My name is Luis and this is my testimony. Growing up, I would say I had a great childhood. I've always had a loving mother that would do her best to keep me on track. However, not having a father figure my whole life always left a void. I had uncles I looked up to [...]
A little over six years ago I was brought to Restoration Ranch by my long time boss who knew I needed help, and that I did. With thirty years of active addiction, I had a problem. I had defects and most of all, I had a relationship with God that needed reviving. I had gotten [...]
I was born and raised into a gang family. As a young kid, I glorified my gang member uncles, I wanted to be just like them, respected by everyone. As a teenager I hung out with the wrong crowd. I smoked marijuana and it progressed to ecstasy in order to stay alert. Then I was [...]
Growing up, alcohol was an accepted source of comfort in my family. I began underage drinking, which was tolerated on weekends and holidays. Weed and hallucinogens were my drugs of choice in High School, although I kept those hidden as best I could. I attended Christian High School all 4 years, but fancied myself a [...]
Weeds are the unwanted plants that grow in your yard. They pop up suddenly and grow fast. A weed can start out innocent looking, maybe even have a pretty flower, but if left to grow, it can spread out taking over your entire garden; choking out all the other plants and robbing them of nutrients. [...]
Have you ever started out on something and quit before you received the reward of your efforts? Often times we start something, get frustrated, feel like we aren't getting where we want fast enough and give up. Giving up robs us of the future of our efforts. No matter what the situation might be, perseverance [...]
Most of us take our lives for granted. Most of us don't stop to think how we received life or why. We know the biological process of conception, but have we thought beyond that? What about your chances of being born? First you have to consider women have only so many eggs and limited child [...]
There's an earthquake and your favorite vase fell off the shelf. You look down at all the pieces and feel like you're looking at your life on the floor. You fall apart. You feel like you have no control over outcomes. The life you planned isn't the life you're living. Sometimes the choices we make [...]
A habit is defined as a settled or regular tendency or practice, especially one that is hard to give up. According to experts with Psychology Today, habits form when new behaviors become automatic and are performed with minimum conscious awareness. That’s because “the behavioral patterns we repeat most often are literally etched into our neural [...]
A trigger is something that causes (an event or situation) to happen or exist. While recovering from addiction, a trigger is some sort of internal or external stimulus that causes the former addict to desire to use drugs or alcohol again. Internal triggers include thoughts, emotions and memories. Examples are: stress, mental or physical illness, [...]
