Chapter 6: A Man Struggling with Addiction 
The city was alive with noise the honking of horns, the clatter of footsteps, and the distant murmur of voices in the busy streets. But amidst the chaos, there was a darker undercurrent, one that Steph, Mario, and Gary had become all too familiar with. Addiction was rampant in this part of town, pulling people down into a spiral of hopelessness and despair.
Steph felt the tug of another mission, the familiar pull in her heart guiding her to someone in need. It wasn’t long before they found him, slumped against the brick wall of a graffiti-covered building. The man’s clothes were dirty and torn, his face gaunt and hollow with exhaustion. His hands trembled as he sat there, staring at the ground, a small bag of white powder clutched tightly in one fist.
"Steph, over there," Mario said, pointing toward the man.
"Do you think that’s him?"
"I’m sure of it," Steph replied softly, her heart aching for the man’s pain.
"Let’s go talk to him."
They approached cautiously, not wanting to startle him. Steph knelt down in front of the man, her voice gentle as she spoke.
"Hey, are you okay?"
The man didn’t respond at first, his eyes glazed over as if he was lost in another world. After a few moments, he blinked and looked up at Steph, confusion flickering across his face.
"Who are you?" he rasped, his voice hoarse. "Why do you care?"
"My name is Steph," she said with a warm smile.
"These are my friends, Mario and Gary. We’re just here to help. What’s your name?"
The man hesitated, glancing at the small bag of drugs in his hand before finally answering. "Kevin," he muttered.
"But it doesn’t matter. I’m a mess. There’s no helping me."
Steph’s heart broke at his words. She had seen that kind of despair before the belief that there was no way out, that the darkness was too deep to escape. But she also knew that wasn’t true.
"It does matter," Steph said firmly. "You matter, Kevin. And no one is beyond saving. We all struggle sometimes, but that doesn’t mean we have to stay in that place."
Kevin shook his head, his eyes filling with tears.
"You don’t understand. I’ve tried to quit so many times. But every time I think I’m done, the cravings come back. It’s like… it’s like I’m trapped in this endless cycle, and I can’t get out."
Steph reached out and gently took the small bag of drugs from his hand. He didn’t resist, just watched her with a hollow expression as she set it aside.
"I do understand," she said softly. "I’ve met a lot of people who’ve felt like you do right now. Like there’s no way out. But there is a way, Kevin. You’re not alone in this."
"Yeah, well, it doesn’t feel like it," Kevin muttered, wiping at his eyes with the back of his hand.
"I’ve pushed everyone away. My family doesn’t even talk to me anymore. And my friends… they’re just as lost as I am. I don’t even know who I am without this."
Steph nodded, her eyes filled with compassion.
"I know it’s hard. But you don’t have to figure it all out right now. You just need to take one step at a time. And God will help you through it."
Kevin looked at her skeptically. "God? If He’s so great, why’d He let me end up like this?"
"God didn’t put you here, Kevin," Steph said gently.
"But He’s offering you a way out. He loves you, and He’s not giving up on you, even if it feels like the whole world has."
Kevin shook his head, his voice filled with bitterness.
"I don’t know if I can believe that."
"You don’t have to believe it all at once," Steph said.
"But just listen for a moment. There’s a verse that I think might help. It’s from 1 Corinthians 10:13: ‘No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.’"
Kevin stared at her, his brow furrowing as he tried to process the words. "A way out," he repeated quietly, almost as if he was testing the idea in his mind. "I don’t see a way out."
Steph nodded in understanding.
"I know it feels impossible right now. But I promise you, there is a way. And God will give you the strength to find it. You don’t have to do this alone."
Kevin’s eyes filled with tears again, his hands shaking as he covered his face.
"I’m so tired," he whispered. "I’m so tired of fighting this… of feeling like I’m never going to be free."
Steph placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You don’t have to fight it alone anymore. You’ve been carrying this burden by yourself for too long, but now it’s time to let go of that weight. God’s love is stronger than any addiction, and there is power in that love."
Steph knelt beside Kevin, her heart heavy with the weight of his pain. She knew that words alone couldn’t ease his suffering, but she had something that could reach deeper—something that had touched her own heart and guided her through the darkest moments of her life.
She picked up her guitar, her fingers resting gently on the strings as she looked into Kevin’s eyes. "I want to share a song with you," she said softly. "It’s about finding strength in God’s love, even when you feel trapped. Just listen, and let the words settle into your heart."
She began to strum a soothing melody, her voice soft yet powerful, carrying the message of hope:
**"In the Valley Low"**
*When the darkness surrounds, and the night feels long,  
You’ve been wandering, thinking you don’t belong.  
But there’s a love, deeper than your pain,  
A light that shines through the pouring rain.*
*In the valley low, you’re never alone,  
There’s a hand to guide, leading you home.  
No chains too strong, no road too steep,  
He’ll carry you through, give you peace to keep.*
Kevin closed his eyes as the music filled the alleyway, the lyrics sinking into his soul like a balm. He could feel the weight of his addiction, the years of regret and loneliness, but somehow, Steph’s song made it feel lighter.
Steph continued, her voice growing stronger:
*You’ve been walking this road, thinking hope’s out of sight,  
But His arms are open, even in the night.  
Every burden you carry, every tear that you’ve cried,  
He’s been with you, right there by your side.*
*In the valley low, you’re never alone,  
There’s a hand to guide, leading you home.  
No chains too strong, no road too steep,  
He’ll carry you through, give you peace to keep.*
Kevin’s tears flowed freely now, his hands trembling as the message of the song reached a place deep within him. It was as if the music was touching a part of him that had been hidden, locked away by years of self-doubt and addiction.
Steph played a final, soft refrain:
*There’s no valley too deep, no shadow too wide,  
No mountain too high, no place to hide.  
His love will find you, His grace will restore,  
He’ll bring you back to life once more.*
As the last chord lingered in the air, Steph gently lowered her guitar and looked at Kevin, her eyes filled with compassion and hope. "You don’t have to walk this road alone anymore, Kevin," she said quietly. "God’s love is with you, no matter how far you feel you’ve fallen. You’re not trapped. You’re not lost. There’s a way out, and it starts with believing that you are worth saving."
Kevin sat in silence for a long moment, his hands covering his face as he wept. The chains that had bound him for so long seemed to loosen, the heavy weight on his chest lifting just a little. For the first time in years, he felt like there was a glimmer of hope.
He looked up at Steph, his voice trembling. "Do you really think… do you think I can change? That I can be free from this?"
Steph smiled warmly.
"I don’t just think it, Kevin I know it. You’re stronger than you realize, and God’s strength is with you. It’s not going to be easy, but you don’t have to do it alone. We’ll walk with you, and so will God. One step at a time."
Kevin wiped his eyes, a small, hesitant smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "I want to believe that. I really do."
Steph nodded. "That’s the first step—wanting to believe. And I promise you, there’s a better life waiting for you. All you have to do is reach for it."
As Kevin stood up, the small bag of drugs forgotten on the ground, he felt something stir inside him—a small flicker of hope, fragile but real. He looked at Steph, Mario, and Gary, who stood beside him, offering their support.
"I… I want to start over," Kevin said softly.
"I don’t know how, but I want to try."
Steph reached out and clasped his hand, her smile radiant with encouragement.
"You’re not alone in this. We’ll be with you every step of the way. Let’s start this journey together."
And with that, Kevin joined Steph and her companions, stepping out of the darkness and into the light, ready to begin the long road to recovery. With God’s love and the strength of the music in his heart, he knew there was a new path ahead a path of hope, healing, and redemption.