My childhood was a good one. I grew up healthy with a loving father and mother. I knew deep down inside that there was a God, but in my early teens I began learning about the world and fell away from any belief that I had. When I was 12, my father moved away for work, leaving my brother and me with my mom. She started drinking heavily. Sometimes she would keep me home from school to have me hold her hair while she puked in the toilet. I would make her coffee and bring her beer in bed. My dad caught my mom drinking and using drugs heavily in the house and told her to make a decision, “It’s drugs or the kids,” she picked drugs. I had been hanging around with older kids; I got into trouble fast, and was arrested at age 15.

I went on a downward spiral. I started selling drugs and injecting heroin and other pharmaceuticals at age 21. I moved to Hollywood and played guitar on the streets for money. One day I got into a drunken argument with my roommate who stabbed me seven times. I was hospitalized for five days and put on a morphine IV. I was discharged from the hospital with no drugs for pain; it didn’t take long for me to return to my heroin addiction. For the past few years I have been abusing all forms of drugs, alcohol, and meds to deal with my problems. I wound up living and dealing with all the wrong people.

I was living a lie, telling my family and loved ones I was doing construction and working under the table for money, when in reality I was stealing, growing weed, and selling drugs for money. I was living in my car and at campgrounds. Earlier this year I was making drugs for room and board. I was about to take over the operation when I came to Santa Maria and ended up trying to steal a car. I was arrested and taken to Santa Barbara County Jail where I had a conversation with God that changed my life.

While in jail, I got involved in Bible studies and I was finally able to get over my hang-ups about life. I was also able to get back in touch with my Mom and
I accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal Savior. From there I was released to the Rescue Mission Alliance Central Coast where I hope to continue in my walk with the Lord and to keep on working for Him to “change my life for good” by spreading His message of healing and love, because He has kept all His promises this far and I want to repay Him. ~ Brian