By Betty Gandee

When you feel like you have hit rock bottom, your family and friends have given up on you, and you can no longer recognize the person looking back at you in the mirror, the Lifehouse  wants you to know there is a way to break the chains of addiction and become the person you have always wanted to be.

The Lifehouse, located in Huntington, WV, is a long-term recovery center for real people. This program was founded by Pastor Rocky Meadows and is a structured eight-month program based on faith and in an atmosphere free from drugs and alcohol. At the Lifehouse they believe that by working and practicing life skills they will be better equipped to move forward into a healthy, sober lifestyle.

Mark Griffin of Clay County says he is striving to be a good dad and productive member of society. “All I worried about was my next fix and getting high, not about my kids, the ones I love, no one, only worried about myself,” Griffin said after being asked when he realized he needed help.

Speaking to many of these young men, you could see the pain and hurt as they spoke about their past.  Adam Foster of Summersville says, “If you can give up everything for one thing, you can give up one thing for everything.” He goes on to talk about how he felt more comfortable being in a jail then out in the community and that Lifehouse has really turned him around and is showing him how to live a sober day to day life.

Justin Mullins of Clay Count, says that when he was headed for divorce and had lost his kids due to drug use he realized he had to do something. The program has showed him how to be a loving husband and he now gets visitation with his two small children. He says that the hardest part of the past five months has been being away from his family and loved ones.

When other programs don’t seem to work, the Lifehouse proves that all programs aren’t the same.  Harley Johnson of Elkview, WV, says he sought help from two other programs, without success, before entering this program. His goals with this program are to become a family man, hold down a job, and to just be an all-around good person.

One mother I had the pleasure of speaking with says, “There is no lower feeling than CPS coming to take your children, you feel you have failed them and your life is over. That is when I realized that I wanted more out of life, that I had to change for them and me.” She says that the feeling of finally holding down a job and being clean is the best feeling.

If you or anyone you know can benefit from the Lifehouse recovery center please contact them at 304-429-5433.