Testimonials
Testimonials
Letters From The Heart
Periodically, we like to share with you Letters to God, written by residents of the Home With the Heart during their stay.
We hope you will find these as well as a few other testimonies to be encouraging as an example of the wonderful change taking place in the hearts of men in their walk with Christ.
Testimonials
Dear God,
Hey, I first want to thank you for keeping me clean and sober today. I also want to thank you for sending your son Jesus, to die on that cross to save me and everyone else from their sins. He made the ultimate sacrifice, which makes the problems I have today seem like nothing compared to what he went through for me. Most of all, I’m thankful that He is my personal savior, and I do know that when I call on His name, all things are possible. God you know where I’ve been in all of my life, it’s high points to my lowest points in life. As a child, my parents went through a divorce. In addition to that my father was suffering from bad health problems and my grandmother passed away. For a short time following this, things did get better. Then I took my first drink, and it got worse from there, as I got into drugs later on down the road. As a result I was in and out of jails and hospitals. I should be dead right now or doing a life sentence, but you have me here and I am thankful.
I’m so ashamed and I’m very sorry for what I’ve done over time, but you’re such ab awesome and loving God to forgive me. It took some time, but I realized I had to forgive myself and that wasn’t easy. I used to get high and drunk over not being able to forgive myself, but I’ve never been good at feelings or emotions, and how to direct them. I know that I just have to keep getting closer to you and you’ll direct my paths. I thank you for giving me such a loving family and friends, they all mean a lot to me. I’m so thankful that you put Home With a Heart and Alex Richey, as well as the preachers here for me. I don’t deserve another chance, but I know that you have the perfect plan for my life and it will be revealed in time. I thank you so much for all the answered prayers and how much you have blessed me, and what you are going to do for me in the future. I know that all I have to do is get out of the way, and let you do it. I love you today with all of my heart. My prayer to you every day is to have your will to be done and not my own will, and for you to continue blessing this home. I’m eternally grateful to you.
Hey, I first want to thank you for keeping me clean and sober today. I also want to thank you for sending your son Jesus, to die on that cross to save me and everyone else from their sins. He made the ultimate sacrifice, which makes the problems I have today seem like nothing compared to what he went through for me. Most of all, I’m thankful that He is my personal savior, and I do know that when I call on His name, all things are possible. God you know where I’ve been in all of my life, it’s high points to my lowest points in life. As a child, my parents went through a divorce. In addition to that my father was suffering from bad health problems and my grandmother passed away. For a short time following this, things did get better. Then I took my first drink, and it got worse from there, as I got into drugs later on down the road. As a result I was in and out of jails and hospitals. I should be dead right now or doing a life sentence, but you have me here and I am thankful.
I’m so ashamed and I’m very sorry for what I’ve done over time, but you’re such ab awesome and loving God to forgive me. It took some time, but I realized I had to forgive myself and that wasn’t easy. I used to get high and drunk over not being able to forgive myself, but I’ve never been good at feelings or emotions, and how to direct them. I know that I just have to keep getting closer to you and you’ll direct my paths. I thank you for giving me such a loving family and friends, they all mean a lot to me. I’m so thankful that you put Home With a Heart and Alex Richey, as well as the preachers here for me. I don’t deserve another chance, but I know that you have the perfect plan for my life and it will be revealed in time. I thank you so much for all the answered prayers and how much you have blessed me, and what you are going to do for me in the future. I know that all I have to do is get out of the way, and let you do it. I love you today with all of my heart. My prayer to you every day is to have your will to be done and not my own will, and for you to continue blessing this home. I’m eternally grateful to you.
