Darlene was raised in a good home, but she sought out bad friends and fell into great darkness. From the age of 17 she paid dearly for her choice of friends and the path she took as a result. She had an abusive husband, who was eventually shot and killed by her dad, and she has three kids who have also been deeply hurt by the darkness that once consumed her. But God had other plans. God pursued her, God loved her, God redeemed her. Darlene is now clean, living in her own place, and restored in her relationship with her kids. You'll be greatly blessed by the amazing story of Darlene's life, and you'll find a treasure trove of wisdom to learn from.
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(00:00):
I started getting high when Iwas 17 years old.
so being around the wrongpeople, that was the start of
the path in the wrong direction.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I was hanging around some peopleand they was getting high and I
was too scared to say, I don'twant to do that.
I was too scared to.
think that they would not likeme or not want to hang out with
(00:21):
me.
So I did it and that was theworst mistake of my life.
Phil Shuler (00:27):
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
(00:49):
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.
(01:10):
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
(01:31):
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.
Good morning.
This morning on the podcast,I've got Darlene here with me.
And Darlene was recommended tome by one of my colleagues at
Safe House as someone who has areally neat story and who would
be great to have on the podcast.
(01:52):
And I'm very excited to haveDarlene here, to meet Darlene,
and to hear her story.
Darlene, welcome.
Thank you.
It's nice to be here.
Yeah.
Great to have you.
Thank you.
just to start out, I'd like toask you a question.
If you had to pick one word thatmight best describe you, what do
you think that word would be?
Today?
That word would be thankful.
That's a great word.
Beyond thankful.
(02:13):
What do you mean by that?
Thank you.
I've been in such a dark placefor so long.
I'm finally, God has brought meout of it.
He has delivered me from so muchand I'm just grateful and
thankful that I don't have to bethere and live that life
anymore.
That's awesome.
I just want to say praise theLord.
(02:34):
That sounds, Yeah, that's all itis.
You have set the stage.
It sounds like you have anincredible story of it's a,
Redemption and just what theLord's done.
Yeah.
That's awesome.
He is good.
And that, what a great place tobe in the place of thankfulness.
Yes.
And gratefulness.
That's the only thing that keepsme going is being so thankful
and, Grateful and because I knowthat it could be all ripped away
(02:58):
and we could be there.
It could be a lot worse Always,yeah, it could always be worse.
You're right.
There's always something to bethankful for.
Yes, it's always much.
Yes, and we don't realize thatuntil we've been yeah and the In
the darkest awesome.
i'm excited.
Yeah, so let's jump in.
Okay, darlene How did you growup?
(03:20):
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in smith station,alabama I had a great family.
My mom and dad were married for43 years Wow, yeah that is
amazing my dad we had we were inchurch our whole life my mom and
dad they were great people.
They worked hard their wholelife.
They raised me and my brotherYou to be good.
(03:43):
And we were.
But then I got into high schooland started hanging around with
the wrong people.
I started getting high when Iwas 17 years old.
so being around the wrongpeople, that was the start of
the path in the wrong direction.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I was hanging around some peopleand they was getting high and I
was too scared to say, I don'twant to do that.
(04:06):
I was too scared to.
think that they would not likeme or not want to hang out with
me.
So I did it and that was theworst mistake of my life.
So what were they using?
Back, it was cocaine.
I started with cocaine.
Yeah.
So you jumped right out of thegreat gate.
I did cocaine before I even didmarijuana or anything like that.
(04:27):
Yeah, it was Had you been taughtabout drugs and, or was it my
dad was actually a RussellCounty sheriff.
Deputy and I knew it wasn't nogood.
But then again, that peerpressure and then not wanting to
be not like, because I alreadywas the police's daughter, and I
didn't want to be that.
(04:48):
Yeah.
Wow.
so once you started doing somecocaine with those friends and
what did that lead to?
It led down a dark, very darkroad.
I started when I was 17.
Then when I was 20, I got with aguy who was very abusive
extremely abusive.
I had all three of my kids andhe got Real abusive.
(05:12):
It lasted for seven years.
My dad shot and killed him.
Wow.
In 2008.
Wow, that, wow.
Yeah So that what was thatstory?
The guy that I was with, we wereinto drugs, was using meth, he
was using meth, but he was, Onthe needle real bad and Xanax is
(05:34):
an alcohol.
It just didn't mix with him.
He would blackout and beat me toa pulp.
Like I remember one day I wokeup with bruises all over me.
He woke up and looked at me andasked me what happened.
Like he didn't even remember.
Wow.
You remembered it?
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
How could you forget that?
But I tried to hide it for along time, which my dad knew and
(05:58):
it got to the point to wherewhen it would get really bad, my
mom and dad would hide me out.
I would hide and he would alwayscome back to try to find me.
Didn't you had kids at thistime?
Yeah, I had my first son.
Colton, he was born in 2002.
The abuse didn't start tillColton was about two and a half.
(06:21):
And then it started, it got realbad.
And then I got pregnant with mysecond son three years later.
I thought it was going to getbetter cause he was excited
about having a baby.
And yeah.
But no, it didn't get better.
It got worse.
Then when I had my daughter, Ilearned that he he just had a
hate for women.
He he actually beat the crap outof me with my daughter in my
(06:45):
hands.
She was not but two months old.
What?
That's the day I realized Ican't do this anymore.
That's the day.
Well, a couple of days later, mydad, he come in at my dad and he
came to your dad, he came to mydad's house looking for me and
my kids.
We weren't there.
And he wouldn't leave withoutus.
(07:08):
And my dad, he kept coming at mydad.
My dad told him to get out.
And he didn't get out.
My dad told him to get outagain.
And my dad already had his gunout of his safe.
And he did.
He shot and killed him.
They arrested my dad.
He only spent one night in jail.
My mom bonded him out the nextmorning when he had a hearing.
But then we, he had to take itto trial.
(07:31):
He we took it to trial.
He got found not guilty.
And then four months later, TheStand Your Ground law was passed
in Alabama.
Yeah.
What's that mean?
That means the self defense law,like if somebody comes in your
house, you're allowed to shootthem.
Okay.
Sounds very reasonable.
Yeah.
And to be expected.
My dad's case his case was oneof the cases that made that bill
(07:54):
passed.
Wow.
Yeah, it was hard.
And then after that, I stayed ina, Very dark place.
I had so much hate and anger Iwanted that I can't even
imagine.
I just, I wanted everybody tofeel my pain and I just, I lived
with that for a long time.
were you staying with yourparents after that or where did
you stay?
No I did stay with'em some, likewhen I didn't have nowhere else
(08:17):
to go or I was You had the threekids with you?
Yeah.
After.
That, my mom and dad adoptedthem because I wasn't, I never
thought that I would mentally bestable enough to take care of
them.
My dad was he was a disabledveteran and my husband, he never
worked a tax paying job so theydidn't get no benefits off of
(08:40):
him.
