April 1, 2025 • 25 mins
This is the part of Tracy's story where Jesus turns the darkness into life and brings tremendous beauty from the ashes of sorrow and hardship. When Tracy had finally had enough and surrendered her heart and her life to Jesus...that is when everything changed forever.
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Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
Welcome to this week's podcast.
Last week we heard the story ofTracy Doughty's life and how she
followed the example that shesaw growing up from her mom and
began to make so many badchoices, looking for love in all
the wrong places, and.
She talked about how that led tosuch disastrous and dark tragedy
(00:24):
in her life.
This week, you'll hear thebeauty that happened When she
yielded to the love of Jesus andsurrendered to let him be the
Lord of her life.
This week's podcast is amazing.
It is just such a powerfultestimony of the beauty of
(00:45):
transformation that Jesus doeswhen a person surrenders to him.
But if you didn't listen to lastweek's podcast yet, I encourage
you to go listen to part one ofTracy's story before you listen
to this conclusion.
and you will be blessedamazingly by her life and her
testimony and what the Lord hasdone in redeeming her and.
(01:11):
It is an encouragingillustration of what God wants
to do in your life in many waysas well if you don't know him as
your personal savior.
So I encourage you to listen andenjoy and God bless you
Phil Shuler (01:27):
HellO, and welcome to Renew, Restore, Rejoice, the
Safe House Ministries podcast,where we share stories of the
power of God to change livesthrough Safe House Ministries.
Safe House Ministries is basedout of Columbus, Georgia, and we
are a ministry that exists tolove and serve people who have
been affected by addiction,homelessness, and incarceration.
I'm your host, Phil Shuler, theDirector of Development for Safe
(01:49):
House Ministries here inColumbus, Georgia.
Safe House serves over 1, 100people each month as they
transition back into ourcommunity.
Safe House provides an abundanceof services including 213 beds
for homeless individuals andfamilies, case management for
obtaining job skills and longterm employment.
Over 300 hot meals every day,free clothing, and so much more.
(02:10):
One of the most incredibleservices that Safe House
provides is our free 9 12 monthintensive outpatient substance
abuse program, which is statelicensed, CARF accredited, and
has no wait list.
Almost 100 percent ofindividuals staying in our
shelters who follow our threephase program become fully
employed within a few months.
And 68 percent of individualswho stay at least one night with
(02:31):
us End up finding work andmoving into their own home.
Thank you for being with ustoday and listening to our
podcast.
We hope you enjoy this week'sepisode.
Tracy (02:40):
I thought I was gonna die.
I've been through some thingsthat I wouldn't wish nobody to
go through.
It was scary.
It was scary.
And then my son, he went to hewas mandated to go to Center of
Hope, and he prayed so hard forme to come, and he would call me
and ask me, Mom, are you ready?
(03:01):
And I would say, no, not yet.
I was scared of the unknown,yeah.
But,
None (03:06):
So even though living homeless and the fear of being
in that place, the allure andthe connection to the drugs was
still just too much greater, toostrong.
Yeah.
Tracy (03:18):
Mm hmm.
When Jodi went to jail That'swhen I said, I can't do this.
Because
None (03:25):
then you were alone.
Tracy (03:26):
I was alone.
I can't do this.
And I was, at this point, I wastired of it.
I was sick and tired of beingsick and tired.
And my son called me and said,Mom, are you ready?
Again, you used to do it all thetime.
Phil (03:40):
Yeah.
Tracy (03:41):
That last time I said, I'm ready.
And I'm telling you, Phil, whenI said that, the relief.
That, and I was so overwhelmed.
God opened up doors like youwould not believe, and it was
just overwhelming.
It was, I could just feel theHoly Spirit right now in me,
because I know what that feelingwas like.
(04:06):
And so
None (04:07):
How old were you then?
Tracy (04:08):
I was 50, 49, 50, I'm 55 now yeah,
None (04:14):
so that was the beginning of getting out of the darkness.
Tracy (04:17):
That was the beginning of a new life with Jesus.
That's awesome.
None (04:20):
What was the first step?
Tracy (04:22):
Going to a center of hope.
None (04:24):
Okay.
Tracy (04:24):
So I finally went to the Center of Hope and, trust me, I
had my meltdowns when I firstgot there.
Getting right up over a cup onthe table.
I was like, I can't believe I'mgetting right up for a cup of
tea.
It was just on the table when Iwas in the streets.
I didn't have structure anddidn't get in trouble, but
little did I know that.
(04:45):
Structure and obedience wenthand in hand with Jesus, and
once I realized that, I alwayssaid, Oh, that's how this works.
And that's when I startedgetting the knowledge of God's
word forming my relationshipwith him and I have been
(05:07):
delivered.
I can honestly say that becauseof the situation that I'm in
right now, I know I've beendelivered.
None (05:15):
So how long were you at Center of Hope?
Tracy (05:17):
For a year.
None (05:18):
Okay.
Tracy (05:18):
It was a whole year.
None (05:19):
And you got through it.
You got clean.
Tracy (05:23):
Yes.
Yes.
And that was the best year of mywhole entire life.
None (05:28):
Was Christopher still there at that time too?
He was.
Tracy (05:30):
He graduated in May and I still had until August.
None (05:34):
Okay.
Tracy (05:35):
So we were there together for some months together.
And it was awesome.
Phil (2) (05:40):
Praise the
None (05:40):
Lord.
Awesome.
So then he gets out and you getout and what was next?
Tracy (05:45):
I thought my sister.
She was had so many strokes toher brain, my, not my younger
sister, but the middle sisterand I went and stayed with her
and I did not know that she wasbedridden and it just broke my
heart.
She had been with this guy for15 years Howard is his name and
(06:09):
he was been out of work due toan accident he had on his job.
And, but I went and stayed withthem and helped her, helped him
with her for a while, change herdiaper and feed her.
And she would tell me thingslike I know that there's a woman
coming through the back doorcooking for me.
Tell her that cooking sure isgood.
And I said, I will, sister.
(06:30):
I will.
