My name is Larry. I’m a believer who struggles with meth, cocaine and other addictions. I lived in Green Ridge, Missouri, a small town near Sedalia. With a population of only 325, everybody knew everybody.

I grew up in a very dysfunctional family where there was physical and mental abuse, plenty of alcohol and other drugs and lots of partying. My mother and father were bikers who rode with a motorcycle club. My parents abused alcohol and other drugs on a daily basis. It was one big party around our house 24/7.

I started drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes when I was 5 years old. I would sneak the cigarettes from my parents and they would give me the alcohol now and then. I became addicted to both alcohol and cigarettes when I was very young. I started messing with hard drugs at the age of twelve. I always went to school, but it was usually in the front door and out the back door. My first incident with the law was when I was 14 years old. I broke into everything in the small town where I lived. I was doing it for money to buy drugs. I did get caught and was taken to the Juvenile Detention Center in Sedalia. The following morning my father came for me. I was released and put on juvenile probation. However, it didn’t stop there. I just got worse with the drugs, alcohol and criminal activity. It was all about me, drugs, money and girls. I have to say I was a very wild child growing up and became a wild adult as well.

To sum it up, I was a real animal back then. I didn’t care about myself or anyone else. I ended up in prison at the age of 18 and have been doing time off and on since 1987. I am now 42 years old and the insanity of it all is that I kept doing the same things over and over again, but expecting different results.

My relationship with God was not good. I always knew there was a God because of my grandparents. My grandfather was a preacher for 35 years until he went home to be with the Lord. He always told me about God and he and my grandmother took me to church. However, I chose to do things my way instead of God’s way. My attitude toward others at that point in my life was not good. I thought everyone in my life had the problem, not me.

In 2005, I hit rock bottom and landed back in prison, facing 20 years on a drug charge. My wife was in rehab in Clinton, Missouri. Our children were taken from us and placed in DFS custody because of the drug and criminal charges. It broke my heart when our children were taken away from us. Our daughter was 13 at the time and our son was only 5 years old.

On October 2, 2005, in the Fulton Prison, I gave my life to the Lord and really started seeking God’s Word, promises and love in my life. On December 3, 2005, I was transferred from Fulton Prison to Moberly Prison.

The day I arrived at Moberly, two sergeants pulled me aside to tell me that my father had passed away. If it weren’t for God being in my life and in my heart at that moment, I don’t know what I would have done. That was an extreme low for me and I thank God for keeping me strong.

I was introduced to Celebrate Recovery Inside during my stay at Moberly Correctional Center. My relationship with Jesus Christ started growing stronger as the weeks and months went by. My relationship with Jesus Christ had everything to do with influencing my recovery. For the first time in my life I was letting go and letting God have control. Working the Celebrate Recovery Program has helped me to be honest with myself and with others and to share my true feelings. I have learned to deal with the pain and hurts that I have been carrying within myself through the years.

The Step Study portion of the Celebrate Recovery Program played a vital role in my recovery process. Step two really touched my heart. I came to believe that a power greater than myself could restore my sanity. That is when things really started changing for me, from the inside out. At that point in time, my relationships with others began to change for the better. Finally, I began to depend on someone besides myself. I put my faith and trust in God and my old life is gone. I have turned everything over to Jesus Christ and my whole life has taken on new meaning. I no longer follow the desires of my flesh but follow daily the plan that Jesus has for my life. I can honestly say that God has changed the way I think, act, walk and talk. I have finally found the joy and peace that I have been searching for all my life. I have a love for all people in the world today. I never understood the awesome power of Jesus until I really looked at the person I was before and realized that I am not the same person today. One of my favorite scriptures brings this truth to me: Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world – 1 John 4:4

The life that I have lived has taken me on a tough journey, but it has been worth it. I know that the Lord has been with me every step of the way. Prayer and God’s Word are my strength. The devil had control of me in the past through alcohol and other drugs. I thank the Lord that He delivered me from that kind of life. I am a new creation in Jesus Christ. He has given me a new heart. He has put my family back together. If we obey Him, He will give us the desires of our heart. My family and I give God all the honor and praise for what He has done. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:4