Episode Transcript
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Announcer (00:01):
It's time now to get
the hell out 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.
Now let's join our host, RonMyers, the promoter.
Ron Meyers (00:22):
Hello, my friends,
and welcome to Get the Hell Out
of Your Life.
Real stories, real struggleswith real hope.
I'm Ron Myers, I'm your host,and well, if life has knocked
the crap out of you, if thingsdon't make sense, if you're
confused, if nobody understandsyou, well, you're in the right
place.
Because this is the show forthe people that are still trying
(00:46):
to find their path in life.
What is it, God, that you wantfrom us?
And I share stories fromindividuals who gave up on
trying to figure out life andstarted trusting God and their
life changed forever.
The moral of the story thatwith God, restoration is
possible.
Because sometimes the firststep towards freedom in our
(01:09):
lives isn't fixing your life,it's hearing stories of faith
that demonstrate thatrestoration is possible.
Today you're going to hear abeautiful story of restoration.
Jamie Tidwell.
Her story is encouraging.
She was homeless, addicted,grieving the loss of her
husband, facing legal trouble,and she reached the end of
(01:32):
herself.
But isn't that exactly whereGod begins with each of us when
we come to the end of our rope?
Well, today you're going tohear how a children's Bible, a
few faithful people, and a Godwho never stopped pursuing her
changed everything.
Let's take a listen to Jamie'sstory.
Jamie Tidwell (01:54):
I went through a
really bad part of my life to
where I was homeless, my husbanddied, and then was on the
streets.
And on top of that, I also hadbeen in trouble with the law, so
I was not going to myprobation.
And I was just doing a lot ofthings that I shouldn't do.
Ron Meyers (02:12):
Life is it just
happened.
So what happened to get you onthat road to hell?
Jamie Tidwell (02:20):
You know, I
thought about it a million
times, and the only answer thatI have for that, and this is not
a good answer, is that that'show I found Jesus.
So I know it sounds so funny,but I have thank God every day
for my felony that I got.
Because had it not been for afelony and having to go to a
program, court ordered, ofcourse, and I was happy to do
(02:41):
that because I was really tired.
But that's when I found outabout, you know, they asked me,
is Jesus Christ my Lord andSavior?
I had gone to another onecalled Crossroads Ministry back
in 2021.
And I really didn't take itseriously.
But they had asked me, youknow, is Jesus Christ your Lord
and Savior?
And I said, I don't know whatyou're talking about.
And they just they kind oflaughed.
And I said, Seriously, I don'tknow what you're talking about.
(03:04):
And we had a volunteer there,and his name was Mr.
Wiley.
And he sat me down and he toldme what to do, and he said, I
wouldn't let the sun go down onyou.
And I still had no idea whatthey were talking about.
I I I really didn't.
That's where I first kind ofstarted knowing who Jesus was.
My my mentor started me outwith a children's Bible.
Okay, so I didn't know thatMoses parted the Red Sea.
(03:26):
I didn't know any of that.
And and I don't know how Ididn't, but I wasn't raised in
church.
I didn't go to church.
If we went to church, it was onlike Easter, and you know, I
went to a little Lutheran churchcamp when I was younger.
My grandma sent me, but Ididn't have a relationship with
God.
So that's where I kind of firststarted to learn about God.
But then I went back off thebeaten path, went homeless for
(03:48):
three years, went back to whereI'm from.
And when I got on that road,that's when everything just got
really, really bad because I wasjust, you know, smoking weed,
drinking alcohol.
What really got me was themeth.
And you know, I'd always putdown people that did it, and I
said I would never do that.
Once I started, I could notstop.
(04:08):
And there were many times thatI wanted to make that first, you
know, step and go somewhere.
And I even went somewhere, butthey were closed for the day,
you know.
Ron Meyers (04:18):
But did you try to
make a deal with God?
If I can get off of this math,I'll go to church every day.
Jamie Tidwell (04:26):
No, I didn't make
a deal with God, but I was at
the end of my ropes and I'vebeen back out on the streets for
like three years, and I wantedmy family back.
