Below are some of our inspirational testimonies.

Luther Don Groover

My name is Luther Don Groover, I am 46 yrs. old. I can now, today, stand here and profess to you that I am a man saved by God's grace through the Blood of Jesus Christ. I can profess this with assurance and with peace of mind. But there was a time I thought I could say this, and did say this, but I knew not God, I knew not His Son and surely did not know Holy Ghost power in my life - to lead my life. It led to the worst debacle a man could ever have in his life because my life was a life of hypocrisy. The following is my testimony.

As a young child of 11 yrs. old I went up at an altar call to receive Jesus as my Savior. But from that time on I never sought to know Him, follow Him or even care what God willed for my life. I started using drugs and alcohol at age 14. I moved out of my parents home at age 17 and never finished high school. I started working and all I lived for was getting high on whatever I could get my hands on: alcohol, acid, marijuana, tea(pcp), cocaine, quaaludes and speed. I lived this way for the next 8 yrs. During this time I received my GED so I could attend Technical school where I received an Associates degree in Electronic Engineering. I worked in Texas, Florida, Georgia and North Carolina in various positions but I never seemed to work anyplace long, even though I worked for some very major companies that would have led to a great career. But I was a very disillusioned man full of anger and feelings of insecurity and inferiority. I felt the whole world owed me something. I was very irresponsible, never paying bills or traffic tickets or even checks that bounced. I spent many stays in jails -- a few days, a few weeks, but nothing woke me up to the fact -- I was living a useless life.

At age 25 I started an adulterous relationship with a woman who was pregnant and had 2 small children. She got divorced, we got married, and I quit the "hard" drugs but I still must smoke my "Pot" every day from morning, noon and night- EVERY DAY! I now had a very good woman in my life who was devoted to me and I knew she was a faithful, trustworthy and reliable wife to me. I also had 3 stepchildren whom I loved as my own children. All the great love I received from them, my family, and I loved them dearly - still do - yet, I was still empty. What was wrong with me? This is why I never thought I wanted my own biological children because I was scared they would turn out like me -- for I knew something was wrong with me -- I was defective! I tried very hard to give this family, my family, all my love but for over 11 yrs. all they got from me was my hurt, my pain, my anger and my irresponsibility. How could I give them all of me, I couldn't even give me-me.

At age 36 I find myself in jail, again, but now I am facing prison time for a serious felony offense. Out of selfishness I cry out to God for I need some help, I'm looking at 100 months in prison. Remember I told you all this time from 11 to 36 yrs. old I thought I was saved. But I'd never read God's Word, I'd never even owned a Bible. I didn't know how to seek God for help so I asked the Jailer for a Bible. I wasn't looking to be changed by God's Word-I didn't even know God could, or would, change a man. I wasn't looking to be saved, heck, I thought I was. This selfish man was just looking for a "Get Out Of Jail Free" card from God. Not knowing what to do I figured I'd cover all the bases- start at the first page and read till the last one. What I didn't know was God was the One who drew me to His Word because He had been waiting for this moment all my life. All I wanted was help so that I could keep on living the same dead life I'd been living. But God wanted to make me whole!

So I started reading from Genisis 1 until the end. But I never made it to the end, not right then, I got stopped at the 1st Gospel. Later on I finished and haven't quit studying God's Word. But as I was reading for the first time how God dealt with the Israelites, how He was so merciful, so forgiving I knew then I didn't know this God. This wasn't about me anymore -- my selfish cry for help -- now it was, Who are You? I wanted Him, I needed Him and then I read a Gospel and I knew I really wasn't saved. Now I needed Him desperately! But I was scared that this Loving, this Gracious God wouldn't want this damaged, defective, ugly dark stain of a man. And if this God, who was Lord over all, didn't want me, there was no Hope for me, ever! I read another Gospel, or the same One over again -- I don't know, back then I didn't know there was more than One Book that was The Gospel. But I knew I needed Jesus for I had sinned against God. It was me who crucified His Son. Could He take me? Would He take me? I cried and cried, I was a crushed man. The weight of my sin, my guilt. I loathed myself for my life of hypocrisy -- wasting 36 yrs. of my life that had belonged to God and I'd wasted it forever. Yet as I sat on that metal bench in the middle of the night -- I begged Jesus to be my Savior. And you know what..... He said yes, he said He would. He didn't audibly speak to me, but I knew, right then my heart knew, Jesus saved me. It was like a truck was taken off my shoulders. And oh, the Peace that came, I'd never had that in my whole life. But it gets better. I kept studying God's Word and a week or so later the Holy Spirit showed me who it really was on that cross as He showed me the Diety of Christ. I didn't know Jesus was God! God the Son, so Holy and Pure, got on a cross for me and died. Oh, how this knowledge of God's Act of LOVE crushed me all over again and I surrendered every little bitty piece of me that was left to Him.

