New Life Program Graduation

2014

Restoring Faith, Hope, and Family BoiseRM.org

PO Box 1494 Boise, ID 83701 208.343.2389

Our 2014 Graduates:Jose Arroyo .................................................................................................................. 4

Jeffry Butler ................................................................................................................. 5

Nichol Cline ................................................................................................................ 6

Shayne Coley ............................................................................................................... 7

Carl Croft ..................................................................................................................... 8

Traci Farr ..................................................................................................................... 9

Daniel Felix ............................................................................................................... 10

Ronnie Fields ............................................................................................................ 11

Brian Foster ............................................................................................................... 12

Ken Harrison ............................................................................................................. 13

Tedd Hochstrasser .................................................................................................... 14

Thomas Ivatts ............................................................................................................ 15

James Jacobsen .......................................................................................................... 16

Michael Lara .............................................................................................................. 17

Cerina Lazlo .............................................................................................................. 18

Jessika Moore ............................................................................................................ 19

Larry Thorndike ....................................................................................................... 20

Kelsey Verbanac ........................................................................................................ 21

Kelli Wilcox ............................................................................................................... 22

Dave Wood ................................................................................................................ 23

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” 2 Corinthians 5:17

4

Jose Aroyyo

My name is Jose and I am a grateful believer of Jesus Christ who struggles with drugs and alcohol. I was born a middle child with a brother and a sister. My parents were the best parents that I could ever have.

In Junior High, I started hanging around people that were smoking cigarettes and drinking beer. By the 10th grade, I was doing drugs, drinking beer and smoking cigarettes.

My senior year, my dad died. I remember the last day I saw him at home

before surgery. He sounded very confident that everything was going to be ok. Instead, within a couple days, he had multiple strokes and died. It was the hardest thing to accept that he was gone from my life.

After that, all I wanted was to avoid the pain of losing my dad. I was living from house to house or homeless, just getting high, partying and working wherever I could to support my addiction. A few times, including when my daughter was born, I would pray for help and try to stop. But each time something happened and I fell back into my addiction. One day, I got into a heated argument with my brother and ended up stabbing him in the neck. I couldn’t believe what I had done. I thought my life was over and I could never get it back.

Thankfully, he pulled through and there, in jail, I began to read my Bible and pray every day and night. I saw that my own way wasn’t working out so I became willing to give God my life. Someone told me about the New Life Program so I applied and a few days after my interview, I was accepted.

It brings to my mind the story of the prodigal son found in Luke 15:20-22 and Psalm 40. Verses 1 - 4 of Psalm 40 say:

I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.

I am the one who strayed from the Father and I found nothing but misery. But then I sought God and He welcomed me back with open arms. God has continued to bless me in this Program beyond what I had ever imagined. I am so very grateful to now have Christ in my life.

I have now been sober over a year. After a year, I finally made amends with my brother and my relationships with my daughter and her mom have gradually gotten better. I love the relationship now that I have with my mom. It’s better than it ever was and I enjoy spending time with her.

If there’s anything you take with you from this testimony I pray that it will be for you not to continue to ignore God’s voice. He’s calling us back to Him. Use me for an example. Nothing good comes from trying to control our own lives. God loves us all and wants us to walk with him. May God be with you all! Thank you for letting me share.

5

Jeffry Butler

This is my second time here in the New Life Program and I am very thankful that I am here now.

There are so many changes in my life now that I have my Savior Jesus Christ in control.

I had a hard life growing up: drugs and gangs were all I knew from a very young age. I have always known that life-style was not why I was put on this earth. However, it was so much a part of the culture in El Salvador

where I grew up, I felt that was what I needed to do to survive.I had a hard past, but I choose to focus my time and energy on the things

that are going on in my life now and how I can make them better. My Savior Jesus Christ is the most important person in my life and I rely on Him for everything. I know that without Him I would be lost. I know that all the problems I have in my life are a result of making poor decisions. I am thankful I have Someone to guide me in all the choices I make in my life who only wants what is best for me.

I know I will be happy because I give it all to Him. I am not saying everything in my life will be perfect because I know it won’t; but now things will work for me because He says so. Thank you.

Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

6

Nichol Cline

As a child, I had it pretty good. Not only was I well taken care of, but I also enjoyed the love of both my parents in the same home. We had horses and were very involved in competitions with them. Most of our summers were spent competing and traveling to compete.

Then in the seventh grade we moved to Polson and stopped competing all together. After several months, we did bring our

horses to Polson, but riding was never the same. I started spending more and more time babysitting and with friends. We would drink occasionally, and then I was introduced to pot. Pot did not have the side effects and it was hard to detect, so I would use and go to school.

Half way through my junior year, we moved to Las Vegas. Wow! What a culture shock! I started to attend school there and felt like I was instantly rejected. My car was not cool, my clothes did not cost enough, and my one friend moved away. So I begged my parents to switch schools.

My senior year, when prom came around, I realized that I was way overweight. That had to change, so I started using meth occasionally and experimented with other drugs. I moved out with my boyfriend and was using more and more.

At my parents’ house my mom and sister were fighting a lot. One day they got in to a huge fight and my sister went to jail. After that, my mom begged me to come home so I broke up with my boyfriend and moved back in.

Two weeks later my mom died. After her funeral, I started to use all day every day as well as completely detach from other members of my family. I got pregnant, and moved in with my boyfriend’s mom. I told myself that I would never use again, however, a few months after my twins were born, I started again. Several years later, both our addictions had gotten totally out of control. My boys and I moved in with my sister and I tried to get sober.

