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Tell us your name and a little about yourself.

My name is Spencer. I’m a resident here at Joshua 1:2 and have been for almost a year. Prior to this, I worked as an Arborist for nearly a decade. Currently, at Joshua 1:2, I volunteer doing many tasks such as maintenance and several other handy man jobs around the property.

What motivated you to seek help at Joshua 1:2?

This has kind of been a last resort for me. I have tried many times in the past to get sober, but I continued on a downward spiral. Finding Joshua 1:2 has been such a blessing. It has really put me on a faith-based, honest path to getting sober and to leading a constructive life.

Tell us about your experience at Joshua 1:2

It has honestly been an exhilarating experience. I’m part of something really big here – something greater than myself. We have multiple projects going on that I am honored to be a part of. Things like fixing up the church, creating more housing, and much more to help more people get sober.

What has made the biggest impact on your recovery so far?

I actually want to get sober now! Since being here, I have been forgiven of my mistakes. I’ve been shown blatant honesty at times, but it’s always out of love. This place has given me a reason to succeed.

These people here have shown me that they actually care – care about me, care about my recovery – and in doing so, it has made me want to get sober for myself, for them, and for my family! I am convicted by this place!

What do you wish more people knew about addiction and recovery?

That it is real! It’s hard for those who don’t struggle with addiction to understand. Most people don’t get that this is a real thing, it’s a real struggle that some even call a disease.

Recovering from addiction is painstakingly difficult and it takes a lot of work and support to have any success. I can’t just stop, it’s not that simple. I want to, but again, this is real and can’t be solved by saying to myself, “you should just quit.” It’s just not that simple, even if I wish it was.

I want people to understand that addiction exists, it’s not going anywhere, and it’s a real grind to get through.

What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve encountered in your recovery from addiction?

The biggest challenges I’ve faced are trying to stay patient, trusting in the process, getting rid of my ego, and no longer thinking I can do this on my own.

I struggled with coming to the realization that I needed help and support from others if I stood any chance at beating this. I’ve always been a lone wolf and had to learn that I couldn’t lock myself away and hide from my addiction, and that I needed the backing of my friends and family, my community, and the support of so many – that was a difficult thing to come to terms with.

How can people better support those who are struggling with drug and alcohol addiction?

Donating – whether it be your time, your money, or simple letter of your support – all these things make a major impact on those struggling with addiction.

I think it’s also important that people become aware of addiction and some of the challenges it presents, not only to the addicted but to their families and communities as well. And to open up the discussion more.  Everyone should make a point to talk to someone they think may be struggling with addiction and open up the conversation. An early intervention can save someone years of pain and agony.

Who inspires you to keep moving forward in your recovery?

Pastor Mike, my wife, my family – pretty much everyone I should have cared about while I wasn’t sober but who was still always there for me. I want them to know, and I want to show them that I was worth it!

About Joshua 1:2 Fellowship

The Joshua 1:2 Fellowship is a non-denominational Christian church that places a special focus on addiction and rehabilitation. Their current pastor, Mike Suarez came from a troubled background and suffered for years from addictions to heroin, methadone, and cigarettes. One day, unsatisfied with the course his life was taking, he turned to God for help and found himself freed from addiction and now seeks to provide guidance for those who may find themselves in a similar situation. The church strives to service the local community and be a home for lost souls. Learn more.

Family Tree Recovery founder Jordan Blott is no stranger to the challenges dealing with addiction recovery. He knows firsthand how important the support of family, friends, and the community are to helping those who are on the path to sobriety.

That’s why, in 2020, he founded the Family Tree Recovery organization, so he could use his platform as a local Colorado business owner to rally community support and help the recovery organizations that are out there making a difference.

In this interview, he shares why addiction and alcoholism recovery are such an important issue to him, and why everyone should be looking to support those around them, especially those on the path to sobriety.

Why is drug addiction and alcoholism recovery such an important issue?

Issues around drug addiction and alcoholism recovery are so extremely important right now. The numbers around addiction and death are constantly climbing. Since 2000, more than 700,000 Americans have died from drug-involved overdoses. And as we see the economy struggle and the pandemic continue, more and more people are dealing with addiction. People are struggling. And it’s not just individuals that are suffering – it’s families and communities who are impacted as well.

What’s frustrating is that it’s a pretty overlooked issue. We hear these big numbers, and we know it’s a problem, but when it comes to the people around us – the people in our communities – we either aren’t aware of how prevalent addiction really is, or we flat out ignore the problem all together. Our neighbors could be struggling, and we could have no idea.

