Josh Hardesty

Testimony

Before Life Recovery Ministries, I was selfish and destructive. I lied, stole, cheated, and did whatever it took to get what I wanted. My addiction costed me everything: my career, relationships, family, and friends. I reached a point where I would wake up angry that I had even made it through the night. I was a functioning addict, caught up in opiates and alcohol, frequently in and out of jail, and often struggling with suicidal thoughts.​

I had been through multiple programs before but always managed to manipulate my way through them. Life Recovery Ministries was different. I couldn’t fake it here. The leaders saw through my manipulation and called me out, but they did so in a way that helped me to change. That kind of honesty and accountability is what saved my life.​

In this environment, I encountered a kind of Christianity that didn’t make me hate myself. I experienced the love of Jesus in a real, transformative way. I stayed because He kept pursuing me, and I wanted to respond to that.

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Since graduating, I’ve gotten married and had two children, things I never thought would happen for me. I’ve started a business, lead a young adults group, and work on staff at a church. I even began a ministry to repair church equipment and vehicles. I mentor guys in the same program that helped me.

Today, I wake up happy. I don’t hate myself anymore. I’m consistent, trustworthy, and full of purpose, and I want others to know that this kind of life is possible.