When we moved to Idaho, I couldn’t get meth anymore, but I started to drink. Because it is legal to drink, I did not see this as a problem. A year and a half later, I thought I was strong enough to move back to Las Vegas. I quickly got mixed up with the wrong crowd, and, in order to support my habit I started shoplifting. That year I was in and out of jail many times.

In September, I found myself back in jail and totally lost. I did not know what to do. I felt like my addiction was bigger than any other thing in the world and I would never be able to beat it. My sister told me about the New Life Program at City Light, so I applied and, when I was released from jail, I went to the shelter. City Light accepted me into the program in January 2013. This is where I found God, and learned that, with His help, all things are possible.

7

Shane Coley I was born in Las Vegas, Nevada. My

parents are from there as well. In 1976 when my mom was pregnant with my brother Gabriel, we took a vacation to a small town called Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. My parents fell in love with north Idaho and decided it would be a great place to raise a family.

Shortly after we moved to north Idaho, my dad started two successful businesses. Both were quite successful, for about 10

years. Then, in the mid-80’s a Neo-Nazi militant group made north Idaho their home base. In 1986 they pipe bombed several places in town, and the Junior High I went to had a pipe bomb threat because we had an African American child enrolled in our school. The economy went belly up and my dad sent my mom, my brothers, and I back to Las Vegas to live. My dad stayed up north to try and sell our home and salvage what was left of his businesses.

So we moved back to Vegas from Coeur d’Alene and what a culture shock that was. I just wanted to fit in and started hanging out with the wrong crowd. The kids there looked different, talked different, dressed different and acted different. It was like living on a different planet compared to where I had come from.

At the age of 14, I started drinking and smoking pot trying to fit in. I definitely didn’t do it for the taste, I did it for the effect. Having my dad up north and my mom working as a real estate agent, I had a lot of free time to throw after school parties at my house.

My dad had several years clean but after losing everything, he lost his sobriety as well. My mom was the first one to notice and I recall them fighting over it when my dad returned to Vegas. It didn’t take long for my dad to get involved with the Vegas underworld that he was involved with before.

Shortly after my dad returned to Vegas, my parents separated and my dad started to see other women. That took a huge toll on me emotionally and I didn’t want to tell my mom. She had been hurt enough. By 1990, my father was in deep with the mob. I was only 17 years old and I remember warning him to be very careful. Unfortunately, my intuitions were right.

On June 18th, 1990, Father’s Day, my dad ingested over an ounce of pure cocaine and died a violent death. From then on, I have been trying to numb myself from the pain through every street drug available.

I’ve had a couple good runs at business but always ended up throwing it away due to drugs. Through this blessed New Life Program, I’ve learned how to deal with life’s ups and downs and how to live one day at a time.

I am now a licensed contractor. I couldn’t have done it without tools I acquired from the New Life Program. God bless the New Life Program and all the wonderful staff that invest their heart, mind and soul into it every day!!! Thank you Boise Rescue Mission.

8

Carl Croft My life began in the small town of

Pocatello, Idaho. I have fond memories of my childhood. It was hardly anything out of the ordinary.

The start of my addiction was when I was twelve years old. At that age, I really wanted to start fitting into the older crowd and I would hang out with my older brother and his friends. To me, they were the coolest and had it all. I’d ask my mom for money,

which I would spend on alcohol and pot. When she wouldn’t give it to me any more, I would get into her purse and steal her money and her cigarettes.

This went on for about two years before she found out. She begged me to stop and, for a while, tried everything she knew to make me. My schoolwork suffered and I often skipped to go hang out with my friends. All of this led up to me being kicked out of school at fifteen.

I moved to Washington to live with my sister and did well for the first few months. But then I met a friend who introduced me to meth. It totally took over and school was no longer important. I started to steal from my sister and it wasn’t long before she and her husband decided it was time for me to return home to Idaho.

The law caught up with me and I spent a year between prison and jail, then was released back to my mother. She had moved and I started with a new hope for a better life. But I started slowly slipping back into my old behaviors. I burned a lot of bridges and could no longer get work. My brothers and I were heavy into our addictions, so she moved us again and after a few weeks, I found work.

I met my wife here and she was good for me. She didn’t drink or do drugs. She was funny, beautiful, and had a big wonderful personality. She was exactly the type of woman I asked God to bring into my life. She tried hard to cure me of my alcohol addiction but I wouldn’t budge. When she finally had enough, she left and I fell into a deep depression. I lost the job I enjoyed and held for seven years. Drugs and alcohol were totally taking over and I really didn’t care if I lived or died.

I started to sell off everything I had worked so hard for. I maxed out all my credit cards to buy drugs and alcohol and lost my home, so I had to move back in with my mother and stepdad. I told them empty promises and, after six months, I got a DUI.

After a couple months in jail, I thought I was going to try to get things back on track. I was okay for a couple weeks, but ran into an old friend and it wasn’t but a couple days after that I was up to the same old behaviors: lying, stealing, cheating, and abusing everyone I came into contact with.

This went until one time I used too much meth in one use and started to see things. My brother called the police and I was arrested again. While I was in jail, my mother found the New Life Program. I was tired of living as I was. I came to Boise and now I have Jesus Christ in my life thanks to the New Life Program.

