As we reflect on 2025, one theme rises to the surface time and again: Real change happens when we become willing to dive deeper. Across every season last year, HopeQuest stories, events, and program milestones reminded us that freedom isn’t found in quick fixes; it’s built through healing, truth, community, and Christ-centered care.

From trauma-informed insights and clinical expansion to worship-filled gatherings and new partnerships, 2025 was marked by momentum and steadfast faith. Here’s a look back at the highlights that shaped the year.

January: ‘Exploring the Impact of Trauma’ and the Invitation to Heal

We began the year with a powerful reminder that our experiences shape us, and untreated wounds often drive us toward false beliefs and synthetic relief. In Exploring the Impact of Trauma, Jacques Kisula wrote about the ‘quiet hemorrhaging’ so many people carry beneath the surface, and the hope that comes when we retrace our steps to uncover the root causes that keep us stuck. Healing may require courage, but it also comes with the promise that we do not have to remain trapped in cycles of pain.

January also marked an exciting step forward for sustainable ministry through the launch of HopeBuilders, HopeQuest’s monthly giving program. By joining as a HopeBuilder, supporters provide steady, reliable support that helps us plan ahead, meet urgent needs, and continue offering life-changing treatment for men and families seeking freedom.

We also celebrated meaningful staff milestones:

• We rejoiced with Jacques Kisula as he celebrated his wedding to Mary Elizabeth.
• We honored Julie Byerley for nearly a decade of devoted service as Office Management Supervisor, wishing her continued success as she stepped into a new chapter.

February: ‘Honor the Tension’ and Choose Integrity

In February, Jonathan Criswell offered a phrase that resonated throughout the year: Honor the Tension. The daily inner conflicts we face—stress versus rest, pride versus humility, anger versus contentment—reveal what’s happening beneath the surface. When we acknowledge the tension instead of avoiding them, we remain aligned with our values and build lives marked by purpose and integrity.

February also brought key community milestones:

• Walking Free Spring Retreat was announced for April 25–27 in Covington, GA.
• HopeQuest participated in BPO International’s Men’s Coaching Weekend in Goodman, MS, with CEO Troy Haas serving as keynote speaker.
• Landing Hope at MARR successfully gathered recovery professionals for encouragement, collaboration, and connection.
• We prepared for Reclaiming Families Weekend by inviting the HopeQuest community to pray for clients, families, and staff, trusting God to bring restoration and reconciliation.

March: Compassion, Advocacy, and Recovery Under the Gold Dome

In March, Jacques Kisula’s wrote Unlearn & Relearn: A Call for Compassion and Change, centered on the cost of stigma. When people are shamed for struggling, they become less likely to seek help. Healing is made possible when compassion replaces blame.

His message aligned perfectly with Addiction Recovery Awareness Day (ARAD), held at the Georgia State Capitol on March 3, where Seth Harris and Alison Broderick represented HopeQuest. With nearly 400 attendees, ARAD reflected the growing momentum behind recovery advocacy in Georgia and the shared the truth that recovery is real.

We also welcomed Liz Ruschell as Executive Assistant, and celebrated Troy and Melissa Haas’s visit to the Mennonite community in Dayton, VA, for a day of teaching and encouragement.

April: Launching HIOP and Supporting Family Healing

April challenged us to reconsider how we respond to addiction, especially as believers. In The Wrong Target: Rethinking Our Response to Addiction, Jonathan Criswell emphasized the importance of love, humility, and wisdom in a world that is quick to argue and assign blame.

April also marked a major milestone: the launch of HopeQuest’s High-Intensity Outpatient Program (HIOP), a new 12-week option built on the same Christ-centered, clinically effective foundation for which HopeQuest is known. With 10–25 hours per week of therapy, licensed clinical support, and safe, supportive housing as needed, HIOP expanded access for individuals stepping down from residential care or balancing treatment with daily responsibilities.

Family support remained central as we looked back on Reclaiming Families Weekend (March 28–29), where participants found education, emotional support, and renewed hope, recognizing that their own healing mattered too.

