STORIES WORTH TELLING
Articles, testimonies, and devotionals from the Christ-centered work of rebuilding after addiction. Written for families, people in recovery, and anyone walking this road.
John's Story: Paying Back What Was Stolen
After felony charges, a car wreck, and $56,000 in restitution, John Selby rebuilt his life one act of obedience at a time.
My Father Helped a Few People Get Their Lives Back
A tribute to my father, Rev. John Franich founder of Shenandoah Valley Teen Challenge and the quiet, faithful obedience that helped break a cycle in our family and restore hundreds of lives.
Two Pounds, Two Ounces
The phone rang again. Another opportunity to say yes without knowing the outcome. Service isn't about seeing the ending before you start.
As You Lay There in Your Blood
Nobody stopped. But God passed by, saw you at your worst, and said one word: Live. That's how He sees you.
God’s Timing Feels Thin Sometimes
Sometimes the phrases we reach for feel thin. Not false... just thin. This is what it sounds like to believe God has a plan and still sit in the ache of timing, loss, and questions that don't resolve.
BROWSE ALL
The Cost of Ministry Nobody Talks About
Twenty years of overdose calls, unanswered prayers, and friends who disappeared taught me the real cost of calling. Nobody puts that part in the brochure.
Living a Life of Gratitude When Everything in You Wants to Complain
Gratitude is not a mood. It's a muscle. And like most muscles, it only gets stronger when you actually use it. Ten lepers cried out for mercy and all ten got healed, but only one turned back to say thank you. The other nine followed instructions perfectly and missed the whole point.
Moving Forward in Ministry After Loss
Ministry transition forced us to confront a hard question: are we honoring what God did, or camping out at a memorial stone and missing what He's doing next?
Two Pounds, Two Ounces
The phone rang again. Another opportunity to say yes without knowing the outcome. Service isn't about seeing the ending before you start.
You Can't Argue With Daddy
Ruth Graham told me her father's greatest regret. Billy Graham wished he'd been home more. Your family only gets one you.
Cut Me Into a Thousand Pieces
Nicky Cruz threatened to cut David Wilkerson. His response: every piece would still say I love you. That's the love of Christ.
They Always Came Through
My parents said we're not getting you anything this year. But every Christmas morning, they came through. That's how hope works with God.
Met in the Road
The prodigal son had a speech prepared. But the father ran before he could finish. That's the heart of God toward you.
Walking With You Before You Knew It
Jesus walked with the disciples to Emmaus before they recognized Him. He's walking with you too, even when you can't see Him.
Rocco's Story: Destroyed it all in 30 days
Rocco spent 17 years in addiction. He built 3.5 years of recovery, lost it in 30 days, then found his way back.
As You Lay There in Your Blood
Nobody stopped. But God passed by, saw you at your worst, and said one word: Live. That's how He sees you.
Faith in Hard Times: When the Dream Becomes a Nightmare
The dream becoming a nightmare doesn't mean God is done. It doesn't mean he forgot. It doesn't mean you heard wrong. Sometimes the nightmare is the setup for the envelope.
How to Help an Addict Without Losing Yourself
When someone you love is drowning in addiction, your first instinct is to jump in after them. But here's what nobody tells you: you can drown trying to save someone. After 20 years in recovery ministry, I've learned that empathy means "I understand," not "I'll fix it." You can love someone deeply without losing yourself in the process.
My Bags Were Packed
I had my bags packed to leave Teen Challenge. One brother stopped me at the door. He didn't lecture me. He just prayed.
When Your Light Goes Out
When your candle goes out, somebody else can light it for you. That's what the body of Christ is for.
For the People Who Make the Call
80% of the calls we received at our residential program came from families, not the person struggling. So we rebuilt everything around that truth. Here's what's new at SVTC.info and JustinFranich.com.
God’s Timing Feels Thin Sometimes
Sometimes the phrases we reach for feel thin. Not false... just thin. This is what it sounds like to believe God has a plan and still sit in the ache of timing, loss, and questions that don't resolve.
A Prayer for Peace of Mind When You Can't Sleep
If you're searching for peace at 2am, you're not alone. The answer might not be trying harder or faking it better. It might be laying something down.
What Does the Bible Say About Second Chances?
The father wasn't waiting at the end of the driveway with his arms crossed. He was running down the road before the apology was finished. The robe is waiting. So is the ring. So are the sandals.
Letting Go and Letting God: A Prayer for Surrender
You're white-knuckling something right now. Something that's already wilting in your grip. What if the thing you're afraid to lose isn't worth keeping anyway?
