Echo Spring 2021 - 29

By Jessica Whitmore
It could have been our son, Josh. We lived
the prodigal son story. "
As Josh pulled his life back together,
he returned home to his parents and
older brother, renewed his relationship
with Jesus and continued reading the
Scriptures. He also met his wife, Tammy,
while she walked her dogs by his parent's
house. Eventually, they started walking
dogs together. They married in 2010, and
their family now includes four dogs, two
cats and a horse.
He started his education at Lancaster Bible
College | Capital Seminary & Graduate
School after earning an associate degree
from a community college. As he
graduated with his bachelor's in 2012
from LBC | Capital, no doors were opening
for him, so he continued working on his
Master of Arts in Ministry. During this time,
he was also working at a grocery store.
As he worked on the pastoral internship
required for his degree, he was connected
with a six-month internship working
under a chaplain at Life Path Christian
Ministries in York, previously known as
York Rescue Mission.
As he finished his MAM and still worked
at the grocery store, he was presented
with an opportunity to become a full-time
chaplain at Life Path. He started this role
in September 2014, which was the same
month and year he started working on his
Ph.D. at LBC | Capital.
He recalls he was shaped the most during
his studies at LBC | Capital as he rubbed
shoulders with pastors and grew in his
own faith. He also knows the college
helped develop and prepare him for a
leadership role.
" Education was part of my recovery, " he
shares. " LBC was instrumental to who I
am today. " Josh adds that LBC | Capital
professors Dr. Kevin Gushiken and Dr. Hal
Pettigrew were immensely supportive and
encouraging during his doctoral work.
Along the way, Tammy saw Josh
approach his education with dedication
and steadfastness and never doubted his
ability in school or to use his skills and
knowledge to help others. " He is quick to
smile and quick to forgive, " she shares. " He
is my husband and also my best friend.
Josh loved his time at LBC, but selfishly I
am happy he is finished with his schooling
so that I have more time with him. "
While working on his doctorate, which
he earned in 2018, Josh was also working
with men at Life Path who were going
through the same recovery process and
life circumstances he had experienced.
Pastor Dave, who had previously cried,
prayed and believed with Josh's parents
for his return, asked Josh to preach in his
absence-a role Josh continues to call a
big part of his life, even today.
" In celebrating the impact Dr. Josh
Talarico is having on this world today,
we celebrate our God-the God of the
second, third and 100th chance, " Pastor
Dave shares. " Every time Josh brings an
anointed message in my absence, I am
reminded that our God specializes in
converting the painful and sinful choices
of our past into kingdom learnings that
can have a significant spiritual impact on
the lives of others. "
At the end of three years as a chaplain,
Josh and Tammy discussed their
finances and how he was working a lot
of evening hours. He saw a position at a
clinic within Pyramid Healthcare in York
for a substance abuse counselor. He
applied and soon changed hats from a
chaplain providing spiritual guidance to
a counselor providing clinical direction.
As a counselor, he worked with addicts
on treatment plans, managed caseloads
for individual and group counseling and
learned from seasoned clinicians. Within
three years, in December 2019, he was
promoted to clinical director where he
now works more directly with staff while
maintaining a smaller caseload.
His faith is not off limits in this clinical role.
In fact, he is allowed to talk about his faith
with clients, as spiritual health discussions
are often incorporated into sessions.
" The recovery world is open to spiritual
health, and I am who I am, so it is a
natural transition within the counseling
process, " Josh shares. He also decorates
his office with books, biblical statues and
even Scripture readings, which gives
further ability to talk on these things
when asked.
Josh knows the importance his role
has in an addict's recovery journey and
hopes to provide this insight to future
counselors and chaplains by teaching
within higher education. He credits the
role of sober mentors, especially outside
of family, to motivate and encourage
him, the support of his parents and being
around other Christians as part of his
own recovery process-a process where
those who cared deeply for Josh never
gave up, searched for him, prayed for
him and cried for him, yet give the credit
completely to God for his journey home
to his foundation of faith.
" The Choreographer of his life has
converted his heartbreak and recklessness
into who Dr. Josh Talarico is today, "
Pastor Dave shares. " He is who he has
been becoming. Is it any wonder that he
compassionately oversees a clinic that
cares for addicts as they journey toward
wholeness? When I think back over Josh's
journey, I simply say, 'Yay God.'''
(Discover the same Master of Arts in
Ministry path Josh took at lbc.edu/mam.)
" It's amazing to
see the grace
of God reach
down and grab
a person's soul
to change
their way "
- Tom Talarico
ECHO 29
https://www.lbc.edu/capital/academics/master-of-arts-in-ministry/
Echo Spring 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Echo Spring 2021
