August 4, 2023 • 29 mins
What happens when you reach the end of your rope, teetering on the edge of despair and addiction? Can a simple prayer to the 'dude' in the sky spark a journey of healing and joy? Join us as we explore these profound questions with our guest, John Boy, a former addict whose raw and honest journey from a life consumed by drugs to a path of faith will leave you captivated and inspired. John's story is a testament of transformation, found in the unlikeliest of circumstances, filled with lessons of self-discovery, redemption, and the power of faith.
The episode deepens as we delve into the moments where John's life hit rock bottom - from losing his job to a terrifying brain bleed triggered by a hit of methamphetamine. John's tale serves as a beacon of hope, illuminating the possibilities for transformation even in the darkest moments. But our enlightening journey doesn't stop there. We also engage in a heartfelt discussion with Ron, a fellow traveler who moved from a life of hedonism to one brimming with God's grace. Ron's transformative testimonial reaffirms the power of faith, offering a spark of inspiration and encouragement. This episode is not just a conversation, but an unforgettable journey filled with testimonials of redemption and transformation that will leave your heart warmed and your spirit uplifted.
- If you would like to be a guest and share your story, click this link: https://thepromoter.org/story/
Thanks for Listening, and subscribe to hear a new episode each week!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Announcer (00:00):
The following program is sponsored by Ron Meyers
Ministries.
It's time now to get the hellout of your life.
A weekly broadcast with realpeople sharing real struggles
and offering real hope.
Today's show will encourage,inspire and empower you to face
life's challenges with a boldconfidence and renewed hope.
(00:21):
Now let's join our host, ronMeyers.
The promoter.
Ron Meyers (00:27):
Hello, my friends, it is so good to be with you.
My name is Ron Meyers.
I'm your host in this show isall about getting the hell out
of your life, living the lifethat you have dreamt about.
That you think is probablyimpossible, but I think after
you hear today's story, you willchange your mind.
Have you ever wondered Is theresomeone out there that hears me
(00:53):
?
Is there a man upstairs?
Is there a God that reallycares about me?
That's today's story You'regoing to hear from John Boy.
John Boy never knew anythingabout a God.
In fact, he was on a porch onenight and he looked up in the
(01:14):
sky and said hey, dude, ifyou're real, I need to see what
you can do with my life.
His life changed.
So you're going to hear thisstory with John Boy and I want
you to know I don't care whereyou're at, what you've gone
through, what is in your mindthere is someone out there for
you to help you become theperson you were created to be.
(01:38):
So sit back and, for the nextfew minutes, listen to a story
that will inspire, encourage andempower you.
John Boy, so glad to have youon the phone.
How are you doing today?
I'm doing good man.
How are you doing?
I'm doing great.
So, john Boy, what is yourstory?
(01:59):
Oh, okay.
Jon Boy (02:01):
About seven years ago I had just come out of active
addiction with methamphetamineuse and all kinds of other drug
use.
You know, just anything thatyou know tickle my fancy.
That's the way I went and Itried to get to a probation
(02:24):
appointment, man, and I got.
I missed it.
And I had a friend that workedin the law enforcement there and
was trying to go weasel it overand make it like it was okay.
And I went to my friend's houseand took one look at me and
realized he needs to go to rehaband so it took him about a day
(02:47):
to get me talked into it.
You know, I didn't want to quit.
I didn't.
I didn't even think aboutquitting.
And there I was the next day,on my way to rehab.
But I didn't know it was a.
It was a discipleship program.
They were calling it a rehaband this and this, and it wasn't
a rehab at all.
It was a discipleship program.
(03:08):
You can see where I was filledwith the sexual immorality,
things like that, you know, man,and I was tossed into a
charismatic movement with abunch of people who were just
like me but had found the Lordand had joy and things like that
, you know.
So at first I thought you knowwell, these guys are high, you
know meaning they're hiding itfrom me.
(03:29):
Something's going on, you know,and I'm like, cause that was
real quiet.
I had been to prison and so Ijust stayed to myself for the
first couple of weeks and but Ikept noticing, you know, this
joy that these people don't haveno reason to have.
I mean, there were.
Some of them were facing 25years in prison, 10 years, eight
(03:51):
years.
All of them were felons and andand I was too, and but I
started to notice these peoplewanted to pray for me, and love
that I had never seen come frompeople like me.
You know what I mean,no-transcript.
So I started there, notice thisreal joy, and I really
(04:15):
evaluated it.
You know, count the calls ishow we say nowadays, speaking
Christian ease, and it can't becalled through the discipleship.
But I didn't know what I wasdoing.
That, but I was.
I remember my first prayer.
I got so tired of seeing thisjoy and I could not grasp it.
You know, going to classesevery morning, I couldn't get
(04:35):
the Bible.
I've never read it, I didn'tknow what a Pharisee was and and
all these things, thesecontradictions that Flew to the
front of my head.
I could not understand it, youknow, and but the only way that
I knew Everything everybody keepdriving into my head.
You know, you got to pray, yougot to talk to Lord and I'd
never talked to Lord.
(04:55):
I remember, like it wasyesterday, I was laying in the
bed.
I couldn't sleep in theselittle cubicles that they give
me, so I slept on the on theport, because it was in
summertime, and I rememberlooking up at and I just started
talking to him.
I called him dude the firsttime.
You called him dude.
Yeah, I said I'm like I'm sorry, look dude.
(05:18):
I said I see this joy, I seethis, this love, I see this joy.
That it's something I've neverseen.
I've had what I thought was joy, you know, man, to Whatever
kind of worldly things that Ithought was joy, but not real
joy, and I'd seen this becauseit was different than the joy
(05:39):
that I had before.