God Is in Control: Trusting Him When the Math Doesn't Work
The prodigal who's been gone for years. The addiction that won't break. The marriage that feels beyond repair. Is his arm too short? Pray like you believe it isn't.
The Future Of Shenandoah Valley Teen Challenge
Over two decades after its founding, Shenandoah Valley Teen Challenge is transitioning from residential programming back to a community-based recovery model rooted in its original mission.
Aaron Gordon: Finding Identity, Overcoming Low Expectations
Aaron Gordon grew up in Washington, DC when it was known as the murder capital of the world-and he wasn't "supposed" to make it. Instead, he defied every expectation, graduated from West Point, and built a military career. At 54, he's still discovering the layers of identity and purpose God placed in him.
My Father Helped a Few People Get Their Lives Back
A tribute to my father, Rev. John Franich founder of Shenandoah Valley Teen Challenge and the quiet, faithful obedience that helped break a cycle in our family and restore hundreds of lives.
God's Peace vs. World's Peace: Why Sobriety Feels Restless
You did the hard work-got clean, rebuilt trust, started making progress. So why do you still feel anxious and restless? This post breaks down the difference between the world's peace and God's peace, and why only one can actually restore your soul.
I Got Clean, But That Wasn't the Hard Part
A personal account of early addiction, the moment of collapse that led to help, and how identity and discipleship shaped life after getting clean.
Breaking Free From Pornography Addiction: Wade’s Story
Wade shares his journey from childhood exposure to pornography through years of bondage and into lasting freedom through Scripture, fasting, and spiritual warfare.
Rebuilding Life After Addiction: A Guide to Freedom
An overview of the Rebuilding Life After Addiction framework and the Prodigal Son roadmap of identity, authority, and mission beyond sobriety.
WHEN SOBRIETY ISN'T ENOUGH: THE JOURNEY FROM CLEAN TO FREE
Many people reach sobriety yet remain trapped in shame, performance, and spiritual exhaustion. This article explores the deeper journey from being clean to experiencing true freedom through grace, surrender, and relationship with Christ.
When Recovery Hurts More Than Addiction
Nobody told me recovery might hurt worse than addiction. At 3 AM with drug dreams and racing thoughts, I was mad at myself, mad at everyone, and angry at God. The pain almost broke me before I realized it was actually healing me.
Setting Boundaries for Recovering Addicts: A Family Guide
How to welcome your loved one home from treatment without enabling them-practical wisdom on communication, trust, and treating your adult child like an adult
Grace For The Older Brother In Recovery
A reflection on the older brother in Luke 15 and how faithfulness, resentment, and grace often collide in recovery families.
Shane's Story: Alone in the Woods, Then Found
D1 athlete Shane Curtis hit rock bottom alone in the woods. Then Teen Challenge changed everything.
The Systems That Keep You Free: 33 Years of Recovery
Discover the practical systems that sustain long-term freedom after addiction. 33 years of combined recovery experience reveals what actually works.
Your Past Wasn't Wasted: God Redeems Your Story
What you lost to addiction, God can restore through your children. Here is how your story becomes their inheritance.
Life After Rehab: What Happens When Treatment Ends
Most people relapse after treatment, not during it. This article explores what the first year of life after rehab actually looks like and why sobriety is only the starting point.
John's Story: Paying Back What Was Stolen
After felony charges, a car wreck, and $56,000 in restitution, John Selby rebuilt his life one act of obedience at a time.
When NOT to Tell Your Kids About Your Addiction
Sometimes sharing your addiction story with your kids does more harm than good. Here is how to know if you are ready, and what to do if you are not.
Should You Tell Your Kids About Your Addiction?
How much should you tell your kids about your past? A guide for parents in recovery on sharing your story wisely, protecting innocence, and building trust.
How to Choose a Faith-Based Recovery Program: Questions Families Should Ask
When your family is in crisis, choosing the right faith-based recovery program feels overwhelming. This guide shares the key questions to ask and red flags to watch for, based on 20+ years of real experience helping families in Virginia.
What Happens After Teen Challenge? Life After Graduation
Graduation from Teen Challenge is a huge milestone, but it's just the beginning. Learn what families can realistically expect in the months and years after-reintegration challenges, building new rhythms, handling relapse with grace, and long-term hope.
Why Avoiding Conflict Isn't Keeping the Peace
Silence isn't peace. It's permission. Learn why confronting sin in your brother is the most loving thing you can do.
