“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.” –Psalm 139:7–10
Recovery Isn’t Always a Straight Line
Scott rocked side to side in the back of the SUV as it sped toward the police station. The drugs he had taken earlier were wearing off, and he could feel the cold handcuffs pressing into his wrists. Just a year earlier, he’d been attending a group at Gateway Church, worshiping alongside others, staying sober, and feeling hopeful about a new life. A lot can happen in a year.
Scott was first introduced to drugs as a teenager, which led to years of substance abuse, crime, and homelessness. But everything began to change when he met Tabitha.
Drug Deal Connection
They crossed paths during a drug deal—he was buying, she was selling—but found themselves in an unexpected conversation that stirred something in both of them. For the first time, they felt an overwhelming desire to get clean. Scott knew some people who might be able to help. So, with nothing but a credit card Scott had stolen from his mom, they drove to Dallas for a fresh start.
Out of the blue, they found themselves at the Gateway Southlake Campus where Dr. Kenneth Ulmer was preaching from Jeremiah 29:11: “I know the plans I have for you … plans to prosper you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Both Scott and Tabitha felt like God was speaking directly to them. It marked the beginning of their healing and their connection to the Gateway community.
But recovery isn’t always a straight line.
From Relapse to Rock Bottom
Over time, they stopped showing up to their accountability group, stopped going to church, and began spiraling. One of Scott’s lowest moments came when his kids woke up in a Walmart parking lot asking why they couldn’t go home—every dollar went to drugs, leading to a sudden eviction from their house.
It took a drug bust for God to get Scott and Tabitha’s attention again. There, handcuffed in the back of a bounty hunter’s SUV, Scott felt the Lord speak to him clearer than ever before: I am going to heal you and restore you, and I’m going to use what I do in your life to show others what I’ll do for them.
Standing in the county jail awaiting sentencing, Scott surrendered his life fully and committed to follow God’s call no matter what the future held.
Freedom Behind Bars
Just weeks into his sentence, Scott was invited to a service hosted by Gateway’s Prison Ministry—the very church where he first encountered God. Scott consistently attended those services throughout his prison sentence, and when he got out, he and Tabitha began building a new life with some huge plans.
Today Scott and Tabitha have a window-washing company, a roofing company, and, most recently, a nonprofit organization called Driven: Re-entry, which helps formerly incarcerated people transition back into society. Within the past year, they’ve opened two transitional living houses, have seen an astounding zero recidivism rate, and are actively expanding their operations to reach even more people.
No One is Too Far Gone
Scott’s life is a living testimony that no one is too far gone for the grace of God. And his story reminds us that evangelism isn’t just about preaching—it’s about showing up. It’s about listening, loving, and being present with those who are outcast and on the fringe of society. What would happen if we all said yes to God’s call to reach the “least of these” (Matthew 25:40)? Let’s go!
What does this mean for me?
Consider joining Gateway’s Prison Ministry on a visit to one of the prison campuses or reaching out to Driven: Re-entry to see how you can serve. Whether it’s writing letters, attending services behind bars, mentoring someone re-entering society, or simply praying, there’s an opportunity for you to step in and be part of someone’s redemption story.
This article is part of the Let’s Go devotional, which is focused on fulfilling Jesus’ Great Commission. Follow along with the devotional here.