So my mom and dad adopted.
My three kids they were safe.
I was on the street.
Sometimes I've come back home Soyou dove it deeper into your oh,
yeah So bad and running awayfrom it trying to cover it up
trying to not feel it trying toforget it you never forget it,
(09:00):
but God snatched me up andThat's not what he wanted for
me.
And he showed me love and lightand happiness again.
And here I am.
Wow.
Safe House actually helped meget into the house I'm in now.
I live by myself.
My daughter comes on theweekends.
My sons, they come sometimes.
(09:22):
But I'm in a good place.
That's it's so wonderful to hearthat.
Thank you.
It just, it brings joy to myheart.
And even a greater love for God,to know That he just loves all
of us like yes, and yeah, hecares so much He does and he
don't want us in that darkplace.
I was thinking yesterday Us Iwas reading a story about Jesus
(09:45):
saved us on there He's ourSavior on the cross But if you
think about it, it goes beyondthe cross like every day he's
still saving us You know andyou're so right.
I mean what?
Yeah what Jesus did dying on thecross and then You being put in
the tomb and raising himselfback to life the third day.
That has freed us from allbondage.
(10:07):
Yes.
From the bondage of sin, fromthe bondage of darkness, and he
gives us The victory foreverything.
Yes.
In life.
Yes, and he gives us a way outlike it's your choice.
You have to make it Yeah, but ifyou make that choice, like he
will be with you and guide youand walk with you and just
that's awesome Love you.
So let me ask you So when youdove back after that I'm
(10:32):
assuming that was probably thelowest point just, I can't even
imagine what that was like, andthen, how long did you spend in
that darkness, and, you said youwere homeless, I don't know if
you were on the streets, or ifyou were trying to bounce around
trying to just be with differentfriends, or whatever, I don't
know.
Yeah, anybody and everybody whowould have me, because, like I
said, I was so angry and hatefulnobody wants to be around that,
(10:54):
but there is a few that did careabout me and would let me.
They extended the grace, eventhough you weren't very lovely,
they still loved you to let you,just to help you.
Yes, they knew my story and theyknew that I would get through it
one day.
How long was that time period?
About, 12, 13 years.
(11:15):
12 or 13 years.
It took me that long to let goof it.
Just on meth, cocaine as well?
On meth.
I quit doing the cocaine once Istarted doing the meth.
Okay.
But by the grace of God, that'swhere it stopped.
I only, I was on marijuana andmeth and maybe Xanaxes every
once in a while.
But Opiates would make me sick.
And when I tell you that rightthere is God.
(11:38):
It had to be, because I would bedead today if I would have chose
any other drugs.
But yeah.
So 12 or 13 years and you'rejust bouncing around sometimes
on the street, sometimes with afriend in their house.
Friends, but all my friends wasgetting high.
I didn't have a friend whodidn't get high.
I had people that loved me thatdidn't get high.
But I ran from everybody thatdidn't get high.
(12:00):
Did you have a way of gettingmoney or did you just live and
everybody else just took care ofthe business?
My dad, my poor dad, my dadwhile he was alive, he made sure
I didn't go without.
I've worked a lot, even in myaddiction I had a job.
but I never was stable.
I never wanted to be stable.
(12:20):
But yeah, I got by.
Wow.
Wow.
So in, during that 12, 13 yearswhat happened?
What began to change in yourheart or what circumstances that
God began to bring together thatbrought you out of that?
And how did you come out ofthat?
My daughter, she was cutting onherself.
I'd never experienced that I'dnever experienced that.
(12:42):
She was cutting on herself alittle bit, and then one day,
you know, I showed up, and Ishowed out trying to get her
some help, and This was at atyour dad's house, you went and
saw her, and it was at mybrother's.
It was after my mom and dad bothhave passed away.
And she told me that I was thereason that she was cutting on
(13:02):
herself.
If she felt like I always chosedrugs over her that day.
Is the day that I went toBirmingham and got clean.
Wow.
Actually I tried it here I wentto the valley rescue mission
rehab.
Yeah, but you I just it was tooclose to home I could pick up
the phone and anybody could comepick me up.
(13:23):
So I left there and went toBirmingham And I've been clean
ever since.
Praise the Lord.
So that's awesome.
What program did you go through?
It was a place called theFellowship House in Birmingham.
It was a three month program.
For the first 30 days youcouldn't leave.
You couldn't do nothing but yourclasses.
Then I got to go and get a job.
(13:44):
I coulda, I had the opportunity,I coulda stayed there, but I
felt like it was time to comehome and see about my kids,
after the 90 days?
Yeah, so I came home and, I camehome, I had some warrants still
on me, so I made sure all thekids was okay.
They were, my brother takes goodcare of them and I went and
(14:05):
turned myself in.
I went and turned myself in, Idid 80 something days.
The day that I got out, Brandyat the Valley Rescue Mission me
and her grew up together.
Oh.
And she let me in and it's beenon ever since.
They got me a job.
They got me my birthcertificate.
They got me set up with the safehouse and here I am today.
(14:27):
Wow.
So you were Staying I guess at avalley rescue mission shelter.
Yes, and then you got connectedto safe house ministries Yes, So
safe house ministries helped youwith getting your own place.
Yes, they did actually they TheyI had to find my own place And
then when I got when I found itMs.
Kathy she got with me, she cameand looked at the house and
(14:48):
everything, and that's, theypaid my deposit, and they paid
my first month's rent andthey've continued to help me,
they've paid like 75 percent thesecond month, 50%, and then 25%
but without them, I wouldn'thave been able to do it by
myself, like that's It'sexpensive out there, but they
got me in and I'm doing great.
(15:11):
That's awesome.
This is, this'll be the.
August will be the first monththat I have to pay my whole
rent, but I'm doing good.
It's doable and I'm going tocontinue to do it.
That's good.
And are you pretty comfortablewith the money?
And have you gone through, somegoodwill classes or at Valley or
at Safe House?
making sure that you goteverything Ordered well with
(15:33):
budgeting and be able to keepgoing on your own.
Yeah I have actually one of mybosses at anchor pack.
He is very good with budget andmoney so we sat down and he's
showed me what I need to do tomake sure all my bills are paid
and Anything else I put to theside, but yeah, it's gonna be
good.
That's good I just know how muchI've got to put up every week
(15:55):
for my rent and My bills so I'mdoing good Okay.
I'm not going backwards.
Praise the Lord.
Yeah.
Tell me about your relationshipwith Jesus and maybe when was
the time that you came to theplace that you realized you
needed forgiveness of sins andyou wanted to receive Him as
(16:16):
your Savior?
I've always known who Jesus was,always my whole life.
He Has given me gifts that Inever understood.
I thought I used to think thatknowing people, cause I can read
people real well, verydiscernful.
And I've always known Jesus, butthis last go round.
