RRP 104 — Justin Rye

From the Streets to Service: Finding Faith, Sobriety, and Purpose in Recovery

Presenters: Peter and Julie Runtime: 1:16:42 Release Date: March 6, 2026

Summary

Justin Rye grew up in Fresno, California, where gang culture and early drug use shaped his world. He started smoking weed at nine, was sent to juvenile hall at 12, and cycled through 16 group homes. His mother was the first person he ever used meth with. Released from the California Youth Authority at 19 with nothing, he spent the next two decades in and out of prison.

After seven years in a van, Justin arrived in Portland in 2017 for the National Rainbow Gathering. A relapse at Skidmore Fountain led to five years living unhoused and using intravenous meth. A bank robbery — note only, no weapon — landed him two years in federal prison. Released to a halfway house on Killingsworth, he was found unresponsive from synthetic marijuana and kicked out. A fellow resident named Cilo handed him a phone number. That number was Rob Black’s. On July 3, 2023, Justin moved into sober living. The woman he had smoked spice with that same night died from it. He never touched it again.

Now nearly three years sober, Justin carries 12 clients at Adult and Teen Challenge in Estacada, Oregon, runs three groups a day, and is working toward his CADC certification.

Key Points

00:09:34Growing up in Fresno — weed at 9, juvenile hall at 12, 16 group homes

00:10:49First meth use with his mother; California Youth Authority until age 19

00:11:57Life on the installment plan: ~12 incarcerations, 2 state + 1 federal prison

00:13:59Seven years in a van; 2017 National Rainbow Gathering brought him to Oregon

00:18:45Five years unhoused in Portland; bank robbery by note; two years federal prison

00:21:45Spice, the halfway house, and Rob Black — sobriety date July 3, 2023

00:24:02Fellow resident dies from spice the night Justin moved into sober living

00:24:42AA structure, faith, and Pastor Tara connecting him to Adult and Teen Challenge

00:26:0012 clients, 3 groups/day, 90 CEUs toward CADC certification

00:30:28“Real recovery takes time to build.”

00:35:23Thanking the court — federal prison saved his life

00:45:37“If you’re not comfortable, you’re not growing.”

00:58:39Relapse is a part of relapse — not a foregone conclusion

Guest Quote

“Real recovery takes time to build.”
— Justin Rye

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