RECOVERY SOLDIERSMINISTRIESGiveOUR STORY & FOUNDERS
Joshua and Marley Scalf know the pain of addiction firsthand. Their lives—and the ministry they lead—are testimonies to the freedom they found in Jesus Christ.
How RSM beganWATCH · RECOVERY SOLDIERS MINISTRIES
Get to know Recovery Soldiers Ministries through our ministry’s own story.
Watch on YouTube ↗THE BEGINNING · APRIL 15, 2011
While serving four years at Virginia’s Wise Correctional Unit, Joshua Scalf surrendered his life to Jesus Christ. A heart once consumed by addiction began to fill with love for others who were suffering.
On April 15, 2011, he founded Recovery Soldiers Ministries. He began teaching fellow incarcerated men about freedom from drugs and alcohol through Jesus. When he was released in October 2014, that calling went with him.
Marley’s journey brought her through childhood trauma and addiction to faith in Christ in 2012. Through residential recovery, discipleship training, and years of service, she found a calling to walk alongside other women seeking healing.
Joshua and Marley met in 2015 and married in 2016. Together, they began building RSM’s residential ministry in Elizabethton, Tennessee. Today, that work reaches four campuses in Tennessee and Virginia.
MEET OUR FOUNDERS
They lead from experience, with a conviction that no life is beyond the reach of God’s grace.
PRESIDENT & FOUNDER
After thirteen years of addiction and four years in prison, Joshua found freedom in Jesus Christ. His calling is to help others discover that recovery can lead to a life of purpose, restored relationships, and service.
“God didn’t just save me from something—He saved me for something.”Read Joshua’s testimony
CO-FOUNDER & CEO
Marley’s story carries the pain of childhood sexual abuse, the struggle of addiction, and the hope she found in Christ. Today, she pours into women who need to know that their past does not have to define their future.
“He loved me in my ruin. Even then, He shed His blood for me.”Read Marley’s testimony
THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE MISSION
Meet the leadership and ministry team serving across RSM.
MILESTONES OF GRACE
Joshua founds RSM on April 15 while incarcerated in Virginia.
Her journey through faith-based recovery leads to discipleship and service.
Joshua is released in October and continues the work begun inside.
Joshua and Marley marry and build the residential ministry together in Elizabethton.
Christ-centered residential recovery for men and women across Tennessee and Virginia.
Explore our campuses →MINISTRY RECOGNITION
Your work is a living testament to the power of resilience and to what is possible when Americans are given the support they need to pursue lasting recovery.
President Donald J. Trump · White House letter · July 1, 2026
WHY CHRIST IS AT THE CENTER
Every day without drugs or alcohol matters. Yet a person can be sober and still carry shame, fear, and wounds that have never healed. At RSM, our calling reaches into those places. We believe lasting spiritual freedom is found in Jesus Christ.
“If the Son therefore shall make you free,
ye shall be free indeed.”
RETURNING TO OUR MAKER
If a treasured watch stopped working, you would take it to a watchmaker—someone who understands its purpose and its smallest moving parts. We believe the human heart belongs in the hands of its Creator, who knows our story more deeply than we can explain it.
For many people, substance use begins as a search for relief: a way to quiet grief, numb trauma, or escape pain they have never known how to face. Addiction has many causes, and every story is different. Beneath the struggle is a person who deserves to be heard, loved, and helped.
We believe Jesus meets us there. Surrender means bringing Him our whole lives: our wounds, choices, relationships, and future. Through repentance, grace, and a growing relationship with Him, we learn to face what hurts and live from a new identity.
You are more than what happened to you.
You are more than what you have done.
HEALING FOR THE HEART
“He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.”Psalm 147:3 · KJV
We bring our pain to a God who draws near with compassion. Healing can unfold over time, in the safety of honest relationships and consistent care.
GRACE IN OUR WEAKNESS
“My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”2 Corinthians 12:9 · KJV, excerpt
Surrender begins with honesty about our need. God’s grace gives us courage to ask for help, receive correction, and take the next faithful step.
FAITH LIVED OUT, DAY BY DAY
At RSM, this conviction takes shape through Scripture, prayer, discipleship, accountability, practical skills, and a structured Christian community. Freedom grows into daily choices: telling the truth, accepting responsibility, rebuilding trust, and learning to serve.
Our approach is holistic and rooted in biblical discipleship. We walk alongside the whole person—spiritual life, daily habits, relationships, responsibility, and purpose—as residents learn to surrender to God and put His Word into practice. Through the work of the Holy Spirit and the support of Christian community, we seek transformation that reaches the heart and shapes everyday life.
Explore Our ProgramTRANSFORMATION THROUGH DISCIPLESHIP
“You are taking on the character of Christ in a process of discipleship to him…”
THERE IS HOPE FOR YOUR STORY, TOO
If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, our admissions team is here to listen and explain the next steps.