Shawn’s life quickly went off the rails after his father was sentenced to death for murder. Shawn was just 11 years old. Eleven years later he was called in to witness his father’s execution. The pain and anger were uncontrollable, recounts Shawn, which “began a mountain of pain in my life. …Over the course of 26 years I battled drugs and alcohol to try and numb the pain.”
Eventually, after years in and out of jail, Shawn found himself facing a long sentence for a petty crime. The courts were done with Shawn; his family was done with him; finally he cried out to God for help and was handed an application to the Heartland Recovery Program. At Heartland, he began to finally work through his pain, forgiving those he once hated; miraculously, even the man who executed his father.
Through Scripture, counseling, and support from the Heartland Community, Shawn found peace, forgiveness, and a renewed sense of purpose. Shawn shared this for others fighting the battle of addiction, “There’s hope and there’s freedom and peace.”
Brokenness leads many people into addiction as they try to cope or hide from their problems. Heartland Recovery is here to help you not just get sober, but to point you to the One who can truly heal. If you or someone you know is looking for hope, freedom, or peace reach out to us today!