And and I start squalling, youknow, man, and I wasn't a cry at
the time and I I said you gotto show me something.
I said because I don't know andI remember I mean I don't
remember the exact words of theprayer I think I had my hand
folded and things like that.
(06:00):
You know, man, because that'swhat I'd seen, that's what I
knew, I just called him dude, Ididn't know what to call him man
.
And um, within a couple days,man, I started seeing changes
and you know, I didn't want tochange.
Then, all of a sudden, therewas a deep down desire to start
to change and, within about afirst week or so, these things
(06:27):
that they were sowing into me,as far as classes ago and and
discipleship courses like this,everything started to make sense
and, and the Lord had opened upthe word to me in a way that
I'd never thought possible.
I'd heard people reading theBible in prison and and things
like that.
(06:47):
I never could make no sense outof it, and and but all of a
sudden, this complete Word hadbeen transformed in front of me
and now I could understand itand I mean, I, I never Turned
back.
Wow, it was like I never had.
I never had a father.
(07:08):
So for me to find out that hewas there, that's all I needed
to know, that he was there.
So you never grew up with afather?
No, no, sir, I had my motherand my grandmother, and that was
about it.
Ron Meyers (07:23):
So this dude that you talked to was your heavenly
father and he wanted to Comeinto your life and give you some
joy?
Is that what happened?
Jon Boy (07:34):
Yeah, man, he did and and yeah, it was amazing.
Um, I never, I never turnedaround, I never looked back.
Man.
Um, I Mean I chewed on it,everything, they, they that come
in my direction, man, I just Iwrote it down, I chewed on it.
I mean I think I read the NewTestament in the first month and
(07:55):
I just turn, turn around andstart reading it again and start
reading again, and that'sthat's how I done it, man.
I Wow it just it come alive tome to the point to where I
didn't do nothing when I got offwork during the day.
I would come there eight andget my bed and crack open the
word and that's, everybody knewthat's where I would be.
(08:17):
Wow, they come in there lookingfor me, man, and I was in the
word and I was in my bed.
Ron Meyers (08:22):
Now were you starting to get some of that joy
that you saw all the otherpeople have was joy beginning to
emerge in your life.
Jon Boy (08:31):
Yeah, man, it was.
It was amazing.
On About a week and a halfafter that, my this first prayer
they give me a job in the frontof this thrift store and they
want me to do the cashier.
So I didn't know.
You know, the cashier thing waseasy, and and and whatnot, you
(08:52):
know.
So I started to be so in line.
You know, man, I was stilltrying to learn and and how to
be a Christian, so I started theshow just love, everybody that
come in, come into a thriftstore, man.
I started the show love, andthat's how I did it, man.
And before long is three orfour months, man, if people come
(09:15):
there to see me, they comealive, and me in such a way that
I didn't know what washappening.
Really, I knew that I waschanging.
Ron Meyers (09:25):
Seek the first the kingdom of God and everything
will fall into place you know,you know, john boy, you said in
the beginning, when you sent methis letter, that you were every
kind of evil thing that youcould think of.
But now, all of a sudden,you're in a thrift store Showing
people love.
There had to be times whenyou'd be in your room or
(09:47):
somewhere and just scratch yourhead and think to yourself what
in the world is happening to me,how, how, how is this even
possible that I can lovesomebody when yet I've done so
many evil things in my life?
Jon Boy (10:02):
It was.
It was amazing.
I took what he said as thetruth because I'd never seen
things that were this truthfulin my life.
I always had to read it, readout what was true, them what was
fake, but now, with with Jesus,everything was true.
So I really realized that hecould not lie.
Amen, he has the best interestat heart for me and I bought
(10:27):
into it completely.
I loved it and, um, that'sthat's amazing, that's awesome.
Ron Meyers (10:34):
You know, jesus said I'm the way, the truth in the
life, and no one comes to thefather but through me.
So you came to your heavenlyfather through Jesus, and we
also have heard that the truthwill set us free.
So the truth of God's word gotinto your heart and started
setting you free, unlocking thebondage of all those things that
(10:56):
have been in your life.
So was the desire to do drugsor drink or corrals or chase
women?
Was all that disappearing inyour life?
Jon Boy (11:07):
It didn't it didn't stick around for long.
Every now and then, when Iwould lay down I think about you
know when I, where I would beif I was out on the street or
doing this or that.
I guess sexual immoralityStayed with me longer than
anything, you know, and I stilldoes.
You know, man, I think wealways, we're always, gonna be
(11:28):
sinners.
We start, we keep learninguntil this thing's over.
One day, on the fifth month orso, I'm standing up front,
meditating, reading my Bible andI start to thinking about I had
, I had thought about math ordrugs in like two or three
months, man, I and I'm sittingup there, you know, just
(11:48):
praising like when that word,that, where does it leave?
I kept trying to understandthis because I've been to AA and
things like this every day.
You got to do your devotion andyou got to do this, you, 12
steps and this and this.
But what I realized is that 12steps and things like that or
something that I do, but thiswas a work of God that happened
(12:11):
inside of me and what I realizedover time thinking about it
methamphetamines and and drugabuse had fell off of me, but I
didn't know what happened.
Well, and I realized that thereason that I think the Lord
does that so that we can't wecan't take credit for it
ourselves.
Ron Meyers (12:29):
Well, friends, it's time for a break and when we
return, the conclusion of JohnBoy's story.
Announcer (12:37):
You're listening to get the hell out of your life
with your host, ron Myers.
Real stories, real strugglesand real hope.
