Corey had a tremendously successful life. He owned a prosperous business, lived in a 4000 square foot home, and drove luxury cars. He was, what many would consider, at the top of his game.

What they didn’t realize was that Corey was chasing materialism and looking for validation from others to feel good about himself. No matter how much success he accumulated, it seemed like it was never enough.

What’s more, for many years, Corey battled addiction. It started with alcohol and marijuana and by the end of university, he was introduced to cocaine. The first time he tried it, he was instantly hooked. Every time he drank alcohol, he had to have cocaine. Corey managed this addiction for 15 years until he stopped snorting powder cocaine and started smoking crack cocaine. In less than two years, everything he had worked for was gone and he was sleeping in the cab of his pick-up truck.

After losing everything, depression slowly set in and a few days before Christmas, Corey had a very serious suicide attempt. He felt he had nothing left to live for, but God had other plans for him.

He knew that something drastic needed to change. At a loss about what to do next, Corey decided to go to church. For several months, he attended and one Sunday morning, Teen Challenge was doing an outreach event. Corey had heard of the ministry but assumed they helped youth. However, when the presenter started to share his journey, Corey realized they were about the same age, and he could relate to a lot of what the man was saying.

After the service, he discreetly took a “get help” brochure. Although he was in a period of sobriety, he took it as a “back up plan”. Corey went back to his parents’ home and read it a few times before placing it in his bottom drawer and forgetting about it.

Several months later, he relapsed again and life was, once again, unmanageable. He was feeling hopeless and suicidal. In a parking lot in the middle of the day, Corey was drinking and doing drugs when he caught a glimpse of himself in the rearview mirror. He said to himself,

“I can’t go on like this anymore. God, what am I going to do?”

That’s when he remembered the brochure. He called Teen Challenge that night and a few weeks later he was walking through the doors.

A 12-month program may seem intimidating, but Corey feels it’s necessary for success.

“You can’t reset your brain in 30 days.”

The first few weeks are the hardest – you’re entering a brand-new environment, still withdrawing and struggling. Right away, you’re staying in close quarters with other men – sharing a bedroom, a bathroom, being told when to go to bed and when to get up.

“Humbling doesn’t even describe it, but I needed that rigid structure.”

Once his pride was stripped away, Corey met God in a real way.

“The Lord led me to Teen Challenge to purge me of my addictions – without a shadow of a doubt. But more importantly, He led me there to begin to have that loving relationship with Him that He wants with each and every one of us.”

Over the next 12 months, Corey developed a hunger to know the Lord more and understand His word. Eventually he didn’t want to listen to the music he had on his iPod, read secular magazines, or watch the TV shows and movies he used to. God was changing him. Corey’s relationship with his dad and stepmom wasn’t always the best, but through God’s restoration and Teen Challenge it has been completely renewed. He now talks to them several times per week and it’s a loving relationship that was never quite there before.

Sharing his testimony was a pivotal point of the recovery journey for Corey and each time he shares, he remembers sitting in the crowd that Sunday when he heard about Teen Challenge. He still volunteers to do outreach events because there might be someone listening that needs to hear what he has to say.

After completing the core program, Corey stayed at Teen Challenge for a Phase4 – working in the development department. This was a crucial time of standing firm in recovery and served as an excellent transition to life after the program. Corey felt led to serve in ministry, wanting to glorify God, advance His kingdom and help others. He now finds true fulfilment working for a faith-based non-profit and his definition of “success” has changed. In his words where God guides, God provides.

“Addiction took everything from me, but when I look back on it – it took everything materialistic from me – everything the world looks at as ‘success’. In losing all of that, what I discovered is my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.”

Teen Challenge changed Corey. He can’t imagine what life would be like without Christ his old life is so far removed from who he is now. He’s a new creation and the journey is exciting!