Jacob Smith grew up in a Christian home in Los Angeles, California. He had great success as a child actor, beginning with Christian television and commercials to roles on Party of Five and in the movie, Troy, with Brad Pitt.
At his sixteenth birthday party, someone brought cocaine, and Jacob’s life changed drastically. He says from that point through the next several years, he was never without drugs of some kind.
Says Jacob, “Growing up with acting, I was going to be good at whatever I was doing. If it’s drugs, I going to be the best druggie out there.”
Years of night after night in his basement doing ecstasy, meth, cocaine or whatever drug he wanted that day and playing music, took its toll on Jacob physically and mentally. Nothing but skin and bones, he would do drugs, then throw them away—all the while asking himself, “What am I going to do with my life?” Even while he was addicted, he kept speaking over himself that he was delivered in Jesus’ name.
Jacob’s mother and brother were immensely supportive of him. Eventually the desire for drugs left him altogether, and he was completely set free! He still had no idea what he was going to do with his life until his mother asked him if he would like to move to Colorado and attend Charis Bible College.
Jacob’s answer was a resounding “YES!”
To those who may have a similar past and are considering coming to Charis, Jacob quotes Greg Fritz, who says, “God can do more with your life right now than you could if you could go back and do it all over again.”
As a third-year Creative Arts student, Jacob would like to return to acting but says he wants to “get over himself” and that performance mentality. Concerning embracing your destiny, he says, “Be completely open to whatever God wants you to do, and it’s going to be better than anything you could ever come up with yourself!”
When Jacob was asked what he would say to someone considering Charis, he said, “It will be the best three years of your life!”
