Mike is an amazing man with an amazing story. In this part two episode he shares some more about his new life, the challenges, the joys, and the fact that he would never go back to his old life! Mike also shares several helpful lessons for anyone who might be affected by addiction in their own life or in the life of a loved one or friend.
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Episode Transcript
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Phil Shuler (00:00):
HellO, and welcome to Renew, Restore, Rejoice, the
(00:03):
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
House Ministries here inColumbus, Georgia.
(00:24):
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.
One of the most incredibleservices that Safe House
(00:45):
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
us End up finding work andmoving into their own home.
(01:07):
Thank you for being with ustoday and listening to our
podcast.
We hope you enjoy this week'sepisode.
Mike (01:12):
she got tired of it and said you go clean or I'm not
coming back.
That's how it was wow.
And it took me a while, to, torealize she wasn't coming back
and it would never be me and heragain unless I left my demons
and my drugs alone, so that'swhat I did.
Phil (01:32):
so your friend Danny.
He was the one that encouragedyou to maybe try to get out of
that and get some help.
I encouraged him first, believeit or not.
Mike (01:39):
Yeah?
Yeah.
I encouraged him to go.
He was getting where he couldn'tfunction really.
He was losing it, yeah.
Paranoid, schizophrenic andstuff, and he was just, didn't
have nowhere else to go.
He was just burning bridgeseverywhere, and I seen him down.
I didn't know if I have myfriend anymore, just the things
(02:01):
he was doing.
Yeah.
And I encouraged him.
I was like, look, man, there'splaces you can go to get help.
This is me still in myaddiction.
Phil (02:10):
Yeah.
Mike (02:11):
Telling him like, Hey man, you can go get help.
Just go get help.
Go get your life together.
But what he's like, what are yougoing to do?
I said, I guess I'm going tostay here and keep trucking,
man.
Two months comes around, threemonths I ain't heard nothing
from him, and finally fourmonths comes around, he's
pulling up in a brand new car.
I was like, where you at?
And he's I'm at the safe house.
And I said, I'm at the GraceHouse.
(02:34):
I was like, what's the GraceHouse?
And he was like, man, it's whereyou want to go to get to know
God.
And he just kept coming back atme.
Finally, he's getting ready tograduate and he finally graduate
Phil (02:45):
from the Tomorrow's Hope substance abuse treatment
program.
He's
Mike (02:48):
getting ready to graduate and he's, the whole time he's
been at this place, he's comingto me showing me these nice
things, showing me, what I couldhave and showing me what I could
do, how I could change.
And it's getting to me everytime.
And then, I talked to God, eventhrough my addition, I talked to
God.
And I can hear him through otherpeople saying, get off the
(03:10):
drugs, get off the meth, andthis is one night right before
Danny came back to get me.
I was just sitting outside myhotel room and looking down at
this sign, it just said office.
And I kept looking at it and Ikept looking at it and by the
time Danny shows up, it's likemorning time.
I'm staying inside all night.
And Danny shows up and I look athis signs like, man, what do you
(03:31):
think that sign says?
It's telling me something.
I'm high.
I'm thinking, crazy things.
And I looked down and I said, itsays off ice.
It says off ice.
Get off the ice.
Then he said, get in the car,man.
You're going with me.
Wow.
So I jumped in the car.
I got no shirt on.
I show up at the safe house,pastor Eric comes out, and you
gotta have a shirt on, man, likethat.
And I was like, I don't haveone.
(03:52):
But we gonna find you one, comeon they give me a shirt, and
I'll go in there and sit down 30minutes to an hour.
Next thing I'm at the GraceHouse.
Which is the men's shelter atthe time.
Phil (04:02):
Wow.
Man, praise the Lord for thevictory he's given.
praise the Lord for Danny andfor Safe House and tomorrow's
hope and just wow.
Mike (04:14):
Yeah, I don't know where I would be today without Safe
House Ministries they theyopened their doors to me and I
knew God again.
As soon as I went there, it ledme to the fourth church and I
knew God again and I haven't letthat go.
Amen.
He never let me go, I walkedaway from him, but he never left
my side.
Phil (04:35):
That's awesome.
That's it.
Praise the Lord.
Let me ask you over the years.
What are the key lessons thatyou would say really stand out,
the things that you learned thatyou feel like could be a help to
others?
Mike (04:51):
The key lessons I learned was probably the NA classes,
like the 12 steps.
Yeah.
Actually working your program.
Yeah.
If you ever get connected withone, actually working it.
Cause if you don't, it's notgoing to work for you.
Actually, knowing what the stepsmean the first one's admitting
you have a problem.
(05:12):
That's, that was my mainproblem.
Not admitting I had one.
Telling everybody I'm not on thedrugs.
Telling everybody that, I'mokay.
But I really wasn't.
Phil (05:23):
Yeah.
Mike (05:24):
But my main lesson was, to, find a network, find God.
Work your program
Phil (05:30):
and it'll work.
Yeah.
So it sounds like you had toovercome lying to yourself.
Exactly.
You talk about lying to others,but in the same way, I'm sure
there was that lying toyourself.
Oh, yes.
And that's so true.
There's, it's more than justchecking the boxes and going
through the motions.
(05:51):
You have to, I guess you have tojust be all in, you have to be
all in and really you say, workthe program, that's what it is,
and I hear that, I've heard thatpeople that have gone through
and they'll try the program andthen they'll get out and relapse
and come back and they'll talkabout how maybe initially they
just weren't, they weren'tserious about it, they were half
(06:12):
serious about it.
But then when they got seriousabout it and just really went
all in, that's what made all thedifference.