And I would feed her and she'dsay just was amazing at the time
that I had with her anddefinitely was a closure because
she was one that my firsthusband had slept with.
Wow.
She couldn't shake that shameand guilt and she held on to it
all those years.
(06:52):
And, but I had forgiven her.
I didn't know what forgive wasthen even not having a
relationship with Jesus.
I knew what that was.
But she just held it, held on toit all those years.
And it was, we didn't have arelationship.
But it mattered to me.
I was still going to go helpher, when she was in the
hospital, she died from sepsis.
(07:13):
And she was only 51.
Wow.
But I prayed for her.
I prayed with her into heaven.
I had her repeat the words tome, even though you couldn't
understand them.
But that was amazing.
Wow.
It was a closure for me.
Yeah.
It was definitely a closure forme.
None (07:30):
Had her life taken a similar path with the drugs?
It
Tracy (07:33):
did.
And she had six kids.
Wow.
With different yeah.
Yeah.
And same with my baby sisternow, and she's still going
through it.
And I pray for her salvation theladies at work, Miss Christy
with a C and Christy with a K,I'm telling you, I can go in and
be so upset about things that goon at home.
(07:55):
Cause I stay with my sister withher being in her active
addiction, I do.
And it's my room is like a,prayer war room.
I have prayers up on the wallsand nothing that's on my TV
unless it's sermons or fakemovies and Just spiritual music
(08:15):
and I'm always talking to herabout Jesus and she's just not
ready for it, but it's gonna beokay.
But I'm telling you, if itwasn't for Christi with a C,
Christi with a K, and Kim, I,they are amazing.
None (08:30):
Good Christian friends that walk with you and encourage
you.
And
Tracy (08:36):
Miss Jamie Lee.
I'm telling you, I'm able totalk to them about the things
that go on in the encouragementand the words that they give me.
Including my son.
He, we have Bible study over thephone.
Really?
So Christopher's
None (08:52):
doing well?
Tracy (08:53):
Oh, absolutely.
He's actually an ordainedminister.
Wow.
Where's
None (08:58):
he preaching at?
Tracy (08:59):
He's not.
He gets to marry people.
Oh.
He married someone last year forthe first time.
None (09:05):
That's exciting.
Tracy (09:06):
Yes.
And he's doing exceptionallywell.
And actually, he is engaged andhe's going to be married again
soon.
They're just waiting for thingsto come in place.
None (09:18):
That's exciting.
Tracy (09:19):
Yes.
Wow.
Amazing.
None (09:21):
So you just have continued to do well, stay clean, just
live in victory from the timeyou left the Center of Hope.
So when did you get connected toSafe House Ministries?
Tracy (09:33):
I tried to get a job at the Safe House.
Working in the front is what Iwanted to do.
Yeah.
Or be a case manager and helppeople.
But them doors just were notopening for me.
And I said, God, what I mean Ijust wanna serve you.
I just wanna work there.
I just wanna serve you.
I wanna do what they do, and.
(09:54):
He just wasn't ready for me.
He was building my character forsomething better.
And I tell you what, when heopened those doors for me at
Grace House, I couldn't havebeen more thankful because the
ladies that I work with therejust the staff, we have each
other's back.
And it's amazing.
Um, and to be open and remainteachable.
(10:16):
Helps to, as a house manager,because when I first started, I
was rough around the edges.
None (10:23):
When did you first start at the women's shelter there at
Safe House?
Tracy (10:25):
May the 15th of last year.
Okay.
Rough around the edges a littlebit?
I was.
And Christy with a K would talkto me.
And because I remained teachableand took what she was telling
me, and I didn't wear it on my,I took it to heart and said,
okay she's teaching me and itwas, it's an awesome place to
(10:48):
work.
I love working there and it'snot just a job.
It is my calling.
Yeah.
None (10:53):
Yeah.
It's your way of ministering tohelp others.
Tracy (10:57):
Yup.
That's so good.
And I'm learning every day.
I learn more from them than theylearn from me.
None (11:03):
That's awesome.
Yeah.
That's so good.
Tracy (11:05):
Yeah.
None (11:06):
Wow.
Tracy (11:07):
I love them.
None (11:09):
Yeah.
I
Tracy (11:09):
love all of them.
None (11:11):
There's something that's just such a blessing to have
just good Christian sisters andbrothers that can help you.
Just in life.
That kingdom connection.
Yeah.
I mean it, it's amazing.
Yeah.
Tracy (11:25):
God definitely opened them doors.
He knew what he was doing whenhe opened that door for me.
I'm forever grateful for thatand he's just building me, my
character for his will.
Yeah.
And remaining teachable.
None (11:37):
That is awesome.
That's so huge.
Yeah.
That is one of thedifferentiating qualities of
people who live in victory, whocontinue to do well and get
better, and people that don't.
That quality of being teachable.
Yeah.
Just, yeah, if you don't haveit, then you're headed for a
(11:58):
fall.
Absolutely.
A bad one.
Tracy (11:59):
Absolutely.
And you got to be able to, a lotof people can't take criticism
or corrections.
Pride.
Pride gets in the
None (12:08):
way, don't it?
Tracy (12:09):
Yeah.
And you can't let that get inthe way.
You just have to accept it.
And I have.
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
Christy will let me know.
With a K, she will let me know,Tracy.
This is what, and she's and I'mtelling you, she's so good at
how she approaches us withthings that need to be talked
about.
She's an awesome boss.
Wow, praise the Lord.
(12:30):
I just don't want, I would nevertrade her for nothing in the
None (12:33):
world.
Tracy (12:34):
That
None (12:35):
is good.
If
Tracy (12:36):
I, if God ever opened up another door for me, I would
probably want to drag her withme.
None (12:43):
Don't be dragging her away
Tracy (12:44):
She's good and
None (12:46):
that's good.
That's having a good boss isYeah, and it's the biggest thing
that either keeps someone at aplace or if they have a bad boss
It's what makes them leave.
Tracy (12:58):
What's so awesome about it is that She's been there
She's been there, so she knows.
