Recently celebrating his six-month milestone at Covered Bridge, Tony Durkee has become a true blessing to our community. In the testimony below, Tony shares his story of how God has been faithfully at work in his life—bringing healing, renewal, and a deep desire to help others who are walking through the same struggles he once faced. In Tony’s own words:

Growing up surrounded by instability, I made a decision at a young age to build a life that looked nothing like the one I came from. I dreamed of having a good education, a successful career, a loving family, and a home where everything felt secure. Stability, success, and achievement became the goals that would come to define my life. I believed that if I worked hard enough and achieved enough, I could create the life I longed for. I realize now that my life is neither defined by my successes or failures, but marked by the faithfulness and unfailing love of God.

At the age of 18, I gave my life to Jesus Christ, through what I can only describe as divine intervention. A fire was lit in my heart that I had never felt before. I was overwhelmed by the love of God, and the free gift of salvation. Despite receiving this incredible gift, I was not ready to let go of the things of this world and my own desires. This choice eventually led me astray. What began as compromise turned into a dark path of substance abuse, homelessness, depression, and despair. I had tasted the goodness of God, and now I was running from Him.

Still, God did not abandon me. In His love and grace, He placed someone in my path who would change the course of my life. She was a Swedish caregiver working in Florida. Within two months of meeting her, I moved with her to Sweden. It was as if God had given me a fresh start. My life began to change, and I experienced a kind of rebirth. We were married and eventually had three beautiful children. God had given me a life far beyond of what I had ever dreamt or deserved. Through His grace, I received what I longed for since I was young—a family, stability, hope and a future.

But once again, instead of cherishing the treasures God had given me and turning to Him in gratitude, my heart turned toward the world and my own desires. This time my addiction wasn’t substances—it was ambition. Education became my obsession. I chased degrees, titles, and career achievements, believing they would fill the emptiness inside me. But the higher I climbed, the more miserable I became. During this selfish pursuit, I neglected the very ones I loved the most—my wife and children.

After 20 years in Sweden, a place that had truly become home, my marriage ended. I returned to the U.S. completely broken. I was overwhelmed by depression, anger, resentment, and a deep sense of hopelessness. In my pain, I blamed God for taking away my family. I felt abandoned and utterly alone. After being clean for 20 years, I turned back to substances, desperately searching for some form of comfort to numb the hurt and pain. For the next eight years, I became trapped in a relentless cycle of rehabs and hospital stays. Each time I fell, it felt harder to get back up. As the darkness closed in, I truly believed my children would be better off with a father who was dead than one who was a drug addict. I became convinced that this was how my story would end. I had lost the will to live and no longer had the strength to keep going. Life had no meaning and there was no longer any reason for me to be on this earth.

It was in the depths of that desperation that I came to Covered Bridge and encountered the love and compassion that my soul desperately needed. For the first time in my life, I experienced true discipleship. Through Pastor David, I was taught truth and wisdom with patience and love, and I began to witness the real, life-changing power of my Lord and Savior at work within me. I finally started to understand who I truly am—not a man defined by success or failure, not an addict, and not someone imprisoned by his past—but a child of God. The Lord revealed to me my true identity in Christ, and through His unfailing love, He has been transforming my heart and renewing my mind. Where there was once emptiness, God is giving me meaning and purpose. Where there was depression and hopelessness, He is filling my heart with peace, comfort, and hope. But above all else, the greatest gift is the love of Christ that now lives in my heart.

Today, when I look back on my life, I see the faithfulness of God written across every chapter. Even in the seasons when I was unfaithful, God remained faithful. Even when I walked away from Him, He continued to pursue me. Even when I blamed Him, He continued to love me. And when I had completely lost all hope, God was already preparing the path that would lead me back to Him. My life is living proof that God is faithful and His love never gives up. No matter how far we fall or how broken our story may seem, His grace is powerful enough to redeem it.