9

Traci Farr

There’s not much to tell about the old Traci. I grew up in an abusive home and made some pretty bad choices all through life. I began to smoke weed on my 18th birthday and was hooked from the get go. Meth came around because the dealer told me I could die from my first use, so I played a type of Russian roulette and smoked. Through the years, I was able to get off the harder drugs, however I merely replaced them with an addiction to Benadryl.

Through an ironic set of circumstances, I became pregnant in 2004. That little unborn baby became the first and only thing I cared about. I wanted whatever it took to help me raise her differently and I found out that my help was in the mighty name, Jesus. See, after having another baby, the three of us found ourselves on the doorstep of the City Light Home for Women and Children.

There, my family and I were formally introduced to Jesus and I must admit that I wasn’t really impressed at first. Sure, it all sounded good, if it was real. A very wise lady told me that she would rather live for Jesus but find out later that He wasn’t real than to not live for Jesus and see that He was.

The first prayer I can remember having for Him (if He was real) was to help my unbelief. I’d pray it over and over again as I participated in the daily activities of the program. Then something crazy happened. Although He had no obligation to prove Himself to me, He did; I was left with the unshakeable truth that He was very real. I was able to grow in wisdom and truth and I was able to begin passing these to my two daughters, who were, and still are, very teachable. He has helped me through so much since I’ve met Him and helped me to be so much more than I had become.

He began a great work in me many years ago and, although it’s been reassuring to realize that He won’t quit on me, I’m a little sad that I won’t be going to Heaven anytime soon, at least not until He’s finished with me. Truth be told though, it has been neat to hang out with Jesus here on earth. That being said, I guess I’m along for the ride.

10

Daniel Felix

I was born in Yuma AZ in 1983. I have wonderful parents and four older brothers that would always look after me. I grew up seeing my parents suffer over my brothers, so as a child I made a promise to God that I would never be like them. I ended up breaking that promise.

Things were not working out for my parents in AZ. My brothers were involved in gangs and drugs, which led them to jail and prison. My brother, Jesus, was heading down the same path, so we moved up to Idaho

because my parents wanted to get us away from all of that. I was 12 when we came here to Idaho. My hometown had been Somerton

where, at the time, the population was about 5000 and 99.9% of the people there were Mexican or Chicano. So it was a culture shock when we got to Idaho.

At the age of 13, I experienced marijuana, at 16 alcohol, and crank at the age of 22. I became an alcoholic and, at the age of 24, I became a crystal meth addict. From that point, my life began to spiral out of control. I did horrible things when I was doing meth. I lied, cheated, and stole. This went on for about 6 years.

January 26, 2013 is a day that I’ll never forget. I overdosed on meth, blacked out and I woke up in the ER. I was in the hospital for about 4 days and, during those days, I felt completely drained and hopeless. I would ask God, “Why did I wake up? Why did I come back?” I was so embarrassed; I had to tell my parents everything. I broke their hearts and I also broke that promise that I made to God when I was a kid.

While I was in the hospital an elderly man walked into the room and asked me if he could pray with me. During that time that he was praying, I was also praying asking God to help me out and after that prayer I felt as if my eyes were finally opened. It was as if the Lord had removed the blinders off my eyes. All these years, I was wanting to quit and trying all sorts of ways to do it. None of them worked, and finally I knew what I needed to do to break free from my meth addiction. I needed to seek Christ. After the man left, I remember talking to the Lord and surrendering everything to Him. I felt better and I was eager to get out of the hospital so I could go to church. When I was discharged from the hospital, that coming Sunday, I went to church with my parents.

I had already made my commitment to God before I came to this program, but I believe that God knew that I needed guidance. I was looking for places to start my drug recovery and, through the help of a friend, I was convinced to come to the River of Life.

Since I’ve been here I have faced challenging moments, but my relationship with the Lord has also grown stronger. That relationship has helped me overcome those challenging moments. I am tempted everyday but through the strength of the Lord, I am also victorious. I want to thank the staff at River of Life for giving me the opportunity to be in this program. They have been an inspiration to me, and I have learned a lot through them. But mostly I want to thank God for bringing me here, for opening His arms, guiding me with His grace, and showing me His incomparable love that has changed my life forever.

11

Ronnie Fields I first used marijuana at the age of

16, I wanted to, I was curious and I think, subconsciously, I wanted to rebel against my stepdad. I started smoking a lot more and eventually got into selling it, until one day he found out. I was transferred my senior year to Nampa Christian High School. Here I sought help for the first time from a counselor for abuse. I don’t think it did much good other than helping realize that I didn’t

have to be under his control forever. After I graduated, I moved out the first chance I got with my best friend to

a flophouse in Meridian. I stopped going to church and reading my Bible, and started to distance myself from God. I was making a lot of money at the time on a residential painting crew, and had a lot of money in the bank as well, so I started to get back into smoking pot, and not too long after, selling it again.

The morning after I went out for my 21st birthday, I was arrested and charged with a felony for possession and intent to deliver, and a misdemeanor for paraphernalia. My parents offered to bail me out if I got help and went to a recovery program at the Boise Rescue Mission. I accepted but, at the time, I was angry that I had to spend a year here. I thought I’d just leave once my case was all over. But I stayed, and now I’m in my transition phase. I couldn’t be more grateful of such an opportunity to reflect on myself and to get the help I needed.