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We're looking for stories ofhope and overcoming life
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(13:06):
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Ron Meyers (14:11):
Welcome back listeners.
You're hearing John Boy's story.
He was looking for someone outthere.
He referred to hey dude, I needsome help.
And well, the dude helped him.
The dude was Jesus.
And now, john Boy, I want toask you was life beginning to
start to make sense?
Were good things beginning tohappen in your life?
(14:32):
You're?
Jon Boy (14:32):
exactly right, man it was.
And then for the past, for thenext three, three and a half
years, I lived the word man.
That's all I did with that.
Within a year, I graduated theprogram and I was offered a
Leadership role just to workthere and and do this, and I was
.
I was going to the court systemand and getting people out you
(14:55):
know, people that I had been inprison and jail with and and it
was just completely awesome.
Ron Meyers (15:03):
Everything was Different and so beautiful and
and what happened, in that afterthree and a half years there's
always a but you know Satanloves us.
You know we're going down thatroad of on our path and our
destiny, but he always likes tothrow a roadblock up in the
(15:25):
middle of our road to get us offour path of destiny.
And didn't that happen to you?
Jon Boy (15:32):
Yes, sir, sure did um, when I had graduated program, um
, I had found a girl and, andnot long after that I don't
think I really heard the Lordit's not good for a man to be
alone and and I got marriedabout six months after I left to
(15:52):
graduate the program, moved intogether and started to live a
life, and I Went through abouttwo years, man Just still Sowing
into it and doing things likethis, and then all of a sudden
man it was it was about two anda half years ago a friend of
mine to come up to the thriftstore Actually, it was my cousin
(16:12):
and um said hey, man, I gotyour doobie wrote up, you know
me?
Oh, I didn't think, I didn'tthink about it, you know me,
didn't think nothing about us,and I'm good dude.
And I went into my office andthen I was leaving and my cousin
was still there and it was likeI just Rode down the window and
(16:34):
said man, shut, the only thatman.
I'm gonna put it in my eyes forTray for later.
Whatever I was thinking, I haveno idea.
Ron Meyers (16:42):
I don't know why I didn't they always say, john boy
, they always say that if youlet that door open a crack, that
the devil will push that down,door down and come in like a
mighty wave.
Is that what happened exactly?
Jon Boy (16:58):
Exactly, and it did at not at first.
You know I did that afternoon.
You know nobody was at thehouse and all this and I didn't
do it for another two or threemonths.
I'm not going to make noexcuses of it.
You know what I mean.
Over time it became a problemfor me.
Ron Meyers (17:18):
So you were hiding it in front of everybody, but it
was getting to be a problem, ohman horrible and still
preaching the word.
So you're preaching the wordsmoking don't be horrible.
And did you have guilt insideyou?
Were you starting to feelguilty?
Jon Boy (17:36):
Yeah, it was horrible, man.
It was horrible.
So I got to the point to whereI couldn't.
I was the one, only one thatcould do my job, and and I
couldn't double back oneverything that I tried to
accomplish every now and then Iquit.
Ron Meyers (17:51):
So John boy, what was it that took you down?
A drug test at work, uh oh.
Jon Boy (17:57):
Well, when you you know when you're in activation, you
can't tell that anybody notices,because you are.
Well, I can hide it, I'm doingthis, I'm doing this and nobody
can see.
Ron Meyers (18:09):
So they decide to do a drug test on you and it comes
back positive.
Jon Boy (18:13):
So yeah, from marijuana and a lost my job.
Ron Meyers (18:17):
So they tell you to hit the road, jack, and don't
you come back.
No more, no more, you're gone.
Yes, sir, so after that youprobably don't have much left to
live for, except for thatlittle doobie and some
methamphetamines.
Jon Boy (18:30):
Huh, yeah, I wouldn't take.
I wasn't doing methamphetamines, I was doing these things that
you can get at the gas station,and to the point to where I had
to come go to detox.
I had had me a job and doingthings like this and going into
going into detox.
Man, I, the Lord, had finallywent out.
(18:51):
You know, I've been praying andthen so eventually I said I'm
on surrender and I'm going to goto detox.
I went to a what I thought wasa medical detox, but it wasn't.
And I was on the third dayscreaming and pain, laying in
the bed and I got kicked out forbeing too loud.
Anybody who's ever went throughdetox or opioids or something
(19:13):
like that, it's horrible, and soyou get kicked out of detox.
Ron Meyers (19:17):
And then what happened?
Jon Boy (19:19):
I thought well, I'll go to a friend of mine's house.
I knew that I could do a littlemess to get over my withdrawals
from back in the day and I'veseen people do that for years
you know mean coming off opioidsor something.
They would do a little bit ofmath and get them through their
detox.
Well, that's exactly what I did.
(19:40):
I left gas in and come here toAnniston and went to a friend of
mine's house and woke up threedays later in Birmingham,
paralyzed on my right side andwhere I had a massive brain
bleed from a hypertension.
(20:04):
Wow.
From doing that, one hit a mess.
Ron Meyers (20:09):
So you had a brain bleed and now you're paralyzed.
Please tell me that that gotyour attention.
Jon Boy (20:17):
Yeah, man, I had already had my attention.
The only reason I went to detoxwas because I had to get free
the way I was before, and thenbecause everything was horrible
compared to what it was when Iwas walking with Jesus.
Ron Meyers (20:32):
So now you're paralyzed.
You're not even walking, orwere you able to walk with?
Jon Boy (20:36):
completely paralyzed.
I was like two face all the waydown my sternum.
I mean how some of my body isstill numb on my right side.
I woke up, didn't know where Iwas, what had happened or
whatever, and it after about anhour it comes back to me,
sitting there for 12, 8 to 18days and trapped in my own body.
