Keith W. Rustin, Jr.

Keith W. Rustin, Jr. is an avid sportsman and a recovering alcoholic. He came from a broken home, endured a string of failed relationships and the cocaine binge of the 1990s and walked through life with the crutch of alcohol until he could go no further. As his story reveals, however, God would not let the hand of the enemy hold him any longer and he was given the exact measure of faith necessary to find life anew. He lives and writes in Richmond, Virginia.

To learn more about Keith, follow him on Instagram.

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Books

Redeemed by the Light: With the Faith of a Mustard Seed

$14.95

With God’s grace, Keith struggles out of a life of addiction, poverty, and depression. ​

by Keith W. Rustin, Jr.

In Redeemed by the Light, author K.W. Rustin tells the story of his harrowing journey through a blur of alcohol and drug addiction, broken marriage, serial housing situations, unemployment and the inevitable depression and loss of self-esteem that accompanies a life gone wrong. Along the way, he is blessed by the mercy and grace of God, so this is also a story of his redemption. As he writes, “the dark veil of alcohol covers a lot of people, and the testimonies of Christ are for all who will hear. If I can help one person shake off the weight of depression and save one child from hopelessness, I will have done my part, because we are not alone. There is hope in the words of Jesus Christ.” Join Keith as he travels from the darkness into the light.

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More About Keith Rustin

What motivates a person to start writing? For Keith Rustin, he started writing to heal. Years ago, Keith started counselling to begin recovery from alcohol and substance abuse. “Think of a tornado, swirling around the boxes of your past.” In the depths of depression and addiction, the “merry-go-round” of memories and feelings cycles pain in and out of your mind. Keith’s therapist suggested that if he wrote down his stories and put them on a shelf, he wouldn’t have to carry them around: he could be free. This is the path that led him to develop Redeemed by the Light.

Keith Rustin been through a lot, and, these days, he tries to make the most of every moment -- “making up” for the time he lost in the throes of alcoholism. Keith feels lucky to have people in his life who support him: his parents, his wife, and friends who have stood by him throughout his journey and are still there, even after the wild ride. Now Keith is proudly 18 years sober and counting. His advice for others struggling to stay on their paths? “Keep the faith and don’t give up hope. It sounds corny, but that’s what it comes down to.”

When asked what he does to relax, Keith admitted that he doesn’t relax enough. He drives Uber in his spare time, which he enjoys. He used to go hunting quite a bit, but back injuries prevent him from pursuing this. So, he spends his free time fishing! September is fishing time, Keith says. We hope you catch some big ones!

Keith wrote his debut book to share his journey and the message of recovery, but a book was not enough! He spends much of his spare time researching addiction and substance abuse throughout the ages, and he’s preparing to launch 2 different podcasts on these difficult topics. The first one, called “The Blunt Object,” will trace the lineage of alcohol, cannabis, and pharmaceuticals. 625 AD was the first time someone recorded issues with alcohol use; in 1100 AD, liquor was first recorded at a medical school in Italy. His second podcast, “Censor This,” plans to focus on more hard-edged things, “whether you like it or not.”