(16:36):
Is when I knew if I didn't havehim and didn't hold on to him
like every day that I'm notgonna make it because I've been
here before and I Before Itraded one addiction for another
I traded the drugs and thealcohol for Jesus Which is a
good thing, but I didn't do it.
I didn't stay in my word Ididn't stay in prayer.
(16:59):
I didn't stay in a relationshipwith him You and that's what
taught me you're not gonna makeit without him.
Wow.
Wow.
Yeah.
So where are you going to churchnow?
I go to the Fort off 17th Streeta lot.
I was at PMT in Phoenix City.
That's a really good church too.
But all my family is at theFort.
(17:20):
Really?
Yeah.
So like your brother and likehow much, how big is your
family?
Oh, actually my family, my bloodfamily is my brother.
They go to Cascade Hills.
Okay.
I only have my one brother leftand his wife.
We're all close.
That's all I have anymore, butmy church family, that's the
four.
And it's all of them.
(17:41):
Like when I got clean abouteight, nine years ago and back
when the fort was.
In Fort Mitchell and I startedworking there cleaning the
church for him.
Wow Yeah, and then I got backinto the streets a little bit
and I quit Go doing the churchthing and then when I came back
(18:02):
I was in columbus but now I liveright up the road from them.
So it's not hard to get thereand they love me.
That's awesome Yeah, i'mblessed.
That's so wonderful.
So blessed.
Man, I love it So darlene Justthinking and listening to your
story are there any other littleanecdotes or little things maybe
(18:25):
that happened, a story withinthe story that you feel like
would be helpful to share?
The people, I was just talkingearlier about, it's all in our
choices.
If we want to do right and stayright you got to change your
people you got to change yourcircle of friends You got to be
surround yourself with peoplewho love you and want to see you
(18:46):
progress I just I don't know.
Wow.
So that was one of the key,sounds like one of the key
lessons that you learned, you'velearned along the way.
Yeah.
Oh yeah.
That's the main thing.
Like you have to change yourenvironment if you want to stay.
And like for me there's no goingback.
So I can't, like if I see myphone, like you have to.
(19:12):
You have to really want it, andyou have to really not answer
that phone for somebody in yourpast, it sucks sometimes, it
does, but at the end of the day,it's I'm doing this for myself
and my kids they're the onlyones that matter.
I can't be answering my phone ifsomebody sees.
They see you doing good, that'show the devil is gonna try to
(19:33):
get at you is through one ofyour old friends.
Yeah.
So I just know my limits and Iknow what I'm doing.
Who I can and can't see and whoI can and can't talk to Yeah,
and I really I don't talk toanybody from my past.
It's sad, but it's When Jesuswants them, he'll bring them in
my life and he'll bring themclean and sober.
(19:53):
Yeah.
Yeah, that's good That's apowerful lesson.
It's and it's I think So manytimes we've heard that, right?
Yeah.
We, as parents, we want to teachour kids that who you hang
around matters.
It does.
And the Bible's very clear.
It gives so many, there's somany passages and verses that
teach that lesson of you have tomake sure that the people you
(20:16):
are with are the right kind ofpeople.
Yes, because, you are who youhang around with.
Like my brother says, if youwant to know somebody, look at
their friends.
Yeah.
And then that's true.
And I tell my daughter that allthe time.
Yeah.
It's it's such a powerful truth.
I think back to the story in theBible with the prophet Elisha.
Yeah.
It was coming out of I don'tknow what city it was, coming
(20:38):
out of the city and some kidswere making fun of him and
mocking him, the man of God.
And then, I think there werelike 42 kids or something like
that the Bible records.
And the Bible says that somebears came out of the woods and.
Just devoured and mauled thosekids.
Yeah, and I think you knowprobably all of those kids
didn't participate in mockingthe Prophet There were some of
(20:58):
those kids that were justhanging around and hanging out
with those other kids Yeah, butthey faced the same
consequences.
Yeah, because of who they werewith and that's scary It is
scary.
It is scary.
That is so scary.
Yeah.
I don't want, yeah, I don't wantto be paying for somebody else's
mistakes or sins, yeah.
Yeah.
It sounds like you have reallysurrounded yourself with some
(21:21):
great people now, especially asyou talk about your church
family at the fore just otherpeople that love God and want to
follow God and want to do what'sright and want to help you and
you want to help them and just areally positive, wonderful
relationship.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
You got to.
You've got to think about that.
If you're trying to stay soberand stay with God, you've got to
(21:42):
surround yourself with God'speople.
That's it.
Yeah.
Yeah.
At the end of the day, that'sthe only way you're going to
make it is with God and hispeople.
And he'll send you, he'll sendyou the right people.
He will.
You just gotta be payingattention.
That is wonderful.
Yeah.
I met your daughter Kylie thismorning.
Yes.
(22:03):
Beautiful girl.
Sounds like she's on a goodpath.
How about your boys?
Where are they?
Are they still here in town?
Yeah, they're in Phenix City.
My oldest son, Colton, he is 22now.
He works at Raleigh Heat and Airwith my brother.
My middle son, he's 19.
He lives with His othergrandparents, he's doing really
(22:24):
good.
He just finished his GED workingon getting his license.
after my parents died and they,my oldest son, especially, he
had started getting intoaddiction a little bit.
God snatched him up real quick.
I'm glad he had to sit in jailfor a minute, but when he got
(22:44):
back out, it was, he was scaredto death.
You had a wake up call.
Yes, he did.
He recognized him.
He did, and I'm glad it happenedto him so early.
And I'm glad, I hate to saythis, but when I went to jail
when I was young, my dad wouldbe at the police station before
I even got there in the back ofthe cop car to get me out.
I never learned nothing from it.
(23:04):
So when he went to jail Wedidn't have the money or the
resources to get them out rightaway.
So we had to sit there for abouta month and it was a really wake
up call.
And I was like if I would've satthere for a month, maybe I
would've, but no, it allhappened like it was supposed
to.
But yeah, they're doing reallygood and I'm really blessed.
(23:25):
That's awesome.
And how's your relationship withall your kids now?
It's good me and my daughter andmy middle son like we have a
good relationship.
My oldest son's coming aroundhe's got a lot of issues with me
He feels like I could have donethings different with him, which
he remembers some things thatthe other two don't remember
(23:46):
Yeah, but Hey, we're gettingthere.
He's start, he's growing up.
And when the more you grow upand you start seeing life for
what it is, you start having anunderstanding.
And he's starting to have anunderstanding.
I know he loves me.
We hung out with him yesterday.
And we watched the fireworkstogether and he's a good kid.
Awesome.
So we're getting there.
Yeah.
(24:06):
Good.
I'm glad to hear that.
And if anything God has restoredmy relationship with my brother,
with my daughter, my sons.
If anybody can do it, it's onlyHim.
I'm just waiting.
That's good.
That's good.
Tell me about some other keylessons.