(20:58):
I couldn't talk.
I could.
I couldn't convey any kind ofmessages because it was word
salad or mumble.
The only thing that I could saywas I know, I know.
I never did cry when I foundout I was paralyzed and on a
stroke floor.
That's all you ever hear issomebody is always crying, no
(21:21):
matter what.
But I woke up completelyknowing that I had been saved
through the grace of God.
It wasn't anything that I haddone, and not only that and the
neurologist told you you wouldprobably never walk again,
didn't he?
Yeah, they said at the end of mybed and talked about me like it
(21:43):
was over.
It was over.
They were talking about me, atthe end of my bed, looking at me
and I'm like it was horribleman to be trapped inside your
own body and not be able to tellthem that I'm okay, I
understand what you're talkingabout.
But they said, no, there's noreason, no way that I will ever
walk again.
He'll be paralyzed for the restof his life.
(22:06):
On his right side it was anickel size brain bleed.
Wow, there was no reason that Ishould be alive.
There's no reason that I shouldever have the capacity to speak
again anything.
Ron Meyers (22:20):
But, john Boy, we know with God and we're running
short on time.
We know with God he has thefinal say in the story Today.
Jon Boy (22:29):
you are walking, aren't you?
Oh yeah, man, every day, man,my legs at about 75%.
I'm back to the point to whereI can almost run, but not run
but kind of jog, you know what?
Ron Meyers (22:43):
I mean, there's someone out there right now that
can't get off of drugs andthey're hearing the story.
They don't want to listen to it, but there's something is
compelling them to listen to it.
What would you tell that person?
I would tell them to just givein to Jesus just give it to Him.
Jon Boy (23:01):
It's hard for us to let go because it's the only thing
that we can control.
Yeah, we want control, don't weExactly?
But if we let Him have it andwe'll realize four or five days
later, it don't take long thatwe realize the things that we
were holding on to were killingus.
(23:22):
Everything that he does is good.
When you're in addiction,everything that you're doing is
bad.
Now, it'll take you a while torealize that, but when you do,
he will turn it on for you andyou'll never look back and you
will never understand why in theworld you've done drugs in the
(23:42):
first place.
Ron Meyers (23:43):
That is so true, john Boy.
And so, john Boy, are you happytoday?
Jon Boy (23:48):
Yeah, man, I'm happy every day, man, amen.
I've been given a new lease onlife, man, and it is simply by
the grace of God.
Ron Meyers (23:57):
So this dude that you prayed to.
For the very first time youcalled him dude, but you realize
he's a loving heavenly Fatherthat has your best interest in
mind, doesn't he?
Amen?
You know, I like talking to you, John Boy, and I appreciate you
sharing your story with thelisteners.
(24:19):
And, John Boy, will you prayfor the listeners today?
Jon Boy (24:26):
Father, I thank you so much for not just what you've
given me, but for what you'redoing in everybody else's life.
Who's on the list?
Who's listening over the airright now?
Just turn it on for them,father.
Turn them on the way that youturn me on.
Father, give them grace.
Give them an abundance in theirheart, give them a love for the
(24:49):
Word.
Give them what you gave me,father.
You know what they need.
I don't, father, give them whatyou believe they need.
Father and Jesus, I thank youso much.
Thank you for this glorious day.
Amen, amen, brother.
Yeah, thank you so much, man.
It was awesome, dude.
Ron Meyers (25:10):
Yeah, john Boyd, god bless your brother.
Well, listen, I love you, I'mpraying for you and you keep up
the good work.
Thank you so much, oh you're sowelcome.
Jon Boy (25:19):
All right, man, take it easy.
Announcer (25:21):
You're listening to Get the Hell Out of your Life
with your host, ron Myers.
Real stories, real strugglesand real hope.
Announcment (25:31):
Jesus, jesus, what do you think of when you hear
that name?
Jesus, jesus, love, life, hope,joy, peace, friend, companion,
comfort, savior.
The God of the universe lives,and he lives in the form of a
(25:52):
man.
That man is Jesus Christ, forGod so loved the world that he
gave his only son that whosoeverbelieves in him shall have
eternal life.
Jesus, what will you do withhim?
He knocks on the door of yourheart.
When you open that door, yourlife will change forever.
(26:14):
It came that the world may havelife and may have it more
abundantly.
Ask Jesus into your heart anddiscover what living is all
about.
Call 1-888-NEED-HIM.
Announcer (26:29):
Ron will be back in a moment to wrap up today's
conversation.
We want to encourage you todaywith God's promise to you.
It comes from the book ofJeremiah, chapter 29, verse 11.
For I know the plans I have foryou, declares the Lord.
Plans to prosper you and not toharm you.
Plans to give you hope and afuture.
(26:51):
That's God's promise to youwhen you choose to commit your
plans and future to Him.
Now back to Ron.
Ron Meyers (27:03):
Well, I know you're out there somewhere.
You know the person that islike John Boye you're searching,
you're tired of life, you'retired of doing the same thing
over and over and never gettingany good results.
Today is the day to call uponthe name of Jesus.
I don't care if you say, hey,dude, the man upstairs, I need
(27:25):
some help.
Come into my life.
It's an easy dialogue, an easyconversation, and then there
will be people that will comeinto your life and to help you
get onto the path to become theperson God created you to be.
I really encourage you.
Friends, I was a messed up,screwed up individual for many,
(27:47):
many years.
It was all about sex, drugs androck and roll for me, but I
called upon the name of Jesus ina hotel room and well, my
life's never been the same andthat's why I share these stories
, because I believe in you.
