Malikah’s Story
“I thought the day I was held at gunpoint would be the worst day of my life,” Mark said. “But it turned out to be the best day. The day God changed my life for the better.”
For years, addiction had taken control of Mark’s life. Relationships were strained. Opportunities slipped away. His future felt uncertain. But even in the middle of brokenness, God was already preparing a different story.
When Mark entered Pennsylvania Adult & Teen Challenge, he did not realize that recovery would become more than freedom from addiction. It would become the beginning of an entirely new life.
During his time in the program, something unexpected happened. As he walked alongside younger men also struggling with addiction, God placed a new purpose on his heart.
“I remember looking at these young guys and thinking, their lives are already hurting so badly at 18 years old,” Mark shared. “That’s when I knew I wanted to help the youth.”
That decision changed everything.
What followed was not overnight perfection, but years of God faithfully opening doors that once seemed impossible. After completing the program, Mark moved to Oklahoma to start over. One step at a time, his life began to change in ways he never imagined. He was able to return to school, finish his degree, and eventually begin working with adolescents in recovery.
Every step forward came with an obstacle that seemed impossible to overcome, but God continued making a way through each one. Looking back now, Mark sees God’s faithfulness in every season of the journey. The people who stepped into his life at exactly the right time. The opportunities that appeared when everything seemed uncertain. The prayers that carried him through moments where giving up felt easier than moving forward.
Even the smallest details became reminders that God had not abandoned him.
Today, more than 25 years later, Mark continues to impact lives through his work in recovery and counseling. Mark serves as Executive Director of IC&RC, an international organization that helps set standards for addiction and recovery professionals worldwide.
The man who once believed his life was beyond repair is now helping strengthen the very field that restores lives every day.
But Mark is the first to say he did not get there alone.
“Teen Challenge saved my life,” he said. “God used this program to completely change the direction of my life.”
Stories like Mark’s are possible because people choose to give.
Every day at Pennsylvania Adult & Teen Challenge, men and women arrive in search of hope. Many feel like they have exhausted every option. But through Christ-centered recovery, lives are being restored, families are being rebuilt, and futures are being rewritten.
This Father’s Day, your support helps make those stories possible.Your gift helps provide safe housing, mentorship, counseling, discipleship, and the daily support needed for lasting recovery.
Most importantly, it helps introduce people to the life-changing hope Mark discovered years ago.
Thank you for helping make restoration possible for the next person who walks through our doors.
Our long-term discipleship program is about far more than helping someone stop using drugs or alcohol. We help men discover who they are in Christ. We help rebuild character, restore families, develop responsibility, and create healthy spiritual foundations that can last a lifetime.
Stories like these are only possible because friends like you step forward in generosity.
Your gift can change a life.
By donating to our scholarship fund, you help individuals access the recovery support they need but may not be able to afford. Together, we can offer hope, healing, and a chance for a brighter future. Every contribution makes a difference—thank you for being part of their recovery story.