From The Heart Of A Resident( A letter to God - a part of the program at the Home)
This home has the perfect name, Home With a Heart, because that’s exactly what it is. A miracle from God for me. The Home means so much to me that I can’t sum it up with words. I don’t deserve anything but a ditch, a jail cell or even death. But through God’s grace the home was available for my help. I truly believe if you come here for yourself, work your program seriously, and it’s your time to quit, you will quit. God urged me to change my life and I believe it was my time to change my evil selfish lifestyle I’m starting to see places that I’ve dreamed of and I think it is God telling me that I’m in the right place. Home With a Heart is the greatest dream come true. I feel as though I’m standing on Holy ground. I’ve received so many blessings form God since I’ve been here that I don’t want to leave. I feel more comfortable here than any other place I’ve been. God is so good to this Home and the guys in it. God is good to me now that I leaving my old lifestyle and living a righteous godly lifestyle. I’ve learned so many things that help me from the classes and people in here, but the best things I learn come from the bible. The Bible is an instruction manual for my life. Every time I pray I feel as though there is a presence with me. It is hanging on my back. I know for a fact that God is real and He would do the same for anyone else too. I’m so privileged for what AI have now. I can honestly say also that I’m a changed man, made pure through Jesus Christ because of this home. The Home With A Heart woke up my spiritual life. I love Jesus and I know he is smiling about what I am doing now. After coming here I do not have a craving for anything I was addicted to. The devil is still there, but I got something different for him. It is the power if the Lord and he will help the devil cease from my life. The Home With A Heart will get its reward in full. I will miss it a lot but I will return with great news of what God is doing in my life. I thank God and the Home With a Heart. I owe it all to them.
Anonymous
My name is Rick , and in 1976, at the age of eleven,, I began using drugs. For the next 23 years this destructive behavior continued . I tried every drug imaginable. Several times I attempted to stop or at least slow down. My life was miserable.
On November 14, I entered Home With A Heart. I was a broken man_ strung out on Crack Cocaine, no friends, no family, and no will to go on. The second day at the home I got saved. Two weeks later I was baptized in a local church, and my life has gotten better by the day. Today I love my life to Jesus Christ and thank Him for every day that I wake up and live a sober life. Home With A Heart helped me get my life back. They also helped me to find Jesus Christ. For this I am forever grateful. It is as close to heaven on earth as I can imagine.
I also write, play and sing Christian music. Since I came to Home With A Heart, I have written fifteen songs, and I am currently recording my songs in a studio owned by a man who I met through the home. God truly blesses me every day. Thank you, Home With A Heart, and God bless!
Those events have touched my heart and have given me the conviction to make the HOME WITH A HEART my permanent home. The blessings continue everyday.
On November 14, I entered Home With A Heart. I was a broken man_ strung out on Crack Cocaine, no friends, no family, and no will to go on. The second day at the home I got saved. Two weeks later I was baptized in a local church, and my life has gotten better by the day. Today I love my life to Jesus Christ and thank Him for every day that I wake up and live a sober life. Home With A Heart helped me get my life back. They also helped me to find Jesus Christ. For this I am forever grateful. It is as close to heaven on earth as I can imagine.
I also write, play and sing Christian music. Since I came to Home With A Heart, I have written fifteen songs, and I am currently recording my songs in a studio owned by a man who I met through the home. God truly blesses me every day. Thank you, Home With A Heart, and God bless!
Those events have touched my heart and have given me the conviction to make the HOME WITH A HEART my permanent home. The blessings continue everyday.
Rick
My name is Chuck, and I’m an alcoholic. Once that was the most difficult thing in my life to admit. After twenty years of drinking, partying, two marriages, two divorces, one DUI, and one felony drug conviction; I still could not admit that I was an alcoholic. Does that sound insane? It is! It’s also one of the symptoms of addiction. Finally, with no where else to turn, I realized I needed treatment.
It didn’t take long to find out that without insurance or lots of money, I could not get into a treatment facility. Then I found out about HOME WITH A HEART, a Christian-focused retreat for men who are trying to overcome addiction. It cost nothing for me to go through the eight-week program. I was saved, I was baptized and now enjoy a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. By believing that Christ died for me and by working the 12-steps of AA. I am sober today, one day at a time.
