
Episode #19
From Heroin Addiction to Helping Others Find Hope | Recovery Matters
After 2 decades of active addiction, homelessness, and heroin use, God completely redirected one man’s life. Today, he leads Recovery Matters, a Christian addiction recovery ministry helping men and women find freedom, community, accountability, and hope in Jesus Christ. What happens when God takes one of the darkest chapters of your life and turns it into a ministry that helps others? In this special Get to Know You episode of Partners in Ministry, Dan Smith sits down with the founder and facilitator of Recovery Matters, a substance abuse recovery ministry serving men and women in the Pittsburgh area through weekly meetings and one-on-one mentoring. After spending 2 decades in active addiction, including homelessness and heroin use, he experienced recovery, encountered the Holy Spirit, and felt a clear call to help others walking through the same battles he once faced. In this conversation, you’ll hear powerful stories of transformation, including the first woman who walked into Recovery Matters ready to give up but eventually became a co-leader helping other women, as well as a man who celebrated one year clean and was baptized shortly afterward. You’ll also hear about: How Recovery Matters began during COVID and grew into an in-person ministry Why personal experience with addiction became part of a larger calling The importance of mentoring, consistency, honesty, and community in recovery How seemingly small acts of kindness can have a lasting impact The role faith, obedience, prayer, and dependence on Christ play in ministry How an unexpected connection eventually led to years of partnership and greater generosity The vision for reaching more people with stories of transformation and Christian service Recovery Matters is more than a weekly meeting. It is a place where people struggling with substance abuse can find support, encouragement, mentoring, and people willing to walk alongside them. Please pray for the ministry, its leadership, and every person working toward recovery. If you know someone in the Pittsburgh area who is struggling with substance abuse, consider connecting them with Recovery Matters. Subscribe to Partners in Ministry for more conversations with Christian leaders, nonprofit organizations, ministries, and people serving their communities in the name of Jesus. Recorded on July 28, 2026. Originally published on Tuesday, August 18, 2026. Recovery Matters Care Ministry -- Learn More at: https://northway.org/small-group-details/?id=15341 -- Contact Ray: -- -- by Email: jpdesign989@gmail.com -- -- by Phone: (515) 210-6941 -- Social Media: -- -- Facebook: https://facebook.com/raiserecovery1 -- -- Facebook Private Group: https://facebook.com/groups/raiserecovery -- -- YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@raiserecovery The Quakerdale Foundation: -- Learn More at: http://QuakerdaleFoundation.org -- Invest in Our Mission: https://bit.ly/JWQF_Give -- Subscribe to Our Newsletter: https://bit.ly/JWQF_Subscribe -- Send an Email: DSmith@Quakerdale-Foundation.org -- Social Media -- -- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quakerdaleofiowa -- -- LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/522757/ -- -- JWQF YouTube Channel: https://YouTube.com/@jwqfvlogs4266 #jwqfonline #jwqfpartnersinministry (S6, E19)

