Like many young people battling addiction, Jeramy thought he could quit any time he wanted.
But the more he tried to “white-knuckle” his way to sobriety, the worse things got — until he found himself homeless and miserable on the streets of Laguna Beach.
Over the course of 10 years, Jeramy lost everything because of drugs and alcohol:
• His relationship with his parents
• More than one job
• His driver’s license
• A place to call home
“I was in and out of other programs,” he recalls. “I’d have brief success, but I’d always relapse.”
What Jeramy didn’t know at the time was that God was still looking out for him, despite the mistakes he made. That’s how he ended up finding a safe and positive place to change his life at the Double R Ranch, a unique horse ranch operated by Orange County Rescue Mission.
RESTORATION, FELLOWSHIP, HEALING
At the Ranch, Jeramy found the seclusion to be restorative, the fellowship with other men to be healing, and the daily Bible studies were just what he needed to put his feet back on solid ground.
“My parents took me to church when I was a child, but I never read my Bible and certainly never had a relationship with Jesus Christ,” he admits. “Today, because of the new life I found at Orange County Rescue Mission, I feel the strongest I’ve ever been.”
SO MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR
With Thanksgiving just around the corner, Jeramy knows this year he has much to be thankful for:
• A God who loves him.
• Parents who are back in his life.
• Friends who are a constant source of encouragement and support.
• A plan for the future, with a steady income from full-time employment.
