is a nonprofit whose mission is to transform lives by developing self-esteem, self-awareness and renewed thinking among young men.

H.O.M.E. will create a future where the young men of Asheville lead their families and community with a sense of purpose and dignity. By renewing the minds of young men through mentoring and coaching, H.O.M.E. will unleash the power of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, self-control, and faithfulness in their lives and the lives of their loved ones.

On January 26th, my oldest child turned 15. Being the excited father I am, I wanted to use some old photos for a social media post to commemorate this special day. While rummaging through my ancient tub of photos, I came across this one which stopped me dead in my tracks.

This particular photo was taken in the early summer of 2001. I was 17 years old, and I may have been smiling, but things were far from being a pleasant occasion. See, I was in the first couple of weeks into a yearlong stay at the first of many institutions due to my chosen lifestyle. Whether it was my drug use or the numerous run-ins with the judicial system, at the young age of 17, I was learning the ins and outs for what would become a norm for me…