Well, now I was saved, no prison for me - right? Wrong! For it was 9 yrs. in prison where God started cleansing me of all the junk my life had amassed. Drug treatment and counseling to show me why I stayed high for 20 yrs. Yet, I knew when I discovered back in my jail cell that Jesus now lived in me -- In me --I knew I would never be high again and God knew I meant it. But still God led me to the drug rehab-WHY? Cause I needed to know freedom from the things that bound me, this only comes with a renewed mind, I needed to be cleansed if I could ever be a vessel of God's. He gave me the courage to take the programs that helped show me how to really live life. See, God had to cleanse me! Then the sanctification could really start for God was going to use this life I gave Him yes, this wretch of a man God changed to use for His Glory. Those years in prison made me not just a man, but a man of God. For God used that time to fill me with Himself that I could walk in faithfulness and obedience unto His Will, not mine. So now my time has come to an end and on Sept. 10, 2009 I am ready to walk out of prison.

It wasn't easy finding a Transition House that would take me in - for the Programmers in prison don't go out of their way to help you, you better have something lined up yourself. And it seemed every place contacted wouldn't accept me because of my past. Then, a day before my release the Transition House called my Programmer and rescinded my Bed space and I had no Home Plan. My P.O. convinced me my best option was to stay in prison and do my Post Release. Without a Home Plan I could have went back to prison. So now I have one month left in prison and I walk out without Probation but I have no place that will accept me. I tried so hard to find something, anything, but I was flat broke and had no Family in NC. Then I got Hope After Dope's Ph# and a man to contact. It was Curtis Presnell. We talked and all He kept saying to me was - This is not NA or AA, this is a Jesus Christ based recovery Program. How joyous I was, because Jesus is the only One who had the Power to change my life so many years ago and the One I'd been following all this time. God laid it on Curtis' heart to take me in and now this man that nobody wanted is right where he needs to be for Hope After Dope is a House Of God. It is such a Blessing for me here. We seek God's Will for our lives, we have morning Bible Studies -every day. I get to join them in Church many times a week, we even have Tuesday Night Church Service in our House. WOW! God placed me in a wonderful atmosphere where I have true fellowship of the saints. You can call us bunch of ex-con's what you want, but I live with these men 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, I see their hunger for God and their desire to want to walk in His Will for their lives. If Curtis wouldn't have extended his hand to help me I would not have had any other options for housing. But I'm so glad he did because I have a chance to rebuild my life. Curtis Presnell, through God blessing him with Hope After Dope Ministries, gave me a chance to hope again, to dream again and to see our God move. I thank all the people who help this Ministry because without it I don't know where I'd be today.

If you ever stop to examine this man, his life, you'll see I died 9 yrs. ago in a little jail cell in Clay Co., NC. The life you will now see is not mine for I died with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I but Christ liveth in me: and the life I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.

Mark Johnson

My name is Mark Johnson. I am 22 yrs. old. I live in Curtis Presnell's - Hope After Dope Ministries Transition House. I'm very thankful for Curtis and this Program, it has helped me so much. The following is my testimony.

I first used drugs when I was 16 yrs. old. I started with drinking and smoking "pot". By the time I was out of high school I was a big-time drug dealer. Selling tons of "pot", then I was introduced to cocaine. I started to sell it, too. Before I was 19 yrs. old I was locked up. I got out on Intense Probation. That didn't slow me down though. I kept selling cocaine. I made it through Intense Probation and was put on Supervised Probation. Then when I was 20 yrs. old I made the biggest mistake of my life, I tried heroin. At first, it was a secret thing. In no time my addiction had taken over me. I broke into a heroin dealer's house and was arrested again. This time my addiction had become public. My Parents bailed me out on one condition: that I go to Rehab. I did and when I got out I stayed clean for a few months. But it didn't take long before my addiction grabbed me again. My addiction kept getting worse with time. I went to Detox a number of times trying to quit but all my efforts turned out to failure. Before I was 22 yrs. old I had lost everything - my home, license and my sanity. The drug had complete control over my life. I was homeless and broke, yet, I still managed to get "high." This is where my Dad stepped in.

My Father had me arrested. I was in jail for a month before my court date. I remember walking in there in handcuffs on my feet and hands. I just knew that I was heading to prison. I remember asking God, " If You are real, please intervene and give me one more chance." And that's just what He did. But of course, I didn't know it at the time. I was sent to DART-Cherry DOC Rehab for 90 days. I knew when I got out I couldn't go back home if I wanted a chance of staying clean. That's when I learned about Curtis' Program - Hope After Dope.