Forgiveness Doesn't Mean Tolerance: What Christians Miss
You can forgive someone and still set boundaries. Understanding the difference between releasing bitterness and inviting harm back in.
Why Forgiveness Without Confrontation Isn't Love
Real forgiveness requires uncomfortable conversations. Learn why avoiding confrontation keeps both you and your brother stuck in sin.
Common Myths About Teen Challenge Programs
Families hear the same myths about Teen Challenge programs again and again. Here's the honest truth behind the most common ones-from "it's only for teens" to "graduates always relapse"-based on decades of real experience.
What Does Enabling Mean?
What does enabling mean? Learn how to recognize enabling behaviors and redirect your love toward support that actually helps.
How to Overcome Offenses
When your loved one breaks their promise again, how do you avoid bitterness? Learn why offenses are inevitable but being offended is a choice-and how Joseph's story shows us the path to forgiveness.
Ben Fuller Testimony: From Cocaine Addiction to Worship
On paper, Ben Fuller had everything going for him. Captain of the football team. A work ethic that could outpace anyone his age. A childhood on a beautiful Vermont dairy farm surrounded by mountains, early mornings, and honest labor. But inside, he was drowning.
Christian Rehab Centers
Exploring Christian rehab centers? Learn what to look for, questions to ask, and how to find a program that actually works.
Ben Fuller at Winchester Church of God: More Than a Concert
750 people packed Winchester Church of God for a night with Ben Fuller. The altar stayed open from the first song to the last. This wasn't a concert-it was ministry.
What Is an Intervention? Meaning, Definition & Family Guide
What is an intervention? Learn what really happens, when your family needs one, and how to approach it with wisdom and love.
Questions to Ask Before Enrolling in a Teen Challenge Program
Choosing a Teen Challenge program is a big decision. Use this practical checklist of 30 essential questions-covering program length, faith integration, family involvement, costs, and aftercare-to help families make an informed choice.
Food Addiction Is Real. Here's How to Fight Back.
We'll preach about alcohol and warn our kids about drugs. But food? That's the third rail nobody wants to touch. Except your brain can't tell the difference between sugar and cocaine. Here's how to break the cycle.
What Does the Bible Say About Addiction?
What does the Bible say about addiction? Explore key bible verses about addiction, biblical perspective on bondage and idolatry, and the promise of freedom through Christ for recovering addicts.
Faith-Based Recovery Programs: What Families Need to Know
Faith-based recovery programs approach addiction differently than secular options. Learn what makes them unique, what to expect, and how to find the right program for your loved one.
Good Bible Verses for Depression
When ministry was thriving and family was healthy, depression hit hardest. I hid upstairs during my daughter's birthday party, unable to face the joy below. These 20 Bible verses became lifelines when well-meaning advice failed and shame crushed harder.
Teen Challenge for Women in Virginia: What to Know
A firsthand account of launching and leading a Teen Challenge women's home in Virginia, including daily life, challenges, and long-term impact on families.
Eight Years Between the Encounter and the Freedom
Blake Koteita had a life-changing encounter with the Holy Spirit in 2009. He didn't get fully free from porn until 2017. His story tells a truth we don't hear enough: deliverance and discipleship are not the same thing.
What Is Teen Challenge?
Teen Challenge is the largest and oldest faith-based addiction recovery program in the world. Here's what it is, how it started, how it works, and whether it might be right for your loved one.
Two Nights with Josh Baldwin: A Shenandoah Valley Worship Experience
Two churches. Two nights. Nearly 1,000 people. Josh Baldwin led worship across the Shenandoah Valley-and one of those nights brought me back to the church where I was baptized twenty years ago.
Adult Teen Challenge
Don't let the name fool you-most Teen Challenge residents are adults. Learn how Adult Teen Challenge works, who it serves, and how it compares to other rehab options.
Returning to Shenandoah Valley Teen Challenge
After years away, Ashley and I are returning to Shenandoah Valley Teen Challenge as Directors. The place where we served from 2007-2019 shaped us, and now God is bringing us full circle to continue the legacy my father built.
Setbacks in Recovery: What to Do When Progress Stalls
Setbacks happen in recovery. A setback doesn't mean failure-it means you're human. Here's what to do when progress stalls, whether you're the one struggling or the one watching someone you love.
Marriage in Recovery Ministry: Ashley Franich’s Story
Can a marriage thrive when one spouse comes from addiction and the other doesn't? Ashley Franich shares 15 years of saying "yes" to God-from marrying someone fresh out of Teen Challenge to leading women through recovery to foster care and beyond
Biblical Steps to Restore Broken Relationships
Addiction destroys trust in drops and buckets. Here are 5 biblical steps to rebuild what was broken, even when it feels impossible.
