Justin grew up going to a private school. However, his high school experience took a turn for the worse as he “started hanging around the wrong people… progressed to other heavier drugs.”
A few years after graduating high school Justin lost his brother to suicide. This loss started Justin down “a really bad road” marked by imprisonment and relapses. Even intermittent attempts at rehabilitation were thwarted by his mother’s demise and his father’s battle with cancer, prompting a return to addiction and criminal behavior, resorting to theft and violence to support his addiction. As the felony charges started to pile up, Justin realized that he was going to spend ” the rest of my life in prison if I didn’t change.”
A judge gave Justin one last opportunity for redemption through the Heartland program. Justin began to “trust in the Lord and… lean on him.” instead of turning to drugs to deal with life. God has begun to restore relationships as Justin has leaned on Him. Justin shared that, “there is an answer… Jesus Christ loves you and he died on the cross to give you from your sins.”