Righteous Oak

He stepped out from behind steel and stone into open air. The chains were gone, but memory remained — harm done, wounds carried, years lost. Inside those walls he had finally faced himself. He confronted his trauma, his addictions, his anger. He learned to sit with truth and let healing begin. A healthy community welcomed him into belonging. They offered structure, accountability, and purpose. He found work. He rebuilt trust. He began lifting others still trapped in cycles he once knew. Ashes turned to beauty. Ruins became foundations. He had become, as the prophet declared, an oak of righteousness, planted by the Lord, raised to rebuild ancient ruins and restore places long devastated. And his restored life became a sign: no one is beyond renewal.