Keenan's Story

"The Greatest Comeback Ever"

Sharing his story to make an impact one person at a time.

His Story

Keenan is the third oldest of his six siblings, and all six came into our family through adoption.

Keenan was very gifted academically and athletically growing up. He was someone that had a special confidence in all that he did. Other kids would always want Keenan on their team because they knew he was the one that would never back down, never give up, and always accept any challenge thrown his way.

Keenan always moved fast, not only athletically but also socially. He always wanted to be involved in any fun activity that was going on. For him, what began as some would say, “typical high school kid experimenting” evolved into an addiction that he didn’t see coming. Keenan mentions in his own testimony that for him, it began as occasional pot smoking and drinking that came with popularity. He goes on to say it went from occasional use to everyday use, and that by 16 years old drugs consumed him. At 17 years old his drug use elevated to heroin. It tore his life to pieces and almost tore our family apart too. There were many times in his battle with heroin that he went to rehab and would do very well for a few months afterwards. Knowing how strong he was mentally and physically helps all of us realize how hard heroin is to beat because Keenan could handle any battle…. Heroin was/is that strong.

It was Keenan’s fourth overdose that took his life, he was 19 years old. A few months before he passed away he was doing very well and wrote his testimony. He also wrote a life changing poem titled HOPE, as well as 7 Keys to a Better Life, and his Game Plan (all below).

Hope

By: Keenan Clousing

"Hope is not a physical thing

But it can clearly be seen

Hope is…

When everything has gone wrong,

But you continue to try and do right…

When your dreams come crashing down,

But you still dream every night…

When you get knocked down in the ring,

But then find your feet and continue to fight…

When you’re left in the dark,

But still, shine like a light…

… Hope may start small,

But it can grow 10 times as tall.

Hope is all you got…

When you got nothing at all."

-KC

My Game Plan

Written By: Keenan Clousing

Put God first - serve the Lord… get involved!

Read my Bible everyday

Attend church (and pay attention!)

Weekly Bible study

Reformers Anonymous

Spend majority of my time with Jaye

Spend plenty of time with my family

siblings sports games

family dinners

family movies

family game nights

family activities in general

Be a role model for my little brothers

Get a job and maintain it

Save money

Stay clean

Work out daily

Go to college

7 Keys to a Better Life

Written By: Keenan Clousing

Develop a relationship with God and put Him first in your life.
Honor and respect your family by making them a priority above other things and other relationships.
Build a positive and strong support network of peers by choosing your friends wisely.
Tell the truth in all situations. Lying will always backfire.
Be mentored. We can learn so much from people wiser than ourselves. Then become a mentor, paying it forward to others.
Give hope & be an encouragement to others
Pursue excellence in all you do through full commitment, sacrifice, and service.

Keenan's Testimony

"I pretty much grew up in church. I don’t know the exact date or time that I accepted Jesus in my heart but it was at a very young age. My parents helped build my foundation of faith by being role models of a Christ-like life. They also would pray with me every night, take me and my sibling to church, and before we went off to school every morning my mom would tell us a specific fruit of the spirit to practice that day. Little things like that helped me start to develop a relationship with God. My childhood was great. The last people I could blame for my hardships to come was my parents. They raised me the best they could and I wouldn’t trade them for anyone else. I started getting in trouble a lot in school in 5th grade. Nothing serious just class clown stuff. The trouble increased in middle school and carried outside of school. I started falling away from God not because I stopped believing by because I started to lose interest. I got caught up in my own selfish desires and by 13 my ego was enormous. I was popular, an incredible athlete, smart, girls liked me and I was just fun to be around. I replaced God and put myself as the center of my life. I only cared about me. High school came along and trouble followed. High school only amplified my ego. I was totally disconnected with my family. I went to church still bu gained nothing from the messages because it wasn’t exciting to me. The only time I talked to God was prayers at night every so often and prayers when I needed to get out of the trouble I’d got myself in. Drinking and smoking weed came with the popularity. Eventually smoking weed became a daily usage instead of an occasional recreational use. By 16, drugs consumed my life. I took my God-given athletic gifts for granted and gave them up for drugs. I dropped out of high school at 17 because I wanted to get high. I was in and out of rehab and in and out of jail. My drug use elevated to heroin and it tore my life to pieces and tore my family apart too. God blessed me with a beautiful son at 18 and tried to turn things around but God was still not at the center of my life so eventually, it fell through. I had previous attempts to change before my son was born but they fell through because God was not at the center of my life. Even with multiple overdoses that should have put me 6 feet underground, I continued in my selfish ways. But in my heart I wanted to change but didn’t know how. Eventually, I found myself in jail again. My life was a mess and I truly wanted to change. I cried out to God for help and got into my Bible everyday. My whole family has always been behind me and constantly prayed for me. I started understanding the Bible more and getting a better understanding of who Jesus was. I surrendered by life to the Lord in jail and began seeing Jesus work in my life almost instantly. I enjoyed reading my Bible everyday and also spiritual books, like “Purpose Driven Life” and “Bondage Breaker.” Through prayer, reading and talking to God on a daily basis I began to feel myself changing through the inside out. I knew Jesus died for my sins but I really didn’t understand everything that came with that. Jesus rescued me. Saved me, He is the reason I don’t have to be in bondage with drugs. He’s the reason I don’t have to fear no evil. Because of him I can have fellowship with the Father. He filled me with peace and joy even during the circumstance I was in and am still in. He’s opened my eyes and brought me out of the darkness. Satan has no control over my life, my savior has already defeated him. In Christ I am finally free. Broken relationships with my family are being restored. People who I thought gave up on me are reaching out to me and praying for me. I don’t deserve the blessings that the Lord is pouring out in my life. No human does but through God’s grace these blessings are happening. None of this is my own doing. The glory and praise goes to my Father in heaven. With Jesus at the center of my life my life has purpose that it never had before. I’m excited for what the Lord is going to do with my life. I want to serve God and be used by Him for His glory. I can never thank the Lord enough for all He has done for me." -Keenan Clousing (2014)

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