Now that I’ve had the time to get closer to God, our relationship is better than I could have ever imagined. He teaches me daily, and I’ve learned to hear Him so much clearer. He has renewed my mind, and He’s bringing me back into the light. I have finally learned to put all my trust in Him, to let everything of the flesh go, to focus on Him in all things and that He will continue to hold me up. The doors are opening, and I feel I have been snatched away from death.

I went to my sentencing date on March 19 of this year. I stated how thankful I was for the Program, and that I wouldn’t be the same without it. I asked for a chance to stay at the Mission and finish my time so I could complete my program and graduate this May. My judge liked what he saw in me and he showed mercy on me.

Since I’ve started my sobriety, I’m able to think clearly, and hear clearly what God is calling me for. Not just me, but many others are here in this place at this time specifically to help this revolution of love to sweep in like a tsunami that will shake the Earth to its core. We all have smaller assignments, but I believe we are ALL called to love and live in love. Not just to act it out, think it, or say it, but accept love and share it, to radiate it in every way possible. Being sober has helped me to receive, to understand better what I am to do, and to be motivated to get up and do it. God has taught me to let go, to accept, to be grateful, to appreciate, to be free, to have peace and joy, and to have, share, and accept love.

12

Brian Foster Hello. My name is Brian. I am a

faithful believer who has some victory over methamphetamine, marijuana and cigarettes. I still struggle, but I have been clean and sober now since August 4th, 2013 and for that I extremely grateful.

I actually had a really good childhood. We didn’t have much, but we were loved and that is what made it good I think. My brothers and I were really close growing

up. When I was only six or seven, my parents got divorced and I spent traveling between two different environments. We lived with my mother and my step-father where the environment was strict, structured, and directed toward good values. My step-father was a good man, but not the best father. He was non-nurturing, and very abrasive. He was however a very hard worker and a very good provider.

My father was almost exactly the opposite. He was a hard worker, but rarely held a job from what I can remember. He was very loving, accepting, and encouraging, and has always been a bit of a dreamer. My father was also an alcoholic. I still don’t like labeling him with that word, but it is undeniable.

I first started drinking my sophomore year of high school. At eighteen, I started smoking cigarettes and, about a year later, I tried marijuana. A few years later I tried methamphetamine for the first time. It wasn’t long before I was using everyone I knew to support my habit. But I still considered myself a good person, though I was lying to everyone, including myself.

Thanksgiving Day of 2011, I was pulled over. I had 11 warrants for identity theft, was arrested and spent about three months in jail. It wasn’t until recently that I realized that this is where God started working in my life again. A friend of mine ended up being my cell mate. He read the Bible a lot, and would talk to me about how his heart had changed. He was going to change his life, and God was going to help him.

Within two weeks of my release I was fully immersed in my addiction again. But I was starting to feel like I wasn’t supposed to be living this way. Then, in a matter of 24 hours, everything came crashing down around me and I had no more excuses. I called my mom and finally asked her for help.

The next morning I was on a bus to Boise, and a week later I found myself at the Boise Rescue Mission. Today I find myself thanking God daily for this program, all the men in it with me, and the men who have dedicated themselves to making it a reality every day. I am reading the Bible, though admittedly not as often as I should. The biggest thing for me though is that today, I truly want to know God, and to know His plan for me. One of my favorite scriptures is Psalms 139:23-24, “Search me, oh God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.” I find this encouraging because although I am not perfect, there is One who is, and we could all stand to be a little more like Him.

13

Ken Harrison

I write this with mixed feelings, because I am proud of the things that I have been able to accomplish in this past 15 months. However I also know I still have much work to do.

I came here a broken, mixed up and very angry person. Well, I am still a broken person, but I have given all these things up to my personal Savior Jesus Christ and I can say that I am no longer the man I was, but I am

a new man in Christ.I came to the Light House only by the grace of God. I was on my way to

prison looking at a possible life sentence for my 12th D.U.I. By all rights, that is where I should have been. The process of change has not been an easy one for me at the Light House; I had been trying to hold on to my old ways. In addition, telling the staff and my counselors what I thought they wanted to hear did not get me anywhere. I came to realize, though, that all they wanted me to do was to be honest with those around me, and most importantly, to be honest with myself.

I am so thankful that I was given this opportunity to change my life so I can be happy and fulfilled.

Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

14

Tedd Hochstrasser

I began experimenting with alcohol around the age of 16. At first, it was a typical high school thing. For the most part, I was just a young guy out to enjoy life and have a few beers with the guys.

Soon after graduating from high school, I headed off to college at Idaho State University in Pocatello. My use quickly escalated and, by the age of 21, I had dropped out of college and was flipping

burgers for McDonald’s. Little did I know then that my addiction would dominate my life for the next 30 years. There never seemed to be enough money to cover much more than a place to live and the alcohol and drugs I needed to maintain myself, and it seemed that someone else was always to blame for the situations that I found myself in. I ended up alone, constantly angry with my co-workers, family, and friends

On February 21, 1997, I was headed to Reno, Nevada to pick up and deliver some cargo vans for the company I was driving for. To this day, I remember very few details about the accident. I remember reaching for a pack of cigarettes and being upside down as the car spun on its top. I was in prison for 9 years, then started drinking again a month before I completed my parole. Eventually my struggles with alcohol, pot and pills sent me into a downward spiral that ended with me trying to take my own life, but I realized that I really didn’t want to die. Eventually I ended up at the Boise Rescue Mission, New Life Program.