Yeah.
She's been way back there.
Yeah.
From the beginning, like, wherewe all have been in recovery.
Yeah.
And so she knows, and that'swhat makes it so awesome.
None (13:13):
Yeah, praise the Lord.
Yeah.
Tell me over the years of yourjourney, what are some of the
key lessons that you havelearned that you would like to
share?
Tracy (13:25):
My worth my worth.
I didn't know my worth.
Phil (13:29):
Yeah.
Tracy (13:30):
I and that's why I still fell in those patterns of being
treated the way I was treated.
But today I can tell you whenGod showed me my worth and how
much it was to Him.
And as his daughter, I took thatand ran so fast, Phil.
You can't tell me nothing.
(13:52):
Wow.
I don't have to compromise.
I don't have to settle becauseof him.
Because God told me how much Imeant to him.
Because he loves me no matterwhat.
And he's a forgiving God.
None (14:06):
That's one of the most amazing things.
The creator of the world.
Loves us in our mess so muchthat he sent his son to die for
us.
That's how much he thinks we'reworth.
We're worth the life of his son.
To take our sin upon himself todie but praise the Lord.
(14:27):
That's right.
He rose again.
That's right.
Three days later.
Tracy (14:29):
That's right.
None (14:30):
And just the fact that the Creator God wants to give that
life to us.
Yeah.
It's amazing.
Is such a testament of how muchGod loves us and how valuable
and how much we're worth to Him.
You know what?
He wants to redeem us.
Tracy (14:46):
You know what hurts me is the people that don't know Him.
It hurts my heart.
Phil (14:50):
Yeah.
Tracy (14:51):
Yeah.
Because they just don't know howgood
None (14:54):
He really is.
Phil (14:56):
Yeah.
None (14:56):
It makes me think of Proverbs 4, 19, which talks
about the way of the wicked isas darkness.
They know not at what theystumble.
They're just.
Yeah.
They're trying to do the bestthey can, but they don't know,
they don't know how to get onstable footing.
They don't know how to getahead.
They don't know how to have abetter life.
Maybe they don't even realizeit's possible,
Tracy (15:18):
I didn't either at one time.
Yeah.
I didn't either.
At one time, I thought I wasgoing to be where I was at for
the rest of my life, but youhave to want it.
None (15:27):
Yeah.
Tracy (15:28):
And I did.
None (15:29):
Yeah.
What other lessons have youlearned along the way?
Tracy (15:33):
To persevere.
Trust in the process.
None (15:36):
Yeah.
Is that back to your early daysat the Center of Hope and going
through the process of gettingclean?
Oh, Lord,
Tracy (15:43):
yes.
And I would have meltdowns.
I would be on the floor justcrying.
And I wasn't even mandated.
I was God ordered.
You hear me?
And I could have just as easilywalked out that door, but the
Holy Spirit says, no, you'renot.
I would have had a long walkbecause it's two hours from
here.
But the Holy Spirit, God justhad one store for me.
And I just, he was there with mewhen I was kicking and
(16:06):
screaming.
And having my meltdowns and thenthere will be times that We
would be at the thrift store andwe'd be stacking to Jesus them
clothes stacking to Jesus that'show it and there was this one
song that came out Brandon LakeOh my goodness, and I'm telling
you when I was sitting therestacking them clothes.
(16:26):
It was called heaven I stoppedstacking them clothes and threw
my hands in the air, and I justcried like a baby.
Wow.
And I just, the Holy Spirit justfilled me, and that's, I'm
telling you, if I can get anylost soul to feel that feeling
(16:47):
of the Holy Spirit I would dragas many as I could.
Phil (16:50):
Yeah.
Tracy (16:50):
Yeah.
Phil (16:51):
Wow.
Tracy (16:52):
That it was just amazing, and I'm so thankful Praise the
Lord loves me for I'm at
None (16:59):
yeah, that's good.
That's good.
Where do you go to church at
Tracy (17:02):
I?
Get my spiritual healing frompraise ministries tabernacle
when I feel like my whole spiritinside me is needs to be revived
a little I'll go over there andI sit there, but sometimes I go
to the church on the rock.
I do not have a home church,Phil, but
None (17:21):
Okay, you're different, you're in different churches.
I
Tracy (17:23):
am, and I need to stop that.
I can't be church hopping likethat.
I got to find a home church.
And I know that most of mykingdom connection with my job
goes to the fort.
Yeah.
And I am gonna go to the fort,and I'm gonna get more involved
with the ladies.
Um, I do go to school,
None (17:44):
what are you studying in school?
Tracy (17:45):
Oh my goodness, Human Services, Concentration, Drug
Abuse, Psychology.
I'm getting my BA.
None (17:51):
Wow, fantastic.
Tracy (17:53):
Yes, God has brought me a long
None (17:55):
way.
That's awesome.
Praise the, that's wonderful.
Praise the Lord.
That's, that is just you have areally amazing story.
And just the things that God hasbrought you out of.
The lies that he has dispelledand the truth that he has shown
you and given you and that youhave received.
That's the thing.
The truth is the truth, but itdoesn't help us until we receive
(18:17):
it and like really let it sinkinto our hearts.
Then it makes all the differencein the world.
Tracy (18:23):
Every difference in the world.
Wow.
It makes life so amazing.
I just look at trees differentnow.
I used to ride down the streetand say, Oh, okay, it's just a
tree.
But now, I can ride down thestreet and just look at God's
beauty.
I just, you just see things sodifferently.
None (18:41):
You do.
You're right.
And the Apostle Paul speaks tothat in the first chapter of
Romans, the natural revelation.
The world around us testifies tothe reality of God, but so many
people, they don't accept that.
Oh, that's
Tracy (18:59):
sad.
None (18:59):
Yeah but there's hope.
Tracy (19:01):
Absolutely, always hope.
None (19:03):
Yeah, that's awesome.
Anything else you want to sharebefore we finish up?
Tracy (19:07):
No,
None (19:08):
I'm good.
Alright, any last word you wantto give to people that might be
listening?