I have, you know, a greatfamily, three kids, you know,
they're a little older now, butthey all miss me, and I was very
selfish.
So I was walking one day and Iwas talking to God, and I would
tell this whole story because Ithink I put it in my what I
(04:49):
wrote about, but at this time Ireally didn't know you're not
supposed to ask for signs andyou're not supposed to test God,
or I don't know if it's eventesting God, but anyway, I asked
him to show me something.
And literally, and this is whatI did, and I said it out loud.
So then I thought, maybe thatwas, you know, the devil could
hear me.
I'm not really sure.
I did it for six more times,and I said it in my head.
(05:12):
And every time that I asked Godto show me something or show me
a sign or anything like that,and I got really, really
specific, okay?
And he did it seven times in arow.
Seven times.
And the last one was a realopener to where it sounds crazy
when I tell people, and I justdon't ever speak about it
(05:35):
because I don't know.
I mean, I know God doesmiracles, and I just think it
was God's way of opening my eyesand saying, Hey, I'm still
here, and I've always been herefor you.
Ron Meyers (05:45):
I was going to ask
you, what do you think God
wanted from you that he wasgiving you signs to recognize
him?
Jamie Tidwell (05:53):
I think he's
calling me.
That's exactly what I think.
I think God was calling myname, and for some reason or
another, I listened, and it justhappened to be at the perfect
time, and just I had friends,you know, my street friends, but
I was always usually by myself.
So I had a lot of time tomyself.
And I I had learned a littlebit at Crossroads Ministry
(06:16):
about, you know, Jesus.
And so I would always, if I wasdown on my luck or not feeling
good, that's when I kind ofcried out to him.
But then it got to where I wasjust kind of doing on a regular
basis.
And I was getting sick of beingon the street and I was
becoming a person that I didn'twant to be.
You know, I have worked as aregistered nurse.
My graduated from MississippiCollege in Clinton.
It's a private Christiancollege.
(06:37):
How I did not know about Jesusand God through that, I don't
know, but you just had to takethe old and new testament and
you just read it, took tests.
I wanted to get back to mylife, you know.
I wanted to get back toenjoying life.
I wanted my family back becauseI, you know, I was a big family
person.
And then all of a sudden, youknow, people would look at me on
the street that didn't know meand think the worst of me.
(06:58):
And I just didn't like it.
It made me see both sides ofthe fence, I will tell you that.
It's made my outlook on lifeway different, and it's just
made it's just made my lifebetter.
Ron Meyers (07:09):
So I do thank God
that I went through some bad
patches in my life because nowWell, you know, Jamie, I have
interviewed hundreds of people,and not one of them ever came to
know Jesus when life was allhunky dory.
They all met Jesus when theygot to the end of themselves,
(07:29):
just like you.
Not only did God want you tocome to meet him, now he wants
you to share your story withpeople all over the world
because you have something thatother people need to hear.
Jamie Tidwell (07:43):
I mean, the main
part is it doesn't matter what
what you're doing in your life,it doesn't matter if you're not
doing right or you're doingright that he's still there.
And I just know that for afact.
You know, my heart goes out tothe homeless family, really,
because I was that person and Isee that the way some people
will treat you when they don'tknow anything about you.
(08:04):
The homeless people are mypeople.
Ron Meyers (08:06):
Amen.
Jamie Tidwell (08:07):
I mean, they
really are.
It's made me look at everysingle body.
I you know, they say don'tjudge, and I don't, but I look,
it doesn't matter what you looklike, it doesn't matter where
you came from, it doesn't matterhow much money you got.
It I treat everybody I try to,everybody the same because I
don't know anybody's story inlife.
(08:28):
And there was a time in my lifewhen I didn't, I wouldn't say I
didn't do that.
I was always being kind andnice because I was raised that
way.
However, anyway, it's just mademe a better person.
I don't know any other way tosay that.
Ron Meyers (08:40):
So, how is life for
Jamie Tidwell today?