People dealing with addiction are always getting written off as lost causes or a drain on society. But that’s not the case, or at least, it doesn’t have to be. Recovery is worth the risk – it’s worth the work and effort to help these people get sober.

We should be doing all we can to people get back on their feet so they can be contributing members of society, rather than “burdens on the system” like so many think they are. Every single person you see struggling with addiction could be productive a member of society if they just had the right support to get off drugs and alcohol.

Sobriety and recovery help everyone. It’s not just about the people who recover, but instead, it’s the impact their recovery can have on the whole community. This topic can’t be something we just brush under the rug.

What are some of the biggest challenges that people looking to recover from addiction face?

A lot of times, people dealing with addiction are recovering alone. Not everyone has a ton of support around them to help them stay motivated. And financially, they just don’t have the help they need to seek out effective recovery treatments.

Often, this lack of support is the result of broken relationships – something that is all too common with addiction. Many people have been turned out by their friends and family who just can’t help them anymore. And this is so hard to see, because people dealing with addiction need support, but family and friends need to set boundaries for their own well-beings, too.

That’s why when we see people trying to recover, they are usually on their last leg. They’ve lost their jobs, the support of their friends and family, and they are out of options – they are looking at rock bottom. And so many have to find themselves in this awful place before they really start seeking recovery support. But by then, it’s hard to climb out of that hole, especially all by yourself.

And once you do get sober, you still have to pick up all those pieces, which is a terrifying thing. It’s an ongoing journey and no one should have to do it alone.

Why is this important to you, personally?

Addiction is something I’ve personally delt with and while it was a dark time in my life, I’m very proud of the strides I’ve made to get me to where I am today. I know from experience that help can be very limited, especially if you don’t have some kind of financial backing to get you into a treatment program as soon as possible.

For me, it was hitting rock bottom and realizing I was alone, that I didn’t have anyone in my life that was really willing to help anymore, that finally made me realize I needed to make a change. But when I called the local rehab facilities, they asked for thousands of dollars to help me recover and I just didn’t have that. And by that point, I had burned all my bridges, so I didn’t have anyone to ask for help.

It’s from this experience that I know how extremely difficult it is to get sober on your own.  It’s a constant battle and any help would have been good help.

When I finally found a rehab facility that would help me, it was still a $5000 program. A lot of people don’t have that. I was lucky enough to have parents that eventually agreed to help with that cost. But I didn’t have that money, and if it hadn’t been for my support system, I never could have gotten any help at all. And who knows where I would have ended up.

Why did you decide to start Family Tree Recovery?

Once I was able to get sober, I built my life back up. I saw a lot of personal success, which I attribute to my sobriety. I felt so blessed and thankful to be able to get out of that situation. That’s when I knew I wanted to give back, especially to the kinds of places that helped me get sober. These organizations are a big part of why I am as successful as I am today, and I felt like I owed them my support.

Ultimately, I just wanted to give back – I know it’s cliché, but I really did. My life has improved so much and is so much better because of the help I received, and I want to give that same help to more people, especially those who maybe aren’t as lucky to have the support systems I have.

If I could turn my life around after getting sober, I know there are tons of other people out there who can do the same, and it would be an honor to be able to contribute to that, even in just a small way.

What makes Family Tree Recovery different from other nonprofits supporting drug addiction and alcoholism recovery?

I founded this organization as a way to take a more active approach to supporting recovery centers, beyond just an annual personal donation. I wanted to have a bigger impact by getting the community involved. I wanted this cause to be a bigger than just me. In addition to managing Family Tree Recovery, I own a small business that gives me the opportunity to interact with a lot of other business owners, and I knew that this was a way I could rally more people around the cause. Through our Family Tree Recovery Days, we are able to work with a number of businesses in industries that are heavily impacted by addiction for a more focused effort with an even greater impact.

What kind of impact do you hope to have through Family Tree Recovery?

With Family Tree Recovery, I hope to get more people more access to the help they need. I want everyone to have the access that I didn’t have right away but was able to get later. Maybe, if I had been able to get admitted to a recovery center earlier, my issues with addiction may not have gotten as bad as they did. I want to give other people that option – I want to give more people a way out.

I have big dreams for this organization and the way it’s able to help people, but for now, I just want more people to understand that they can have a bigger impact on the lives of the people around them than they realize. I want to help change people’s lives for the better any way I can.

Learn more about Family Tree Recovery Days and how you can get involved today.