Tracy (19:13):
Persevere.
Trust in the process.
Don't put your hands in it.
Let God do it.
None (19:20):
That's good.
Don't put your hands in it.
Yeah, absolutely.
Let go and surrender.
Tracy (19:26):
Surrender.
And it's hard.
It's hard.
I've just went throughsomething.
Like that here a few days ago,and I was able to talk to Jamie
Lee about it.
And she talked to me about it,and it just, I had to say, I had
to pray and say, God, please,it's, I surrender this to you.
(19:47):
I can't control this is out ofmy, It's just out of my hands
and I'll just pray for hersalvation and I pray that she
surrenders her addiction and shesurrenders her gambling and she
surrenders her codependency andI just pray that she just learns
what her worth is with you andthat she doesn't have to put up
(20:09):
with these things, yeah.
That's my
Phil (20:12):
Yeah.
Tracy (20:13):
Oh, it's And it was hard.
I just feel like it's reallybeen a wedge in between our
relationship as sisters rightnow.
None (20:21):
Yeah, it is hard.
It just,
Tracy (20:24):
It hurts.
Yeah,
None (20:25):
and the reality is a lot of times, to help someone out of
the darkness, you just have tolove them.
Where
Tracy (20:34):
they're at.
None (20:34):
And pray for them and trust the Lord over a long
period of time.
Tracy (20:39):
Yeah.
None (20:40):
It's not an easy journey, that journey of faith, but, wow.
Tracy (20:45):
But I know that he's working.
Amen.
I know that.
I know that his timing isperfect.
Phil (20:55):
Yeah.
Tracy (20:56):
I have to trust the process.
Phil (2) (20:57):
Yeah.
None (20:58):
I remember as a child myself, growing up in my home
Kneeling at the couch with mydad and my brothers and sisters
and we would pray for my grandpawho was an alcoholic Just for
decades He was an abusive fatherto my dad and I just remember us
as a family praying for him for
Phil (2) (21:19):
Years and years and years and years a long time
None (21:23):
and He was about 53 and he was staying with us Ended up in
the hospital, his liver wasfailing, and three days before
he died, he surrendered toJesus.
Oh, amen.
And he got saved.
Amen.
Yeah, but sometimes it takes along time.
And I, and it's frustrating andit's just, but it's that journey
(21:48):
of trusting the Lord.
Tracy (21:50):
And I trust Him.
Yeah.
With everything that I have, Itrust Him.
I know, I just know I cannotlive my life without loving the
Lord, trusting the process,trusting in Him, having faith,
having hope, I just don't knowhow to do it without Him.
I can't.
Yeah.
Yeah.
None (22:09):
He's good.
Yes, He is.
And He is good to all of us.
He is.
Just, I was hit with the truththe other day that There's
nothing that is a blessing and agood thing in our lives that is
not from the hand of the Lord.
Tracy (22:23):
He's just
None (22:23):
good to us and we don't deserve it.
Tracy (22:26):
The mercy and grace, Lord, I read that all the time.
Grace is where he we don'tdeserve it.
And mercy is where he.
Keeps us
None (22:37):
from mercy.
He keeps punishment from us thatwe do deserve grace.
He gives us things that we don'tdeserve.
Tracy (22:44):
Absolutely.
And I think about that all thetime.
I think about that all the timebecause, I'm so undeserving to
him.
I just eat.
I don't deserve nothing he givesme.
None (22:55):
Yeah.
It's so crazy though.
All of us, we all tend tocompare ourselves to other
people and think, Oh, wow, thatperson's way bad.
I'm pretty good, but God looksdown in all of us and we're all
just a bunch of rotten, dirtysinners.
He's so perfect and so holy.
How crazy of us to sometimesthink that we're something,
Tracy (23:14):
I can tell you this.
I am no better than the nextperson that puts their pants on.
I put my pants on the same waythey do.
And I don't care if they'rehomeless.
I don't care if they're still intheir addiction.
I don't care if, I just, it'snot like that.
God, because God looks at aheart, not the outside.
None (23:37):
Yeah, he does.
And he is outside of theboundaries of time.
Tracy (23:41):
The ladies where I work at, I'm no better than they are.
I've been there I've been there.
I've been on both sides.
I know.
None (23:49):
Praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord for Hisgoodness.
Tracy (23:52):
That's right.
None (23:53):
Yeah.
Amen.
You mind if I close this in aword of prayer?
Tracy (23:56):
Go ahead.
None (23:57):
Dear Father, I thank you for your grace.
I thank you for your mercy.
I thank you for your goodness.
Thank you for this time withTracy and just her willingness
to share.
Her story in her life and thepath that you Brought her out of
the darkness and just thevictory that you've given her.
Thank you for that Lord BlessChristopher and guide his path
(24:19):
and just bless his future helphim to look to you to listen to
you to follow you To start outhis new marriage With you at the
center and totally surrenderedhim and his fiance.
I pray and I pray for Tracy'ssister, that you would reach
through to her, Lord, that youwould break the walls of
(24:40):
darkness, break through thelies, to reach her heart, and
bring her to the place where shewould finally let go of herself,
of whatever she's holding on to,and surrender to you, I pray, to
trust in your son Jesus as herSavior.
We pray these things.
(25:01):
In your name, in the name ofyour son, Jesus.
Amen.
Tracy (25:05):
Amen.
Phil Shuler (25:06):
We look forward to being with you again next week
as we share another testimonyabout the power and the goodness
of God to change lives throughSafe House Ministries.
if you are someone listening tothis podcast that loves to hear
these stories of the greatthings that God is doing in
changing people's lives for thebetter, and if you would like to
be a part of that work, pleasereach out to us You can reach us
(25:29):
at 2101 Hamilton Road, Columbus,Georgia, 31,904.
You can call us at seven oh sixthree two two.
3 7, 7 3, or you can email us atinfo@safehouse-ministries.com.
Microphone (Samson Q2U Mi (25:44):
Thank you so much for being with us
this week for the renew restoreand rejoice podcast of safe
house ministries, we pray thatGod will bless you this week.