Yes.
So in the darkness what wasmaybe one of the scariest
realizations that you had orthings that you saw that just,
(06:33):
that maybe shook you to thecore?
Mike (06:35):
Man, I seen stuff that wasn't there.
I seen some stuff that I wouldnever want to go again.
I wouldn't never go back totheir life.
I seen death, seen it happenright in my hands.
Like someone just, a person justdied.
In your hands.
Somebody.
Yeah.
That was a crazy moment for meknowing.
It could have been prevented ifnot that, to drug mining people
(06:58):
were just wanting to get highand didn't care.
I could have prevented it andjust not did the drugs,
overdosing myself just knowing,I wasn't talking to my family
much as I should and they didn'tdeserve to get a call from me
saying I was.
He's dead in a hotel room.
And then again, if it wasn't forDanny, I wouldn't be here today
either for that reason.
(07:19):
He's the one that gave meNarcan, to save my life.
Wow.
If it wouldn't be for Danny, Iwouldn't be here for that reason
too.
Yeah, that's another thing Igotta thank him for.
There's some things I wouldn'tdiscuss with my mom, but she's
probably gonna listen to thisand probably break down.
It's a lot of dark times outthere by yourself when you're,
your family's showing you toughlove.
Phil (07:41):
Yeah.
Mike (07:42):
Caring from a distance, loving from a distance, and it
just makes you feel even morelonely.
But it's your fault.
It's like you're doing this toyourself.
And that's, another lesson I cansay I learned had to grow up,
had to learn.
Yeah.
If you're going to do thislifestyle, you're going to,
you're going to have to betough.
Phil (07:59):
Wow is there anything where you are now, knowing where
you were, is there anything thatmaybe your mom or other people
could have done that might'vehelped to get you out of it
early on?
Was there anything that, thatmaybe could have?
(08:20):
Pulled you.
Is there anything you can thinkof?
Mike (08:23):
She probably could have, with me being at a young age,
she probably could have, got theauthorities involved a little
more.
Yeah.
Probably put me in like YDC orsomething.
Phil (08:34):
Yeah, maybe just a little stronger on the consequences
side.
A little stronger
Mike (08:37):
on the consequences, it's hard.
Don't let me be at my free will,as you can say.
Phil (08:42):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I know we're just speculating,but I know there are people at
that place now.
And I didn't know if there wassome things that maybe they
could try, may or may not work.
I know sometimes when a personjust sets their self on a
course, there's nothing you cando to stop them.
But other times maybe there aresome things that you can do to
(09:05):
help prevent them.
I feel like in our culturetoday, there's so much
corrective theology, which isgood and which we need, helping
people that have made badchoices and lived a life of
destruction, help them to berestored.
And it's such a wonderful thing.
But I really wish we couldfigure out how to emphasize more
(09:27):
of the preventative theologyand, I'm a youth pastor.
And so my heart wants to protectthose kids, like whatever I can
do to help them on the frontend, not take that path, and I
know sometimes there's nothingyou can do.
They, sometimes someone's justgoing to take a path.
But maybe there are others thatthey're in that gray zone and
(09:50):
maybe some things that you couldsay or do can lead them from
ever having going down thatpath, and I'm just, I'm a
thinker.
I like, I'm just, thinking of, Idon't know, just, I would love
to be able to help on thepreventative side, and I know
it's, it is a recurring themeof, people that have come out of
addiction and are in recovery,just giving back, now, are you
(10:12):
and Brittany, are you guys stillat the fort and doing well
there?
Mike (10:17):
Honestly, no, we don't.
She works too much.
I work too much.
Can't never get a really goodSunday off.
Which we're working towardstrying to get that back into our
lives because we really want tobe back a part of the Fort
Church.
Yeah.
I really want to be a part of,Safe House.
I really want to give back.
I'm working online right now toget my certified peer
specialist.
(10:38):
Yeah.
I'm trying to give back that wayI can, go to the organization
and work for, to to give back myknowledge of how I was in drug
addiction and how my life storycan probably change, probably
change the way other peoplewould think.
Yeah.
Give a better perspective oflife,
Phil (10:57):
yeah.
Yeah.
I think this podcast is going todo that as well.
Just be an encouragement.
People listen in.
It's not worth it.
The going down that path withalcohol, getting into the drugs,
the sex, the, it seems likeit'll be so much fun, but in the
end it's just not worth it.
(11:17):
The consequences are too high.
Mike (11:20):
It's not worth it at all I look back on it and if I can, if
I got a time machine, I'll goback and change a lot of things.
Phil (11:28):
Yeah.
Mike (11:29):
I'll pull away from that lifestyle quick, in a hurry.
Phil (11:34):
How has all of that affected your kids?
Mike (11:38):
It affected Aiden a lot.
And to the point where, he wasconfused.
Always wondering where, we were.
Especially when my mom actuallytook him and wouldn't bring him
around, he got to the age wherehe knew what was causing the
problem.
And I can't say that for theother kids because they got, by
(12:01):
the time they got to the age ofknowing we were clean, and I
feel bad about that becauseAiden had to go through it,
yeah.
And I just thank God I got ittogether for he, yeah.
I should say y'all going to dothat.
And I don't want to be a part ofy'all's life,
Phil (12:19):
yeah.
Now you guys are both in a placewhere you can be the kind of
parents that you need to be,which is good.
And your kids are still young.
So there's, you've got a lot oftime to invest in them.
That's good, man.
That's praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord for bringing youout and just letting you have
that opportunity to be the dadthat they need and the husband
(12:43):
that Brittany needs.
Yeah.
That's good, man.
That's good.
