Demetrius’ Story

*Before we share Demetrius’ story, we wanted to share a poem that he created about his story:

As I look at the sky that paints our universe I’m at The Potter House where I’m given new birth. Lost on the highway to hell, now I’m trying to find a back road to heaven. 

Drugs, alcohol and women, quickly the fast lane became my enemy. Broken promises, pain and envy broken relationship was only the beginning. 

My image, I lost. 

My character, defund. 

I struggle, I fight as I battled the storm. 

I slept under bridges, sometimes abandoned homes. 

Now I’m here at The Potter House, I embark on my life. 

I abused drugs, alcohol, I could have lost my life.

The Potter House is the only hope. 

Now I give it all to God. 

I remember as a child, they said, “Say no to drugs.” 

The question, do I have the strength to fight? 

I have the courage to say no. 

The Potter House saved my life.

—

It wasn’t long ago that I walked through the doors of The Potter’s House for the first time.

I was on probation when I was caught with drugs and ended up in jail. I had been using drugs to cover up pain and seek attention, but I was never happy. When I was in jail, it dawned on me that this was an opportunity to make myself better. There was something in my spirit. God really connected with me. He got me off the streets, now it was time for me to rebuild myself from the bottom up. 

So I asked if I could go to a recovery program and my lawyer was able to get me in at The Potter’s House.

My favorite part since I’ve been here has been learning that no matter what you’ve done in your past, you shouldn’t be ashamed of it. No matter where you might have fallen short, The Potter’s House is a place where you can put all your cards on the table.

I struggled. I never realized how bad I was really hurting myself. There’s a lot of pain that I caused myself and others. I was abusing drugs and alcohol. I was sleeping under bridges. But, no matter what, my fight and my drive, I own it. Deep inside of me, I feel like on the other side, that’s the message that God’s trying to show me that you’ve got to fight hard and stay strong.

God has brought me a long way in the short time I’ve been here.

I have boundaries now. When I first came here, I was struggling with my boundaries. I was used to being the popular person and being the only child; it was hard. I had to create my own vision of the Demetrius that is being transformed. Once I’d done that it came easy for me to set boundaries.

I keep my faith and I know that without my faith, there is no hope. 

Now that I’m restored I can see and feel Demetrius, which has really been a struggle doing drugs. My strength and my courage and my determination, my drive, it’s all been restored. So now I feel comfortable in my recovery.