Jamie Tidwell (08:44):
Let's see.
Well, I've got almost itdoesn't matter about the years
clean, but I have almost twoyears clean in like three weeks,
which is a milestone for mebecause that's whether it's been
just drinking in my life.
I mean, that's been going onsince I was 17 years old, and
I'm I just turned 50.
So that's different.
I have a relationship with God,that's different.
(09:06):
My relationship with my mymother is different.
We always had a goodrelationship, but now
relationship with my father isdifferent.
My kids, they're just glad tohave me have them back in my
life.
I believe so.
I mean, they act like they doand they don't hold any grudges.
Praise God about that.
I did call the MississippiBoard of Nursing to get my
(09:27):
restoration and nursing licensepacket back because that's the
only way that I'm gonna be ableto provide for myself and my
kids, you know, eventually inlife, you know, because that's
all I know.
But I have voluntarilysurrendered that due to DUIs.
And what else?
Oh, I have a job coming up.
I've been at this ministryalmost two years.
(09:47):
I have a job at the end ofJuly.
Then maybe I'll be able to buya car.
What I really want to do iseventually I want to I want to
help people that have been inthe same position that I've
been.
And I know a lot of people saythat and they want to do peer
groups or they want to do thisand that.
But what I would really like todo is missionary work, and I'd
(10:08):
like to go out in the streetsand just be a street preacher
and try to get people to God ortry to see what their needs are.
Because I think that the bestway to help somebody is to be in
their shoes.
I've been in their shoes and tojust go right back out on the
streets with a different frameof mind, not out there trying to
drink and drug and scheme andall that.
Ron Meyers (10:28):
If you came up on a
homeless person today, what
would you say to them when theysay, hey ma'am, will you give me
a dollar or two?
Jamie Tidwell (10:36):
Oh, I always do,
and I tell them God loves them.
Ron Meyers (10:39):
Amen.
Jamie Tidwell (10:40):
Every yeah, every
uh that's the main thing I say.
Hey, God loves you, you arevalued, you know, and I'll pray
for them and say, God, I hopethat all their needs are met.
I hope they find shelter.
I hope they have warm clothingor cool clothing.
They get out of sun or they getout of snow.
Ron Meyers (10:55):
Do you tell them
that you used to be where they
are right now?
Yes, and that there is a betterlife.
Jamie Tidwell (11:02):
Every single
time.
Every single time.
I mean, it's even random too.
When we go fundraising and wego into different cities and I
see homeless people, I'm almostdrawn to them.
In fact, I almost catch myselflooking for them.
You know, I'll go say, Hey, youneed a pack of cigarettes?
Do you need a cold beer?
I mean, I'm not trying toencourage that, but I was one at
(11:24):
one time.
You know, do you need somethingto eat?
Ron Meyers (11:26):
That's what a
missionary would do.
And you wanted to be amissionary, so you are a
missionary when you go outthere.
And sometimes I know people, Igive people money and they say,
Well, you don't know whatthey're going to spend it on.
And I say, Well, I don't gothat far.
I just want them to knowsomebody cares, and then I can
lead them to my story about howI met Jesus.
(11:50):
And you know, they don't doanything.
I've never had one on the spotdo something, but I plant the
seed, and then when I walk away,I just say, Lord, I planted the
seed, just be with that person.
And and I pray that one daythat they found help like you
did, and so many of the otherpeople that I interviewed.
Jamie Tidwell (12:10):
Exactly, exactly.
Because I know that you knowthere's good people out there
all around, and sometimes theyjust need an opportunity to do
better, and sometimes they justdon't have any family.
Sometimes they don't even knowwhere to go for help because
I've been homeless in othercities too, and you go to social
services and they mightcontemporarily help you.
Ron Meyers (12:27):
Was there one thing
that Jesus did that really
surprised you?
Jamie Tidwell (12:33):
I have more
peace.
I have more, I don't worry.
Okay, so if something goeswrong in my life, I just give it
to God.
So I always go back to it'sdon't be anxious for nothing,
but in everything with prayerand supplication, give
thanksgiving to God.