I spent seven months at in the New Life Program, but it would take two more years and a lot more pain for me to return to the Program and give my life 100% to Christ for His purposes.

I have begun to repair the damage I have done to myself and I continue to build a relationship with God and Christ. I have reached some conclusions through the study of God’s word and prayer and meditation. I realize that I am happier and more content with my life now than I had ever been. I have a peace in my heart, a true peace coming from the love of God and Christ. By giving control of everything about my life over to the care and control of Jesus Christ, I have gained a calmness in my life. In the short time I have been here, I have formed friendships based on honesty, respect, and genuine love.

Almost two years ago Pastor Bruce said something in the form of a commitment statement that has stuck with me, “I will no longer think of myself as second class. I will instead think of myself as unbelievably fortunate to have been chosen by God (based on no merit of my own), and seek to faithfully represent him to a universe in need.”

I can do this without reservation and with total conviction because of my faith in God and Christ Jesus. It says in 1 Corinthians 10:13, “And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out.”

15

Thomas Ivatts

My name is Thomas, and I stand before you a changed man.

God had never really been a part of my life until I came to the River of Life Rescue Mission but I came to the Mission with hope that God could help me with my struggles in life. My life had become unmanageable due to my alcoholism and drug addiction.

Over the past 8 years, I went from a moderate drinker to someone who was

completely dependent on alcohol. I was unable to function both physically and mentally without alcohol. My life was consumed by my addiction, out of control, and I was living in a very dark place. My alcoholic behavior over the past 3 years led me to losing my job of 12 years and my family. I was alone. I found myself lost with no ambition and no idea of what to do with myself. I just kept on drinking.

In July 2012, I was taken to the ER where I had a seizure; I was unable to breathe on my own. Life Flight flew me to St. Luke’s in Boise, where I would stay for almost 30 days in recovery. They told me I was lucky to be alive. After a few months had gone by and I was back on my feet, I regained most of what I had lost. I got my old job back, and soon after, I had my son every weekend. I was back in control of life, work, family, and sobriety, and I felt good about myself.

I managed to stay sober for about 8 months, but found myself in the hospital again. Ashamed and depressed, I couldn’t believe it! I lost everything again. After I was in the hospital for about a week, I had a visit from a woman who never gave me her name; she only asked me if I knew Jesus. She wanted to talk to me about Him but I refused and told her to leave. She soon came back, handed me a New Testament, and simply asked me to give it a try. Another day she returned and gave me a very nice day-to-day prayer book.

I didn’t understand why anyone would give these things to someone who didn’t care about what she had to offer. Later that day I found myself looking at an application for the New Life Program at the Mission. In my mind, I saw a connection between the application and the women who had come to visit. Three days later, I was on the doorstep of the Mission. I was skeptical at first, but soon became aware of the changes in the people around me and I started to see changes in my own life. I had found Jesus and through Him a relationship with God.

What an awakening this was! God helped me in so many ways. He has placed so many people in my life to help me learn to let go of my past, to forgive myself, and to forgive others. He has given me strength and hope in my new life, and has taken away my guilt and my shame. All of this has been possible through Him and the New Life Program.

I have grown to be a better person through Him. I see the world from a whole new perspective. God has my back, if I just believe. What a comforting thought! Not every day is going to be easy, but He is always there to help me. He has blessed me with a relationship with my family, and all of those who have been a part of my recovery here in Boise.

16 15

James Jacobsen I remember my first drink: I was 13

years old. My parents were out of town for the weekend and my brother was already in the party scene. I loved the way it made me feel. I got drunk and emotional and later passed out. A few months later I had a couple of beers and from there I started to drink and smoke any time I could get my hands on it.

When I was 17, I moved out of my parent’s house. I was working and my dad said I had to pay rent. I was tired of taking his abuse, so I lied about my age and rented my own apartment so I could have some space from him.

I was 20 when I got my first DUI. I paid the small fine and it was back to business as usual. I started working for my girlfriend’s dad. The job was alright and there was a lot of drinking that went with it.

Five years into my career, I got married. I bought a small house in Idaho Falls and began restoring it. I was, at this point, a full blown alcoholic and I knew it. My wife and I struggled a lot in our marriage. The years began to blur after this. I was constantly late on my mortgage payment and this was stressful for my wife. In 1988, my daughter was born. She was a bouncing beautiful baby girl and I had never been a part of something so perfect in my life.

After a couple of rough years, I applied for a job at Micron Technologies and got it. I moved my family from Idaho Falls to Boise. We found a little house to rent out in Nampa and we started building our life here. I was still drinking every day after work, but work was going well and I was excelling. In 1992, my second daughter was born. Another beautiful blond haired baby girl. My wife and I struggled a lot in our opinions of lifestyles and we fought over money. I liked my job at Micron, but I struggled to get along with others, so I left.

My wife and I filed for divorce and she went to live with a family that was helping her out. She soon remarried a good man who lived just a few doors down. My drinking started to escalate again and I was seeing my girls less and less. Although I was well entrenched in the alcoholic lifestyle, I would say I was still happy. I met another woman, started a relationship with her, and we had my first son. But we also struggled a lot and there was a lot of mistrust and anger and confusion. I decided to start the New Life Program at ROL.

I really wasn’t ready for it and after a time, I relapsed. I was offered a job in Utah and I jumped at it. It was great! For a time, I stayed sober, but my demons kept at me and I relapsed again. In November of 2011, I got a DUI in Utah. After a lot of soul searching, I called my daughter and got a bus ticket back to Boise.