I know what God wants to do inyour life.
I'll be back next week withanother great episode of Get the
(28:10):
Hell Out of your Life.
In the meantime, remember thisI love you, god loves you, and
it's time to get the hell out ofyour life.
Announcer (28:32):
Today's show was produced by Ron Myers Ministries
.
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For a copy of today's broadcast, please visit our website,
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(28:52):
Hell Out of your Life no peoplesharing real struggles and
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The following program is sponsored by Ron Meyers
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It's time now to get the hellout of your life.
A weekly broadcast with realpeople sharing real struggles
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Today's show will encourage,inspire and empower you to face
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(00:21):
Now let's join our host, ronMeyers.
The promoter.
Ron Meyers (00:27):
Hello, my friends, it is so good to be with you.
My name is Ron Meyers.
I'm your host in this show isall about getting the hell out
of your life, living the lifethat you have dreamt about.
That you think is probablyimpossible, but I think after
you hear today's story, you willchange your mind.
Have you ever wondered Is theresomeone out there that hears me
(00:53):
?
Is there a man upstairs?
Is there a God that reallycares about me?
That's today's story You'regoing to hear from John Boy.
John Boy never knew anythingabout a God.
In fact, he was on a porch onenight and he looked up in the
(01:14):
sky and said hey, dude, ifyou're real, I need to see what
you can do with my life.
His life changed.
So you're going to hear thisstory with John Boy and I want
you to know I don't care whereyou're at, what you've gone
through, what is in your mindthere is someone out there for
you to help you become theperson you were created to be.
(01:38):
So sit back and, for the nextfew minutes, listen to a story
that will inspire, encourage andempower you.
John Boy, so glad to have youon the phone.
How are you doing today?
I'm doing good man.
How are you doing?
I'm doing great.
So, john Boy, what is yourstory?
(01:59):
Oh, okay.
Jon Boy (02:01):
About seven years ago I had just come out of active
addiction with methamphetamineuse and all kinds of other drug
use.
You know, just anything thatyou know tickle my fancy.
That's the way I went and Itried to get to a probation
(02:24):
appointment, man, and I got.
I missed it.
And I had a friend that workedin the law enforcement there and
was trying to go weasel it overand make it like it was okay.
And I went to my friend's houseand took one look at me and
realized he needs to go to rehaband so it took him about a day
(02:47):
to get me talked into it.
You know, I didn't want to quit.
I didn't.
I didn't even think aboutquitting.
And there I was the next day,on my way to rehab.
But I didn't know it was a.
It was a discipleship program.
They were calling it a rehaband this and this, and it wasn't
a rehab at all.
It was a discipleship program.
(03:08):
You can see where I was filledwith the sexual immorality,
things like that, you know, man,and I was tossed into a
charismatic movement with abunch of people who were just
like me but had found the Lordand had joy and things like that
, you know.
So at first I thought you knowwell, these guys are high, you
know meaning they're hiding itfrom me.
(03:29):
Something's going on, you know,and I'm like, cause that was
real quiet.
I had been to prison and so Ijust stayed to myself for the
first couple of weeks and but Ikept noticing, you know, this
joy that these people don't haveno reason to have.
I mean, there were.
Some of them were facing 25years in prison, 10 years, eight
(03:51):
years.
All of them were felons and andand I was too, and but I
started to notice these peoplewanted to pray for me, and love
that I had never seen come frompeople like me.
You know what I mean,no-transcript.
So I started there, notice thisreal joy, and I really
(04:15):
evaluated it.
You know, count the calls ishow we say nowadays, speaking
Christian ease, and it can't becalled through the discipleship.
But I didn't know what I wasdoing.
That, but I was.
I remember my first prayer.
I got so tired of seeing thisjoy and I could not grasp it.
You know, going to classesevery morning, I couldn't get
(04:35):
the Bible.
I've never read it, I didn'tknow what a Pharisee was and and
all these things, thesecontradictions that Flew to the
front of my head.
I could not understand it, youknow, and but the only way that
I knew Everything everybody keepdriving into my head.
You know, you got to pray, yougot to talk to Lord and I'd
never talked to Lord.
(04:55):
I remember, like it wasyesterday, I was laying in the
bed.
I couldn't sleep in theselittle cubicles that they give
me, so I slept on the on theport, because it was in
summertime, and I rememberlooking up at and I just started
talking to him.
I called him dude the firsttime.
You called him dude.
Yeah, I said I'm like I'm sorry, look dude.
(05:18):
I said I see this joy, I seethis, this love, I see this joy.
That it's something I've neverseen.
I've had what I thought was joy, you know, man, to Whatever
kind of worldly things that Ithought was joy, but not real
joy, and I'd seen this becauseit was different than the joy
(05:39):
that I had before.
And and I start squalling, youknow, man, and I wasn't a cry at
the time and I I said you gotto show me something.
I said because I don't know andI remember I mean I don't
remember the exact words of theprayer I think I had my hand
folded and things like that.
(06:00):
You know, man, because that'swhat I'd seen, that's what I
knew, I just called him dude, Ididn't know what to call him man
.
And um, within a couple days,man, I started seeing changes
and you know, I didn't want tochange.
Then, all of a sudden, therewas a deep down desire to start
to change and, within about afirst week or so, these things
(06:27):
that they were sowing into me,as far as classes ago and and
discipleship courses like this,everything started to make sense
and, and the Lord had opened upthe word to me in a way that
I'd never thought possible.
I'd heard people reading theBible in prison and and things
like that.
(06:47):
I never could make no sense outof it, and and but all of a
sudden, this complete Word hadbeen transformed in front of me
and now I could understand itand I mean, I, I never Turned
back.