I guess my big thing with thatis don't pray.
It says be anxious for nothing.
So you're not supposed to praywhen you're worried, because
(12:53):
that the way the scripture says,it's just not gonna work.
And a lot of times if I wasworried about something, you
know, I would pray and hope thatit would get better.
And now I just don't worry.
I mean, literally, I just castall my cares on God.
And if something didn't goright, I know that God, I trust
in God, I trust in Jesus, and Iknow that everything's gonna
(13:16):
work out for the good.
And have found that out thateven here lately, when I have
worried, I look back on it twoweeks later and I'm like, why
did you do that?
Because you done told yourselfmany, many times, do not do that
because it's gonna do no good,and everything's just gonna work
out the way it's supposed to,anyway.
As long as I'm doing the rightthing and staying in the will of
(13:38):
God, and I get peace fromreading my Bible.
Ron Meyers (13:40):
Amen.
Jamie Tidwell (13:41):
I have to read my
Bible and I have to have time
to myself.
Ron Meyers (13:45):
I call it coffee
with Jesus.
I have to have my coffee withJesus every day, our Coca-Cola
with Jesus, whatever it is.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I need that, I need thatprivate time, kind of charges,
charges us up for the day andgets us prepared.
And and congratulations ongoing on two years of being
sober, clean.
(14:06):
But like all of us, temptationsnever go away.
For that person out therelistening, they are wondering,
well, how does she do that fortwo years?
How do you overcome temptationsin your life?
Jamie Tidwell (14:19):
The way that I
overcome temptation is basically
when I first started this wholejourney, and it's been almost
two years, and it's been a longjourney, let me tell you.
So we got a lot of soulsearching going on.
You know, in the beginning,temptation was still there.
And I'm not gonna lie, when Iwould get stressed out, that's
when it would really come.
And that's what I used to do.
I would run away fromeverything, you know, or if
(14:41):
somebody made me mad, you know,I would just say, Man, forget
that.
I'm going out, you know, and sonow I back away from people and
I pray and it passes.
And I think that I think aslong as my my mind is better,
you know, because my mind wasstill kind of a little crazy,
you know, it was all it wasstill, I wouldn't say the wires
were cut short because I thankGod every day that I didn't lose
(15:04):
my mind.
But I think the longer thatI've been sober, it's just
easier.
I guess it's because I'm alsogetting the gifts of God.
I'm getting blessings afterblessings after blessings.
I mean, it's just blessings onblessings.
So why would I stop now?
Because I'm looking forward tosee what God's gonna do in the
future.
It's exciting to me.
Ron Meyers (15:24):
Amen.
Jamie Tidwell (15:24):
You know, I'm
like, look at God, look at God
showing up, you know, and andthat's that that's really, you
know, our director here tells usthat, you know, God's got all
these presents underneath thetree.
It's just up to you to go andget the presents and receive the
presents.
Yeah, so it just keeps gettingbetter.
Ron Meyers (15:43):
Amen.
And you sound so good, Jamie.
And I'm so glad that youstopped by this office.
People ask me all the time,where do you find your guests?
I said, I don't find them.
They just seem to just find me.
And uh, right.
Amen.
And I love it.
So before we go, you have themicrophone.
Mr.
Jamie Tidwell (16:03):
Lane was so nice,
she was so sweet.
Ron Meyers (16:05):
Yeah, she is, she's
a sweet office manager.
But right now, you've got themicrophone and you can speak to
somebody out there that's justhurting in life.
They're close to calling itquits, they don't know what to
do, but some reason they'relistening to our conversation.
What would Jamie Tidwell tellthat person?
Jamie Tidwell (16:26):
I would tell them
don't give up on God because
He's never given up on you.
That's what I would say in anutshell.
Yes, sir.
Ron Meyers (16:33):
Well, before we go,
the title of the show is Get the
Hell Out of Your Life.
What is the one thing thatpeople need to do to get the
hell out of their life?
Jamie Tidwell (16:44):
I guess get into
God's life.