I entered the program for the second time and I’m determined to make this my last time. I know there is a lot to be learned and I love to learn. I’m grateful for all the guys here at the River of Life who were willing to give me a second chance.

17

Michael Lara My name is Michael Lara, and I’m a

grateful believer. I grew up in California. When I was young, I never really went to church, but my mom taught me about God. All I knew was that He could save us and protect us, but until I came to the Lighthouse, I never had any idea who Jesus was.

My experience with drugs began when I was in kindergarten, but even into High

School, the use was infrequent, for it wasn’t who I was. It was during my career in the Navy that a friend asked if I knew where I could buy some meth. I fell in love with it. I thought it made me super popular.

Nothing was ever good from then on. If you asked at the time what was most important to me, I would have said my family, but in reality, my mom and sisters were the ones I was hurting the most. When I was under the influence of drugs, I would stay away and they wouldn’t see me for months on end. They would be in tears pleading with me to change my ways, but I was in a really dark place. It felt like nobody could understand me, that no one would ever forgive me for what I had done.

So I continued to lie, steal, cheat, and push everyone away. After some time in the prison system, my probation officer told me that he thought the program at the Lighthouse might be the only thing that would help me turn my life around. At first I brushed the thought aside but I knew something in my life had to change so, when a second person told me about it, I applied.

The New Life Program Manager told me that this could only work for me if I was willing to devote my life to it. When he asked me if I was willing to accept Jesus, if I was willing to give following Him a try, I was ready.

When I begged God to help me from jail, that was out of desperation. I thought He could help, but I did not know that He was someone who wanted to be a part of my life, or that He wanted to redeem me. Now I have come to know Jesus personally, to understand that He is God-incarnate, and that He values me and cares about me. Now everyday, everything I do is to honor Him.

Philippians 4:13 tells us that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. All glory be to God. Thank you to everyone who has given me so much and been so patient. You not only saved my life and restored me to my family, but also saved my soul.

18

Cerina Lazlo

My name is Cerina. As a child, I lived with my single mom in California and had wonderful, loving grandparents who helped raise me. I didn’t know who my father was until I was ten years old.

My mom and I moved often and I went to a bunch of different schools, therefore it was hard for me to make strong friendships. At age 15, I started experimenting with drugs and alcohol. I felt included, like I fit right

into the crowd of other kids who had problems like mine. I ran away from home and experienced some very traumatic and difficult

things, which I believe tainted my self-image for many years to come. My mom did her best to take care of me but had a number of her own problems. By the time my dad had come back into my life, he was everything to me. But after 15 years of sobriety, he relapsed and became an abusive and controlling father. I used anything to escape: drugs, relationships, stealing, rebellion.

At age 19 I had my daughter. I wasn’t prepared to be a mother and I was in and out of her life, putting drugs and relationships before my little girl. I absolutely hated myself for this, but didn’t know how to stop the cycle of addiction.

I came to Idaho two years ago in a reckless and abusive relationship, and pregnant with my son. I was arrested for trafficking, but someone helped me connect with City Light, and the staff fought to make it possible for me to spend 3 weeks with my son in their custody after he was born. When it was time for me to go back and face sentencing, I was granted an extension until trial and went into the New Life Program. This was the beginning of my life-changing transformation. I saw a light in the ladies there that I wanted; they told me that something was Jesus. I didn’t expect Him to completely remake me, but He did. He restored my relationships with family, my self-worth and gave me a solid foundation. When it came time for sentencing, the judge granted me the New Life Program as an alternative.

I live in awe of my beautiful son and that God trusts me enough to be responsible for him. I’m so thankful to this Mission, I love this place so much and everyone in it!! It’s hard to fathom how much God loves me! I know my most important purpose is to carry the message to the next struggling person and God will give me the ability to do that! I have a new excitement for life and my hope is in Him alone. I want to end with this scripture:

“Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind, let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” -Philippians 2:1-4

19

Jessika MooreI grew up in a small town with a single

mother who had 3 children. My father was in prison. I did not know him and was not allowed to talk about him.

Around age 11, I started smoking marijuana. It seemed like it helped me avoid my home life. Then, when I was 13 years old, my mom, a meth addict, stabbed my sister. After a year of court dates, we were finally put into foster care.

I felt relieved that my mother’s meth addiction was not on my shoulders anymore. I dug my heels into school and got good grades. At age 15, I was adopted and felt like I was finally part of a real family; it was like a fairytale and I had my happy ending. By 17, the fairytale had ended. My adopted parents were divorcing and my adopted mother had come out as a lesbian. She no longer cared about a family life.

I started hanging out with different friends and smoking pot all over again. I moved out while I was still in high school, had no sense of responsibility, and was too high to care. Eventually I ended up with two felonies and was sentenced to 90 days in county jail for possession of stolen property. Then, at 19 years old, I found out I was pregnant and realized it was time to change my life. I started attending church regularly and accepted Jesus Christ into my heart. I was happy and my relationship with the Lord was growing.

At 23, I welcomed my second child into the world. I felt like my life was complete. 8 months later, my second child got a cold, nothing really alarming. A quick visit to our pediatrician confirmed he had a virus and we just had to wait it out. Two months later, my child was still struggling to fight the virus, now with respiratory complications.

