Cory P.

I spent years numb.

Meth took more from me than I could ever explain. It robbed me of peace, purpose, and my connection to others. I could not feel the people around me. I could not love the way I wanted to love. And the worst part was that I could no longer sense God’s presence. I was completely cut off.

At the time, I did not understand that addiction had rewired my brain and shut down my heart. I just knew I felt empty. Alone. Hollow. Delusional. Broken.

And that is exactly where Anchor of Hope found me.

I met Josh and Jennifer during treatment, and they struck me as different. Real. Caring. Anchor was not just a sober living house. It was a place where God started gently putting pieces of me back together. Josh and Jennifer did not just hold me accountable to staying sober. They challenged me to become a man of integrity and to lean into a relationship with God that would anchor me for the long haul.

They never gave up on me. They taught me that communication matters. That serving others matters. That being obedient in my walk with God is not optional if I want to grow. Because of that kind of love and structure, I began to change in ways I never thought possible.

Over time, what started as gratitude turned into a deep desire to give back.

On February 1, 2025, I stepped into an Executive Director role at Anchor of Hope. Not long after that, I felt God pulling me in a new direction, and I stepped into full-time service as the men’s director. This was not a promotion or a plan. It was simply the next right thing in front of me. And today, I get to walk with men who are where I once was and remind them they are not too far gone.

My relationship with Jesus today is the most important thing in my life. He loved me when I could not love anyone. He stayed when I wandered. He pursued me when I had nothing to give in return. And now I get to spend my life responding to that love. I live in awe of the fact that the same God I ignored and pushed away never stopped wanting me.

My family relationships are still being healed. They are not fully restored yet. But I am present now. I am not running or numbing or hiding. I am praying and believing that God is not finished writing that part of the story.

Anchor of Hope is more than a program. It is a family. These are the people who stood beside me in the dark and helped walk me into the light. And now I get to do the same for others.

If you are reading this and wondering if there is any hope left for you or someone you love, let me tell you what I now know. There is. God is not done with you. He has not let go. He never left.

This place helped save my life. And now, by the grace of God, I get to be part of helping others find theirs.

Cory Petty - Executive Director - AOH2 - Manager

Sober since April 15th, 2023