When I finished the Rehab I went to Curtis' place. At first I hated it. All of the Bible study and Church visits. It was just overwhelming. So I decided to move out on my own. In no time I was drinking and smoking again. Well, my P.O. came by the house and found drug paraphenelia - a bowl used for smoking "pot". Now I'm in jail, again. I thought for sure I was heading to prison this time. But somewhere in his heart Curtis found it to give me another chance. Even though I left without paying him and not even telling him I was leaving.

By this time, I started to think there might be a God. So I opened my heart up and just listened. I got Saved a few weeks later. Since that day my life has been taking a serious 180. I have since paid off my driving fines and have my license again. I have moved up in my job status, greatly. I have also paid off half my Probation, which totals - $1900. I think that God does have a purpose for me. Even though I was an addict and didn't really care for life much at all. Now I look forward to a new day. A clean and sober day. In the end, Christ is doing for me what I nor anyone else could do.

I owe the thanks to Curtis and his program at Hope After Dope. Because of Curtis I now have Eternal salvation and I'm clean and sober. I thank God and Curtis for the changes that have taken place in my life. Now I plan on paying off my Probation fees and one day going to college.

This is a short part of my story. I have spared you the gruesome parts. For those parts truly don't matter. This is only the first chapter of my life, I plan the next chapters to be with God. I now look forward to seeing what the future holds for me.

Randy Cribb

My name is Randy Cribb, I am 54 yrs. old. I come from a broken family. I started getting into trouble at an early age. I hungout with people older than my self. At the age of 15, I started using drugs. I was not into the "hard" drugs, but drugs like "pot" and alcohol. When I was 17 yrs. old I committed the crime of Armed Robbery, I thought I had gotten away with it.

About 6 months later I committed another Armed Robbery. Right before I committed my 2nd Robbery I had turned 18 yrs. of age, at that time I met a

15 yr. old girl who was a runaway. We thought we were in love as most young people do. We didn't think about the age difference. The next time I committed an Armed Robbery I was caught. The guy I was with was much older than I, so I mostly did as he said. The girl I was with was caught too. Her family took out charges on me for having sex with an under age girl. I was charged with 2 Armed Robberies and a 2nd Degree sexual assault.

I was sent to prison and I thought my life was over. BNefore I got out of prison I was told I would be put on a sex offenders list. I would be put on the list for 10 yrs. I stayed in prison a long time for my crimes. When I got out I found life hard for me, but I made up my mind in prison that I would never go back or get in to trouble again.

In prison I heard about a Man named Jesus. While in prison I never gave it much thought about how this Man would come into my life. When I got out, even though I had good jobs and made good money, I hung out with all the wrong people. I started drinking a lot and before I knew it I had a bad drinking problem.

I needed help in the worst way. Then I heard about a place called Hope After Dope. The guy that told me about the place asked me if I wanted help. He said if I did to call a man named Curtis who ran the place. I told him to make the call. Curtis came to see me. It was at night time, I don't remember what time it was but I do remember it was late.

Now that I've told you the past and the person that I was, let me take the time to tell you about the person I am today. I thank God and the many people behind this Ministry, who back this Ministry called - Hope After Dope. You see it's not easy to get into this Ministry, you have to talk to Curtis and tell him your story. He then talks to many people who back this Ministry. They talk and pray a lot over this decision. They tell Curtis how they feel and then you have to sit down and talk to him. He will tell you up front that this is a House of God and you will have to work hard at giving up your past and the things that brought you to this point. If you get into this House called - Hope After Dope, you have to put the want, the need, the desire of the drug you were on, and want to get away from, into the Hands of God. And let Him help you and let the people who work through this Ministry help you.

Have you ever put God first? We start every day with Bible Study and then as a group we talk about what we studied. Every Tuesday night, people from the Churches that back this place come out to sit in on our Home Church Service. We have a Preacher from one of those Churches come out to preach and give us the Word of God. They like to see how we are doing and just to let us know that they care.

Since I've been with this Ministry I have gotten Saved and have put God first in my life. I take one day at a time. I can't change the past, but I did change the person. When you come to this place you are asked to give it your all. Anything less can not, and will not, be accepted. In 6 months you are evaluated and you have to sit down with Curtis and talk about your improvements. He wants you to stay at least a year, if it is needed. I am doing well in this program as are other men here. We would like for people to come out on Tuesday night and sit down with us - fellowship and worship God with us. Then you will see how this place called - Hope After Dope and the Love of God can change a persons life.

Thank you for your time and may God be with you always!

Rod Thompson

My name is Roderick Thompson, I am 38 yrs. old, and the following is my Testimony.