Any other lessons that you feellike would be a help to others
that you want to share?
Lessons, you mean, like?
Like things you learned somewisdom that you've gained.
Maybe that you could share, thatsomeone, that could help someone
else.
Either avoid that life, or getout of that life, or, just get
(13:07):
back on their feet.
Mike (13:08):
Yeah so like Just stay away from people, places, and
things that's,
Phil (13:13):
that's good advice.
Yeah,
Mike (13:15):
find God first.
Let go, let God.
Yeah.
Put God first for everythingthat you do.
Before everything that you do.
Stay prayed up.
Man, just this world's so cold,man.
Yeah.
It's these days and times youcan't go nowhere, all these
shootings and the lifestyle is,when I was doing it, it's
(13:36):
changed, to me it has, just to,just stay away, just don't do
drugs at all, just stay awayfrom, just If you got a family,
stay with your family, justdon't get caught up in that
lifestyle.
It's not worth it.
Phil (13:50):
Yeah.
It's so true.
And it sounds so simple.
I mean that, that lesson ofwisdom is so prominent in the
Bible of being careful who youhang around, being careful who
you call friends, who you letinfluence you, where you go.
I'm teaching through Proverbs 7now in the youth group and that
(14:13):
there's such a strong warning tothe young man Hey, listen, man,
stay away from this place wherethis woman's going to be, it's
going to tempt you.
It's so good though.
Like it just, it's like commonsense, but we don't get it, if
you don't go to that place, thenyou won't get involved in that
thing.
And we think, just stay awayfrom that place.
But.
(14:33):
So it's not as easy as you, asit, as we think sometimes, and
maybe there's some lessons toparents too, about boundaries
and maybe being a littlestronger on the boundaries,
being a little more involved andnot that you're controlling, but
maybe have a little more controlover who you let your kids hang
around and where you let themgo.
(14:55):
And man, yeah, it's just, I haveseven kids and Yeah, it just
makes me think a lot about therole of being a dad and how to
protect your kids and Just myown self, Yeah.
Yeah anything else any otherlessons that you want to throw
out there?
That's pretty much all I got.
Yeah So you've got you andBrittany have three of the kids
(15:18):
that are with you or four Justtwo of them.
Two of them, okay.
And then she's got her son aswell, like your stepson is there
too?
Yeah, he's not there.
He's with his father, but hecomes
Mike (15:28):
around.
Okay.
And then, like I said, we gotthe other two, which is Trendon.
He's with my cousin right now.
Yeah.
But you're involved like youwere able To be really it's a
long story.
Okay.
She's in her addiction rightnow.
Oh no.
And I gotta figure She
Phil (15:46):
your cousin or your daughter?
My cousin.
Your cousin is, oh, you're, soyour cousin Yeah, the one that's
got my son, yeah.
Your cousin that has your son,she's in addiction herself.
Yes.
Oh man.
Mike (15:59):
Just trying to figure out the best way to go about it,
yeah.
Ever since he was a baby, he'sbeen with her, he's attached to
her,
Phil (16:07):
that's hard, man.
Mike (16:07):
So it's I deal with a lot of stuff, about that, and it
hurts right here, and trying tofigure out a way to go legally
about it, and not hurt him atthe same time.
Phil (16:18):
And his name is Trendon?
Mike (16:20):
Yeah, Trendon.
Phil (16:21):
How old is he?
Mike (16:22):
He's
Phil (16:22):
five.
Oh.
He's I am going to be prayingfor you and for him, and I can't
imagine that's a, that is atough spot, man.
You need wisdom and just theguidance of the Lord.
And I'll be praying for youabout that, man.
Mike (16:38):
I appreciate it.
Phil (16:39):
Yeah.
No, that's hard.
Wow.
Yeah.
Wow.
Maybe the Lord will work it outto get her connected to safe
house and help her out of that
Mike (16:48):
And i'll be willing to help
Phil (16:50):
you know Do you does she have a does she do you and her
have a relationship where likeyou guys are?
able to talk and or is it likeshe's trying to hide she
Mike (17:00):
Hides from it, she Don't want her like I said don't want
to admit she's on you know thestuff Yeah, because I guess
Saying losing him will be herworld, yeah.
But at the same time, he has amom, he has a dad, and they need
to be in his life.
Yeah.
And I know, I pray every nightabout it and, The Lord, I always
(17:23):
think, I always say, always,he's always, he's already came
to fight these battles for me.
Yeah.
And one day, I'll be the one,but it's hand raised, so that's
the way I look at it.
Wow.
Phil (17:36):
You know what it's like though to, to not, to be at the
place where you don't want toadmit you have a problem yet.
Like you, that's one of your keylessons learned is you, before
you can get victory, you have toadmit you need help.
Gotta surrender.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And the crazy thing is that fearof losing.
The things we love keeps us frommaybe taking those first steps,
(18:01):
but it's so paradoxical becauseif we don't take that first
step, we're going to lose themforever.
Like you lost him because ofthat.
And the crazy thing is puttingourself in a place where we
surrender to get help and maybehaving.
Our children taken away for atime, but then we can get clean
(18:23):
and get victory that can helpget us to a place where we can
be restored permanently.
That's crazy.
It just, but we don't think withclear heads.
A lot of times when the devil'sgot us wrapped up and we're
telling ourselves the lies andwe're just, it's hard to think
clear.
Just, and the truth is.
Not what we think it is.
(18:43):
Exactly.
It's just, man, wow yeah, so youare, I think you told me you're
working at McDonald's now as amanager?
Working at McDonald's,
Mike (18:52):
Store manager.
I like it.
Yeah.