And we look forward to havingyou back with us again next week
for a new episode.
Welcome to this week's podcast.
Last week we heard the story ofTracy Doughty's life and how she
followed the example that shesaw growing up from her mom and
began to make so many badchoices, looking for love in all
the wrong places, and.
She talked about how that led tosuch disastrous and dark tragedy
(00:24):
in her life.
This week, you'll hear thebeauty that happened When she
yielded to the love of Jesus andsurrendered to let him be the
Lord of her life.
This week's podcast is amazing.
It is just such a powerfultestimony of the beauty of
(00:45):
transformation that Jesus doeswhen a person surrenders to him.
But if you didn't listen to lastweek's podcast yet, I encourage
you to go listen to part one ofTracy's story before you listen
to this conclusion.
and you will be blessedamazingly by her life and her
testimony and what the Lord hasdone in redeeming her and.
(01:11):
It is an encouragingillustration of what God wants
to do in your life in many waysas well if you don't know him as
your personal savior.
So I encourage you to listen andenjoy and God bless you
Phil Shuler (01:27):
HellO, and welcome to Renew, Restore, Rejoice, the
Safe House Ministries podcast,where we share stories of the
power of God to change livesthrough Safe House Ministries.
Safe House Ministries is basedout of Columbus, Georgia, and we
are a ministry that exists tolove and serve people who have
been affected by addiction,homelessness, and incarceration.
I'm your host, Phil Shuler, theDirector of Development for Safe
(01:49):
House Ministries here inColumbus, Georgia.
Safe House serves over 1, 100people each month as they
transition back into ourcommunity.
Safe House provides an abundanceof services including 213 beds
for homeless individuals andfamilies, case management for
obtaining job skills and longterm employment.
Over 300 hot meals every day,free clothing, and so much more.
(02:10):
One of the most incredibleservices that Safe House
provides is our free 9 12 monthintensive outpatient substance
abuse program, which is statelicensed, CARF accredited, and
has no wait list.
Almost 100 percent ofindividuals staying in our
shelters who follow our threephase program become fully
employed within a few months.
And 68 percent of individualswho stay at least one night with
(02:31):
us End up finding work andmoving into their own home.
Thank you for being with ustoday and listening to our
podcast.
We hope you enjoy this week'sepisode.
Tracy (02:40):
I thought I was gonna die.
I've been through some thingsthat I wouldn't wish nobody to
go through.
It was scary.
It was scary.
And then my son, he went to hewas mandated to go to Center of
Hope, and he prayed so hard forme to come, and he would call me
and ask me, Mom, are you ready?
(03:01):
And I would say, no, not yet.
I was scared of the unknown,yeah.
But,
None (03:06):
So even though living homeless and the fear of being
in that place, the allure andthe connection to the drugs was
still just too much greater, toostrong.
Yeah.
Tracy (03:18):
Mm hmm.
When Jodi went to jail That'swhen I said, I can't do this.
Because
None (03:25):
then you were alone.
Tracy (03:26):
I was alone.
I can't do this.
And I was, at this point, I wastired of it.
I was sick and tired of beingsick and tired.
And my son called me and said,Mom, are you ready?
Again, you used to do it all thetime.
Phil (03:40):
Yeah.
Tracy (03:41):
That last time I said, I'm ready.
And I'm telling you, Phil, whenI said that, the relief.
That, and I was so overwhelmed.
God opened up doors like youwould not believe, and it was
just overwhelming.
It was, I could just feel theHoly Spirit right now in me,
because I know what that feelingwas like.
(04:06):
And so
None (04:07):
How old were you then?
Tracy (04:08):
I was 50, 49, 50, I'm 55 now yeah,
None (04:14):
so that was the beginning of getting out of the darkness.
Tracy (04:17):
That was the beginning of a new life with Jesus.
That's awesome.
None (04:20):
What was the first step?
Tracy (04:22):
Going to a center of hope.
None (04:24):
Okay.
Tracy (04:24):
So I finally went to the Center of Hope and, trust me, I
had my meltdowns when I firstgot there.
Getting right up over a cup onthe table.
I was like, I can't believe I'mgetting right up for a cup of
tea.
It was just on the table when Iwas in the streets.
I didn't have structure anddidn't get in trouble, but
little did I know that.
(04:45):
Structure and obedience wenthand in hand with Jesus, and
once I realized that, I alwayssaid, Oh, that's how this works.
And that's when I startedgetting the knowledge of God's
word forming my relationshipwith him and I have been
(05:07):
delivered.
I can honestly say that becauseof the situation that I'm in
right now, I know I've beendelivered.
None (05:15):
So how long were you at Center of Hope?
Tracy (05:17):
For a year.
None (05:18):
Okay.
Tracy (05:18):
It was a whole year.
None (05:19):
And you got through it.
You got clean.
Tracy (05:23):
Yes.
Yes.
And that was the best year of mywhole entire life.
None (05:28):
Was Christopher still there at that time too?
He was.
Tracy (05:30):
He graduated in May and I still had until August.
None (05:34):
Okay.
Tracy (05:35):
So we were there together for some months together.
And it was awesome.
Phil (2) (05:40):
Praise the
None (05:40):
Lord.
Awesome.
So then he gets out and you getout and what was next?
Tracy (05:45):
I thought my sister.
She was had so many strokes toher brain, my, not my younger
sister, but the middle sisterand I went and stayed with her
and I did not know that she wasbedridden and it just broke my
heart.
She had been with this guy for15 years Howard is his name and
(06:09):
he was been out of work due toan accident he had on his job.
And, but I went and stayed withthem and helped her, helped him
with her for a while, change herdiaper and feed her.
And she would tell me thingslike I know that there's a woman
coming through the back doorcooking for me.
Tell her that cooking sure isgood.
And I said, I will, sister.
(06:30):
I will.
And I would feed her and she'dsay just was amazing at the time
that I had with her anddefinitely was a closure because
she was one that my firsthusband had slept with.
