Sean, second from right, with his family at his graduation ceremony.

When Sean entered the Life Recovery Program, he was in the midst of continuing his family’s legacy of alcoholism. He was exposed to drinking at a very young age, and had seen his dad die from cirrhosis of the liver due to alcohol abuse. “I had hit rock bottom—I lost my job, my family,” Sean said, “but I came into the program and gave it my all. I didn’t do it halfway. I fully committed and I gave it to God.”

Sean recently graduated, and is thrilled with the changes in his life. His visits with his children are no longer supervised—he sees them every week and talks to them every day. “My kids tell me they have never seen me like this. I’m not the person they knew before. I have gotten everything back and more. I reconnected with my fiancé, I’m involved in my kids’ soccer and school programs—it’s all just better than it was before the drinking.”

Sean remembers the turning point when he felt God telling him about his next steps in life. “I can’t explain it, but one day I was walking, and it hit me,” Sean said. “I felt the love of God’s presence and I could see where He was pointing me. That was when I decided to help others with addiction and substance abuse.” Sean is currently in school studying to become a drug and alcohol abuse counselor.

Many times, program graduates become interested in ministry, and Rescue Mission Alliance Victor Valley has partnered with area churches to guide and mentor them. Sean is hoping to become part of the Mission’s Vocational Ministry Program. “I am here to help,” he said. “We have the same background and I want to advise them in their journey.”

Sean has learned how a relationship with God can affect other parts of his life. “The program showed me a whole new world,” he said. “It gave me tools to love people and know that I am loved. I have a new way of seeing things. Before things would upset me and I’d get mad, but now I see the world with life and love.”

God has given Sean not only sobriety but hope and grace. “I asked God to show me the way and guide me and He has,” Sean said. “God’s love conquers all and God is love. He showed me His grace and joy and how it can change your life as long as you surrender to Him.”

Sean looks forward to finishing his studies and being with his family again. “The time apart has been a lot, but I know it will benefit us for the rest of our lives. I have learned to be patient with the process.”