“Sending my son to a program was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made. I hoped and prayed that our issues would subside on their own. My fears amplified the complexity of this decision.
However, once my wife and I committed to sending our son to Teen Challenge Adventure Ranch, the experiences brought me peace. From the detailed program and school description on the website to my interactions with admissions over the phone, from onboarding and orientation to meeting the dedicated team, from seeing the beautiful grounds and ranch to feeling the genuine love, care, and concern among the staff, each step brought reassurance. The support extended to family counseling sessions, witnessing the interactions, friendships, and growth among the young men in the program, and the opportunity to join a community of parents who could relate to our struggles was invaluable. To summarize, we count it all joy (James 1:2-4).
Throughout our journey, I learned to trust God’s timing, not mine. I learned to trust the team with my son. The limited communication in the first couple of months was difficult but necessary. I gained insight into codependency, control, and the importance of letting go. I realized there was no guarantee the program would “fix” my son and that our whole family needed to make changes. Thankfully, with support, my son began to self-reflect, contemplate his decisions, and focus on positive change, eventually earning his high school diploma.
My family received unwavering support, prayers, resource access, and education through this program. My heart is filled with gratitude for what God is doing in and through this place.”
*This story has been adapted to protect our student’s identity. The name/photo are pseudonyms chosen for privacy reasons.
