He Came Looking for Rehab. God Handed Him a Brotherhood Instead. This Is Cole's Story.
Cole knew he needed help, and at first he was just looking for a rehab. Right around then, Rise Discipleship came through Amarillo, where he was, and put a flyer in the hand of a family friend, who told his parents. Cole was in a detox home at the time, and when he got out, he came to Rise, expecting a program to get him sober.
"I think God kind of bamboozled me. I was looking for a rehab, and I found so much more than that."
What he found was a lot of Jesus, and something he didn't even know he was missing: a real brotherhood.
"Brothers that actually care about me, that want to see me do good."
Learning How to Be a Man
For Cole, the home did more than address the drinking. It taught him something he'd never really learned.
"It teaches men like me, who didn't really know how to be a man, how to be a man, how to lead yourself, and how to lead other people who are struggling out of it."
More than anything, he says, it gave him hope that he could keep going, and the words of Jesus, that He is the way, the truth, and the life, and the truth will set you free, became real to him.
"It truly set me free."
The Bottle He Poured Out
Cole's proof came just two days before he shared this, out on a fundraiser in Austin.
"I saw a bottle of Fireball on the ground, completely full. And I didn't even want to drink it. I pulled one of my brothers over and we poured it out together. A month ago, I would have straight up drank that thing."
He points to two things that made the difference: the brotherhood he can lean on, and real accountability. Other places, he says, show you the steps and hand you medication, but don't give you what you actually need once you leave. This one pointed him somewhere else.
"This program tells you to lean on the Lord. So when you fall, you fall forward onto the Lord, instead of falling backward and going ten steps back."
If This Is You
Cole came in looking for a way to get sober and found a whole new life, and a family. If that's what you're after, or if someone you love needs more than just drying out, don't wait. It's free, a real person answers day or night, and it starts with one call.
Ready to reach out? Get help now. Freedom really is just one phone call away. (325) 232-5449.
And it's all free because of people like you. As Cole puts it, you're not just donating to get someone sober and hope it sticks. You're donating to a cause that's turning men and women into who God intended them to be, and changing lives today.
If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction or thoughts of suicide, you are not alone and help is available. Rise Discipleship's 24/7 helpline is (325) 232-5449.
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