I have done drugs, off and on, for 34 yrs. I was Saved in 1994. I tried to live right but I didn't have the strength to do so. I slipped back into the darkness. My marriage wasn't doing so well. I wasn't the best Husband or Father. Yes, I loved my wife and my 3 children, but I was selfish. I was still a kid myself. I did not start growing up until I was about 37 yrs. old. I had run from God and my responsibilities as a Husband and Father. I hurt many people along my self-destructive path. My whole life consisted of sex, drugs and rock-n-roll. At age 12, I saw my Mother stab herself in her own gut 13 times. At age 13, I was molested by my Father. I have been from one religious spectrum to the other. From satanism, to one Church after another. I have ran from God, tried to hide from God for 14 yrs. But God does have a way of dealing with His children. If He can't show you great things through the capacity of His Love, then He will show you great things through the chastening and disciple of a Father's Unfailing Love.

My marriage was rocky and I chose to put myself in the situation that got these charges brought upon me. I was mad at God for a time. I was trying to do good at the time and then I wind up in prison. I knew that I needed help, but I couldn,t get it on my own. So I went to jail and sweated the drugs out of my system for 3 months. After that time my thinking started clearing up, I wasn't mad at God any longer.

Instead, God showed me that it was part of His plan to draw me closer to Him.

Like I said God Loved me enough to chasten me. I probably didn't get all the chastening I deserved.

But God, my Father, is a Loving and Forgiving God. He showed me, this undeserving sinner, Mercy.

Time was drawing near for me to get out, and I knew that I could not!!! Go back to the same lifestyle and environment that I came from. I needed a place that I could go and be surrounded by people that, instead of being drunk off of drugs, they would be drunk from God's Holy Word. God answered my prayer when I came to Hope After Dope. He answered my prayer when He used Curtis Presnell to create a place for a sinner like me. A man that had nowhere to go, a man that no one else wanted.

Since God allowed me to come here on Dec. 16, 2009, my faith and my walk with God has become stronger. My wife and children have hope that their Husband and Father will return one day. I have beened called to preach God's Glorious Word. It is such a blessing to be here. God has blessed me and continues to bless me. My prayer is that for the people that try to pass judgement upon God's work is that He would open their eyes, their ears, their heart.

There should be more places opened for ex-cons. In other words, more places for sinners to go that they may draw closer to God - such as this Blessed House that I have come to call Home. I thank God for all that is involved in providing this precious roof that I live under and grow more and more in God under. I thank God for the Church that I am able to attend.

Stuart Setters

Over the past twenty-eight years since my near fatal automobile accident I have had much suffering; both physical and  emotional setbacks have plagued me. In September of 2007 I made a mistake that cost me six months of my freedom and damaged my reputation. This was indeed my own fault I have no one else to blame. I had never really considered myself as a drug addict because I only used marijuana as a means to control pain. After I was arrested I found out a truth, I was not just using to control my pain but was trying to escape my reality of self doubt.

Life for me at this time was a disappointment; this was in most part because I didn’t want to face the truth. I needed to find a new direction; I found that direction when I laid down my burdens at the feet of Jesus. He Laid down His life for me to redeem me and take my sins upon Him. Jesus sets on the right of the seat of power making intersession for my sins and all I have to do is trust in Him and follow His path that will lead to glory. This is not an easy task, I have been tempted by the devil even after I was released from jail, but I look at what I was (a lost soul in this chaotic world) and what I have become, a soldier for Christ Jesus. Then I remember what He did for me, and how much He loves me. I look at what His love means to me and the temptation fades away.

I have been in Hope After Dope Ministries for over two years now and am attending college to make a new start in life. My goal is to be able to reach young minds to show them a new path by way of our blessed Lord and savior Jesus Christ; a path that doesn’t lead to a life of self destruction. That life has meaning and worth.

Dominick

  My name is Dominick and I was a resident of Hope After Dope ministries since November 29, 2010. During that time the Lord Jesus has blessed me in more ways than I have the words; But I will try.

  Before I was released I didn’t have any place to go because I had no one in this state. Then God brought Curtis to mind who would come to the county jail to preach on Wednesdays. I remember him preaching and I would sing. One day Curtis and I were talking and he told me that he was going to start a ministry and he would like to have me sing and him preach. I told my case worker and he called to see if there was a bed and if the ministry could take me. It was a real blessing because if the ministry could not take me I would have had to spend my post release still there. Curtis had a bed for me and I was released.

  Since I have been at the house my Lord Jesus has brought me to a closer walk with him, and a better understanding of his word. He has also blessed me with my fiancée Rebecca whom is going to become my wife as soon as the Lord sees fit to bring her up here to NC. I have also been blessed with a job that literally walked through the front door.

  Jesus is more to me than my own life and I can’t praise Him enough for what He has done. I now by the Grace of God have moved into my own home.

  The Lord has also given me back the ministry He gave me a long time ago and that is singing solos for His glory.

  My Lord has used Hope After Dope ministries to allow me a chance to get back on my feet and Curtis has helped me when I had no place to turn. I praise my God for being the God of second chances. And I will always sing his glory.

  Your Brother in Christ Dominick