Growed on me.
I got a passion for it.
Serving.
Phil (18:56):
You will learn some good skills doing that.
Oh yeah.
Years and years ago, I spentsome time working at McDonald's
and I've spent time working as adirector manager at Chick fil a
and the food business, you learna lot is not an easy business,
managing people, especiallyteenagers it's a lot of work.
(19:17):
Yeah, but it's good.
It's good experience and it'sgood.
It's good lessons that you canuse and take and build on.
Yes, sir.
How close are you to finishingthat CPS certification?
Mike (19:27):
I got a little ways to go.
I'm like in the second trimesterright now.
Okay.
Second semester of it.
Yeah.
I actually learned a lot ofthings.
How to, go about teachingothers.
The words that I say mighttrigger, trigger some kind of
things with people.
Yeah.
Learning how to talk to people,learning how to cope with what
they're coping with, yeah.
(19:47):
But I'd say here in aboutanother three or four months I
should be done with it.
Phil (19:52):
Fantastic.
I bet you're excited.
Mike (19:54):
I'm really excited.
Phil (19:54):
Is Brittany pretty excited about that?
Yeah, she is.
She's
Mike (19:58):
my biggest supporter.
Background (20:00):
That's awesome.
Mike (20:01):
She don't like the idea of me going to the police academy,
but it's just, I'm doing, I'mexploring all options right now.
Yeah.
Want to do the CPS thing, wantto do the police thing, because
the police just getting theirdrugs in the criminal's office
street.
Yeah.
So in
Phil (20:17):
your dark time period, were you, did you never get
arrested and.
Yeah, I've been arrested.
Mike (20:25):
But never.
For my drug use.
Okay, it's always But it wasactually my drug use but I got
arrested when I was little likeyounger when did that call
started?
Yeah, and Then I got arrestedone more time for possession
appeals Which I just now got
Phil (20:48):
taken care of all this stuff's behind me Awesome.
So then, so you got your recordsbeen taken care of and you are
at the place where you can be apolice officer still like you
don't have anything that's goingto keep you from that.
Mike (21:01):
No,
Phil (21:01):
because I
Mike (21:02):
got to take the math portion of my GED and I have it.
That's awesome.
Like I said, I'm looking forwardto doing that.
Praise the
Phil (21:09):
Lord, man.
Yeah I'll be praying for you,man, that the Lord will just
bless you and guide you and yourfamily and just give you wisdom
and help you you have a greatstory, a great testimony.
You've been through a lot, butthe Lord brought you out of it
and he has got a plan to useyou.
That's all the light.
Mike (21:27):
Yes.
Amen.
That's all the light for sure,man.
I just think he used Danny to doit, he really did.
Phil (21:35):
Wow.
And it's powerful what a goodfriend can do to help you out.
Yes.
It's just as powerful as what abad friend can do to drag you
down.
Exactly.
Just circles us back to thatjust cliche common truth that we
say so often, be careful whoyour friends are.
But it matters so so much, man.
(21:57):
Anything else you want to saybefore we finish up?
Mike (21:59):
Just thank God for Safe House Ministries.
They I owe it all to them andthe Lord and, of course, Danny.
But just if anybody listens tothis just letting you know
you're not alone.
There is help out there.
Reach out.
Don't keep it bottled in like Idid for so long because you
never know when it might not beYou might not get the chance to
(22:22):
reach out.
So if you listen to this reachout seek to help work the
program And it works.
Phil (22:29):
Amen.
Amen.
That's such good.
That's good.
Yeah, please reach out.
You are not alone I love thatand I've heard so many people
say that But maybe someone herein this podcast will be at that
place and they'll hear that andit'll sink in and they'll reach
out for help.
That's good.
And if anybody out there wantsto be a partner to help safe
(22:50):
house ministries in the workthat safe house is doing,
helping others, please reach outto us in that way as well.
We need partners, volunteers,financial support, all of those
things.
It's a great work that's beingdone and there's a lot of people
in our community that need help.
And praise the Lord for whathe's doing, man.
Mike, can I close this in a wordof prayer?
(23:11):
Yes, sir.
All right.
Dear father, I love you and Ipraise you.
You are so amazing, Lord.
Just even this morning with therain out to think of the wisdom
that you possess to have createdthis world and the cycle of
evaporation in the clouds,gathering moisture, and then
dropping back rain.
Just you're amazing.
(23:33):
And to think that you love us somuch that you would reach down
to our lives when we are in amess of our own creation.
You would love us so much to getthrough, to send us a good
friend, to send us others, tolead us by your spirit, to get
us to a place where we can behelped and we can get back on
(23:54):
our feet.
Thank you for doing that forMike.
Bless him, bless Brittany, blesstheir family, help them to be
the kind of husband and wifethat they need to be, that you
want them to be, help them to bethe kind of mother and father
that their kids need, that youwant them to be, Lord.
And just give Mike wisdom, Lord.
He's got some really toughdecisions that he's trying to
(24:16):
navigate through.
Help him, Lord.
Give him wisdom.
We know that you promise that ifwe ask for wisdom with all our
hearts.
In faith that you'll give it tous.
I'm asking for wisdom from myfriend, Mike, give them wisdom,
guide his path, help him, orjust to be the best that he can
be for all of his kids, the onesthat is in his house and the
(24:38):
ones that are not.
And we praise you help him to dowell in his certification, to be
able to get that CPS, to justhelp him and guide him in the
path.
If you want him to be a policeofficer, just whatever you have
for him, guide him.
Protect him from pitfalls, Lord.
And I just pray that you wouldprotect him from the temptations
(24:59):
of the devil.