I have been blessed in so many ways. Let me share with you a few. A few months ago the Home had a need of a Resident Assistant, someone to stay in the home in the evenings to help the men in their recovery process. I was not a choice, but circumstances presented themselves and I was able to fill in until we could find someone permanently. During this time I was re-united with my 12 year old son. He stayed with me in the home and his youth and innocence touched the hearts of the men in the home. He gave these men hope that they could start their lives over again. In return, these men gave my son an education in alcoholism that he could never have received anywhere else, the fact is that most addicted men start abusing drugs and alcohol at the age of 12 or 13.
The most blessed event happened when the Home held our 1st ever revival. On the night before my son was to fly back to California, he accepted Jesus Christ into his heart.
Those events have touched my heart and have given me the conviction to make the HOME WITH A HEART my permanent home. The blessings continue everyday.
It didn’t take long to find out that without insurance or lots of money, I could not get into a treatment facility. Then I found out about HOME WITH A HEART, a Christian-focused retreat for men who are trying to overcome addiction. It cost nothing for me to go through the eight-week program. I was saved, I was baptized and now enjoy a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. By believing that Christ died for me and by working the 12-steps of AA. I am sober today, one day at a time.
I have been blessed in so many ways. Let me share with you a few. A few months ago the Home had a need of a Resident Assistant, someone to stay in the home in the evenings to help the men in their recovery process. I was not a choice, but circumstances presented themselves and I was able to fill in until we could find someone permanently. During this time I was re-united with my 12 year old son. He stayed with me in the home and his youth and innocence touched the hearts of the men in the home. He gave these men hope that they could start their lives over again. In return, these men gave my son an education in alcoholism that he could never have received anywhere else, the fact is that most addicted men start abusing drugs and alcohol at the age of 12 or 13.
The most blessed event happened when the Home held our 1st ever revival. On the night before my son was to fly back to California, he accepted Jesus Christ into his heart.
Those events have touched my heart and have given me the conviction to make the HOME WITH A HEART my permanent home. The blessings continue everyday.
Chuck
My name is Barry Anderson. I was born in Greenville, S.C, and am the youngest of seven children. I started drinking at the age of twelve, and by the time I was fourteen, I was doing drugs and drinking regularly. This life pattern continued for the next twenty years until I finally decided to get help for my problem. I tried several rehabilitation hospitals, but none of them seemed to help very much. After finding myself in jail on burglary charges, I came to Home With A Heart. The small size of the home and its director’s genuine Christian love really showed me what Christian values are. The home taught me how to live life and make it count. The classes on money management and twelve steps have really helped. It has been a real boost to my confidence to learn that no matter what I’ve done, God still loves me. By doing the things learned from the program and going to the meetings regularly I have managed to stay clean for over seven months. The most wonderful thing that has happened to me here at the home is the most priceless gift of salvation through Jesus Christ by the grace of God. I will never be able to repay John Brock for his love and the wonderful blessing he has been to me.
Barry
When I was asked to jot down a few lines about why I support the Home With A Heart, I had to think about that for a minute. When I first started to give something back to God, I didn’t really want to. I wanted to be obedient, but 10% of my take home pay back then that wasn’t very much, and it was a burden to give it up. I gave to my local church until the church disbanded. I was very upset that the money wasn’t spent the way I would have liked it to, so I started paying closer attention to where I sent my offerings.
The first time I visited the Home With A Heart I knew that I wanted to help. These folk’s were doing what God had intended for us to do. I started sending my offerings to the Home. In a very short time I started feeling much better about giving back just a small portion of what God had given to me. As time went on I decided to give 10% of my gross income instead of the net. Ouch, did that hurt! I was worried that this might mean giving up some “stuff” and tightening an already tight budget. God is so cool. Looking back I can’t recall anything we had to do without, as a matter of fact God has blessed us even more abundantly.