Wow.
She couldn't shake that shameand guilt and she held on to it
all those years.
(06:52):
And, but I had forgiven her.
I didn't know what forgive wasthen even not having a
relationship with Jesus.
I knew what that was.
But she just held it, held on toit all those years.
And it was, we didn't have arelationship.
But it mattered to me.
I was still going to go helpher, when she was in the
hospital, she died from sepsis.
(07:13):
And she was only 51.
Wow.
But I prayed for her.
I prayed with her into heaven.
I had her repeat the words tome, even though you couldn't
understand them.
But that was amazing.
Wow.
It was a closure for me.
Yeah.
It was definitely a closure forme.
None (07:30):
Had her life taken a similar path with the drugs?
It
Tracy (07:33):
did.
And she had six kids.
Wow.
With different yeah.
Yeah.
And same with my baby sisternow, and she's still going
through it.
And I pray for her salvation theladies at work, Miss Christy
with a C and Christy with a K,I'm telling you, I can go in and
be so upset about things that goon at home.
(07:55):
Cause I stay with my sister withher being in her active
addiction, I do.
And it's my room is like a,prayer war room.
I have prayers up on the wallsand nothing that's on my TV
unless it's sermons or fakemovies and Just spiritual music
(08:15):
and I'm always talking to herabout Jesus and she's just not
ready for it, but it's gonna beokay.
But I'm telling you, if itwasn't for Christi with a C,
Christi with a K, and Kim, I,they are amazing.
None (08:30):
Good Christian friends that walk with you and encourage
you.
And
Tracy (08:36):
Miss Jamie Lee.
I'm telling you, I'm able totalk to them about the things
that go on in the encouragementand the words that they give me.
Including my son.
He, we have Bible study over thephone.
Really?
So Christopher's
None (08:52):
doing well?
Tracy (08:53):
Oh, absolutely.
He's actually an ordainedminister.
Wow.
Where's
None (08:58):
he preaching at?
Tracy (08:59):
He's not.
He gets to marry people.
Oh.
He married someone last year forthe first time.
None (09:05):
That's exciting.
Tracy (09:06):
Yes.
And he's doing exceptionallywell.
And actually, he is engaged andhe's going to be married again
soon.
They're just waiting for thingsto come in place.
None (09:18):
That's exciting.
Tracy (09:19):
Yes.
Wow.
Amazing.
None (09:21):
So you just have continued to do well, stay clean, just
live in victory from the timeyou left the Center of Hope.
So when did you get connected toSafe House Ministries?
Tracy (09:33):
I tried to get a job at the Safe House.
Working in the front is what Iwanted to do.
Yeah.
Or be a case manager and helppeople.
But them doors just were notopening for me.
And I said, God, what I mean Ijust wanna serve you.
I just wanna work there.
I just wanna serve you.
I wanna do what they do, and.
(09:54):
He just wasn't ready for me.
He was building my character forsomething better.
And I tell you what, when heopened those doors for me at
Grace House, I couldn't havebeen more thankful because the
ladies that I work with therejust the staff, we have each
other's back.
And it's amazing.
Um, and to be open and remainteachable.
(10:16):
Helps to, as a house manager,because when I first started, I
was rough around the edges.
None (10:23):
When did you first start at the women's shelter there at
Safe House?
Tracy (10:25):
May the 15th of last year.
Okay.
Rough around the edges a littlebit?
I was.
And Christy with a K would talkto me.
And because I remained teachableand took what she was telling
me, and I didn't wear it on my,I took it to heart and said,
okay she's teaching me and itwas, it's an awesome place to
(10:48):
work.
I love working there and it'snot just a job.
It is my calling.
Yeah.
None (10:53):
Yeah.
It's your way of ministering tohelp others.
Tracy (10:57):
Yup.
That's so good.
And I'm learning every day.
I learn more from them than theylearn from me.
None (11:03):
That's awesome.
Yeah.
That's so good.
Tracy (11:05):
Yeah.
None (11:06):
Wow.
Tracy (11:07):
I love them.
None (11:09):
Yeah.
I
Tracy (11:09):
love all of them.
None (11:11):
There's something that's just such a blessing to have
just good Christian sisters andbrothers that can help you.
Just in life.
That kingdom connection.
Yeah.
I mean it, it's amazing.
Yeah.
Tracy (11:25):
God definitely opened them doors.
He knew what he was doing whenhe opened that door for me.
I'm forever grateful for thatand he's just building me, my
character for his will.
Yeah.
And remaining teachable.
None (11:37):
That is awesome.
That's so huge.
Yeah.
That is one of thedifferentiating qualities of
people who live in victory, whocontinue to do well and get
better, and people that don't.
That quality of being teachable.
Yeah.
Just, yeah, if you don't haveit, then you're headed for a
(11:58):
fall.
Absolutely.
A bad one.
Tracy (11:59):
Absolutely.
And you got to be able to, a lotof people can't take criticism
or corrections.
Pride.
Pride gets in the
None (12:08):
way, don't it?
Tracy (12:09):
Yeah.
And you can't let that get inthe way.
You just have to accept it.
And I have.
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
Christy will let me know.
With a K, she will let me know,Tracy.
This is what, and she's and I'mtelling you, she's so good at
how she approaches us withthings that need to be talked
about.
She's an awesome boss.
Wow, praise the Lord.
(12:30):
I just don't want, I would nevertrade her for nothing in the
None (12:33):
world.
Tracy (12:34):
That
None (12:35):
is good.
If
Tracy (12:36):
I, if God ever opened up another door for me, I would
probably want to drag her withme.
None (12:43):
Don't be dragging her away
Tracy (12:44):
She's good and
None (12:46):
that's good.
That's having a good boss isYeah, and it's the biggest thing
that either keeps someone at aplace or if they have a bad boss
It's what makes them leave.
Tracy (12:58):
What's so awesome about it is that She's been there
She's been there, so she knows.
Yeah.
She's been way back there.
Yeah.
From the beginning, like, wherewe all have been in recovery.
Yeah.