You pray these things in Jesusname.
Amen.
Amen.
Phil Shuler (25:05):
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
(25:28):
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 (25:43):
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.
HellO, and welcome to Renew, Restore, Rejoice, the
(00:03):
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
House Ministries here inColumbus, Georgia.
(00:24):
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.
One of the most incredibleservices that Safe House
(00:45):
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
us End up finding work andmoving into their own home.
(01:07):
Thank you for being with ustoday and listening to our
podcast.
We hope you enjoy this week'sepisode.
Mike (01:12):
she got tired of it and said you go clean or I'm not
coming back.
That's how it was wow.
And it took me a while, to, torealize she wasn't coming back
and it would never be me and heragain unless I left my demons
and my drugs alone, so that'swhat I did.
Phil (01:32):
so your friend Danny.
He was the one that encouragedyou to maybe try to get out of
that and get some help.
I encouraged him first, believeit or not.
Mike (01:39):
Yeah?
Yeah.
I encouraged him to go.
He was getting where he couldn'tfunction really.
He was losing it, yeah.
Paranoid, schizophrenic andstuff, and he was just, didn't
have nowhere else to go.
He was just burning bridgeseverywhere, and I seen him down.
I didn't know if I have myfriend anymore, just the things
(02:01):
he was doing.
Yeah.
And I encouraged him.
I was like, look, man, there'splaces you can go to get help.
This is me still in myaddiction.
Phil (02:10):
Yeah.
Mike (02:11):
Telling him like, Hey man, you can go get help.
Just go get help.
Go get your life together.
But what he's like, what are yougoing to do?
I said, I guess I'm going tostay here and keep trucking,
man.
Two months comes around, threemonths I ain't heard nothing
from him, and finally fourmonths comes around, he's
pulling up in a brand new car.
I was like, where you at?
And he's I'm at the safe house.
And I said, I'm at the GraceHouse.
(02:34):
I was like, what's the GraceHouse?
And he was like, man, it's whereyou want to go to get to know
God.
And he just kept coming back atme.
Finally, he's getting ready tograduate and he finally graduate
Phil (02:45):
from the Tomorrow's Hope substance abuse treatment
program.
He's
Mike (02:48):
getting ready to graduate and he's, the whole time he's
been at this place, he's comingto me showing me these nice
things, showing me, what I couldhave and showing me what I could
do, how I could change.
And it's getting to me everytime.
And then, I talked to God, eventhrough my addition, I talked to
God.
And I can hear him through otherpeople saying, get off the
(03:10):
drugs, get off the meth, andthis is one night right before
Danny came back to get me.
I was just sitting outside myhotel room and looking down at
this sign, it just said office.
And I kept looking at it and Ikept looking at it and by the
time Danny shows up, it's likemorning time.
I'm staying inside all night.
And Danny shows up and I look athis signs like, man, what do you
(03:31):
think that sign says?
It's telling me something.
I'm high.
I'm thinking, crazy things.
And I looked down and I said, itsays off ice.
It says off ice.
Get off the ice.
Then he said, get in the car,man.
You're going with me.
Wow.
So I jumped in the car.
I got no shirt on.
I show up at the safe house,pastor Eric comes out, and you
gotta have a shirt on, man, likethat.
And I was like, I don't haveone.
(03:52):
But we gonna find you one, comeon they give me a shirt, and
I'll go in there and sit down 30minutes to an hour.
Next thing I'm at the GraceHouse.
Which is the men's shelter atthe time.
Phil (04:02):
Wow.
Man, praise the Lord for thevictory he's given.
praise the Lord for Danny andfor Safe House and tomorrow's
hope and just wow.
Mike (04:14):
Yeah, I don't know where I would be today without Safe
House Ministries they theyopened their doors to me and I
knew God again.
As soon as I went there, it ledme to the fourth church and I
knew God again and I haven't letthat go.
Amen.
He never let me go, I walkedaway from him, but he never left
my side.
Phil (04:35):
That's awesome.
That's it.
Praise the Lord.
Let me ask you over the years.
What are the key lessons thatyou would say really stand out,
the things that you learned thatyou feel like could be a help to
others?
Mike (04:51):
The key lessons I learned was probably the NA classes,
like the 12 steps.
Yeah.
Actually working your program.
Yeah.
If you ever get connected withone, actually working it.
Cause if you don't, it's notgoing to work for you.
Actually, knowing what the stepsmean the first one's admitting
you have a problem.
(05:12):
That's, that was my mainproblem.
Not admitting I had one.
Telling everybody I'm not on thedrugs.
Telling everybody that, I'mokay.
But I really wasn't.
Phil (05:23):
Yeah.
Mike (05:24):
But my main lesson was, to, find a network, find God.
Work your program
Phil (05:30):
and it'll work.
Yeah.
So it sounds like you had toovercome lying to yourself.
Exactly.
You talk about lying to others,but in the same way, I'm sure
there was that lying toyourself.
Oh, yes.
And that's so true.
There's, it's more than justchecking the boxes and going
through the motions.
(05:51):
You have to, I guess you have tojust be all in, you have to be
all in and really you say, workthe program, that's what it is,
and I hear that, I've heard thatpeople that have gone through
and they'll try the program andthen they'll get out and relapse
and come back and they'll talkabout how maybe initially they
just weren't, they weren'tserious about it, they were half
(06:12):
serious about it.
But then when they got seriousabout it and just really went
all in, that's what made all thedifference.
Yes.
So in the darkness what wasmaybe one of the scariest
realizations that you had orthings that you saw that just,
(06:33):
that maybe shook you to thecore?