That'll get you out of self andget you into God.
We're supposed to imitate God.
God is love.
So you need to love everybody,you need to treat everybody with
kindness, because being kindand nice is free.
Speaker 2 (16:58):
Right.
Jamie Tidwell (16:58):
So it isn't it
doesn't take anything.
You wake up with a joyfulattitude, become grateful for
what you have and what not forwhat you don't have.
Because that, you know, I didstruggle with that, and I still
do like I need a car, I needthis, I need this.
That'll all come in timebecause I don't need that right
now.
Because there's a good chancemaybe something is not right and
(17:18):
not, you know, something badwill happen.
So, you know, even if, youknow, say I'm in a vehicle and I
make the wrong turn, and then Ihave this little chick talking
to me and goes, reroute.
I said, Look, she is reroutingmy life, because probably God,
you know, I don't need to godown that path.
So I'm always rerouting, tryingto stay in the will of God.
(17:40):
I am.
Ron Meyers (17:42):
I like that.
Rerouting.
That's right.
A lot of us need to reroute.
We want to get the hell out ofour lives, we need to reroute.
Jamie Tidwell (17:50):
Yes.
Ron Meyers (17:50):
Amen.
Jamie Tidwell (17:51):
You stay on God's
path, you know.
Ron Meyers (17:52):
Stay on God's path.
Jamie Tidwell (17:54):
That's what I was
stay on his path.
Yes.
I love me.
That that that's yeah, that'sit.
Ron Meyers (17:59):
Well, I know you
have a little one behind you.
He he gets to hear you talkabout God, even if he doesn't
understand it.
He's a plant and a seed.
Jamie Tidwell (18:07):
Oh, he was like
he was born.
Yeah, he was born here.
His mother came here when shewas pregnant.
She's been here four years.
Where are you?
Satarsha, Mississippi.
It's in between Vicksburg andYazoo City on Highway Three.
Ron Meyers (18:19):
Okay.
Jamie Tidwell (18:19):
And it's
Foundation on the Rock, is it?
Or Foundation on the RockMinistry.
FoundationOnther Rock.com.
And it's free to come here.
And if you have a child andyou're a woman, it's not men,
it's just women, but you're youcan bring your child too, and
it's free.
Ron Meyers (18:34):
Oh, wow, that's
awesome.
Before we go, will you close usout with prayer for the
listeners or people listening?
Jamie Tidwell (18:41):
Good and gracious
Father.
I just pray that everybodylistens today can be blessed.
And I pray that somehow, ifthey're not with God, that
somehow God will speak to themand get him on the right path.
And I just pray that everybodywill be safe today, even our
troops that are overseas.
In Jesus' name I pray.
(19:02):
Amen.
Ron Meyers (19:05):
After talking with
Jamie, I could not help but
notice all the changes thathappened when she rerouted her
life towards Jesus.
Think about this, my friend.
Just a few years ago, she washomeless, addicted, estranged
from family, and wondering iflife would ever get better.
Well, today she is approachingtwo years of sobriety.
(19:27):
Her relationship with God isgrowing.
Her relationships with herparents and children have been
restored.
She has peace where anxietyonce lived.
She has hope for the futureinstead of fear of tomorrow.
She's working toward restoringher nursing license.
(19:48):
Most importantly, she's nolonger just surviving.
She's living with purpose.
She rerouted her life and Godnever disappointed.
And here's what we are remindedthat none of the blessings
happened while she was runningfrom God.
They began showing up when shererouted her life and started
(20:11):
walking with him.
So now let me flip the scriptand ask you a question.
What about you?
Are there areas of your lifethat need a reroute?
Maybe you're stuck in fear.
Maybe you are carrying anger.
Maybe you're battling anaddiction.
Or maybe you're just exhaustedfrom trying to control
(20:35):
everything.
And maybe you have drifted awayfrom God, but you don't know
what to do.
What would happen if yourerouted?
Can you see the good thingsthat happened to Jamie happening
to you?
