If you’ve ever stared at the mess of your life and wondered whether anything good could grow from it, Justin’s story will meet you there. From a church-going kid to a fifteen-year-old meth addict hiding track marks under long sleeves, he walks us through the spiral—identity confusion, bad company, cocaine to crystal meth, dropping out, and a brief clean streak during Army training that collapsed the moment he got home. The freefall accelerates until a surprise intervention at his grandmother’s house finally holds a boundary: get help or go. In the backyard with an eight ball in his pocket and nowhere to sleep, he hits the kind of clarity only rock bottom can give.

What changes everything isn’t a complicated plan. It’s a sentence. After his family drives him seven hours to a Long Island rehab, a staff member looks him in the eyes and says, “God has a plan for your life.” He had heard it before, but not like this. That simple line becomes a compass. Recovery doesn’t turn into a highlight reel—he tries to leave the program again and again—but the words keep pulling him toward a future bigger than sobriety. He learns that getting clean is not the finish line; it’s day one of building identity, purpose, and relationships that can hold the weight of real life.

Two decades later, Justin has led in ministry, helped run a Teen Challenge program, married, and built a family—all anchored by the belief that purpose is not reserved for the unbroken. We talk honestly about relapse, the power of boundaries in family systems, how faith reframes identity, and why a clear, simple truth can cut through the fog when sophisticated advice can’t. If you or someone you love is fighting addiction, depression, or the ache of unfulfilled potential, this story offers both compassion and a roadmap: ask for help, accept structure, stay when it’s hard, and repeat the truth until it becomes yours.

If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs hope, and leave a review to help others find these stories. Your words might become someone else’s turning point.

Welcome to Rebuilding Life After Addiction. I’m Justin Franich — I’ve led recovery programs, pastored churches, and walked hundreds of men into real transformation. This podcast gives you the tools, truth, and straight talk to rebuild your life through Jesus. Let’s jump in.

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