My name is Scott and I’m 33 years old. I was a heroin addict for about 11 years. I had a pretty normal upbringing and a good caring family as I was growing up.The problems started at school when I began to enjoy getting into trouble more than doing my schoolwork, and this eventually led to smoking and taking soft drugs.
I left school early to go and find work but instead found myself staring at the cell of a young offenders institution for 3 months. When I came out I just found myself in more trouble with the police time and time again however I escaped a few long-term jail sentences in that time. I was eventually mixing with drug dealers and was involved in lots of daily crime with some very nasty people. During this time, after using various drugs, I was introduced to heroin and from then on my life really took a downhill slide. Heroin really took a grip on my life and I would do anything to get my daily fix. After about 9 years of using heroin I found myself at the lowest point of my life that I had ever known.I just wanted to be free from this evil substance that made me into somebody that I did not want to be anymore. I found myself at the point of suicide and felt as though there was just nothing left for me.
I was introduced to somebody from Teen Challenge who gave me an application form to apply for one of the rehabs they have in Scotland. About 4 weeks later I was spending my first night in Teen Challenge and for the first time in a long while I felt safe.
Two weeks later I said the sinner’s prayer and broke down in tears and asked the Lord to help me and come into my life. Since that day God’s peace has never left me and the ways in which he has worked in my life are truly amazing. There are many times in my life when I think back on situations where I should have died, but I know that God had His hand on my life all through these times and I will never be able to thank Him enough for this.
I have now been clean from smoking and drugs for over 5 years and I have married a lovely wife. God has blessed me so much since I started living for Him. I now work in the Teen Challenge centre in Ilford. It is a blessing to see people come through our doors and to be able to share the gospel with them and encourage them. I see them broken when they come in, and as the weeks go by I see Jesus starting to shine through them as they gain confidence. I think back to when I was in that place of despair before God pulled me out and I praise God! 2 Timothy 1: 7