How to Move Beyond Your Broken Past
Struggling with a lack of hope while dealing with a loved one's addiction? Discover how God can transform your broken pieces into a beautiful masterpiece and why accepting Christ's forgiveness is the first step toward moving forward.
Jordan and Charlcie's Story
Jordan and Charlcie both graduated SVTC, got married, and now serve in ministry together. A redemption love story.
Being the Dad You Never Had
Nobody teaches you how to be a father when you never had one. You're building the plane while flying it. But your kids don't need a perfect dad. They need a present one. Here's how to break the cycle.
How to Help a Loved One with Addiction
A practical guide for families navigating a loved one's addiction. Learn what helps, what hurts, and how to find support.
Faith-Based Recovery in Virginia: Options and How SVTC Helps
Virginia offers strong faith-based recovery programs, especially through Adult & Teen Challenge centers. Learn about the options across the state and how SVTC provides honest referrals, family support, and guidance-no pressure, no beds to fill.
How to Prevent Relapse: The Real Secret Nobody Talks About
Rob Reynolds was a 17-year addict until a prison encounter with Jesus changed everything. Fourteen years later he has never relapsed. This is the real secret most recovery conversations avoid: identity, renewal, and a living relationship with Christ.
Teen Challenge Success Rate: The Honest Answer
Teen Challenge success rate depends on how you define success. Here's the honest truth about outcomes, relapse, and what actually determines long-term change.
Teen Challenge Cost in Virginia: Is It Free?
Teen Challenge doesn't cost what rehab costs. Some centers are free, most are heavily donor-supported, and many families pay far less than they expect. Here's what to know about monthly fees, scholarships, insurance, and what you're actually signing up for.
Teen Challenge Virginia: Programs, Cost & How to Get In (2026 Guide)
Teen Challenge Virginia programs for men and women. Learn about cost, locations, admissions, and how SVTC helps families find the right faith-based recovery option.
Raising Grandchildren When Your Child Is Addicted
You didn't sign up for this. But here you are, raising your grandchildren while your child battles addiction. Here's how to find strength, hope, and grace for the journey.
Adult Teen Challenge vs Prison: Why Faith-Based Recovery Works
Prison punishes addiction. It doesn't heal it. With a 60-70% recidivism rate, incarceration fails to address the spiritual brokenness at the root of substance abuse. Adult & Teen Challenge offers a different path-one that transforms lives through faith, community, and long-term support.
A Conversation with Eddie Jame Minsistries
A raw and honest conversation with the team from Eddie James Ministries about calling, obedience, addiction, trauma, and the real cost of following God. This episode explores why sobriety is only the beginning, how accountability and submission lead to lasting freedom, and how God redeems brokenness into purpose.
Six Months Without Smoking… Then I Blew It
Two pulls off a cigarette after six months clean. It wasn't about nicotine-it was about breaking agreement with a master that had ruled my life for years. Confession brought mercy. And I've never smoked since.
How to Renew Your Hope After Losing It
Hope deferred makes the heart sick-not discouraged, sick. When all your energy funnels into one person who keeps rejecting help, hope drains away. Sometimes God restores hope not by changing them, but by widening your world again.
When Your Loved One’s Addiction Ruins Your Summer Vacation
You were counting down the days. Then it happened-a broken promise, that familiar look. What was meant to restore you now feels stolen. Speaking truth in love means holding hope and honesty at the same time.
Cookies With Christ: How God Met Me in Prison
I went for the free food. I stayed because for the first time in my life, I felt the weight lift off my chest and I could finally breathe.
The Church Didn't Know What to Do With Me
I showed up high. I showed up hungover. I showed up for ten years on Christmas and Easter. And not once did anyone tell me there was an answer.
How to Help a Recovering Addict
You've tried everything. Talked, pleaded, set boundaries, prayed. The most powerful help isn't fixing the problem-it's believing for them when they can't believe for themselves, restoring their purpose, and helping them release guilt.
How to Handle Addicts Who Only Care About Themselves
There's a particular exhaustion that comes from loving someone who can't see past themselves. You try to help and still end up being the problem. The answer isn't rescuing harder-it's leading with strength.
When the Confrontation Goes South
You finally said something. And it exploded. Anger, blame, withdrawal-different reactions, same purpose: control. When intervention blows up, you need boundaries. And boundaries require clarity about what's yours to carry.