Wow, it was like I never had.
I never had a father.
(07:08):
So for me to find out that hewas there, that's all I needed
to know, that he was there.
So you never grew up with afather?
No, no, sir, I had my motherand my grandmother, and that was
about it.
Ron Meyers (07:23):
So this dude that you talked to was your heavenly
father and he wanted to Comeinto your life and give you some
joy?
Is that what happened?
Jon Boy (07:34):
Yeah, man, he did and and yeah, it was amazing.
Um, I never, I never turnedaround, I never looked back.
Man.
Um, I Mean I chewed on it,everything, they, they that come
in my direction, man, I just Iwrote it down, I chewed on it.
I mean I think I read the NewTestament in the first month and
(07:55):
I just turn, turn around andstart reading it again and start
reading again, and that'sthat's how I done it, man.
I Wow it just it come alive tome to the point to where I
didn't do nothing when I got offwork during the day.
I would come there eight andget my bed and crack open the
word and that's, everybody knewthat's where I would be.
(08:17):
Wow, they come in there lookingfor me, man, and I was in the
word and I was in my bed.
Ron Meyers (08:22):
Now were you starting to get some of that joy
that you saw all the otherpeople have was joy beginning to
emerge in your life.
Jon Boy (08:31):
Yeah, man, it was.
It was amazing.
On About a week and a halfafter that, my this first prayer
they give me a job in the frontof this thrift store and they
want me to do the cashier.
So I didn't know.
You know, the cashier thing waseasy, and and and whatnot, you
(08:52):
know.
So I started to be so in line.
You know, man, I was stilltrying to learn and and how to
be a Christian, so I started theshow just love, everybody that
come in, come into a thriftstore, man.
I started the show love, andthat's how I did it, man.
And before long is three orfour months, man, if people come
(09:15):
there to see me, they comealive, and me in such a way that
I didn't know what washappening.
Really, I knew that I waschanging.
Ron Meyers (09:25):
Seek the first the kingdom of God and everything
will fall into place you know,you know, john boy, you said in
the beginning, when you sent methis letter, that you were every
kind of evil thing that youcould think of.
But now, all of a sudden,you're in a thrift store Showing
people love.
There had to be times whenyou'd be in your room or
(09:47):
somewhere and just scratch yourhead and think to yourself what
in the world is happening to me,how, how, how is this even
possible that I can lovesomebody when yet I've done so
many evil things in my life?
Jon Boy (10:02):
It was.
It was amazing.
I took what he said as thetruth because I'd never seen
things that were this truthfulin my life.
I always had to read it, readout what was true, them what was
fake, but now, with with Jesus,everything was true.
So I really realized that hecould not lie.
Amen, he has the best interestat heart for me and I bought
(10:27):
into it completely.
I loved it and, um, that'sthat's amazing, that's awesome.
Ron Meyers (10:34):
You know, jesus said I'm the way, the truth in the
life, and no one comes to thefather but through me.
So you came to your heavenlyfather through Jesus, and we
also have heard that the truthwill set us free.
So the truth of God's word gotinto your heart and started
setting you free, unlocking thebondage of all those things that
(10:56):
have been in your life.
So was the desire to do drugsor drink or corrals or chase
women?
Was all that disappearing inyour life?
Jon Boy (11:07):
It didn't it didn't stick around for long.
Every now and then, when Iwould lay down I think about you
know when I, where I would beif I was out on the street or
doing this or that.
I guess sexual immoralityStayed with me longer than
anything, you know, and I stilldoes.
You know, man, I think wealways, we're always, gonna be
(11:28):
sinners.
We start, we keep learninguntil this thing's over.
One day, on the fifth month orso, I'm standing up front,
meditating, reading my Bible andI start to thinking about I had
, I had thought about math ordrugs in like two or three
months, man, I and I'm sittingup there, you know, just
(11:48):
praising like when that word,that, where does it leave?
I kept trying to understandthis because I've been to AA and
things like this every day.
You got to do your devotion andyou got to do this, you, 12
steps and this and this.
But what I realized is that 12steps and things like that or
something that I do, but thiswas a work of God that happened
(12:11):
inside of me and what I realizedover time thinking about it
methamphetamines and and drugabuse had fell off of me, but I
didn't know what happened.
Well, and I realized that thereason that I think the Lord
does that so that we can't wecan't take credit for it
ourselves.
Ron Meyers (12:29):
Well, friends, it's time for a break and when we
return, the conclusion of JohnBoy's story.
Announcer (12:37):
You're listening to get the hell out of your life
with your host, ron Myers.
Real stories, real strugglesand real hope.
Announcement (12:46):
What's your story?
We're looking for stories ofhope and overcoming life
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Your story validates God's love, mercy, restoration and
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We want to help you share yourstory with the world.
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(13:06):
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To receive weekly messages ofencouragement, all you need to
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That's 888-527-1223.
Our messages are intended toinspire and empower you on your
(13:40):
life journey.
Remember, life is moreenjoyable when you're inspired.
Ron Meyers (14:11):
Welcome back listeners.
You're hearing John Boy's story.
He was looking for someone outthere.
He referred to hey dude, I needsome help.
And well, the dude helped him.
The dude was Jesus.
And now, john Boy, I want toask you was life beginning to
start to make sense?
Were good things beginning tohappen in your life?
(14:32):
You're?
Jon Boy (14:32):
exactly right, man it was.
And then for the past, for thenext three, three and a half
years, I lived the word man.
That's all I did with that.
Within a year, I graduated theprogram and I was offered a
Leadership role just to workthere and and do this, and I was
.
