At 40, Ricky is old enough to have regrets - and young enough to have time left to fix them. He’s also learned that the key to starting over is to let God be in control. As he says, “God is making the difference...He has brought me such a long way. I was at the bottom, with no self-esteem. And now I am so happy!”
Ricky’s low...
All of her life, Leann believed she was unloved and stupid. How could she not be, when her mom and dad constantly said things like, “How much stupider can you get?” And “No one will ever love you.” To be loved was what she yearned for. What she got was abuse, both verbal and physical, from two alcoholic parents.
One night when...
"Hope for the holidays” has a special meaning for Clemmie this year. Last Christmas, he couldn’t even recall what hope felt like. In fact, those holidays were some of the darkest days of Clemmie’s life. He spent Christmas—and his birthday on December 31—all alone. What happened between then and now? To answer that, let...
Like so many others, Phillip started using drugs as a lonely teenager down in Florida who had few friends. “The easiest to talk to were those who frequently drank on weekends, sometimes before or after school,” he says. To be cool, Phillip joined them. It began with occasional drinking and smoking pot, then progressed to selling drugs and,...
Laughter comes easy for Becca, although she’s well-acquainted with life’s dark side. Where she is today is a world away from where she once was. And getting here made her “tough and tender.” Becca came to Open Door Mission on parole. This was her second sentence for possession of methamphetamines. “I couldn’t do it any more,...