Should I Date During Recovery?
No one wants to be alone. But a good thing at the wrong time can become destructive. Dating in recovery comes down to two questions: who and when. Get them both right, and relationships become gift instead of risk.
Sustaining Sobriety Beyond Rehab
The two hardest words for someone leaving rehab aren't "drugs" or "temptation"-they're "what now?" Long-term sobriety isn't sustained by rules alone. It requires exchange: old habits for new, old goals for new, old activities for new.
How to Tell If My Loved One Needs a Program
The holidays can make addiction impossible to ignore. But knowing when a program is necessary-and when it's actually possible-requires asking the right questions about both need and timing.
How to Take Care of Yourself When a Loved One Is in Rehab
When the person you love enters a program, you finally have margin. For the first time in a long time, you're not fighting fires. What you do with that space matters-because they're not the only one who needs healing.
How to Cope with Being Apart from My Loved One
Distance hurts-whether it's miles of separation or the emotional absence of someone living under the same roof. Both situations ache deeply. But neither one is hopeless.
Am I Crazy for Supporting the Addict I Love?
Friends say to quit. Family says to move on. They call you crazy for still hoping. But holding onto faith, hope, and love-the things Scripture says last forever-isn't foolish. It's foundation.
The Hidden Meaning of Grace
We use the word "grace" so often it loses weight. But understanding what grace actually contains-free, true, and authentic-changes how we love someone through addiction without enabling destruction.
Edgar's Story: From 26 Detoxes to Overseeing 350 Men in Recovery
After 26 detoxes, 6 inpatient programs, and state prison, Edgar found Shenandoah Valley Adult & Teen Challenge. Today he oversees 350 men as Disciplinarian and Intake Manager at Pennsylvania Adult & Teen Challenge.
Whose Fault Is Their Addiction, Anyway?
When an addict says "you made me do this," they're using guilt as leverage. But accusation does not equal truth. You are not responsible for another person's decision to use-and you never were.
The Fatherlessness Crisis Is Fueling Everything Else
Behind the addiction epidemic, the identity confusion, and the rise of young men looking for answers in all the wrong places, there's one common thread: missing fathers.
Weak Men Are More Dangerous Than Strong Men
We've been told that toxic masculinity is the problem. But the real threat isn't the strong man. It's the man with no identity, no confidence, and no one speaking into his life.
To Testify or Not to Testify?
Should you wait until the struggle is over to share your story? Like a drowning person being thrown a lifejacket, sometimes testimony isn't the reward for victory-it's part of how victory comes.
Teen Challenge for Men: What Families Need to Know
Looking for a faith-based recovery program for men? Learn what Teen Challenge offers, how it works, and how to know if it's right for your son, husband, or loved one.
Why the Church Should Be the Safest Place to Struggle
The church was meant to be a hospital for sinners, not a museum for saints. So why are so many believers terrified to admit they're not okay?
Social Media Discipleship Is Making Us Shallow
We have more Christian content at our fingertips than any generation in history. And it might be making us spiritually weaker, not stronger.
The Win-Win Testimony
When we share the freedom we found in Christ from addiction, something powerful happens-not just for the person hearing it, but for us too. Testimony gives meaning to our pain and restores purpose to our story.
We're Only As Sick As Our Secrets: Why Transparency Sets You Free
The things we hide hold power over us. But when we drag our struggles into the light with people we trust, shame loses its grip and real healing begins.
Teen Challenge Donations: Where Your Money Goes
Teen Challenge donations fund time. Time for someone to stabilize, for truth to take root, for discipleship to form a real man or woman of God.
What Healing From Church Hurt Actually Looks Like
Church is supposed to be the safest place to struggle. So what happens when the church becomes the wound? Healing requires naming what happened, getting outside help, and the terrifying decision to trust again.
The Most Dangerous Thing We Say About Addiction
The phrase "once an addict, always an addict" gets repeated so often it's treated like settled fact. But what does that statement actually do to someone trying to rebuild their life-and does it line up with Scripture?
Courtney's Story: 23 Felonies Dismissed
Courtney went from 23 felony charges and a jail cell to freedom. Her story proves God can restore what addiction destroys.
How to Help Someone With Addiction: A Family Guide
A complete guide for families supporting someone through addiction. Learn what actually helps, when treatment is needed, how to set boundaries, and what real recovery looks like.
Justin's Story: How Teen Challenge Restored My Life
After addiction destroyed his family and left him homeless, Justin called his mom and entered Teen Challenge. Now he's married with three daughters, living the life God paved for him.