When he was a year old, he was diagnosed with asthma. During the next two and a half years he was admitted to the hospital 36 times for asthma related issues. I thought I had hit rock bottom. I could not make my child better and I gave up. I started smoking marijuana in the evenings to sleep. It spiraled downhill and within weeks, I was smoking every day.

I violated my probation and was sentenced. While incarcerated my biggest fear came true and my children were placed in foster care. I finally got on my knees and begged God to take over. I was overwhelmed with peace for the first time in my entire life. I knew that everything was in Gods hands and that it would be ok.

Meanwhile St Luke’s Hospital helped to get my child in with the pediatric lung specialist. He is now 19 months free of asthma attacks. He can now run, play, and be free like any other child.

I was released into the City Light’s New Life program January 30, 2013. Two weeks after joining the Program, my children were returned to my care. Everything became clear. It was like God put a spotlight on my life and showed me “this is what it’s all about!” I am confident, that, with the tools I have gained, I can be the mother my children deserve and maintain my sobriety at the same time.

20

Larry ThorndikeMy name is Larry and I’m 34 years

old. I’m a grateful believer in Jesus Christ recovering from chemical dependency.

I started using meth when I was 14 years old. I was involved in a criminal lifestyle very quickly. Through the years, I have been in and out of jails and prison. I have been homeless and felt completely hopeless.

I have tried to get clean several times and it was just short lived because, as I see now, I had no foundation. I have found my

foundation now. July of 2012, I wanted to take my life and attempted an overdose of mixed

pills and meth. I didn’t die, but ended up in jail facing several felony charges that could have put me away for a long time. I was so lost and alone. I didn’t know what to do. I thought I had been a Christian all my life, but I have never felt so alone and hopeless as I did in that moment. I prayed for help. I needed something else and I knew I couldn’t do it alone.

I prayed while lying on my bed in jail after a chapel service and gave my life to the Lord. Very soon after, I was offered a spot in the New Life Program. I didn’t know anything about it except that it was a Christian program and that people said it worked. I was thinking I needed something that works. I asked myself if I could do it and then told my sister that, yes, I would go there. I wanted a new life so bad, I asked God for the chance.

My next court date the judge released me. I went straight to the program August 1, 2012. I have been off meth since. Today I have a beautiful fiancée Amy and three little girls I love with all my heart. I have a home in Oregon and the new life I always dreamed of. Every day is a blessing. I face hard times, of course, but I stay strong and sober with my heart and mind on God. His promises are forever and I know I have nothing to fear. I’m so very thankful for the program that has set a new path for me, and for my family that has stood by my side through some very hard times. Thank you. I love you.

21

Kelsey VerbanacMy name is Kelsey and I am a grateful

believer in Jesus Christ who struggles with addiction. I was born January 21, 1981 and soon after, I received one of my biggest blessings in my life, my sister and best friend. Our early childhood was good. I was deeply loved by all my family and my mother was a stay-at-home mom. Then, in first or second grade my parents were divorced. I took it quite well but my life changed drastically. My father wasn’t around much and my mom was always

working. My sister and I became latchkey kids. My parents were typical hippies from the seventies. I was aware that they

smoked pot and drank, but I was quite naïve to other substances and their use. By late elementary school, my dad had begun to be more present in my life again, but one night the police ripped my dad out of our home and I was told by a classmate that he had been arrested for manufacturing marijuana. I completely withdrew from life, family, and school.

We moved in with my dad after my mom stopped coming home or buying food. I felt messed up and unloved deep inside my heart and soul. By high school, my parents were meth addicts. My life was a roller coaster of insecurity and fear. I started frying on acid and smoking weed daily. My mom rarely saw us; my father began cooking methamphetamine in our home. I was drinking and using every drug I could get my hands on except meth.

I was in and out of prison for 8 years before the first time in City Light. After my stay at City Light, I stayed sober for 7 years. I was married to another recovering believer and we had my beautiful son named E.J. He is the light of my life and we are extremely close.

During my marriage my husband was very abusive. After 5 years of torment, he threw me from a moving vehicle. I could take the abuse no longer and I filed for divorce. Then, after the divorce was final, my best friend died of cancer and I relapsed on meth and uppers. I suffered deeply from more guilt and, after three months of using, I tried to hang myself and was committed to a treatment center for a month.

I asked City Light to take me back into the New Life Program and I was accepted and welcomed with open arms. The Boise Rescue Mission and the gracious love of this community gave love and care to a wretched sinner like me. I am free and Jesus is again my best friend and lifelong companion. What the Mission does is nothing short of miraculous. I truly have a new life.

God bless all the donors, volunteers, and loving staff at the Boise Rescue Mission. You are partnering with Christ to make lasting changes in so many lives. You have helped Christ save my life. My son E.J. and I say, “Thank you Lord Jesus, we love you so much!”

22

Kelli WilcoxWriting my testimony down on

paper has proven to be very difficult and overwhelming because I’m not sure how I could possible put into words the incredible journey it’s been as I’ve come to know Jesus.

As I grew up, my determination to never rely on anyone but myself consumed me. I was willing to go to any length of suffering before showing weakness and accepting help. I felt numb and cold inside. When I tried

alcohol for the first time at 13, I thought this must be what it feels like to love. The third time I drank, it was to blackout. I began to pursue other kinds of drugs, hanging on to the same thinking and ideas I had always relied on. I thought I didn’t need anybody.

