A Miraculous Change

Have you ever been in a rut? A place where you found it hard to get up each day?

Many have been in this position. In fact, it is safe to say that almost everyone has found themselves in this situation at some point. Life is moving forward but you are caught in a time of despair that you simply can’t overcome.

That was the place where Tyler Carpenter found himself. However, his “rut” was not for a month or even a year. His lasted nearly nine years.

“I didn’t have a job. I didn’t have a reason for anything. My life did not matter,” Tyler remembers. “No one seemed to care.”

Caught in addiction to meth, Tyler found himself struggling to find a purpose. His marriage was on life support and he did not have the energy and drive to find a job. He simply existed.

“Ya, I didn’t know what to do. You find yourself thinking that you don’t matter. No one cares. You realize that they don’t care. That is a dark place to be in, because you simply don’t care what happens at that point.”

Finding Hope at Hope

The despair was crippling, but not final. Tyler wanted something else. He wanted a change, opting to go to the ThriveNow program to get help. “They really made a difference. It started me thinking different. I could think different.”

As Tyler neared completion of the program, he knew that his journey had to continue. He needed a long-term solution. Hope CDA was where he knew he needed to come. “I had heard good things about the Hope program and wanted a chance. I hated who I was and knew I was going right back to that life if I didn’t change. Hope has changed my life.”

Change is what happened. Tyler joined the Hope CDA program in February and reached nine months of sobriety on Friday, August 7. That is the longest time he has been sober since he was a teen. In addition, Tyler is chairing at one of his weekly meetings, has become a member of Westdale Community Church and was baptized there. He even gave his testimony there recently.

A New Creation

2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us that if a person is “in Christ,” he or she is a “new creation.” That is Tyler Carpenter. While everyone sees that, no one recognizes it more than Tyler.

“I never liked myself. Really, I hated myself. I had no reason to live. I had nothing and I lived my life like that. Now I know I matter. I matter to my brothers and I matter to God. I know I can make it. I am confident and that is something I never had before.”

That confidence carries in everything that Tyler does. He knows He has a bright future ahead, a hope that God has given him.

“I want to be sober and I am going to make it. It scares me because I know what I am capable of, but I have a lot of hope now. I have the tools to help me to make it. I have great brothers who love me, a church who loves me, and a great sponsor. Hope gave me a family I can depend on and I am going to make it.”

Tyler’s story is another great example of how Hope CDA is making hope fulfilled for the men in our program, our graduates, and their families and friends. We hope you will want to be a part of helping men find fulfillment as well.

Please make a donation today!!

Hope Fulfilled

The Sixth Annual Hope CDA Gala will take place on October 15, 2026. The theme for this year’s event will be “Hope Fulfilled,” looking at how Hope has been fulfilled for participants, family and friends, staff, volunteers, and the community as a whole.

This year’s event will be a little different as we will feature the stories of Kaleb Durre and Jason Nichols. These men did not know each other before coming to Hope but became true brothers on their journeys to see their own hope fulfilled.

If you would like to learn more about the event or sponsor a table, please click the link.

Hope Good News

Layne Scott and Chuck Vanwinkle joined the Hope CDA program. We are excited to see how God will move in their lives… The graduation ceremony for Kevin Wiley, Evan Dearborn, and Braedon Bonnell will be on Monday, August 31 at 6:00 p.m. at Mission of Hope. All three men have set great pathways for themselves. Braedon will be transferring his job to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where he has already found himself an apartment. This will allow him to be closer to his daughter. Kevin has a part-time job, enabling him to pursue his academic goals at Kirkwood Community College. Evan will also be attending Kirkwood Community College, joining the CDL training class in early September. Come to the graduation and celebrate this big moment for these three men.

Volunteer Opportunities

We are still looking for more “Friends” to help our men through their journey at Hope CDA. We are looking for women who would like to be a friend and mentor to a participant. This is an amazing opportunity to assist our men on their pathway to sobriety, and we would love for you to be a part of this journey. If you are interested, please contact Tahsha Jones (Tahsha.J@HopeCDAcr.org).

Prayers for the Week

We ask you to join in prayer for these things:

1. For Layne and Chuck. May they have great success in the program.
2. We pray for the Hope CDA Gala on October 15. May God not only provide amazing volunteers but also the financial resources to make Hope CDA more successful.
3. We pray for those battling physical ailments. For Lavonne Johnson in her battle with cancer. For Tyler with his struggles with cellulitis, and for Jeff Brafford, who is struggling with issues with his back. May God bring great healing.
4. For Layne and his family as they grieve the loss of his uncle. We also pray for Eric Mullinex and his family who are dealing with the loss of his sister. May God provide comfort and strength for both of these families.
5. For Evan, Detric Howell, and Kevin as they are about to begin their academic careers at Kirkwood. May God give them great wisdom and may they achieve their personal, academic, and professional goals in life.

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