Stratton enjoys the daily devotionals and has encountered God for the first time in his life while in program.

Stratton, 26, was born and raised in Las Vegas with his parents and younger sister. Although Stratton said his upbringing was “pretty good,” his drug use started early in adolescence.

“I’ve been usings drugs since I was 12 years old. I started getting arrested at age 16. I got into fentanyl and heroin and a bunch of other stuff. I was on that for 10 years,” he said. “It’s been a pretty rough ride ever since I was about 15. There was no real reason to why I started using drugs. I just made a bad choice, and it escalated from there.”

Stratton went to various rehab facilities before coming to California. “I didn’t really ‘move.’ I needed to leave the state in order to get clean. I tried a lot of rehabs in Vegas and none of it worked,” said Stratton. During this time, Stratton was not in regular communication with his family due to his drug use. However, when Stratton finally made the decision to get serious help, his family helped him research facilities.

“When my family found out I was doing heroin, they really didn’t want anything to do with me,” Stratton said. “I’ve been mostly on my own for 10 years. But right before I left, I talked to them and told them I was ready, that I was done (with drugs) and that I wanted to get my relationship back with them. I wanted to do better for myself, and make them, and myself, happy again.

“They’re extremely happy I’m in the program.”

In July, Stratton entered the men’s Life Recovery Program and instantly noticed the difference between the other programs he’s tried. He credits the length of the program for his maintained sobriety and enjoys that it is faith-based.

“The other programs were only 30 days,” he said. “It’s barely breaking the ice before I was sent back out onto the streets. It never worked. Here, I learned that I’ve used drugs to numb my emotions and feelings. I’m still learning how to deal with emotions and how to cope with things without using anything. It’s a challenge but I’m doing it.

“I never went to church before, but it’s definitely a good thing. It’s very new to me but I’m embracing it; I’m like a sponge. The morning devotions are my favorite part.”

As for the future, Stratton is taking it one day at a time. He’s excited to reconcile with his family, thinking about going into insurance sales, a field most of his family has found success in, and is ultimately “trusting God” for guidance.

One thing Stratton is certain of is the Mission. “If you’re serious about getting your life together and giving your life to God, and if you want to prosper and move forward, then I would recommend the program.

“But you have to take it seriously. People who don’t put in the work, won’t change. It’s just not going to work out. You have to be ready; you have to want to change.”