What blessings might be on theother side of your next step of
faith?
The GPS in your car saysrerouting when you've taken a
(20:59):
wrong turn.
It doesn't condemn you.
It doesn't shame you.
It simply finds a new pathforward.
That's what God does, myfriend.
And if you're ready to begin toreroute toward purpose,
passion, and peace, I have a fewsimple steps.
Number one, stop and gethonest.
(21:20):
You can't reroute if you refuseto admit you're lost.
Talk honestly with God aboutwhere you are.
Number two, spend time withJesus every day.
I call it coffee with Jesus.
Whether it's five minutes orfifty, make space for God to
speak into your life.
Number three, read God's word.
(21:42):
You don't have to knoweverything.
Jamie started with a children'sBible, which I think was
outstanding.
Start where you are and keepmoving forward.
Number four, find people whowill encourage your faith.
Nobody reroutes alone.
That's why you need tocontinue.
To listen to this show becauseI'm on your side.
(22:02):
Let's encourage each othertogether.
Connect with people who willpoint you towards hope.
Number five, take the rightstep.
Don't worry about the next fiveyears.
Just take the next step God isputting in front of you today.
And number six, share yourstory.
Someone needs to hear what Godis doing in your life.
(22:23):
Just like I needed to heartoday, Jamie's story.
It helps fortify my faith.
Your testimony, friend, maybecome the seed of hope for
another person.
The truth is, God isn't waitingfor you to become perfect.
He's waiting for you to turntowards him.
Jamie's story proves that nolife is too broken, no mistake
(22:46):
is too big, and no road is toofar gone for God to reroute.
The question isn't whether Godcan change your life.
The question is, are you readyto let him in?
How do you get the hell out ofyour life?
Ad (23:03):
Get on your knees and cry
out to the Lord.
He hears you right where youare.
Announcer (23:07):
How to get the hell
out of your life?
Well, yeah, replace it withJesus.
We got to be born again, bornof the Spirit, and that's by
trusting Jesus Christ, turningfrom our sins and trusting
Jesus.
How do you get the hell out ofyour life?
Oh gosh.
Ron Meyers (23:18):
Jesus.
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.
So are you ready to startrerouting your life?
Can you see yourself actuallyenjoying life again?
Waking up with hope instead ofdread, living with peace instead
of anxiety, walking in freedominstead of being trapped in
(23:41):
shame, guilt, and condemnation.
That's exactly what happened toJamie, and it can happen to
you.
She didn't clean herself up andthen come to God.
She came to God broken, tired,addicted, homeless, and out of
answers.
And that's where everythingbegan to change.
So maybe that's where you aretoday.
(24:03):
Maybe you've taken a few wrongturns, made some mistakes, maybe
you have even convincedyourself that you've gone too
far or stayed away too long.
The truth is you haven't.
The beautiful truth is that Godis not running from you, He's
running towards you.
In fact, He's been chasing youyour entire life.
(24:24):
Every nudge you felt, everymoment you wondered if there had
to be more.
Every time you heard someoneshare their testimony, every
time you felt that gentle pullon your heart, that's God
saying, I'm still here.
And he's ready to reroute yourlife.
Not because you're good enough,not because you've earned it,
not because you've got it allfigured out.
(24:47):
He's ready because he lovesyou.
Jesus said, Come to me, all whoare weary and burdened, and I
will give you rest.
So if you're tired of carryingthe weight of your past, if
you're tired of trying to fixyourself, if you're tired of
living without purpose, passion,and peace, today can be your
(25:09):
day.
Simply tell Jesus, I need you.
I believe you died for me androse again.
I give you my life today.
Lead me, teach me, show me yourway.
Friend, that's where thereroute begins.
(25:29):
And I promise the road aheadmay not always be easy, but it
will be worth it because youwon't be walking it alone.
Before I go, if this programencouraged you, please like our
Facebook page, Get the Hell Outof Your Life.
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Until next week, remember this:
God has a purpose for your (26:05):
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Jesus loves you, and it's nevertoo late to remote.
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