God brought me back
Kurtis Byrd is an intern at Adult & Teen Challenge Ohio Valley for the second time. This time, he’s sticking to the path God made for him.
A Steubenville native, Kurtis originally came into Adult & Teen Challenge in 2016, graduated in 2017 and left in 2018. He made a series of bad choices, realized he needed more help and returned last year.
Kurtis, 55, had started using again and lost focus before coming to a realization. “I realized everything isn’t about me. It’s about serving…,” he said. “God brought me back.”
He returned to ATCOV and completed the restoration program. Usually, restoration is a six-month program, but for Kurtis, it took more than 10 months. He attributes that to his ignorance and stubbornness.
ATCOV gave him a second chance.
“This is my calling,” Kurtis said. “I always wanted to work in ministry and I used to work in ministry. It’s my heart. God called me for it.”
He’s pursuing a degree in pastoral leadership. After he completes his internship, Kurtis plans to work as an ATCOV staff member and after he completes his degree, he’ll work wherever God leads him.
As a member of the ATCOV outreach team, Kurtis shares his testimony and the word of God with those who need to learn and hear of the Lord’s goodness to offer them hope.
“It’s not always for people who suffer from drugs and alcohol,” Kurtis explained. “Drugs and alcohol were only the symptoms of my disease. It was about issues that I had.” Those issues included feeling as if he was overlooked, feeling uncomfortable in his own skin and wanting to fit in with other people.
Kurtis shares the story about God’s grace and mercy in his life to help others and he enjoys being used in that way. “I love being used as a vessel for the Lord,” Kurtis said. “Whether it’s praying with someone who has a son or a daughter that’s in need, or whether it’s just being there to listen to somebody who needs somebody to talk to — I love being used by God.”
He loves to see the change when someone hears the word of the Holy Spirit. “To me that’s one of the greatest highs, leading someone to Christ and after they’ve accepted him as their personal Lord and savior,” he said.