Somewhere in this process my feelings actually turned around. Giving was no longer a burden, in fact I found myself looking forward to giving. Since then I have learned that I want to give God only my first fruits. I used to make God wait until I could see what was left, but God in his patience still blessed me. Today I can see the difference and it is awesome. Since I’ve been giving to God first, He has poured out blessing after blessing on my house. Also, since starting this, my business has grown from a sideline into a growing concern.
In the time since I’ve been giving to the Home, I’ve seen quite a few addicts and alcoholics turn toward Jesus Christ. They have re-centered themselves in the right direction and have started to make to make a difference in my neighborhood. I really like that.
The greatest reason I give to the Home With A Heart is because I get to see miracle after miracle performed by God. You see, it is my belief that when you witness a miracle you are standing in the presence of the Holy Spirit. This helps me to get out of myself and focus on the “big picture.”
I thank God for the opportunity to serve this ministry. Your loving and faithful servant.
The first time I visited the Home With A Heart I knew that I wanted to help. These folk’s were doing what God had intended for us to do. I started sending my offerings to the Home. In a very short time I started feeling much better about giving back just a small portion of what God had given to me. As time went on I decided to give 10% of my gross income instead of the net. Ouch, did that hurt! I was worried that this might mean giving up some “stuff” and tightening an already tight budget. God is so cool. Looking back I can’t recall anything we had to do without, as a matter of fact God has blessed us even more abundantly.
Somewhere in this process my feelings actually turned around. Giving was no longer a burden, in fact I found myself looking forward to giving. Since then I have learned that I want to give God only my first fruits. I used to make God wait until I could see what was left, but God in his patience still blessed me. Today I can see the difference and it is awesome. Since I’ve been giving to God first, He has poured out blessing after blessing on my house. Also, since starting this, my business has grown from a sideline into a growing concern.
In the time since I’ve been giving to the Home, I’ve seen quite a few addicts and alcoholics turn toward Jesus Christ. They have re-centered themselves in the right direction and have started to make to make a difference in my neighborhood. I really like that.
The greatest reason I give to the Home With A Heart is because I get to see miracle after miracle performed by God. You see, it is my belief that when you witness a miracle you are standing in the presence of the Holy Spirit. This helps me to get out of myself and focus on the “big picture.”
I thank God for the opportunity to serve this ministry. Your loving and faithful servant.
Anonymous
This home has the perfect name, Home With a Heart, because that’s exactly what it is. A miracle from God for me. The Home means so much to me that I cant sum it up with words. I dont deserve anything but a ditch, a jail cell or even death. But through God’s grace a home was available for my help. I truly believe if you come here for yourself, work your program seriously, and its your time to quit, you will quit. God urged me to change my life and I believe its my time to change my evil selfish lifestyle. Im starting to see places that i’ve dreamed of and I think its God telling me that im in the right place. Home With a Heart is the greatest dream come true. I feel as though I’m standing on Holy ground. Ive received so many blessings from God since Ive been here that I dont want to leave. I feel more comfortable here than any other place Ive been. God is so good to this Home and the guys in it. God is good to me now that I am leaving my old lifestyle and living a righteous godly lifestyle. Ive learned so many things that help me from the classes and people in here, but the best things I learn come from the Bible. The Bible is an instruction manual for my life. Every time I pray I feel as though there is a presence with me. It is hanging on my back. I know it is God’s hand on me. Its the most wonderful feeling ever. I know for a fact that God is real and He would do the same for anyone else too. Im just a sinner saved by God’s wonderful grace. I can truly say that Im so privileged for what i have now. I can honestly say also that I’m a changed man, made pure through Jesus Christ because of this home. The Home With a Heart woke up my spiritual life. I love Jesus and I know hes smiling about what im doing now. after coming here i dont have a craving for anything i was addicted to. The devil is still there, but i got something different for him. Its the power of the Lord and he’ll help the devil cease from my life. The Home With a Heart will get its reward in full. I will miss it alot but I will return with great news of what God is doing in my life. i thank God and the Home With a Heart for everything. I owe it all to them.