And so she knows, and that'swhat makes it so awesome.
None (13:13):
Yeah, praise the Lord.
Yeah.
Tell me over the years of yourjourney, what are some of the
key lessons that you havelearned that you would like to
share?
Tracy (13:25):
My worth my worth.
I didn't know my worth.
Phil (13:29):
Yeah.
Tracy (13:30):
I and that's why I still fell in those patterns of being
treated the way I was treated.
But today I can tell you whenGod showed me my worth and how
much it was to Him.
And as his daughter, I took thatand ran so fast, Phil.
You can't tell me nothing.
(13:52):
Wow.
I don't have to compromise.
I don't have to settle becauseof him.
Because God told me how much Imeant to him.
Because he loves me no matterwhat.
And he's a forgiving God.
None (14:06):
That's one of the most amazing things.
The creator of the world.
Loves us in our mess so muchthat he sent his son to die for
us.
That's how much he thinks we'reworth.
We're worth the life of his son.
To take our sin upon himself todie but praise the Lord.
(14:27):
That's right.
He rose again.
That's right.
Three days later.
Tracy (14:29):
That's right.
None (14:30):
And just the fact that the Creator God wants to give that
life to us.
Yeah.
It's amazing.
Is such a testament of how muchGod loves us and how valuable
and how much we're worth to Him.
You know what?
He wants to redeem us.
Tracy (14:46):
You know what hurts me is the people that don't know Him.
It hurts my heart.
Phil (14:50):
Yeah.
Tracy (14:51):
Yeah.
Because they just don't know howgood
None (14:54):
He really is.
Phil (14:56):
Yeah.
None (14:56):
It makes me think of Proverbs 4, 19, which talks
about the way of the wicked isas darkness.
They know not at what theystumble.
They're just.
Yeah.
They're trying to do the bestthey can, but they don't know,
they don't know how to get onstable footing.
They don't know how to getahead.
They don't know how to have abetter life.
Maybe they don't even realizeit's possible,
Tracy (15:18):
I didn't either at one time.
Yeah.
I didn't either.
At one time, I thought I wasgoing to be where I was at for
the rest of my life, but youhave to want it.
None (15:27):
Yeah.
Tracy (15:28):
And I did.
None (15:29):
Yeah.
What other lessons have youlearned along the way?
Tracy (15:33):
To persevere.
Trust in the process.
None (15:36):
Yeah.
Is that back to your early daysat the Center of Hope and going
through the process of gettingclean?
Oh, Lord,
Tracy (15:43):
yes.
And I would have meltdowns.
I would be on the floor justcrying.
And I wasn't even mandated.
I was God ordered.
You hear me?
And I could have just as easilywalked out that door, but the
Holy Spirit says, no, you'renot.
I would have had a long walkbecause it's two hours from
here.
But the Holy Spirit, God justhad one store for me.
And I just, he was there with mewhen I was kicking and
(16:06):
screaming.
And having my meltdowns and thenthere will be times that We
would be at the thrift store andwe'd be stacking to Jesus them
clothes stacking to Jesus that'show it and there was this one
song that came out Brandon LakeOh my goodness, and I'm telling
you when I was sitting therestacking them clothes.
(16:26):
It was called heaven I stoppedstacking them clothes and threw
my hands in the air, and I justcried like a baby.
Wow.
And I just, the Holy Spirit justfilled me, and that's, I'm
telling you, if I can get anylost soul to feel that feeling
(16:47):
of the Holy Spirit I would dragas many as I could.
Phil (16:50):
Yeah.
Tracy (16:50):
Yeah.
Phil (16:51):
Wow.
Tracy (16:52):
That it was just amazing, and I'm so thankful Praise the
Lord loves me for I'm at
None (16:59):
yeah, that's good.
That's good.
Where do you go to church at
Tracy (17:02):
I?
Get my spiritual healing frompraise ministries tabernacle
when I feel like my whole spiritinside me is needs to be revived
a little I'll go over there andI sit there, but sometimes I go
to the church on the rock.
I do not have a home church,Phil, but
None (17:21):
Okay, you're different, you're in different churches.
I
Tracy (17:23):
am, and I need to stop that.
I can't be church hopping likethat.
I got to find a home church.
And I know that most of mykingdom connection with my job
goes to the fort.
Yeah.
And I am gonna go to the fort,and I'm gonna get more involved
with the ladies.
Um, I do go to school,
None (17:44):
what are you studying in school?
Tracy (17:45):
Oh my goodness, Human Services, Concentration, Drug
Abuse, Psychology.
I'm getting my BA.
None (17:51):
Wow, fantastic.
Tracy (17:53):
Yes, God has brought me a long
None (17:55):
way.
That's awesome.
Praise the, that's wonderful.
Praise the Lord.
That's, that is just you have areally amazing story.
And just the things that God hasbrought you out of.
The lies that he has dispelledand the truth that he has shown
you and given you and that youhave received.
That's the thing.
The truth is the truth, but itdoesn't help us until we receive
(18:17):
it and like really let it sinkinto our hearts.
Then it makes all the differencein the world.
Tracy (18:23):
Every difference in the world.
Wow.
It makes life so amazing.
I just look at trees differentnow.
I used to ride down the streetand say, Oh, okay, it's just a
tree.
But now, I can ride down thestreet and just look at God's
beauty.
I just, you just see things sodifferently.
None (18:41):
You do.
You're right.
And the Apostle Paul speaks tothat in the first chapter of
Romans, the natural revelation.
The world around us testifies tothe reality of God, but so many
people, they don't accept that.
Oh, that's
Tracy (18:59):
sad.
None (18:59):
Yeah but there's hope.
Tracy (19:01):
Absolutely, always hope.
None (19:03):
Yeah, that's awesome.
Anything else you want to sharebefore we finish up?
Tracy (19:07):
No,
None (19:08):
I'm good.
Alright, any last word you wantto give to people that might be
listening?
Tracy (19:13):
Persevere.
Trust in the process.
Don't put your hands in it.
Let God do it.
