Sunday Christian, Six Days in the World | Jimmy's Story
- Western Michigan Adult & Teen Challenge
- Jul 21
- 3 min read
Jimmy is 62 and lives in Grand Haven, Michigan. He'd struggled with alcohol for 25 to 30 years, an addiction that took root while he was in prison. After his release, he moved from Arkansas to Michigan believing he'd left the problem behind, starting a new life with a wife and family he describes as wonderful. But the struggle never fully went away.
Jimmy describes himself as a binge drinker: stretches of stability followed by relapses that created real chaos for his wife, kids, and grandkids. At 60 years old, he decided something had to change completely. Being a Christian on Sundays and living differently the other six days of the week wasn't sustainable anymore.
Retiring to Get Help
The day Jimmy came to Western Michigan Adult & Teen Challenge (WMATC), he retired from his job to fully commit to the program, working through some medical issues along the way. One of the biggest things the program gave him was discipline, not just professionally, where he'd always managed himself well as a manager, but personally, an area where he'd struggled for years at home.
A Relapse, and the Long Road Back
Jimmy is honest about not getting it right the first time. About four months into the program, after having surgery, he relapsed and left. Guilt, shame, and disappointment made the decision to return incredibly difficult. When he finally did decide to come back, he had an honest conversation with God about who he really was, and that conversation became the moment of complete surrender that changed everything afterward.
Returning meant reengaging with classes and chapel, and enduring the real difficulty of extended time away from his family while staying grounded and disciplined enough to finish the program.
A Cancer Diagnosis, and an Unshakeable Identity
Ten months into the program, Jimmy learned he had cancer and made the decision to go home. Even facing that diagnosis, he held onto a settled trust that God would take care of things regardless of the outcome. He points to the story of the three men in the fiery furnace in the book of Daniel, and specifically to their declaration that they wouldn't bow, no matter what happened to them. The line Jimmy highlighted in his own Bible captures that same conviction: knowing where he was going and knowing who he was, regardless of circumstances.
Two Years Later, Still Coming Back
Despite the surgeries and the disconnection that came with them, WMATC has remained a defining part of Jimmy's life and identity. It's been two years, and he continues to return, sharing his testimony in hopes that it helps someone else. Today, he volunteers at WMATC regularly, driven by deep gratitude for a program he credits with saving his life.
What Comes Next
Jimmy's outlook now centers on giving back. He believes that receiving something without turning around to give it away defeats its purpose, and he sees his ongoing involvement as an opportunity to show others that this program works, that they can make it through, and that an awesome life is possible on the other side.
His central takeaway: complete, total surrender to God is the key to lasting change. Without it, he believes there will always be a part of a person still holding onto the old life. But for anyone willing to come, pay attention, and hand their life fully over to God, real change is possible.
Why Jimmy's Story Matters
For donors, Jimmy's story shows the program's impact reaching well past graduation, into years of ongoing volunteer commitment from someone who found lasting change later in life.
For prospective students and families, especially those who've tried a partial, Sunday-only kind of faith without lasting change, Jimmy's story shows what full surrender looks like and what it can produce.
For the WMATC community, his story is a powerful reminder that relapse and setbacks don't disqualify someone from the transformation still ahead of them.
If someone you love has tried faith halfway and keeps ending up back in chaos, full surrender may be the missing piece.
Help make stories like Jimmy's possible.
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