From Tragedy to Transformation

Stories of Hope Podcast Episode 7

Keith:
So when that phone slammed on the wall that day. What happened to you?

Adam:
As soon as I heard that phone slam. I obviously knew that something was bad because I could hear my mom’s voice (As she said My baby!?) yelling, and I walked into the room and I see the look on my step dad’s face because my mom was in the corner in the fetal position, looking at my stepdad and the look in his face, now knowing what the look on his face was was “Oh crap I’m gonna have to be the one to tell him.” “Is it Bryant?” which was my brother’s name. He responded “Yeah” so I looked at my mom and said “He’s dead isn’t he…”It was a lot moving to this new big School. It was huge going from school in Maine where there was 100 kids to this Christian School with 40 kids K-12 to this really big school. It was fun but it was a lot to trying to be cool and try and fit in and not knowing who I was.

Keith:
So you get into sports, you get into skateboarding, and you get hooked up with these guys that are kind of partiers Right?

Adam:
Yeah they knew how to have a good time.

Keith:
So tell me how that goes. “IN JAIL WAS FOR SURE MY MOMENT. YOU ALWAYS HEAR GOD’S NOT GOING TO PUT YOU THROUGH ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN’T HANDLE. BULL CRAP. HE PUT ME THROUGH EVERYTHING I COULDN’T HANDLE. BUT IT WAS SO I WOULD TURN TO HIM.”

Adam:
So I start hanging out with these guys, going to parties, wanting to be cool and fit in. Was smoking weed and drinking and that became the norm. Not only did it become the norm because it was the cool thing to do. But that’s when I felt confident and that’s when I felt cool. I felt involved and a part of something…. I fell in love with the mind-altering substances. That void that I needed to be filled from my parents, my brother, being the new kid…was being filled with instant gratification. I became addicted to not hanging out with people and having friends but getting messed up….

Adam:
In Jail was for sure my moment. You always hear God’s not going to put you through anything that you can’t handle. Bull crap. He put me through everything I couldn’t handle. But it was so I would turn to him.

Adam:
My life was one day at a time. Pursue quitting drugs, One day at a time, I’m an addict. Here I quickly learned. Do not put your identity in circumstances. Put your identity in Christ. And that’s what worked for me.

Keith:
How long have you been a Chaplain now?

Adam:
Two years May 28th.

Keith:
So you graduated and you’ve been doing great since the program. Helping other people here at the Mission.

You can listen to this podcast here!

https://rss.com/podcasts/storiesofhopedrm/?_gl=1%2a1ctppx8%2a_gcl_au%2aMjMzNzYyNTM1LjE3MjYyMzE1NTk.