Testimonies

“In religion, a testimony is a solemn attestation as to the truth of a matter. All testimonies should be well thought out and truthful.” 
- Located in the Wikipedia explanation of a Testimony.

Testimony from Graduate Christopher Duff

Graduate Christopher Duff

Chris's Testimony

My name is Chris Duff. I'm 35 years old and for 15 years I was a full-blown drug addict. I would take anything and everything I could to get a high. I didn’t care about anything or anybody including my family, friends, and myself. All I cared about was my next high. During my 15 years of addiction, there were many times I would wake up in jail not knowing why I was even there. This occurred more often than not.  However, the last time I found myself in jail, God put a desire in my heart to go to Chad's Hope!

When I arrived at Chad's Hope, I was broken-- an eggshell of a man. I realized when I got there, I was the only one who didn’t have a problem! Or so I thought. So, my first 4 1/2 months at Chad's Hope I acted the same way I did before, minus all the drugs. I was prideful, selfish, and self-absorbed with entitlement issues. I should have been dismissed for my actions, but the staff at Chad's Hope saw something in me that I didn't. God started dealing with me and making changes inside me when I finally surrendered my all to him. I graduated March 9, 2018.

He has restored my relationship with my family and I got married to the woman I thought I had lost for good. Shortly after we were married, we found out we had a baby on the way, which we thought would never be able to happen!  He also provided me with a home, a job, a vehicle and much more. He placed me at the church that he knew I would need, The Church of God Worship Center.

I thank God every day for Chad's Hope, and allowing me to join the team as a volunteer staff member where I can minister to men that are in the same place I once was. I want to thank everyone at Chad's Hope for not giving up on me, but all the glory goes to God!!

Motivational speaker & Graduate Forest Quillen

Forest Quillen & his family

Forest's Testimony

When I was lost in my addiction my only hope was to be remembered as the wildest and craziest person from my hometown. I was kicked out of school at the age of 16 and found myself in prison on my 18th birthday. After four years of incarceration I hit the street as a monster. I was a needle junkie shooting heroin, meth, bath salts and anything else I could. I became so mentally unstable from the drugs I was using that I had to be evaluated at a mental institution. They suggested that I was a on a permanent trip and would not recover from my psychosis.

I was hopeless and ready to die; sick of failing and everything leading to dead ends. It was in my darkest moment I was able to see light.

I came to Chad's Hope in 2014. I encountered Christ. As I began to walk out a relationship with him, I was transformed and set free form drugs, tobacco and much more. I am a new creation with a new heart and a new life.

I now work at Chad's Hope. I am also a youth pastor and travel all over Kentucky as a motivational speaker, speaking to thousands of kids every week. I married a God-fearing woman and have a beautiful baby girl. This life is beyond anything I could ever express. I am a work of God that proves anything is possible.

Staff Member and Graduate Mitchell  Swett

Staff Member Mitchell Swett

Mitchell's Testimony

I was raised in a Godly home. We went to church every Sunday; my parents were on different church committees and I always attended Sunday school and Vacation Bible School. When I was 3 years old and 7 years old two major tragedies took place. These two tragedies impacted my life greatly and the way I viewed God and thought about God. I often thought if God was real why did He let these events happen to me; or if God really loved me, He wouldn't have let my dad and sister die. I slowly stopped wanting to go to church and wanting anything to do with God. My mom remarried after my dad's death and I found myself starting life all over again in Canada.

At first life seemed good and that this was how things were supposed to be. Two years later things started to change. My step-father became verbally abusive and then physically abusive. This is when I would say my addiction started at age 11. It continued until I was 25.

I had just graduated college and had a great job. Things were starting to look up until I met the wrong group of people. I started using again. Slowly but surely my addiction grew until I got fired. I knew I needed help!

I called Chad's Hope and began my life changing journey with a relationship with God! I have overcome my insecurities and have been able to forgive those who have hurt me, and myself as well. I graduated Chad's Hope February of 2018. That day my mom and I traveled to the Dominican Republic for another live changing experience through the power of Christ, a change of heart for those in other parts of the world and the desire to reach those who do not know Christ as their savior.

God Is SO good and has done so much that I could never have dreamed would have happened to me.

Student Robert Tunnell

Rob Tunnell

Student Rob Tunnell

 

My name is Rob Tunnell, a current student at Chad’s Hope from Louisville Kentucky. When I came to chads hope I was completely defeated, broken and had given up on life. I was facing 20 years in prison for a list of robberies and possession charges. The darkness from the life of addiction had fully taken hold of me and controlled who I was and who I thought I was. When I arrived at Chad’s Hope I arrived by way of a sheriff’s transport. All I had when I arrived was the jumpsuit I was wearing along with the shackles and chains the police officer had me restrained in. I felt worthless and like a caged animal.

Before my addiction took control of my life, I was a great baseball player. But the hope of continuing with baseball was soon striped away from a surgery I had where I become addicted to pain pills. As my addiction grew my life spiraled in a direction, I never thought I would go down. I was a homeless heroin and methamphetamine IV user.

Being homeless and not having any money I had to find ways to survive I soon found myself on the path of becoming a criminal. I was in and out of Jails and institution, tried to commit suicide and overdosed numerous times. I was wanting to die I had no hope and did not see my life improving any. All I saw and felt was darkness. But then God spoke when I was sitting in jail and said, “let there be light and there was light.”  I asked God to help me and he opened the doors for me to come to Chad’s Hope. In my darkest hour I thought I had lost everything, but little did I know God was working in me to become His child like I was created for.  

As a student here I am beginning to heal and forgive from the years of addiction and hurt I endured. I am learning and applying what I have learned from the classes, and that Christ died on the cross for me so that I could be forgiven and have a relationship with him and grow into the Godly man I was called to be. Jesus said our strength was made perfect in our weakness, so I can use my struggles and sufferings with addiction to be a light to the world to people caught in the darkness and show them the way out, which is Jesus.  

I know now that when I feel defeated, unsure of what to do I can turn to Christ and remember that he is not done with me yet and that he has a plan and purpose for my life! A verse that truly helps me through the tough times is Ephesians 5:8- For you were once in darkness but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of the light.