's regained his relationship with his children, married the woman of his dreams (who he met through church!), and now wakes up every morning happy, knowing he no longer has that old, life-crippling desire to use.
In Terry's own words, 'the hole has been filled', and we at Hope Center couldn't be more proud of the part that we played in helping him find that strength. Thank you Terry for this powerful testimony of what can happen when you give Christ the power to transform your life!
If you're ready to experience your own story of transformation, don't wait!
Contact our admissions coordinators today and let Hope Center Ministries help you on your journey to lasting recovery.
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