You shared a huge one with theidea of making sure to consider
(24:27):
who we're hanging around, whoour friends are, who are the
people that we're associatingwith.
And, if they're not the rightkind of people, who are?
Get rid of those friends and getaround the right kind of people.
And what are some other keylessons that you've learned
through your experiences thatGod's taught you?
You've got to stay in prayer, inconstant prayer, in a
relationship with the HolySpirit.
(24:48):
Again I would have, Bend andfell on my face again, if it
wasn't for the Holy Spirit withme, but you got to be conscious
of that.
And you got to know that he isthere and he is there to make a
way for us, but we have to wanthim and we have to tell him and
we have to talk to him.
And you just got to want it,it's hard.
(25:09):
Don't think I there's days whereI'll be like, Oh, I wish I could
just go get high, but I can't.
And I won't.
But that's the only, only thingthat I can say that keeps me
going is know when that God isright there with me and he's all
I got.
And When I do get lonely or whenI do get depressed, He's there,
(25:32):
reminding me, nudging me.
Open your Bible, see what I gotto tell you today.
That's good, so good.
Yeah, God is your closestfamily.
Yes.
And then you surround yourselfwith others that love God as
well.
Yes.
And then y'all feed off eachother.
What does it say?
Iron sharpens iron?
Yeah.
I just try to keep myself with abunch of iron people.
(25:53):
That's good.
That's good.
Any other key lessons or thingsthat you've learned along the
way?
Maybe just hold on.
If you're feeling emotional, ifsomething is going on in your
life and you feel like you can'thandle it, it's just a feeling.
Hold on just a little bitlonger.
Until you can and It'll pass.
You don't have to give in rightaway.
(26:15):
Just hold on just a little bitlonger.
Yeah That's good.
So I'm thinking About the momentyou described that was your
turning point and How it seemslike the Lord Turned your heart
and your mind and your focusfrom being upon yourself to
being upon your daughter and tothink whoa, what I'm doing is
(26:37):
affecting her.
And that shift so that youstarted thinking about her, that
was the turning point.
You said, I'm, I gotta getclean.
Yeah.
People, I've always heard thatyou can't do it for nobody else,
but yourself.
When we're in addiction and inour mess We're not worthy
enough, we don't think.
(26:58):
What's the point?
It don't matter no way.
But, whatever it takes.
For me, it took my daughter.
It wasn't for myself.
Because myself wasn't worthfixing to myself.
I Took her and I know that Idon't know what it would do to
her if I just kept on going I'min the mess that I was in so I
(27:20):
don't want to go back down thatroute I don't want to put her
through that.
I don't want her to think that Iwant drugs over her So I will
fight and I will keep fighting.
That's good.
That's so good.
I hate the Yeah.
he just wraps people up inconfusion and darkness and it's
so clear that God loves each andevery one of us so much that he
(27:43):
thinks that every one of us isworth it.
Yes.
We're worth it.
We are.
He loves us that much.
Yes, he does.
The Lord uses different thingsin our lives and different
things for different people toget them to the place where they
turn around and they see thatI'm so glad that he reached
through and got to you.
Me too.
Turned things around.
Me too.
It's such a wonderful thing tohear about how the Lord brought
(28:06):
you out of that darkness andbondage and brought you into
light and walking in victory andjust The people that you're
surrounding yourself with nowit's wonderful.
Yes.
Do you have ideas or thoughts ofthe future or are you just
taking it a day at a time,seeing how the Lord leads?
I don't know where I'll be.
I know this is my goals fromhere on out.
(28:27):
My mom and dad, when they died,they left some property to my
brother out in Smith station.
So right now I'm just working ongetting my credit up and so I
can get a trailer.
And put it out there and it'llbe ours.
You know what I'm saying?
Can't nobody take it away fromus.
That's my goal for right now, isjust working on getting a home.
(28:48):
That is mine and my daughtersand my sons, if they want to
come there.
But and that's a big deal.
I never thought that I would beable to say I have a home.
This is my home.
I'm I'm going to my, we're goinghome, but it's, I see the light
at the end of the tunnel whereI've never even thought that it
(29:08):
was possible.
But, and just God keeps showingup and showing out in my life in
every aspect.
And it's just, it's amazing.
That's awesome.
It's a little bit scary too,change is scary.
It is.
But, it's worth it.
I'd rather take a sober strugglethan a Not sober struggle any
(29:28):
day now, yeah, I've heard thatso many times.
Yeah, it's true I never want tohave to struggle in addiction
again It is it I'd rather takethis struggle.
Yeah, I've heard Individualsshared that they would take the
worst date they ever could havebeing sober Over the best day
(29:51):
that I ever had in addiction.
Yes, because it's awful, man.
And it's all, you're just bound.
And I don't want to be boundanymore.
I don't, and I refuse to bebound anymore.
Yeah, I just, I don't want to goback there.
Praise the Lord.
Yeah.
Awesome.
Anything else you want to share?
(30:12):
I don't know.
I don't think so.
Okay.
Alright.
Your youngest daughter's name isKylie.
Your oldest son is Colton?
Huh.
And what's the middle son'sname?
His name is Caden.
Caden.
Alright.
All C's?
All C's.
She's a K.
Okay.
It just was the closest.
Yeah.
That sounds good.
Do you mind if I close us in aword of prayer?
Oh, no.
Go ahead.
(30:32):
Thank you.
Okay.
Dear Father, thank you forDarlene and just What an amazing
testimony of your greatness andyour goodness and your love for
her and for her children.
Lord, I pray that you wouldcontinue to bless her path.
Lord, keep her feet on solidstanding.
Help her, as she has described,the importance of staying in
(30:54):
your word and staying in prayerand staying around and with
other people who are in need.
A good and godly influence is inher life.
Help her to stay that path, tostay that course.
Lord, protect her from thedevil's snares and the enemy's
deceptions.
Give her strength of spirit inher walk with you.
Father, I pray for her kids,Lord.
(31:14):
I pray for Colton, and I prayfor Kayden, and I pray for
Kylie, Lord.
I pray that you'd get everyoneat their hearts, Lord.
I don't know where they are,each of them, on their journeys.
In this world and in theirrelationship with you, Lord, if
they don't have a personalrelationship with you, I pray
that you'd work on their heartsand bring them into that
personal relationship with you.
(31:35):
And if they do, I pray that youwould strengthen them and help
them to walk in the light.
Lord, thank you for how youprotected Darlene's son.
And as he started to get intoaddiction, you brought him out
of that so quickly.
And you woke him up from that.
Thank you for that.
Bless her kids.
Guide their path.
Bless Darlene and the pathforward, Lord.
Help her to make wise decisionswith money, with time, and just
(31:58):
to have a good testimony, a goodname in her work that she does
and wherever she goes.
Help her to be dependable andhelp her to have a good
testimony before you.
And bless her, Lord, and blessher kids, I pray.
