Client Success Story: Stacey Cunningham
Trust, listen, open your heart, every day is truly a blessing.
By Bob Lytle
Before: Stacey’s substance use began when he was 16 years old. He comes from a family with two alcoholic parents and a brother and sister that abused him from the time he was nine years old. Over the years he drank alcohol and tried any and all kinds of drugs he could, whatever was available. Looking back on his life he believes his father’s death had a lot to do with his looking for a different, more carefree way of life and the beginning of his drug use. Through the years he tried to get “clean” a number of times and in a variety of facilities, but unsuccessfully. Years later, with the death of his mother he thought his life was over and he wanted to die.
After: Stacey was to discover that the Lord had a different plan for him. At 46 years old facing a third DWI and thinking he would be facing prison, he woke up at the Sobering Center at Houston Recovery Center (HRC) having been referred there by the Neurological Center at Ben Taub hospital. A staff member at the Sobering Center, John Turner, told him “you are broken.” John and the entire staff treated me with kindness, something I had not felt in a long time. They provided the resources to get me into a rehab. I attended AA meetings and started reading the Bible. God’s plan was starting to be revealed. I never would have imagined that I’d be in this position and looking ahead to the rest of my life.
Reach out to someone, reach out to God, he has a plan for you.
Background:
I am now 48 years old and have been a substance user since I was 16 years old. I come from a family with two alcoholic parents and a brother and sister that abused me from the time I was nine years old. Although I was raised in a Christian home, I became a troubled teen, abandoned Christ and left home at 16.
Over the years I drank alcohol and tried any and all kinds of drugs, whatever was available. Looking back on my life I believe my father’s death had a lot to do with my looking for a different, more carefree way of life and the beginning of my drug use. Through the years I have tried to get “clean” a number of times and in a variety of facilities, but unsuccessfully. Years later, with the death of my mother I thought my life was over and I wanted to die.
However, I was to discover that the Lord had a different plan for me.
At 46 years old facing a third DWI and thinking I’d be facing prison, I woke up at the Sobering Center at Houston Recovery Center (HRC) having been referred there by the Neurological Center at Ben Taub hospital. A staff member at the Sobering Center, John Turner, told me “you are broken.” John and the entire staff treated me with kindness, something I had not felt in a long time. While all I wanted to do was just stay in bed they encouraged me to “get up and live.” The staff at HRC gave me hope. They provided the resources to get me into a rehab program and offered me the opportunity to see my worth, gain back my self-esteem, and helped create a new found passion to help others.
God’s plan was starting to be revealed.
I attended AA meetings and started reading the Bible. I was reenergized and decided to let the Lord work through me and help others realize their own worth. I am currently on staff at the Open Door Mission in Houston and have been in recovery for two years. As a staff member at Open Door Mission, I am proud of the opportunity to be used by God and to help others. I never would have imagined that I’d be in this position and looking ahead to the rest of my life.
To others, if you are struggling with alcohol and substance use, reach out to someone that has access to a program. Reach out to God and understand his plan for you. I thank God for the Sobering Center and the people at Houston Recovery Center. They are caring and reliable, and work to open people’s eyes to a better life.
Trust, listen, open your heart, every day is truly a blessing.