I was going to the court systemand and getting people out you
(14:55):
know, people that I had been inprison and jail with and and it
was just completely awesome.
Ron Meyers (15:03):
Everything was Different and so beautiful and
and what happened, in that afterthree and a half years there's
always a but you know Satanloves us.
You know we're going down thatroad of on our path and our
destiny, but he always likes tothrow a roadblock up in the
(15:25):
middle of our road to get us offour path of destiny.
And didn't that happen to you?
Jon Boy (15:32):
Yes, sir, sure did um, when I had graduated program, um
, I had found a girl and, andnot long after that I don't
think I really heard the Lordit's not good for a man to be
alone and and I got marriedabout six months after I left to
(15:52):
graduate the program, moved intogether and started to live a
life, and I Went through abouttwo years, man Just still Sowing
into it and doing things likethis, and then all of a sudden
man it was it was about two anda half years ago a friend of
mine to come up to the thriftstore Actually, it was my cousin
(16:12):
and um said hey, man, I gotyour doobie wrote up, you know
me?
Oh, I didn't think, I didn'tthink about it, you know me,
didn't think nothing about us,and I'm good dude.
And I went into my office andthen I was leaving and my cousin
was still there and it was likeI just Rode down the window and
(16:34):
said man, shut, the only thatman.
I'm gonna put it in my eyes forTray for later.
Whatever I was thinking, I haveno idea.
Ron Meyers (16:42):
I don't know why I didn't they always say, john boy
, they always say that if youlet that door open a crack, that
the devil will push that down,door down and come in like a
mighty wave.
Is that what happened exactly?
Jon Boy (16:58):
Exactly, and it did at not at first.
You know I did that afternoon.
You know nobody was at thehouse and all this and I didn't
do it for another two or threemonths.
I'm not going to make noexcuses of it.
You know what I mean.
Over time it became a problemfor me.
Ron Meyers (17:18):
So you were hiding it in front of everybody, but it
was getting to be a problem, ohman horrible and still
preaching the word.
So you're preaching the wordsmoking don't be horrible.
And did you have guilt insideyou?
Were you starting to feelguilty?
Jon Boy (17:36):
Yeah, it was horrible, man.
It was horrible.
So I got to the point to whereI couldn't.
I was the one, only one thatcould do my job, and and I
couldn't double back oneverything that I tried to
accomplish every now and then Iquit.
Ron Meyers (17:51):
So John boy, what was it that took you down?
A drug test at work, uh oh.
Jon Boy (17:57):
Well, when you you know when you're in activation, you
can't tell that anybody notices,because you are.
Well, I can hide it, I'm doingthis, I'm doing this and nobody
can see.
Ron Meyers (18:09):
So they decide to do a drug test on you and it comes
back positive.
Jon Boy (18:13):
So yeah, from marijuana and a lost my job.
Ron Meyers (18:17):
So they tell you to hit the road, jack, and don't
you come back.
No more, no more, you're gone.
Yes, sir, so after that youprobably don't have much left to
live for, except for thatlittle doobie and some
methamphetamines.
Jon Boy (18:30):
Huh, yeah, I wouldn't take.
I wasn't doing methamphetamines, I was doing these things that
you can get at the gas station,and to the point to where I had
to come go to detox.
I had had me a job and doingthings like this and going into
going into detox.
Man, I, the Lord, had finallywent out.
(18:51):
You know, I've been praying andthen so eventually I said I'm
on surrender and I'm going to goto detox.
I went to a what I thought wasa medical detox, but it wasn't.
And I was on the third dayscreaming and pain, laying in
the bed and I got kicked out forbeing too loud.
Anybody who's ever went throughdetox or opioids or something
(19:13):
like that, it's horrible, and soyou get kicked out of detox.
Ron Meyers (19:17):
And then what happened?
Jon Boy (19:19):
I thought well, I'll go to a friend of mine's house.
I knew that I could do a littlemess to get over my withdrawals
from back in the day and I'veseen people do that for years
you know mean coming off opioidsor something.
They would do a little bit ofmath and get them through their
detox.
Well, that's exactly what I did.
(19:40):
I left gas in and come here toAnniston and went to a friend of
mine's house and woke up threedays later in Birmingham,
paralyzed on my right side andwhere I had a massive brain
bleed from a hypertension.
(20:04):
Wow.
From doing that, one hit a mess.
Ron Meyers (20:09):
So you had a brain bleed and now you're paralyzed.
Please tell me that that gotyour attention.
Jon Boy (20:17):
Yeah, man, I had already had my attention.
The only reason I went to detoxwas because I had to get free
the way I was before, and thenbecause everything was horrible
compared to what it was when Iwas walking with Jesus.
Ron Meyers (20:32):
So now you're paralyzed.
You're not even walking, orwere you able to walk with?
Jon Boy (20:36):
completely paralyzed.
I was like two face all the waydown my sternum.
I mean how some of my body isstill numb on my right side.
I woke up, didn't know where Iwas, what had happened or
whatever, and it after about anhour it comes back to me,
sitting there for 12, 8 to 18days and trapped in my own body.
(20:58):
I couldn't talk.
I could.
I couldn't convey any kind ofmessages because it was word
salad or mumble.
The only thing that I could saywas I know, I know.
I never did cry when I foundout I was paralyzed and on a
stroke floor.
That's all you ever hear issomebody is always crying, no
(21:21):
matter what.
But I woke up completelyknowing that I had been saved
through the grace of God.
It wasn't anything that I haddone, and not only that and the
neurologist told you you wouldprobably never walk again,
didn't he?
Yeah, they said at the end of mybed and talked about me like it
(21:43):
was over.