In Jesus name I pray.
Amen.
Amen.
Thank you.
We look forward to being with you again next week
as we share another testimonyabout the power and the goodness
(32:21):
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
at 2101 Hamilton Road, Columbus,Georgia, 31,904.
(32:43):
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 (32:54):
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.
I started getting high when Iwas 17 years old.
so being around the wrongpeople, that was the start of
the path in the wrong direction.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I was hanging around some peopleand they was getting high and I
was too scared to say, I don'twant to do that.
I was too scared to.
think that they would not likeme or not want to hang out with
(00:21):
me.
So I did it and that was theworst mistake of my life.
Phil Shuler (00:27):
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
(00:49):
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.
(01:10):
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
(01:31):
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.
Good morning.
This morning on the podcast,I've got Darlene here with me.
And Darlene was recommended tome by one of my colleagues at
Safe House as someone who has areally neat story and who would
be great to have on the podcast.
(01:52):
And I'm very excited to haveDarlene here, to meet Darlene,
and to hear her story.
Darlene, welcome.
Thank you.
It's nice to be here.
Yeah.
Great to have you.
Thank you.
just to start out, I'd like toask you a question.
If you had to pick one word thatmight best describe you, what do
you think that word would be?
Today?
That word would be thankful.
That's a great word.
Beyond thankful.
(02:13):
What do you mean by that?
Thank you.
I've been in such a dark placefor so long.
I'm finally, God has brought meout of it.
He has delivered me from so muchand I'm just grateful and
thankful that I don't have to bethere and live that life
anymore.
That's awesome.
I just want to say praise theLord.
(02:34):
That sounds, Yeah, that's all itis.
You have set the stage.
It sounds like you have anincredible story of it's a,
Redemption and just what theLord's done.
Yeah.
That's awesome.
He is good.
And that, what a great place tobe in the place of thankfulness.
Yes.
And gratefulness.
That's the only thing that keepsme going is being so thankful
and, Grateful and because I knowthat it could be all ripped away
(02:58):
and we could be there.
It could be a lot worse Always,yeah, it could always be worse.
You're right.
There's always something to bethankful for.
Yes, it's always much.
Yes, and we don't realize thatuntil we've been yeah and the In
the darkest awesome.
i'm excited.
Yeah, so let's jump in.
Okay, darlene How did you growup?
(03:20):
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in smith station,alabama I had a great family.
My mom and dad were married for43 years Wow, yeah that is
amazing my dad we had we were inchurch our whole life my mom and
dad they were great people.
They worked hard their wholelife.
They raised me and my brotherYou to be good.
(03:43):
And we were.
But then I got into high schooland started hanging around with
the wrong people.
I started getting high when Iwas 17 years old.
so being around the wrongpeople, that was the start of
the path in the wrong direction.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I was hanging around some peopleand they was getting high and I
was too scared to say, I don'twant to do that.
(04:06):
I was too scared to.
think that they would not likeme or not want to hang out with
me.
So I did it and that was theworst mistake of my life.
So what were they using?
Back, it was cocaine.
I started with cocaine.
Yeah.
So you jumped right out of thegreat gate.
I did cocaine before I even didmarijuana or anything like that.
(04:27):
Yeah, it was Had you been taughtabout drugs and, or was it my
dad was actually a RussellCounty sheriff.
Deputy and I knew it wasn't nogood.
But then again, that peerpressure and then not wanting to
be not like, because I alreadywas the police's daughter, and I
didn't want to be that.
(04:48):
Yeah.
Wow.
so once you started doing somecocaine with those friends and
what did that lead to?
It led down a dark, very darkroad.
I started when I was 17.
Then when I was 20, I got with aguy who was very abusive
extremely abusive.
I had all three of my kids andhe got Real abusive.
(05:12):
It lasted for seven years.
My dad shot and killed him.
Wow.
In 2008.
Wow, that, wow.
Yeah So that what was thatstory?
The guy that I was with, we wereinto drugs, was using meth, he
was using meth, but he was, Onthe needle real bad and Xanax is
(05:34):
an alcohol.
It just didn't mix with him.
He would blackout and beat me toa pulp.
Like I remember one day I wokeup with bruises all over me.
He woke up and looked at me andasked me what happened.
Like he didn't even remember.
Wow.
You remembered it?
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
How could you forget that?
But I tried to hide it for along time, which my dad knew and
(05:58):
it got to the point to wherewhen it would get really bad, my
mom and dad would hide me out.
I would hide and he would alwayscome back to try to find me.
Didn't you had kids at thistime?
Yeah, I had my first son.
Colton, he was born in 2002.
The abuse didn't start tillColton was about two and a half.
(06:21):
And then it started, it got realbad.
And then I got pregnant with mysecond son three years later.
I thought it was going to getbetter cause he was excited
about having a baby.
And yeah.
But no, it didn't get better.
It got worse.
Then when I had my daughter, Ilearned that he he just had a
hate for women.
He he actually beat the crap outof me with my daughter in my
(06:45):
hands.
She was not but two months old.
What?
That's the day I realized Ican't do this anymore.
That's the day.
Well, a couple of days later, mydad, he come in at my dad and he
came to your dad, he came to mydad's house looking for me and
my kids.
We weren't there.
And he wouldn't leave withoutus.
(07:08):
And my dad, he kept coming at mydad.
My dad told him to get out.
And he didn't get out.
My dad told him to get outagain.
And my dad already had his gunout of his safe.
And he did.
He shot and killed him.
They arrested my dad.
He only spent one night in jail.
My mom bonded him out the nextmorning when he had a hearing.
But then we, he had to take itto trial.
(07:31):
He we took it to trial.
He got found not guilty.
And then four months later, TheStand Your Ground law was passed
in Alabama.
Yeah.
What's that mean?
That means the self defense law,like if somebody comes in your
house, you're allowed to shootthem.
Okay.
Sounds very reasonable.
Yeah.
And to be expected.
My dad's case his case was oneof the cases that made that bill
(07:54):
passed.
Wow.
Yeah, it was hard.
And then after that, I stayed ina, Very dark place.
I had so much hate and anger Iwanted that I can't even
imagine.
I just, I wanted everybody tofeel my pain and I just, I lived
with that for a long time.
were you staying with yourparents after that or where did
you stay?
No I did stay with'em some, likewhen I didn't have nowhere else
(08:17):
to go or I was You had the threekids with you?
Yeah.
After.
That, my mom and dad adoptedthem because I wasn't, I never
thought that I would mentally bestable enough to take care of
them.
My dad was he was a disabledveteran and my husband, he never
worked a tax paying job so theydidn't get no benefits off of
(08:40):
him.
So my mom and dad adopted.
My three kids they were safe.
I was on the street.
Sometimes I've come back home Soyou dove it deeper into your oh,
yeah So bad and running awayfrom it trying to cover it up
trying to not feel it trying toforget it you never forget it,
(09:00):
but God snatched me up andThat's not what he wanted for
me.