None (19:20):
That's good.
Don't put your hands in it.
Yeah, absolutely.
Let go and surrender.
Tracy (19:26):
Surrender.
And it's hard.
It's hard.
I've just went throughsomething.
Like that here a few days ago,and I was able to talk to Jamie
Lee about it.
And she talked to me about it,and it just, I had to say, I had
to pray and say, God, please,it's, I surrender this to you.
(19:47):
I can't control this is out ofmy, It's just out of my hands
and I'll just pray for hersalvation and I pray that she
surrenders her addiction and shesurrenders her gambling and she
surrenders her codependency andI just pray that she just learns
what her worth is with you andthat she doesn't have to put up
(20:09):
with these things, yeah.
That's my
Phil (20:12):
Yeah.
Tracy (20:13):
Oh, it's And it was hard.
I just feel like it's reallybeen a wedge in between our
relationship as sisters rightnow.
None (20:21):
Yeah, it is hard.
It just,
Tracy (20:24):
It hurts.
Yeah,
None (20:25):
and the reality is a lot of times, to help someone out of
the darkness, you just have tolove them.
Where
Tracy (20:34):
they're at.
None (20:34):
And pray for them and trust the Lord over a long
period of time.
Tracy (20:39):
Yeah.
None (20:40):
It's not an easy journey, that journey of faith, but, wow.
Tracy (20:45):
But I know that he's working.
Amen.
I know that.
I know that his timing isperfect.
Phil (20:55):
Yeah.
Tracy (20:56):
I have to trust the process.
Phil (2) (20:57):
Yeah.
None (20:58):
I remember as a child myself, growing up in my home
Kneeling at the couch with mydad and my brothers and sisters
and we would pray for my grandpawho was an alcoholic Just for
decades He was an abusive fatherto my dad and I just remember us
as a family praying for him for
Phil (2) (21:19):
Years and years and years and years a long time
None (21:23):
and He was about 53 and he was staying with us Ended up in
the hospital, his liver wasfailing, and three days before
he died, he surrendered toJesus.
Oh, amen.
And he got saved.
Amen.
Yeah, but sometimes it takes along time.
And I, and it's frustrating andit's just, but it's that journey
(21:48):
of trusting the Lord.
Tracy (21:50):
And I trust Him.
Yeah.
With everything that I have, Itrust Him.
I know, I just know I cannotlive my life without loving the
Lord, trusting the process,trusting in Him, having faith,
having hope, I just don't knowhow to do it without Him.
I can't.
Yeah.
Yeah.
None (22:09):
He's good.
Yes, He is.
And He is good to all of us.
He is.
Just, I was hit with the truththe other day that There's
nothing that is a blessing and agood thing in our lives that is
not from the hand of the Lord.
Tracy (22:23):
He's just
None (22:23):
good to us and we don't deserve it.
Tracy (22:26):
The mercy and grace, Lord, I read that all the time.
Grace is where he we don'tdeserve it.
And mercy is where he.
Keeps us
None (22:37):
from mercy.
He keeps punishment from us thatwe do deserve grace.
He gives us things that we don'tdeserve.
Tracy (22:44):
Absolutely.
And I think about that all thetime.
I think about that all the timebecause, I'm so undeserving to
him.
I just eat.
I don't deserve nothing he givesme.
None (22:55):
Yeah.
It's so crazy though.
All of us, we all tend tocompare ourselves to other
people and think, Oh, wow, thatperson's way bad.
I'm pretty good, but God looksdown in all of us and we're all
just a bunch of rotten, dirtysinners.
He's so perfect and so holy.
How crazy of us to sometimesthink that we're something,
Tracy (23:14):
I can tell you this.
I am no better than the nextperson that puts their pants on.
I put my pants on the same waythey do.
And I don't care if they'rehomeless.
I don't care if they're still intheir addiction.
I don't care if, I just, it'snot like that.
God, because God looks at aheart, not the outside.
None (23:37):
Yeah, he does.
And he is outside of theboundaries of time.
Tracy (23:41):
The ladies where I work at, I'm no better than they are.
I've been there I've been there.
I've been on both sides.
I know.
None (23:49):
Praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord for Hisgoodness.
Tracy (23:52):
That's right.
None (23:53):
Yeah.
Amen.
You mind if I close this in aword of prayer?
Tracy (23:56):
Go ahead.
None (23:57):
Dear Father, I thank you for your grace.
I thank you for your mercy.
I thank you for your goodness.
Thank you for this time withTracy and just her willingness
to share.
Her story in her life and thepath that you Brought her out of
the darkness and just thevictory that you've given her.
Thank you for that Lord BlessChristopher and guide his path
(24:19):
and just bless his future helphim to look to you to listen to
you to follow you To start outhis new marriage With you at the
center and totally surrenderedhim and his fiance.
I pray and I pray for Tracy'ssister, that you would reach
through to her, Lord, that youwould break the walls of
(24:40):
darkness, break through thelies, to reach her heart, and
bring her to the place where shewould finally let go of herself,
of whatever she's holding on to,and surrender to you, I pray, to
trust in your son Jesus as herSavior.
We pray these things.
(25:01):
In your name, in the name ofyour son, Jesus.
Amen.
Tracy (25:05):
Amen.
Phil Shuler (25:06):
We look forward to being with you again next week
as we share another testimonyabout the power and the goodness
of God to change lives throughSafe House Ministries.
if you are someone listening tothis podcast that loves to hear
these stories of the greatthings that God is doing in
changing people's lives for thebetter, and if you would like to
be a part of that work, pleasereach out to us You can reach us
(25:29):
at 2101 Hamilton Road, Columbus,Georgia, 31,904.
You can call us at seven oh sixthree two two.
3 7, 7 3, or you can email us atinfo@safehouse-ministries.com.
Microphone (Samson Q2U Mi (25:44):
Thank you so much for being with us
this week for the renew restoreand rejoice podcast of safe
house ministries, we pray thatGod will bless you this week.
And we look forward to havingyou back with us again next week
for a new episode.
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