Call it the “change of arms” strategy that paid off along with intervention of the greatest kind.

Terry Kilfian, The founder of Carson City’s Breaking Addiction Ministries and its B.A.M. Arm Wrestling Team, went to a Washington State arm wrestling championship earlier this month with a disadvantage: A broken right arm.

The injury happened 10 weeks prior to the Dec. 7 Washington State Wrestling Championship in Vancouver, Wash., hosted by ArmSports Entertainment.

In September, Kilfian suffered the broken arm while competing in Shurz, Nev. It kept him out of the Mr. Olympia arm wrestling competition in Las Vegas.

Some may have thought the injury would have put him out of commission. Not Kilfian.

After more than two months of training, gym, weight training, arm wrestling training, cardio, prayer and fasting, the “change of arms” strategy paid off.

Kilfian turned to his left arm, strengthening it and managed to place third out of 400 entries in his weight class Masters Division 220 at the Vancouver, Wash. competition.

First place in the division was Mark Owen, second place Louis Barrera and Kilfian with third place.

Nearly five years of active sobriety after 19 years of prescription drug addiction and building a ministry around recovery, Kilfian said his injury wasn’t going to stop him.

“My right arm is my power arm and I do compete with both,” he said. “With overcoming addiction and turning away from pain meds when they were prescribed to me for the broken arm, I didn’t want to sit around house and worry about my broken arm. I wanted to stay on track. I wasn’t going to let the injury affect my love and passion for arm wrestling.”

He admits that the first 10 days after breaking his arm was a struggle knowing that he had pain medication he was prescribed to take.

For 10 days he prayed about it, saying he didn’t want to let the addiction come back to his life.

“When I felt like I could go back to addiction, I asked the Lord and the Lord said ‘deal with it now or deal with it later.’ And I just quit taking the meds and got back into the arm wrestling routine.”

That routine was spending those following weeks at the gym, in weight training, arm wrestling training, cardio, prayer and fasting. The efforts paid off, by the grace of God and Kilfian’s power to overcome setbacks.

“If I can overcome the addiction of pain pills, anyone can,” he said. “I want my life to shine and show through Jesus Christ that we can overcome anything as long as we put our faith in the Lord.”

The following is a letter to his supporters:

First And Foremost I Thank My Lord And Savior Jesus Christ For Blessing Me With A Second Chance At Life.

Thank You To My Wife Tara Kilfian For Loving Me And Supporting Me , Our Ministry And Arm Wrestling Team.

Huge Shout Out To My Training Partners Mitch Price And Josh Atchison , For Getting Me To Where I Am At In This Sport.

ArmSports Entertainment I Am So Honored And Blessed To Have Been A Part Of This Amazing Event I Am Beyond Words Of What All Of You Do To Make These Events Happen, All Your Hard Work And Countless Hours All Of You Put In . Thank You For Showing Me So Much Love And Support.

Steve West Brother Thank you So Much For Helping Me Get Ready For My Second Match with Louis Barrera . You Seen I Was Already Mentally Defeated And Helped Me Get Back Up There I Am So Grateful For All Your Love and Support.

Louis Barrera Brother I Have Nothing But The Most Respect For You , Your Humbleness As A True Champion encourages Me To Always Strive To Better Myself At This Sport And Keeps Me Pushing To Better Myself It Truly Is An Honor To Pull With You.

John J. Belak IV My Brother Thank you For Taking The Time Out Of Your Busy and crazy Day To Show Me , My Daughter And Grandkids Your Love And Support. Truly Makes This Sport All About Brothers in Arms.

Timothy Tallmadge and Kayla: I Don’t Think Both Of You Have A Clue On How much You Guys Are Affecting Our Lives. I Want To Personally Say Thank you For Everything You Do For The Sport Of Arm Wrestling and For These Events They Have Helped Me And My Family Overcome And Heal From Me Being In Active Addiction And Gang Life For 19 Years Of My Life. I Am Truly Blessed And Honored To Have Met You Both And Absolutely Love And Respect You At The Fullest. May God Continue To Bless Us All With Many Many More Events and Time Together God bless Everyone For ArmSports Entertainment.

To My Daughter Thank You For Giving Me A Chance To Not Just Be A Dad But A Father. I Love You Babygirl.

To Our Pastor, Dusty and Christy Braun At Life Church in Carson City Nevada… Thank You For All Your Love and Support.

To All Our Friends and Families That Have Supported Us Thank You God Bless.