It was over.
They were talking about me, atthe end of my bed, looking at me
and I'm like it was horribleman to be trapped inside your
own body and not be able to tellthem that I'm okay, I
understand what you're talkingabout.
But they said, no, there's noreason, no way that I will ever
walk again.
He'll be paralyzed for the restof his life.
(22:06):
On his right side it was anickel size brain bleed.
Wow, there was no reason that Ishould be alive.
There's no reason that I shouldever have the capacity to speak
again anything.
Ron Meyers (22:20):
But, john Boy, we know with God and we're running
short on time.
We know with God he has thefinal say in the story Today.
Jon Boy (22:29):
you are walking, aren't you?
Oh yeah, man, every day, man,my legs at about 75%.
I'm back to the point to whereI can almost run, but not run
but kind of jog, you know what?
Ron Meyers (22:43):
I mean, there's someone out there right now that
can't get off of drugs andthey're hearing the story.
They don't want to listen to it, but there's something is
compelling them to listen to it.
What would you tell that person?
I would tell them to just givein to Jesus just give it to Him.
Jon Boy (23:01):
It's hard for us to let go because it's the only thing
that we can control.
Yeah, we want control, don't weExactly?
But if we let Him have it andwe'll realize four or five days
later, it don't take long thatwe realize the things that we
were holding on to were killingus.
(23:22):
Everything that he does is good.
When you're in addiction,everything that you're doing is
bad.
Now, it'll take you a while torealize that, but when you do,
he will turn it on for you andyou'll never look back and you
will never understand why in theworld you've done drugs in the
(23:42):
first place.
Ron Meyers (23:43):
That is so true, john Boy.
And so, john Boy, are you happytoday?
Jon Boy (23:48):
Yeah, man, I'm happy every day, man, amen.
I've been given a new lease onlife, man, and it is simply by
the grace of God.
Ron Meyers (23:57):
So this dude that you prayed to.
For the very first time youcalled him dude, but you realize
he's a loving heavenly Fatherthat has your best interest in
mind, doesn't he?
Amen?
You know, I like talking to you, John Boy, and I appreciate you
sharing your story with thelisteners.
(24:19):
And, John Boy, will you prayfor the listeners today?
Jon Boy (24:26):
Father, I thank you so much for not just what you've
given me, but for what you'redoing in everybody else's life.
Who's on the list?
Who's listening over the airright now?
Just turn it on for them,father.
Turn them on the way that youturn me on.
Father, give them grace.
Give them an abundance in theirheart, give them a love for the
(24:49):
Word.
Give them what you gave me,father.
You know what they need.
I don't, father, give them whatyou believe they need.
Father and Jesus, I thank youso much.
Thank you for this glorious day.
Amen, amen, brother.
Yeah, thank you so much, man.
It was awesome, dude.
Ron Meyers (25:10):
Yeah, john Boyd, god bless your brother.
Well, listen, I love you, I'mpraying for you and you keep up
the good work.
Thank you so much, oh you're sowelcome.
Jon Boy (25:19):
All right, man, take it easy.
Announcer (25:21):
You're listening to Get the Hell Out of your Life
with your host, ron Myers.
Real stories, real strugglesand real hope.
Announcment (25:31):
Jesus, jesus, what do you think of when you hear
that name?
Jesus, jesus, love, life, hope,joy, peace, friend, companion,
comfort, savior.
The God of the universe lives,and he lives in the form of a
(25:52):
man.
That man is Jesus Christ, forGod so loved the world that he
gave his only son that whosoeverbelieves in him shall have
eternal life.
Jesus, what will you do withhim?
He knocks on the door of yourheart.
When you open that door, yourlife will change forever.
(26:14):
It came that the world may havelife and may have it more
abundantly.
Ask Jesus into your heart anddiscover what living is all
about.
Call 1-888-NEED-HIM.
Announcer (26:29):
Ron will be back in a moment to wrap up today's
conversation.
We want to encourage you todaywith God's promise to you.
It comes from the book ofJeremiah, chapter 29, verse 11.
For I know the plans I have foryou, declares the Lord.
Plans to prosper you and not toharm you.
Plans to give you hope and afuture.
(26:51):
That's God's promise to youwhen you choose to commit your
plans and future to Him.
Now back to Ron.
Ron Meyers (27:03):
Well, I know you're out there somewhere.
You know the person that islike John Boye you're searching,
you're tired of life, you'retired of doing the same thing
over and over and never gettingany good results.
Today is the day to call uponthe name of Jesus.
I don't care if you say, hey,dude, the man upstairs, I need
(27:25):
some help.
Come into my life.
It's an easy dialogue, an easyconversation, and then there
will be people that will comeinto your life and to help you
get onto the path to become theperson God created you to be.
I really encourage you.
Friends, I was a messed up,screwed up individual for many,
(27:47):
many years.
It was all about sex, drugs androck and roll for me, but I
called upon the name of Jesus ina hotel room and well, my
life's never been the same andthat's why I share these stories
, because I believe in you.
I know what God wants to do inyour life.
I'll be back next week withanother great episode of Get the
(28:10):
Hell Out of your Life.
In the meantime, remember thisI love you, god loves you, and
it's time to get the hell out ofyour life.
Announcer (28:32):
Today's show was produced by Ron Myers Ministries
.
A listener supported ministry.
For a copy of today's broadcast, please visit our website,
thepromoterorg, and would youprayerfully consider making a
tax deductible donation so thatwe may continue to share stories
of God's amazing grace with theworld.
And join us next week foranother broadcast of Get the
(28:52):
Hell Out of your Life no peoplesharing real struggles and
offering real hope.
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