What is The Lifehouse?
The Lifehouse is a therapeutic community organization located in Huntington, WV. The Lifehouse is a non-profit organization created to help men and women recover from alcoholism and substance abuse. The homes associated with The Lifehouse solely exist to help men and women in West Virginia continue their journeys of sobriety with the adequate support and services to implement the life stability that is required for continual substance abuse recovery.
The first facility of The Lifehouse opened in January 2012 by Raymond "Rocky" Meadows. Mr. Meadows acted upon his desire to see a new sober living option for men and women in Huntington, WV that have recently hit the lowest points of their lives. These men and women have made the decision to overcome an addiction, are starting their lives over after completing a substance abuse program or after incarceration due to criminal behaviors related to drugs and/or alcohol. Mr. Meadow's passion to begin this exciting new program was birthed through his own triumph over addictions and the impact that a relationship with Jesus Christ made in his recovery. Mr. Meadows offers a hands-on approach to the men that live at The Lifehouse. He is able to stand before each participant and show, through his own life, that a better life is available after one has allowed drugs and alcohol to tear them apart. He is able to influence the men from a position of example instead of a new rule enforcer. Mr. Meadows himself struggled with addictions for 24 years. It was after his last period of incarceration that he was able to begin his own journey of sobriety. After re-entering society Mr. Meadows committed himself to never look back and to help others accomplish similar personal victories. During his recovery process, which began in 2008, Mr. Meadows has worked at a local recovery program, became a Men's Chaplain, completed a course in Pastoral Counseling,(ACPE) and achieved his Degree from Mountwest Community and Technical College (emphasis in pastoral care). He credits his continued success to God, the support that has been available to him through local Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous programs, friends and family, and the availability of sober living facilities.
The first facility of The Lifehouse opened in January 2012 by Raymond "Rocky" Meadows. Mr. Meadows acted upon his desire to see a new sober living option for men and women in Huntington, WV that have recently hit the lowest points of their lives. These men and women have made the decision to overcome an addiction, are starting their lives over after completing a substance abuse program or after incarceration due to criminal behaviors related to drugs and/or alcohol. Mr. Meadow's passion to begin this exciting new program was birthed through his own triumph over addictions and the impact that a relationship with Jesus Christ made in his recovery. Mr. Meadows offers a hands-on approach to the men that live at The Lifehouse. He is able to stand before each participant and show, through his own life, that a better life is available after one has allowed drugs and alcohol to tear them apart. He is able to influence the men from a position of example instead of a new rule enforcer. Mr. Meadows himself struggled with addictions for 24 years. It was after his last period of incarceration that he was able to begin his own journey of sobriety. After re-entering society Mr. Meadows committed himself to never look back and to help others accomplish similar personal victories. During his recovery process, which began in 2008, Mr. Meadows has worked at a local recovery program, became a Men's Chaplain, completed a course in Pastoral Counseling,(ACPE) and achieved his Degree from Mountwest Community and Technical College (emphasis in pastoral care). He credits his continued success to God, the support that has been available to him through local Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous programs, friends and family, and the availability of sober living facilities.
Testimonial
"I want to begin by saying that The Lifehouse literally saved my life. Like many of us with addiction problems, I had reached my breaking point in January of 2012. On Christmas Eve had had decided to seek help and when I came out of detox my apartment had been trashed and an eviction notice posted on my door. I was able to convince my landlord not to evict me but it still left me in a position of desperation. I realized that my life needed serious change. I knew I couldn't live alone in my apartment anymore and I had over $1200 in my bank account. I realized that I needed to do something and quick. I knew that no matter what, to go back to my old life was a death sentence. I went to a local AA meeting for the first time in 3 months. Ray (Rocky) Meadows sat down next to me. I remember him smiling and asking me how I was for we had known each other previously. He had seen me on the streets periodically, almost always when I was broke. He fed me several times and even bought me a few packs of cigarettes. He never asked anything in return so I knew I could trust him with my predicament. After the meeting I related to him my story and how I had [nowhere] to go. He smiled again and told me he had just opened his own sober living a week early. Needless to say, I moved in that very night.
I have been in many sober livings but one thing makes The Lifehouse stand apart and that is Ray (Rocky) Meadows. He actually cares deeply about people. Most are in this business to make money and along the way they do get to help people but not with Rocky. It is always about people with him. He genuinely wants people to stay sober and he goes to great personal risk to help these hopeless people. I cannot say enough about the man. We still speak many months later and he ALWAYS ends with the statement, "I love you bro". Never in my life had I known a man other than family who really meant it. I have had close friends but they never said anything like that to me. That statement made me at first, uncomfortable but as I grew to know him it was a statement of platonic friendship and genuine love for his fellow human beings. He tells everyone this. Ray Meadows is a true servant of God and for that I count him as one of my closest friends I know to this day. I have since returned to Los Angeles to work in the film industry as an artist as I once did. It is a career which I enjoy immensely and which I am very good at. In January 2012 I was at my end, penniless and with no hope. Today I have the respect of my family, my new boss, friends and coworkers. I was even called an "honorable" man on more than one occasion. If you had told me what my life would be like today in January, I would have called you a crazy liar. My life has changed that much. I owe everything I have today to God and thank Him greatly for putting Rocky into my life. When I needed God's help and reached out my hand for help, The Lifehouse and Ray Meadows pulled me in. I cannot recommend The Lifehouse enough."