Everything began to fall apart. My addiction raged inside of me and I felt the black hole of despair consuming me. I felt like there was no way out for me. Addiction is like a starving beast that never rests: relentless and demanding, selfish and self-seeking. To be in the grasp of addiction is terrifying and miserable. It fills you with emptiness and a hopelessness that is unexplainable. When you don’t believe you will ever be free, there is no reason to fight. And when you have no hope, there is for no reason for anything.

I finally reached a point of utter brokenness and I cried out to God one last prayer. I told Him, if there was anything left in me that He saw that was worth saving, then He’d have to do it Himself because I had nothing left. Otherwise, please, please, just let me not exist anymore.

A short time later I was in county jail and was told I was being released to City Light to enter the drug and alcohol program. I’d done many programs and did not believe this one would be any different. But the light I saw in the other women there held me. I knew God was telling me to listen. It was the first time in awhile that I felt His presence and I knew His hand was in this. I sat in my room that first night and surrendered. I’d come to my end, so whatever came next was His.

I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior. He died for me even while I was serving the devil. He walked with me and waited for me to turn to Him, and even when I did not deserve Him, He loved me. He is my only hope today. Anything good that I have comes from Him, He is the good that’s inside of me. For an addict, living without Christ is a death sentence. I used to hate that I would always live with addiction, struggle with it. But today I’m grateful. We all face our own beasts and addiction is my thorn. It’s what drove me straight into the arms of my Heavenly Father. I had to reach complete brokenness in order to accept His grace and love.

I don’t fight anymore, I surrender to my God, and He is so faithful. Matthew 6:33 says to “seek first the Kingdom of God above all else and live righteously” and God will provide for you what you need.

23

Dave WoodMy name is Dave Wood. I am a true

believer of Jesus Christ. When I was fifteen my mother had cancer and we moved from Fruitland to the Tri Cities so we could get her help. Watching her die such a slow death, deteriorating from the inside out, was the worst thing I thought I would ever go through. Then, while she was going through treatment, my father had a brain aneurism. He was in the hospital for about 5 months,

and when he came out of his coma, my mom had already passed. He was angry and grieving and ended up kicking me out of the house. The combination of all of those things happening at the same time was hard. That was a big reason I started drinking, to try to numb everything, to block the pain and be able to pretend like everything was okay.

I dropped out of school and started working. And from then on, I was pretty much on my own. I did not have any supervision or guidance. I was drinking and, by the time I was 18, I was addicted to cocaine. I also discovered that selling drugs was a great source of income. So, I sold drugs on and off for years.

I got into car sales and did very well at this. I made some attempts to get clean and sober, but I continued to sell drugs. This lifestyle took me to a place I wish I never had gone. It was a terrible way to live. I ended up hurting others and getting hurt. It cost me two marriages and my family. It also cost me my business. I kept telling myself I had it under control, that I was good, until eventually, I lost everything.

I was finally caught and, thankfully, only had to serve 17 months in jail. As part of my probation, I had to enter the New Life Recovery Program. When I first came to the Lighthouse, I kept hearing people say I had to let the old man die and let the new man come to life and I thought, “No, that can’t happen for me.” I thought I had too much bad in me. I thought I was locked into my past because I did not have the education to do anything else. I thought I couldn’t go to school because I didn’t have a diploma. I didn’t see that I had anything good to offer. None of that was true.

The New Life Program is a gift from God and I’m thankful every day for being allowed to have come here. I have become a changed person, a Christian man. I have my GED, which opens up an entire world of opportunity that I never thought would be available to me. I have to admit now I am very grateful for that push at the beginning.

My relationship with the Lord gets stronger everyday. I know I want to be a disciple for the Lord. I want to help others by sharing the word with them, by giving my testimony and by sharing my life story. I thank God for the Lighthouse because it is where I received Him and His Grace.

The New Life ProgramThe New Life Program is the Mission’s 1-2 year drug and alcohol addiction recovery program. It provides discipleship, accountability, and a Bible-based curriculum to help men and women end their addictions and gain the tools to stay addiction-free. Since the program’s beginning in 1996, 200+ men and women have graduated and moved on to build productive, successful lives.

CapacityLighthouse - 24 River of Life - 30City Light - 30

LengthThe time it takes to complete the program varies by individual, averaging from 1 to 2 years.

Cost The New Life Program is completely funded by generous members of the community, and is free for participants.

RequirementsAnyone who wants to commit to the program must complete an application and interview with staff. For more information see below.**

You Can HelpSmall acts of kindness - “Adopt” the program! Help us by supporting changed lives through your giving. Did you know that every $1 invested in a drug and alcohol recovery program returns $17 to the community in the form of reduced cost of services and increased tax revenue and productivity. Change a life. Change a family. Change our community!

Give online at Community.BoiseRM.org, over the phone at 343-2389, or send a check to BRMM, PO Box 1494, Boise ID 83701.

Mentoring - Christian men and women are needed to come alongside program members and counsel them.

Tutoring - Many program members work towards their GEDs and could use help with their studies.

Pray - Pray that the members of the New Life Program would be diligent, that God would help them resist the temptations of addiction, that they would have faith in God during the hard times, and that they would be encouraged on the long road to recovery.

**If you would like to talk to someone about the New Life Program, women can call City Light Home for Women and Children at 368-9901, and men can call the Lighthouse in

Nampa at 461-5030, or the River of Life in Boise at 389-9840.