Mike (06:35):
Man, I seen stuff that wasn't there.
I seen some stuff that I wouldnever want to go again.
I wouldn't never go back totheir life.
I seen death, seen it happenright in my hands.
Like someone just, a person justdied.
In your hands.
Somebody.
Yeah.
That was a crazy moment for meknowing.
It could have been prevented ifnot that, to drug mining people
(06:58):
were just wanting to get highand didn't care.
I could have prevented it andjust not did the drugs,
overdosing myself just knowing,I wasn't talking to my family
much as I should and they didn'tdeserve to get a call from me
saying I was.
He's dead in a hotel room.
And then again, if it wasn't forDanny, I wouldn't be here today
either for that reason.
(07:19):
He's the one that gave meNarcan, to save my life.
Wow.
If it wouldn't be for Danny, Iwouldn't be here for that reason
too.
Yeah, that's another thing Igotta thank him for.
There's some things I wouldn'tdiscuss with my mom, but she's
probably gonna listen to thisand probably break down.
It's a lot of dark times outthere by yourself when you're,
your family's showing you toughlove.
Phil (07:41):
Yeah.
Mike (07:42):
Caring from a distance, loving from a distance, and it
just makes you feel even morelonely.
But it's your fault.
It's like you're doing this toyourself.
And that's, another lesson I cansay I learned had to grow up,
had to learn.
Yeah.
If you're going to do thislifestyle, you're going to,
you're going to have to betough.
Phil (07:59):
Wow is there anything where you are now, knowing where
you were, is there anything thatmaybe your mom or other people
could have done that might'vehelped to get you out of it
early on?
Was there anything that, thatmaybe could have?
(08:20):
Pulled you.
Is there anything you can thinkof?
Mike (08:23):
She probably could have, with me being at a young age,
she probably could have, got theauthorities involved a little
more.
Yeah.
Probably put me in like YDC orsomething.
Phil (08:34):
Yeah, maybe just a little stronger on the consequences
side.
A little stronger
Mike (08:37):
on the consequences, it's hard.
Don't let me be at my free will,as you can say.
Phil (08:42):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I know we're just speculating,but I know there are people at
that place now.
And I didn't know if there wassome things that maybe they
could try, may or may not work.
I know sometimes when a personjust sets their self on a
course, there's nothing you cando to stop them.
But other times maybe there aresome things that you can do to
(09:05):
help prevent them.
I feel like in our culturetoday, there's so much
corrective theology, which isgood and which we need, helping
people that have made badchoices and lived a life of
destruction, help them to berestored.
And it's such a wonderful thing.
But I really wish we couldfigure out how to emphasize more
(09:27):
of the preventative theologyand, I'm a youth pastor.
And so my heart wants to protectthose kids, like whatever I can
do to help them on the frontend, not take that path, and I
know sometimes there's nothingyou can do.
They, sometimes someone's justgoing to take a path.
But maybe there are others thatthey're in that gray zone and
(09:50):
maybe some things that you couldsay or do can lead them from
ever having going down thatpath, and I'm just, I'm a
thinker.
I like, I'm just, thinking of, Idon't know, just, I would love
to be able to help on thepreventative side, and I know
it's, it is a recurring themeof, people that have come out of
addiction and are in recovery,just giving back, now, are you
(10:12):
and Brittany, are you guys stillat the fort and doing well
there?
Mike (10:17):
Honestly, no, we don't.
She works too much.
I work too much.
Can't never get a really goodSunday off.
Which we're working towardstrying to get that back into our
lives because we really want tobe back a part of the Fort
Church.
Yeah.
I really want to be a part of,Safe House.
I really want to give back.
I'm working online right now toget my certified peer
specialist.
(10:38):
Yeah.
I'm trying to give back that wayI can, go to the organization
and work for, to to give back myknowledge of how I was in drug
addiction and how my life storycan probably change, probably
change the way other peoplewould think.
Yeah.
Give a better perspective oflife,
Phil (10:57):
yeah.
Yeah.
I think this podcast is going todo that as well.
Just be an encouragement.
People listen in.
It's not worth it.
The going down that path withalcohol, getting into the drugs,
the sex, the, it seems likeit'll be so much fun, but in the
end it's just not worth it.
(11:17):
The consequences are too high.
Mike (11:20):
It's not worth it at all I look back on it and if I can, if
I got a time machine, I'll goback and change a lot of things.
Phil (11:28):
Yeah.
Mike (11:29):
I'll pull away from that lifestyle quick, in a hurry.
Phil (11:34):
How has all of that affected your kids?
Mike (11:38):
It affected Aiden a lot.
And to the point where, he wasconfused.
Always wondering where, we were.
Especially when my mom actuallytook him and wouldn't bring him
around, he got to the age wherehe knew what was causing the
problem.
And I can't say that for theother kids because they got, by
(12:01):
the time they got to the age ofknowing we were clean, and I
feel bad about that becauseAiden had to go through it,
yeah.
And I just thank God I got ittogether for he, yeah.
I should say y'all going to dothat.
And I don't want to be a part ofy'all's life,
Phil (12:19):
yeah.
Now you guys are both in a placewhere you can be the kind of
parents that you need to be,which is good.
And your kids are still young.
So there's, you've got a lot oftime to invest in them.
That's good, man.
That's praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord for bringing youout and just letting you have
that opportunity to be the dadthat they need and the husband
(12:43):
that Brittany needs.
Yeah.
That's good, man.
That's good.
Any other lessons that you feellike would be a help to others
that you want to share?
Lessons, you mean, like?
Like things you learned somewisdom that you've gained.