Jeffrey W.
May 30, 2012
2013 UPDATE from Jeffrey W.
It's been a year since I left The Lifehouse in February 2012. A lot has changed in my life since then. Honestly, if I were to tell my story now to myself back then, I would have not believed it. A long year has passed and I will admit, it has not been easy. Life throws curve balls at you everyday but it's important not to give up, dig your heels in and pray for help. I have my career back now. I've worked on several feature films the past year and I have seen my reputaion spread as a hard, honest and caring employee. I went from unemployable in 2012 to being indispensable. My family is a huge part of my life again, something I didn't think would happen as fast as it has. In fact a brother commented to my mother that he "wasn't afraid that I would hurt them anymore." They feel that they have "their" Jeff back. I agree with that statement wholeheartly for I am feeling myself become the man God intended me to be. I can feel my true self being asserted. The old fears and insecurities are slipping away to be replaced with things which truly matter. I had never been able to visualize myself as an old man before now. Drugs and alchohol clouded my ability to see beyond the hole I had dug for myself. How can one truly find freedom without being able to visualize a positive future for oneself? I believe that this newfound attitude was reflected in how a behaved around others. I started dating again after deciding once long ago that it was best that I be alone. Hence the most drastic change in my life has been meeting and marrying the one true love of my life. We have a baby on the way, a boy and my first. I have seen the face of God in those ultrasound pictures and a profound sense of gratitude washed over me like a warm blanket. For the first time in a long while I have experienced true joy and a love of life and a debt of gratitude to a forgiving and loving Creator.I would like to thank Rocky and The Lifehouse again for giving a washed up drunk like myself a place to stay on that cold day in January of 2012.
Jeffrey W.
January 31, 2013
I have been in many sober livings but one thing makes The Lifehouse stand apart and that is Ray (Rocky) Meadows. He actually cares deeply about people. Most are in this business to make money and along the way they do get to help people but not with Rocky. It is always about people with him. He genuinely wants people to stay sober and he goes to great personal risk to help these hopeless people. I cannot say enough about the man. We still speak many months later and he ALWAYS ends with the statement, "I love you bro". Never in my life had I known a man other than family who really meant it. I have had close friends but they never said anything like that to me. That statement made me at first, uncomfortable but as I grew to know him it was a statement of platonic friendship and genuine love for his fellow human beings. He tells everyone this. Ray Meadows is a true servant of God and for that I count him as one of my closest friends I know to this day. I have since returned to Los Angeles to work in the film industry as an artist as I once did. It is a career which I enjoy immensely and which I am very good at. In January 2012 I was at my end, penniless and with no hope. Today I have the respect of my family, my new boss, friends and coworkers. I was even called an "honorable" man on more than one occasion. If you had told me what my life would be like today in January, I would have called you a crazy liar. My life has changed that much. I owe everything I have today to God and thank Him greatly for putting Rocky into my life. When I needed God's help and reached out my hand for help, The Lifehouse and Ray Meadows pulled me in. I cannot recommend The Lifehouse enough."
Jeffrey W.
May 30, 2012
2013 UPDATE from Jeffrey W.
It's been a year since I left The Lifehouse in February 2012. A lot has changed in my life since then. Honestly, if I were to tell my story now to myself back then, I would have not believed it. A long year has passed and I will admit, it has not been easy. Life throws curve balls at you everyday but it's important not to give up, dig your heels in and pray for help. I have my career back now. I've worked on several feature films the past year and I have seen my reputaion spread as a hard, honest and caring employee. I went from unemployable in 2012 to being indispensable. My family is a huge part of my life again, something I didn't think would happen as fast as it has. In fact a brother commented to my mother that he "wasn't afraid that I would hurt them anymore." They feel that they have "their" Jeff back. I agree with that statement wholeheartly for I am feeling myself become the man God intended me to be. I can feel my true self being asserted. The old fears and insecurities are slipping away to be replaced with things which truly matter. I had never been able to visualize myself as an old man before now. Drugs and alchohol clouded my ability to see beyond the hole I had dug for myself. How can one truly find freedom without being able to visualize a positive future for oneself? I believe that this newfound attitude was reflected in how a behaved around others. I started dating again after deciding once long ago that it was best that I be alone. Hence the most drastic change in my life has been meeting and marrying the one true love of my life. We have a baby on the way, a boy and my first. I have seen the face of God in those ultrasound pictures and a profound sense of gratitude washed over me like a warm blanket. For the first time in a long while I have experienced true joy and a love of life and a debt of gratitude to a forgiving and loving Creator.I would like to thank Rocky and The Lifehouse again for giving a washed up drunk like myself a place to stay on that cold day in January of 2012.
Jeffrey W.
January 31, 2013