And he showed me love and lightand happiness again.
And here I am.
Wow.
Safe House actually helped meget into the house I'm in now.
I live by myself.
My daughter comes on theweekends.
My sons, they come sometimes.
(09:22):
But I'm in a good place.
That's it's so wonderful to hearthat.
Thank you.
It just, it brings joy to myheart.
And even a greater love for God,to know That he just loves all
of us like yes, and yeah, hecares so much He does and he
don't want us in that darkplace.
I was thinking yesterday Us Iwas reading a story about Jesus
(09:45):
saved us on there He's ourSavior on the cross But if you
think about it, it goes beyondthe cross like every day he's
still saving us You know andyou're so right.
I mean what?
Yeah what Jesus did dying on thecross and then You being put in
the tomb and raising himselfback to life the third day.
That has freed us from allbondage.
(10:07):
Yes.
From the bondage of sin, fromthe bondage of darkness, and he
gives us The victory foreverything.
Yes.
In life.
Yes, and he gives us a way outlike it's your choice.
You have to make it Yeah, but ifyou make that choice, like he
will be with you and guide youand walk with you and just
that's awesome Love you.
So let me ask you So when youdove back after that I'm
(10:32):
assuming that was probably thelowest point just, I can't even
imagine what that was like, andthen, how long did you spend in
that darkness, and, you said youwere homeless, I don't know if
you were on the streets, or ifyou were trying to bounce around
trying to just be with differentfriends, or whatever, I don't
know.
Yeah, anybody and everybody whowould have me, because, like I
said, I was so angry and hatefulnobody wants to be around that,
(10:54):
but there is a few that did careabout me and would let me.
They extended the grace, eventhough you weren't very lovely,
they still loved you to let you,just to help you.
Yes, they knew my story and theyknew that I would get through it
one day.
How long was that time period?
About, 12, 13 years.
(11:15):
12 or 13 years.
It took me that long to let goof it.
Just on meth, cocaine as well?
On meth.
I quit doing the cocaine once Istarted doing the meth.
Okay.
But by the grace of God, that'swhere it stopped.
I only, I was on marijuana andmeth and maybe Xanaxes every
once in a while.
But Opiates would make me sick.
And when I tell you that rightthere is God.
(11:38):
It had to be, because I would bedead today if I would have chose
any other drugs.
But yeah.
So 12 or 13 years and you'rejust bouncing around sometimes
on the street, sometimes with afriend in their house.
Friends, but all my friends wasgetting high.
I didn't have a friend whodidn't get high.
I had people that loved me thatdidn't get high.
But I ran from everybody thatdidn't get high.
(12:00):
Did you have a way of gettingmoney or did you just live and
everybody else just took care ofthe business?
My dad, my poor dad, my dadwhile he was alive, he made sure
I didn't go without.
I've worked a lot, even in myaddiction I had a job.
but I never was stable.
I never wanted to be stable.
(12:20):
But yeah, I got by.
Wow.
Wow.
So in, during that 12, 13 yearswhat happened?
What began to change in yourheart or what circumstances that
God began to bring together thatbrought you out of that?
And how did you come out ofthat?
My daughter, she was cutting onherself.
I'd never experienced that I'dnever experienced that.
(12:42):
She was cutting on herself alittle bit, and then one day,
you know, I showed up, and Ishowed out trying to get her
some help, and This was at atyour dad's house, you went and
saw her, and it was at mybrother's.
It was after my mom and dad bothhave passed away.
And she told me that I was thereason that she was cutting on
(13:02):
herself.
If she felt like I always chosedrugs over her that day.
Is the day that I went toBirmingham and got clean.
Wow.
Actually I tried it here I wentto the valley rescue mission
rehab.
Yeah, but you I just it was tooclose to home I could pick up
the phone and anybody could comepick me up.
(13:23):
So I left there and went toBirmingham And I've been clean
ever since.
Praise the Lord.
So that's awesome.
What program did you go through?
It was a place called theFellowship House in Birmingham.
It was a three month program.
For the first 30 days youcouldn't leave.
You couldn't do nothing but yourclasses.
Then I got to go and get a job.
(13:44):
I coulda, I had the opportunity,I coulda stayed there, but I
felt like it was time to comehome and see about my kids,
after the 90 days?
Yeah, so I came home and, I camehome, I had some warrants still
on me, so I made sure all thekids was okay.
They were, my brother takes goodcare of them and I went and
(14:05):
turned myself in.
I went and turned myself in, Idid 80 something days.
The day that I got out, Brandyat the Valley Rescue Mission me
and her grew up together.
Oh.
And she let me in and it's beenon ever since.
They got me a job.
They got me my birthcertificate.
They got me set up with the safehouse and here I am today.
(14:27):
Wow.
So you were Staying I guess at avalley rescue mission shelter.
Yes, and then you got connectedto safe house ministries Yes, So
safe house ministries helped youwith getting your own place.
Yes, they did actually they TheyI had to find my own place And
then when I got when I found itMs.
Kathy she got with me, she cameand looked at the house and
(14:48):
everything, and that's, theypaid my deposit, and they paid
my first month's rent andthey've continued to help me,
they've paid like 75 percent thesecond month, 50%, and then 25%
but without them, I wouldn'thave been able to do it by
myself, like that's It'sexpensive out there, but they
got me in and I'm doing great.
(15:11):
That's awesome.
This is, this'll be the.
August will be the first monththat I have to pay my whole
rent, but I'm doing good.
It's doable and I'm going tocontinue to do it.
That's good.
And are you pretty comfortablewith the money?
And have you gone through, somegoodwill classes or at Valley or
at Safe House?
making sure that you goteverything Ordered well with
(15:33):
budgeting and be able to keepgoing on your own.
Yeah I have actually one of mybosses at anchor pack.
He is very good with budget andmoney so we sat down and he's
showed me what I need to do tomake sure all my bills are paid
and Anything else I put to theside, but yeah, it's gonna be
good.
That's good I just know how muchI've got to put up every week
(15:55):
for my rent and My bills so I'mdoing good Okay.
I'm not going backwards.
Praise the Lord.
Yeah.
Tell me about your relationshipwith Jesus and maybe when was
the time that you came to theplace that you realized you
needed forgiveness of sins andyou wanted to receive Him as
(16:16):
your Savior?
I've always known who Jesus was,always my whole life.
He Has given me gifts that Inever understood.
I thought I used to think thatknowing people, cause I can read
people real well, verydiscernful.
And I've always known Jesus, butthis last go round.
(16:36):
Is when I knew if I didn't havehim and didn't hold on to him
like every day that I'm notgonna make it because I've been
here before and I Before Itraded one addiction for another
I traded the drugs and thealcohol for Jesus Which is a
good thing, but I didn't do it.
I didn't stay in my word Ididn't stay in prayer.