Maybe that you could share, thatsomeone, that could help someone
else.
Either avoid that life, or getout of that life, or, just get
(13:07):
back on their feet.
Mike (13:08):
Yeah so like Just stay away from people, places, and
things that's,
Phil (13:13):
that's good advice.
Yeah,
Mike (13:15):
find God first.
Let go, let God.
Yeah.
Put God first for everythingthat you do.
Before everything that you do.
Stay prayed up.
Man, just this world's so cold,man.
Yeah.
It's these days and times youcan't go nowhere, all these
shootings and the lifestyle is,when I was doing it, it's
(13:36):
changed, to me it has, just to,just stay away, just don't do
drugs at all, just stay awayfrom, just If you got a family,
stay with your family, justdon't get caught up in that
lifestyle.
It's not worth it.
Phil (13:50):
Yeah.
It's so true.
And it sounds so simple.
I mean that, that lesson ofwisdom is so prominent in the
Bible of being careful who youhang around, being careful who
you call friends, who you letinfluence you, where you go.
I'm teaching through Proverbs 7now in the youth group and that
(14:13):
there's such a strong warning tothe young man Hey, listen, man,
stay away from this place wherethis woman's going to be, it's
going to tempt you.
It's so good though.
Like it just, it's like commonsense, but we don't get it, if
you don't go to that place, thenyou won't get involved in that
thing.
And we think, just stay awayfrom that place.
But.
(14:33):
So it's not as easy as you, asit, as we think sometimes, and
maybe there's some lessons toparents too, about boundaries
and maybe being a littlestronger on the boundaries,
being a little more involved andnot that you're controlling, but
maybe have a little more controlover who you let your kids hang
around and where you let themgo.
(14:55):
And man, yeah, it's just, I haveseven kids and Yeah, it just
makes me think a lot about therole of being a dad and how to
protect your kids and Just myown self, Yeah.
Yeah anything else any otherlessons that you want to throw
out there?
That's pretty much all I got.
Yeah So you've got you andBrittany have three of the kids
(15:18):
that are with you or four Justtwo of them.
Two of them, okay.
And then she's got her son aswell, like your stepson is there
too?
Yeah, he's not there.
He's with his father, but hecomes
Mike (15:28):
around.
Okay.
And then, like I said, we gotthe other two, which is Trendon.
He's with my cousin right now.
Yeah.
But you're involved like youwere able To be really it's a
long story.
Okay.
She's in her addiction rightnow.
Oh no.
And I gotta figure She
Phil (15:46):
your cousin or your daughter?
My cousin.
Your cousin is, oh, you're, soyour cousin Yeah, the one that's
got my son, yeah.
Your cousin that has your son,she's in addiction herself.
Yes.
Oh man.
Mike (15:59):
Just trying to figure out the best way to go about it,
yeah.
Ever since he was a baby, he'sbeen with her, he's attached to
her,
Phil (16:07):
that's hard, man.
Mike (16:07):
So it's I deal with a lot of stuff, about that, and it
hurts right here, and trying tofigure out a way to go legally
about it, and not hurt him atthe same time.
Phil (16:18):
And his name is Trendon?
Mike (16:20):
Yeah, Trendon.
Phil (16:21):
How old is he?
Mike (16:22):
He's
Phil (16:22):
five.
Oh.
He's I am going to be prayingfor you and for him, and I can't
imagine that's a, that is atough spot, man.
You need wisdom and just theguidance of the Lord.
And I'll be praying for youabout that, man.
Mike (16:38):
I appreciate it.
Phil (16:39):
Yeah.
No, that's hard.
Wow.
Yeah.
Wow.
Maybe the Lord will work it outto get her connected to safe
house and help her out of that
Mike (16:48):
And i'll be willing to help
Phil (16:50):
you know Do you does she have a does she do you and her
have a relationship where likeyou guys are?
able to talk and or is it likeshe's trying to hide she
Mike (17:00):
Hides from it, she Don't want her like I said don't want
to admit she's on you know thestuff Yeah, because I guess
Saying losing him will be herworld, yeah.
But at the same time, he has amom, he has a dad, and they need
to be in his life.
Yeah.
And I know, I pray every nightabout it and, The Lord, I always
(17:23):
think, I always say, always,he's always, he's already came
to fight these battles for me.
Yeah.
And one day, I'll be the one,but it's hand raised, so that's
the way I look at it.
Wow.
Phil (17:36):
You know what it's like though to, to not, to be at the
place where you don't want toadmit you have a problem yet.
Like you, that's one of your keylessons learned is you, before
you can get victory, you have toadmit you need help.
Gotta surrender.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And the crazy thing is that fearof losing.
The things we love keeps us frommaybe taking those first steps,
(18:01):
but it's so paradoxical becauseif we don't take that first
step, we're going to lose themforever.
Like you lost him because ofthat.
And the crazy thing is puttingourself in a place where we
surrender to get help and maybehaving.
Our children taken away for atime, but then we can get clean
(18:23):
and get victory that can helpget us to a place where we can
be restored permanently.
That's crazy.
It just, but we don't think withclear heads.
A lot of times when the devil'sgot us wrapped up and we're
telling ourselves the lies andwe're just, it's hard to think
clear.
Just, and the truth is.
Not what we think it is.
(18:43):
Exactly.
It's just, man, wow yeah, so youare, I think you told me you're
working at McDonald's now as amanager?
Working at McDonald's,
Mike (18:52):
Store manager.
I like it.
Yeah.
Growed on me.
I got a passion for it.
Serving.
Phil (18:56):
You will learn some good skills doing that.
Oh yeah.
