Not more than a year ago, Cody was in prison, away from his kids, and on the outs with his girlfriend. He was, however, praying for himself and his family, and working on strengthening his relationship with God. Now, Cody is excelling in the Mission’s program, married, and just welcomed a baby girl into this life.

“My heart is in the right place now,” he said. “God has done so much for me. I have everything I want and need. If he doesn’t answer any other prayer for the rest of my life, it doesn’t matter. He has already given me everything.”

Cody’s struggles started young. He married at 21 and had a baby boy, but within a month, his wife left. “She said she couldn’t handle it,” he said. “I suddenly had this newborn baby to take care of by myself. I was working, cleaning busses, with a baby strapped to me. I took him everywhere with me.”

After a year-and-a-half, the stress started to get to Cody. He was depressed over his failed marriage and overwhelmed raising his son. “It was really hard,” he said. “I just burned out. I started drinking and then using every drug you can think of.”

When his son was 22 months old, Cody confessed to his mom that he was struggling with drugs. She took over custody of the baby. Cody continued on his road of self-destruction, stealing cars, and using drugs. “I started using needles,” he said. “On top of the drugs, I’d (inject) bleach, rubbing alcohol, whatever, just to scare people. I didn’t care what happened.”

Cody was in and out of jail, and after an attempt to steal some liquor from a grocery store, he ended up in prison for five years. At the end of his sentence, Cody got a bible—one he had ordered when he entered prison but never received. He took it as a sign from God and devoured its teachings. “I started praying a lot,” he said. “I would get down on my knees out of respect. I didn’t know anything about God, or how baptism worked, but I took a milk carton and filled it with water and dumped it on my head.”

When Cody got out of jail, he entered the program. Now, six months in, he’s feeling stronger than ever. Cody and his girlfriend, a drug and alcohol counselor with eight years of sobriety under her belt, got married earlier this year, just a couple weeks after welcoming a baby daughter into their lives.

“This program has helped me get back into the word of God, and get back on track,” he said. “Every day I get closer to him. Now, my wife and I go to church, we take notes and take the kids with us. … I don’t have anything to pray for now, for myself. I just pray for others, of course, but I have everything I need. Anytime I’ve wanted something and I’ve cried out for it, He’s answered me.”