(16:59):
I didn't stay in a relationshipwith him You and that's what
taught me you're not gonna makeit without him.
Wow.
Wow.
Yeah.
So where are you going to churchnow?
I go to the Fort off 17th Streeta lot.
I was at PMT in Phoenix City.
That's a really good church too.
But all my family is at theFort.
(17:20):
Really?
Yeah.
So like your brother and likehow much, how big is your
family?
Oh, actually my family, my bloodfamily is my brother.
They go to Cascade Hills.
Okay.
I only have my one brother leftand his wife.
We're all close.
That's all I have anymore, butmy church family, that's the
four.
And it's all of them.
(17:41):
Like when I got clean abouteight, nine years ago and back
when the fort was.
In Fort Mitchell and I startedworking there cleaning the
church for him.
Wow Yeah, and then I got backinto the streets a little bit
and I quit Go doing the churchthing and then when I came back
(18:02):
I was in columbus but now I liveright up the road from them.
So it's not hard to get thereand they love me.
That's awesome Yeah, i'mblessed.
That's so wonderful.
So blessed.
Man, I love it So darlene Justthinking and listening to your
story are there any other littleanecdotes or little things maybe
(18:25):
that happened, a story withinthe story that you feel like
would be helpful to share?
The people, I was just talkingearlier about, it's all in our
choices.
If we want to do right and stayright you got to change your
people you got to change yourcircle of friends You got to be
surround yourself with peoplewho love you and want to see you
(18:46):
progress I just I don't know.
Wow.
So that was one of the key,sounds like one of the key
lessons that you learned, you'velearned along the way.
Yeah.
Oh yeah.
That's the main thing.
Like you have to change yourenvironment if you want to stay.
And like for me there's no goingback.
So I can't, like if I see myphone, like you have to.
(19:12):
You have to really want it, andyou have to really not answer
that phone for somebody in yourpast, it sucks sometimes, it
does, but at the end of the day,it's I'm doing this for myself
and my kids they're the onlyones that matter.
I can't be answering my phone ifsomebody sees.
They see you doing good, that'show the devil is gonna try to
(19:33):
get at you is through one ofyour old friends.
Yeah.
So I just know my limits and Iknow what I'm doing.
Who I can and can't see and whoI can and can't talk to Yeah,
and I really I don't talk toanybody from my past.
It's sad, but it's When Jesuswants them, he'll bring them in
my life and he'll bring themclean and sober.
(19:53):
Yeah.
Yeah, that's good That's apowerful lesson.
It's and it's I think So manytimes we've heard that, right?
Yeah.
We, as parents, we want to teachour kids that who you hang
around matters.
It does.
And the Bible's very clear.
It gives so many, there's somany passages and verses that
teach that lesson of you have tomake sure that the people you
(20:16):
are with are the right kind ofpeople.
Yes, because, you are who youhang around with.
Like my brother says, if youwant to know somebody, look at
their friends.
Yeah.
And then that's true.
And I tell my daughter that allthe time.
Yeah.
It's it's such a powerful truth.
I think back to the story in theBible with the prophet Elisha.
Yeah.
It was coming out of I don'tknow what city it was, coming
(20:38):
out of the city and some kidswere making fun of him and
mocking him, the man of God.
And then, I think there werelike 42 kids or something like
that the Bible records.
And the Bible says that somebears came out of the woods and.
Just devoured and mauled thosekids.
Yeah, and I think you knowprobably all of those kids
didn't participate in mockingthe Prophet There were some of
(20:58):
those kids that were justhanging around and hanging out
with those other kids Yeah, butthey faced the same
consequences.
Yeah, because of who they werewith and that's scary It is
scary.
It is scary.
That is so scary.
Yeah.
I don't want, yeah, I don't wantto be paying for somebody else's
mistakes or sins, yeah.
Yeah.
It sounds like you have reallysurrounded yourself with some
(21:21):
great people now, especially asyou talk about your church
family at the fore just otherpeople that love God and want to
follow God and want to do what'sright and want to help you and
you want to help them and just areally positive, wonderful
relationship.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
You got to.
You've got to think about that.
If you're trying to stay soberand stay with God, you've got to
(21:42):
surround yourself with God'speople.
That's it.
Yeah.
Yeah.
At the end of the day, that'sthe only way you're going to
make it is with God and hispeople.
And he'll send you, he'll sendyou the right people.
He will.
You just gotta be payingattention.
That is wonderful.
Yeah.
I met your daughter Kylie thismorning.
Yes.
(22:03):
Beautiful girl.
Sounds like she's on a goodpath.
How about your boys?
Where are they?
Are they still here in town?
Yeah, they're in Phenix City.
My oldest son, Colton, he is 22now.
He works at Raleigh Heat and Airwith my brother.
My middle son, he's 19.
He lives with His othergrandparents, he's doing really
(22:24):
good.
He just finished his GED workingon getting his license.
after my parents died and they,my oldest son, especially, he
had started getting intoaddiction a little bit.
God snatched him up real quick.
I'm glad he had to sit in jailfor a minute, but when he got
(22:44):
back out, it was, he was scaredto death.
You had a wake up call.
Yes, he did.
He recognized him.
He did, and I'm glad it happenedto him so early.
And I'm glad, I hate to saythis, but when I went to jail
when I was young, my dad wouldbe at the police station before
I even got there in the back ofthe cop car to get me out.
I never learned nothing from it.
(23:04):
So when he went to jail Wedidn't have the money or the
resources to get them out rightaway.
So we had to sit there for abouta month and it was a really wake
up call.
And I was like if I would've satthere for a month, maybe I
would've, but no, it allhappened like it was supposed
to.
But yeah, they're doing reallygood and I'm really blessed.
(23:25):
That's awesome.
And how's your relationship withall your kids now?
It's good me and my daughter andmy middle son like we have a
good relationship.
My oldest son's coming aroundhe's got a lot of issues with me
He feels like I could have donethings different with him, which
he remembers some things thatthe other two don't remember
(23:46):
Yeah, but Hey, we're gettingthere.
He's start, he's growing up.
And when the more you grow upand you start seeing life for
what it is, you start having anunderstanding.
And he's starting to have anunderstanding.
I know he loves me.
We hung out with him yesterday.
And we watched the fireworkstogether and he's a good kid.
Awesome.
So we're getting there.
Yeah.
(24:06):
Good.
I'm glad to hear that.
And if anything God has restoredmy relationship with my brother,
with my daughter, my sons.
If anybody can do it, it's onlyHim.
I'm just waiting.
That's good.
That's good.
Tell me about some other keylessons.
You shared a huge one with theidea of making sure to consider
(24:27):
who we're hanging around, whoour friends are, who are the
people that we're associatingwith.
And, if they're not the rightkind of people, who are?
Get rid of those friends and getaround the right kind of people.
And what are some other keylessons that you've learned
through your experiences thatGod's taught you?