Anonymous
I started experimenting with drugs when I was approximately 12 years old. I started out drinking beer and liquor, then came the marijuana. When I first started using drugs, it was so I could be cool and have fun. I always promised myself that I would never do any of the harder drugs, but, as I got older I began to experiment with harder drugs such as crank and cocaine. Before I knew what was happening I was addicted. I started doing drugs such as acid and ecstasy, going to clubs, getting into trouble and finally selling drugs. This ended up costing me a marriage, my home and my car. My only concern was getting high. It was about this time that I started doing crack cocaine. Crack cocaine was the one drug I always promised myself I would never do and before I knew it, I was hooked on that too! I was living with so called friends, robbing whoever I could and stealing anything I could to get high. I didn’t care about anything or anyone except myself and drugs. I stopped picking up my daughter and stopped spending time with her. I was totally selfish. Then, one Sunday morning I woke up and realized I had a serious problem that I could not control on my own. I knew I needed help because I had tried to stop on my own and couldn’t. I called my mother and asked her if she would pick me up and take me to church with her.
She and I attended church that night and afterward I explained to her all of my problems (like she didn’t know them already). My mother told me would help me find the help I needed. Thank God for mothers! We called several Treatment Centers without any success. Then we called Home With A Heart and Alex, the director, told me to come for an interview. I went to my interview and talked with Alex, who told me he would have a bed in approximately one week. I came into Home With A Heart on November 2, and rededicated my life that night at the Halls of Hell Presentation held at Gethsemane Baptist Church in Anderson, S.C. I have been at the home for approximately 5 weeks now. It is a wonderful place where God is working miracles everyday. Not only in my life, but, in many others while I have been at the Home With A Heart.
She and I attended church that night and afterward I explained to her all of my problems (like she didn’t know them already). My mother told me would help me find the help I needed. Thank God for mothers! We called several Treatment Centers without any success. Then we called Home With A Heart and Alex, the director, told me to come for an interview. I went to my interview and talked with Alex, who told me he would have a bed in approximately one week. I came into Home With A Heart on November 2, and rededicated my life that night at the Halls of Hell Presentation held at Gethsemane Baptist Church in Anderson, S.C. I have been at the home for approximately 5 weeks now. It is a wonderful place where God is working miracles everyday. Not only in my life, but, in many others while I have been at the Home With A Heart.
Anonymous
Dear Lord,
I come to you for thankfulness, that you sent me the way to the Home with a Heart. Lord this is a blessing. Thank you for Alex, and in the way the Holy Ghost speaks through him to help us. In our walk and recovery over addiction. We give you every honor and glory for your son Jesus Christ, my personal Savior who died on the cross for our sins. I pray that you will keep healing my sick body, and all the other men and women suffering the same or different addiction. May we draw closer to you and your word. May we be leaders and not followers. Lord I pray for my Fiancé, to see that she gets the help that she needs. Heal her mind as well as her soul. Be with my family, as they support me with my addiction. Its all about your grace, how your Holy Spirit sets me free. May you be with me as I leave this program, with your guidance and support. In Jesus name I pray, amen.
Sincerely, A Resident
I come to you for thankfulness, that you sent me the way to the Home with a Heart. Lord this is a blessing. Thank you for Alex, and in the way the Holy Ghost speaks through him to help us. In our walk and recovery over addiction. We give you every honor and glory for your son Jesus Christ, my personal Savior who died on the cross for our sins. I pray that you will keep healing my sick body, and all the other men and women suffering the same or different addiction. May we draw closer to you and your word. May we be leaders and not followers. Lord I pray for my Fiancé, to see that she gets the help that she needs. Heal her mind as well as her soul. Be with my family, as they support me with my addiction. Its all about your grace, how your Holy Spirit sets me free. May you be with me as I leave this program, with your guidance and support. In Jesus name I pray, amen.
Sincerely, A Resident
Anonymous
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