May and June: Expanding Access, Defining Success, and Strengthening the Mission

The month of May provided deeper context to the why behind HIOP: flexibility. HopeQuest launched HIOP to reduce barriers and meet the realities of work, family, and financial pressures, without compromising care.

We celebrated Match It May, a campaign that doubled giving up to $50K and strengthened access to care. Alongside this momentum, Troy and Melissa Haas explored the roots of pornography addiction on the Java with Juli podcast, and Troy joined Ben Derrick and Roane Hunter on the Sex, God & Chaos podcast for a meaningful conversation about what it means to be fully alive.

In June, Seth Harris addressed a question many people ask: Will treatment make a lasting difference? In How HopeQuest Defines Success, he explained that success cannot be reduced to a single number, because recovery is personal. One person may pursue sobriety but avoid relational repair, while another may change their behaviors yet struggle with emotional intimacy. HopeQuest’s approach recognizes that healing is multi-layered, and success looks different for each client and family.

June also brought new team members—Justin Paulus, Leah Hedrick, and Cameron Gorin— along with meaningful community engagement through a Lunch and Learn at Burnt Hickory Counseling Center and Beyond the Shadows, a men’s event hosted by Southern Hills: The Church at City Station in Carrollton, GA.

July and August: Equipping Leaders and Celebrating Big Wins

Mid-year, HopeQuest continued to invest in training and leadership. The annual RESTORE Training returned as a one-day workshop to equip Journey and Walking Free facilitators with tools for healthy group leadership and stronger impact.

July also delivered incredible news: Match-It May exceeded its goal! With $54,708.76 raised and the $50,000 match applied, the total impact reached $104,708.76, opening doors for more men and families to receive care.

August explored the difference between insight and transformation through Troy Haas’s reflection on wisdom, while also previewing National Recovery Month efforts and building anticipation for the month ahead.

September and October: A New Look, More Access, and Recovery Month Momentum

In September, we celebrated increased access to care with new insurance partnerships: HopeQuest became in network with Anthem® Blue Cross Blue Shield® and TRICARE®, making treatment more accessible for individuals and families in need of hope.

HopeQuest also unveiled a refreshed brand identity, preserving the compass and Cross while communicating momentum, clarity, and vision for the future.

National Recovery Month brought the Georgia Recovers Bus Tour to Woodstock City Church in early September, and excitement grew for Celebrating Freedom 2025 in November.

October continued the clinical focus by highlighting the role of emotion regulation in recovery, particularly in addressing compulsive sexual behaviors. Later in the month, Troy and Melissa Haas presented at the PSAP Summit, a virtual event hosted by the International Institute for Trauma and Addiction Professionals (IITAP).

November and December: Celebrating Freedom, Building Hope, and Finishing Strong

In November, HopeQuest centered the conversation on What Hope Means, sharing staff reflections and Scripture that pointed to God’s presence and promises.

That set the stage for the launch of Building Hope 2025, HopeQuest’s year-end campaign and invitation to pray, engage, and give so that more men and families can step into lasting freedom.

December carried two defining moments:

• Troy’s reflection, Beneath the Surface: What Clearing Brush Taught Me About Real Change, offered a compelling metaphor: surface-level work may appear productive, but deep-rooted change requires addressing what’s underneath.
• Building Hope 2025 gained major momentum through an unexpected matching opportunity: two supporters offered to match up to $75K, doubling gifts and creating the potential to raise $150K for HopeQuest’s mission.

We also reflected with gratitude on Celebrating Freedom 2025, honoring the volunteers, partners, and guests who made the evening meaningful; and recognizing Pastor John Lynch and Adam Kersh and his band for shaping a powerful night of praise and worship.

We closed the year by acknowledging our staff, who bring HopeQuest to life through their faithfulness, compassion, and daily commitment to those we serve.

Thank You for Helping Build Hope

Every highlight from 2025 points to one truth: men and families can heal when they are met with truth, support, and a Christ-centered path forward. Whether you prayed, donated, attended, volunteered, shared a story, or simply remained connected… thank you.

Hope doesn’t just happen. It’s built. And we’re grateful to build it together.