Years and years ago, I spentsome time working at McDonald's
and I've spent time working as adirector manager at Chick fil a
and the food business, you learna lot is not an easy business,
managing people, especiallyteenagers it's a lot of work.
(19:17):
Yeah, but it's good.
It's good experience and it'sgood.
It's good lessons that you canuse and take and build on.
Yes, sir.
How close are you to finishingthat CPS certification?
Mike (19:27):
I got a little ways to go.
I'm like in the second trimesterright now.
Okay.
Second semester of it.
Yeah.
I actually learned a lot ofthings.
How to, go about teachingothers.
The words that I say mighttrigger, trigger some kind of
things with people.
Yeah.
Learning how to talk to people,learning how to cope with what
they're coping with, yeah.
(19:47):
But I'd say here in aboutanother three or four months I
should be done with it.
Phil (19:52):
Fantastic.
I bet you're excited.
Mike (19:54):
I'm really excited.
Phil (19:54):
Is Brittany pretty excited about that?
Yeah, she is.
She's
Mike (19:58):
my biggest supporter.
Background (20:00):
That's awesome.
Mike (20:01):
She don't like the idea of me going to the police academy,
but it's just, I'm doing, I'mexploring all options right now.
Yeah.
Want to do the CPS thing, wantto do the police thing, because
the police just getting theirdrugs in the criminal's office
street.
Yeah.
So in
Phil (20:17):
your dark time period, were you, did you never get
arrested and.
Yeah, I've been arrested.
Mike (20:25):
But never.
For my drug use.
Okay, it's always But it wasactually my drug use but I got
arrested when I was little likeyounger when did that call
started?
Yeah, and Then I got arrestedone more time for possession
appeals Which I just now got
Phil (20:48):
taken care of all this stuff's behind me Awesome.
So then, so you got your recordsbeen taken care of and you are
at the place where you can be apolice officer still like you
don't have anything that's goingto keep you from that.
Mike (21:01):
No,
Phil (21:01):
because I
Mike (21:02):
got to take the math portion of my GED and I have it.
That's awesome.
Like I said, I'm looking forwardto doing that.
Praise the
Phil (21:09):
Lord, man.
Yeah I'll be praying for you,man, that the Lord will just
bless you and guide you and yourfamily and just give you wisdom
and help you you have a greatstory, a great testimony.
You've been through a lot, butthe Lord brought you out of it
and he has got a plan to useyou.
That's all the light.
Mike (21:27):
Yes.
Amen.
That's all the light for sure,man.
I just think he used Danny to doit, he really did.
Phil (21:35):
Wow.
And it's powerful what a goodfriend can do to help you out.
Yes.
It's just as powerful as what abad friend can do to drag you
down.
Exactly.
Just circles us back to thatjust cliche common truth that we
say so often, be careful whoyour friends are.
But it matters so so much, man.
(21:57):
Anything else you want to saybefore we finish up?
Mike (21:59):
Just thank God for Safe House Ministries.
They I owe it all to them andthe Lord and, of course, Danny.
But just if anybody listens tothis just letting you know
you're not alone.
There is help out there.
Reach out.
Don't keep it bottled in like Idid for so long because you
never know when it might not beYou might not get the chance to
(22:22):
reach out.
So if you listen to this reachout seek to help work the
program And it works.
Phil (22:29):
Amen.
Amen.
That's such good.
That's good.
Yeah, please reach out.
You are not alone I love thatand I've heard so many people
say that But maybe someone herein this podcast will be at that
place and they'll hear that andit'll sink in and they'll reach
out for help.
That's good.
And if anybody out there wantsto be a partner to help safe
(22:50):
house ministries in the workthat safe house is doing,
helping others, please reach outto us in that way as well.
We need partners, volunteers,financial support, all of those
things.
It's a great work that's beingdone and there's a lot of people
in our community that need help.
And praise the Lord for whathe's doing, man.
Mike, can I close this in a wordof prayer?
(23:11):
Yes, sir.
All right.
Dear father, I love you and Ipraise you.
You are so amazing, Lord.
Just even this morning with therain out to think of the wisdom
that you possess to have createdthis world and the cycle of
evaporation in the clouds,gathering moisture, and then
dropping back rain.
Just you're amazing.
(23:33):
And to think that you love us somuch that you would reach down
to our lives when we are in amess of our own creation.
You would love us so much to getthrough, to send us a good
friend, to send us others, tolead us by your spirit, to get
us to a place where we can behelped and we can get back on
(23:54):
our feet.
Thank you for doing that forMike.
Bless him, bless Brittany, blesstheir family, help them to be
the kind of husband and wifethat they need to be, that you
want them to be, help them to bethe kind of mother and father
that their kids need, that youwant them to be, Lord.
And just give Mike wisdom, Lord.
He's got some really toughdecisions that he's trying to
(24:16):
navigate through.
Help him, Lord.
Give him wisdom.
We know that you promise that ifwe ask for wisdom with all our
hearts.
In faith that you'll give it tous.
I'm asking for wisdom from myfriend, Mike, give them wisdom,
guide his path, help him, orjust to be the best that he can
be for all of his kids, the onesthat is in his house and the
(24:38):
ones that are not.
And we praise you help him to dowell in his certification, to be
able to get that CPS, to justhelp him and guide him in the
path.
If you want him to be a policeofficer, just whatever you have
for him, guide him.
Protect him from pitfalls, Lord.
And I just pray that you wouldprotect him from the temptations
(24:59):
of the devil.
You pray these things in Jesusname.
Amen.
Amen.
Phil Shuler (25:05):
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
(25:28):
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 (25:43):
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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Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
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If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.