A new ministry is hoping to make an impact on the City of Troy. I Choose Life Ministries began about two months ago with good friends Jessica Hinton and Jonathan (JR) Peterson.

“We help anybody that needs help,” Hinton said. “We are also helping people get into drug rehab and helping people with drug court … it was a vision that God gave to JR, and God gave me the vision to do whatever I could do to help him.”

In the past two months, they have seen some dramatic drug recoveries. “We’ve gotten one girl into rehab, and she has been sober for 45 days,” Hinton said.

Peterson’s personal experiences helped drive him to this ministry.

“Growing up here, I got addicted to the college life – drinking, going to the bars, doing drugs. I got into some trouble and my mom couldn’t help me anymore.”

Peterson said he spent four years in the state prison, but while he was there he said he found Jesus. “I didn’t just get to know Jesus,” Peterson said. “I ended up falling in love with Jesus.”

After being out of prison, Peterson is ready to build God’s kingdom and spread the love of Christ through this ministry.

“God gave me a vision for this ministry, and He has put all the right people in my path to help me with the ministry,” Peterson said. “God has just blessed this ministry and has grown it so fast. It is unreal.”

Peterson visits the Pike County Jail each Sunday to preach, hoping others can find Jesus the way he did.

“When I was at Draper Correctional Facility, I came across some strong brothers in Christ that spent time with me and raised me up spiritually to find my calling of becoming an evangelist,” Peterson said. “I’ve spent most of my life destroying the people around me, and now I’m on a mission to heal lives with Jesus. We are going to use every tactic to save the lost.”

I Choose Life Ministries operates through The Vine Church, creating a small group so that others can become involved. The ministry is not limited to members of The Vine; anyone wanting to participate is encouraged to help.

“We are doing anything we can to save the lost,” Peterson said. “We are bringing life to the people that are spiritually dead in the Troy community.”

The ministry will be participating in an outreach project Saturday, working at local grocery stores to bag groceries. Hinton said that approximately 25 people have already committed to participate. They will be stationed at both Piggly Wiggly locations, Ingram’s Curb Market and Food World from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The team will also be taking donations and selling Pepsi products to raise money for a revival to occur in October.

“We want to pray with the people that we bag groceries for,” Hinton said.

I Choose Life Ministries hosts a Bible study twice a week for anyone who wants to attend.

“We sit down, read the Bible and try to explain it,” Peterson said. “We break it down, we do it slow and everybody participates. It’s a really fun time.”

Bible study is held every Tuesday and Thursday night from 6 to 7 p.m. at 115 W. College Street.

I Choose Life Ministries is also planning to hold a three-day revival in Downtown Troy in October.

“We want to have praise and worship,” Hinton said. “We are going to try to get some bigger names to come, too. We are going to have preaching every day.”

Seven churches have already committed to helping with the revival by allowing their praise and worship teams to help with music and other features of the revival.

“We just want our passion to be seen, that God is good,” Hinton said. “No matter what you are going through, He will help and make things better. He is the ultimate healer. There are a lot of people that need help. There are a lot of addictions in this world. God is the only one who can help you get rid of all that.”

Those who would like to join I Choose Life Ministries or would like to request more information, contact Hinton at 475-3488 or Peterson at 372-6462.

“We just want to be an outreach program and win souls for Christ,” Hinton said.