You've got to stay in prayer, inconstant prayer, in a
relationship with the HolySpirit.
(24:48):
Again I would have, Bend andfell on my face again, if it
wasn't for the Holy Spirit withme, but you got to be conscious
of that.
And you got to know that he isthere and he is there to make a
way for us, but we have to wanthim and we have to tell him and
we have to talk to him.
And you just got to want it,it's hard.
(25:09):
Don't think I there's days whereI'll be like, Oh, I wish I could
just go get high, but I can't.
And I won't.
But that's the only, only thingthat I can say that keeps me
going is know when that God isright there with me and he's all
I got.
And When I do get lonely or whenI do get depressed, He's there,
(25:32):
reminding me, nudging me.
Open your Bible, see what I gotto tell you today.
That's good, so good.
Yeah, God is your closestfamily.
Yes.
And then you surround yourselfwith others that love God as
well.
Yes.
And then y'all feed off eachother.
What does it say?
Iron sharpens iron?
Yeah.
I just try to keep myself with abunch of iron people.
(25:53):
That's good.
That's good.
Any other key lessons or thingsthat you've learned along the
way?
Maybe just hold on.
If you're feeling emotional, ifsomething is going on in your
life and you feel like you can'thandle it, it's just a feeling.
Hold on just a little bitlonger.
Until you can and It'll pass.
You don't have to give in rightaway.
(26:15):
Just hold on just a little bitlonger.
Yeah That's good.
So I'm thinking About the momentyou described that was your
turning point and How it seemslike the Lord Turned your heart
and your mind and your focusfrom being upon yourself to
being upon your daughter and tothink whoa, what I'm doing is
(26:37):
affecting her.
And that shift so that youstarted thinking about her, that
was the turning point.
You said, I'm, I gotta getclean.
Yeah.
People, I've always heard thatyou can't do it for nobody else,
but yourself.
When we're in addiction and inour mess We're not worthy
enough, we don't think.
(26:58):
What's the point?
It don't matter no way.
But, whatever it takes.
For me, it took my daughter.
It wasn't for myself.
Because myself wasn't worthfixing to myself.
I Took her and I know that Idon't know what it would do to
her if I just kept on going I'min the mess that I was in so I
(27:20):
don't want to go back down thatroute I don't want to put her
through that.
I don't want her to think that Iwant drugs over her So I will
fight and I will keep fighting.
That's good.
That's so good.
I hate the Yeah.
he just wraps people up inconfusion and darkness and it's
so clear that God loves each andevery one of us so much that he
(27:43):
thinks that every one of us isworth it.
Yes.
We're worth it.
We are.
He loves us that much.
Yes, he does.
The Lord uses different thingsin our lives and different
things for different people toget them to the place where they
turn around and they see thatI'm so glad that he reached
through and got to you.
Me too.
Turned things around.
Me too.
It's such a wonderful thing tohear about how the Lord brought
(28:06):
you out of that darkness andbondage and brought you into
light and walking in victory andjust The people that you're
surrounding yourself with nowit's wonderful.
Yes.
Do you have ideas or thoughts ofthe future or are you just
taking it a day at a time,seeing how the Lord leads?
I don't know where I'll be.
I know this is my goals fromhere on out.
(28:27):
My mom and dad, when they died,they left some property to my
brother out in Smith station.
So right now I'm just working ongetting my credit up and so I
can get a trailer.
And put it out there and it'llbe ours.
You know what I'm saying?
Can't nobody take it away fromus.
That's my goal for right now, isjust working on getting a home.
(28:48):
That is mine and my daughtersand my sons, if they want to
come there.
But and that's a big deal.
I never thought that I would beable to say I have a home.
This is my home.
I'm I'm going to my, we're goinghome, but it's, I see the light
at the end of the tunnel whereI've never even thought that it
(29:08):
was possible.
But, and just God keeps showingup and showing out in my life in
every aspect.
And it's just, it's amazing.
That's awesome.
It's a little bit scary too,change is scary.
It is.
But, it's worth it.
I'd rather take a sober strugglethan a Not sober struggle any
(29:28):
day now, yeah, I've heard thatso many times.
Yeah, it's true I never want tohave to struggle in addiction
again It is it I'd rather takethis struggle.
Yeah, I've heard Individualsshared that they would take the
worst date they ever could havebeing sober Over the best day
(29:51):
that I ever had in addiction.
Yes, because it's awful, man.
And it's all, you're just bound.
And I don't want to be boundanymore.
I don't, and I refuse to bebound anymore.
Yeah, I just, I don't want to goback there.
Praise the Lord.
Yeah.
Awesome.
Anything else you want to share?
(30:12):
I don't know.
I don't think so.
Okay.
Alright.
Your youngest daughter's name isKylie.
Your oldest son is Colton?
Huh.
And what's the middle son'sname?
His name is Caden.
Caden.
Alright.
All C's?
All C's.
She's a K.
Okay.
It just was the closest.
Yeah.
That sounds good.
Do you mind if I close us in aword of prayer?
Oh, no.
Go ahead.
(30:32):
Thank you.
Okay.
Dear Father, thank you forDarlene and just What an amazing
testimony of your greatness andyour goodness and your love for
her and for her children.
Lord, I pray that you wouldcontinue to bless her path.
Lord, keep her feet on solidstanding.
Help her, as she has described,the importance of staying in
(30:54):
your word and staying in prayerand staying around and with
other people who are in need.
A good and godly influence is inher life.
Help her to stay that path, tostay that course.
Lord, protect her from thedevil's snares and the enemy's
deceptions.
Give her strength of spirit inher walk with you.
Father, I pray for her kids,Lord.
(31:14):
I pray for Colton, and I prayfor Kayden, and I pray for
Kylie, Lord.
I pray that you'd get everyoneat their hearts, Lord.
I don't know where they are,each of them, on their journeys.
In this world and in theirrelationship with you, Lord, if
they don't have a personalrelationship with you, I pray
that you'd work on their heartsand bring them into that
personal relationship with you.
(31:35):
And if they do, I pray that youwould strengthen them and help
them to walk in the light.
Lord, thank you for how youprotected Darlene's son.
And as he started to get intoaddiction, you brought him out
of that so quickly.
And you woke him up from that.
Thank you for that.
Bless her kids.
Guide their path.
Bless Darlene and the pathforward, Lord.
Help her to make wise decisionswith money, with time, and just
(31:58):
to have a good testimony, a goodname in her work that she does
and wherever she goes.
Help her to be dependable andhelp her to have a good
testimony before you.
And bless her, Lord, and blessher kids, I pray.
In Jesus name I pray.
Amen.
Amen.
Thank you.
We look forward to being with you again next week
as we share another testimonyabout the power and the goodness
(32:21):
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
at 2101 Hamilton Road, Columbus,Georgia, 31,904.
(32:43):
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 (32:54):
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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