Terry VanAntwerp
My life represents the transforming power of Jesus Christ on a lost soul. I was born in 1964 and raised in Soldotna, Alaska. I was privileged to be raised in the church, attended a small Christian school and participated in Awana Club where I earned the Timothy Award for scripture memorization.
At age 13, I started using marijuana and alcohol. I specifically remember a time I sat behind my house smoking pot and thought to myself, “I could never become an addict.” I was so wrong!! One thing led to another and by my junior year of high school my drug use was out of control. My parents were not ignorant to the situation and eventually I put them in the position where I was asked to leave my home. I was unwilling to give up this great life I had chosen for myself. These decisions eventually lead to me living in a 6' x 6' shack in an abandoned gravel pit.
Things continued to spiral down and by my mid-thirties, my addiction soared out of control. My addiction brought me to a place of physical and mental bankruptcy. All I could do was to cry out to God. I remember lying on the bathroom floor crying uncontrollable for God to help me be free from this horrible addiction. God heard me!! It was shortly after that God began pulling rugs out from under me, taking away anything I had left that I could attach my self worth to. My vices stopped working. I could not have any type of peace when I used. I lost my job of 11 years, my children were rejecting me, I could not keep any kind of relationship, and I began to try to grab onto anything that would provide some form of stability for my life. This was not exactly the type of help I was praying for?!?!
I eventually move back to Alaska and began life over again. I didn’t know what to do, so I started attending 12 step meetings. I went back to church and I humbled myself before the Lord. The Lord gave me the desire to dive into the word and relearn the Biblical principals God had for my life. God set me free!! God transformed my heart and mind!
Today, by the mercy and grace of God, I have been restored to my children. I married a woman who had the same addictions and lifestyle that I had lived for twenty five years. God has rebuilt our lives. Having God as the center and foundation to every aspect of our lives has given us a hope and a future.
Today, God's calling on my life is also my heart’s passion, helping people experience freedom from addiction and transformation to a new life. This commitment for helping others comes from my own experience with the deep and painful consequences from my own life choices. When I was the center of my life, the choices I made led to all kinds of addictions, fears, and cycles of failure. Today, I have restoration and am growing into the man God created me to be.
In HIS Service,
Terry VanAntwerp
Executive Director