March 4, 2025 • 31 mins
We left the story last week when Josh had been medically detoxed and "freed" from his opiate addiction, only to dive deep into another destructive addiction to gambling. Hear how Sammy God got brought someone into Josh's life who was finally able to break through and get Josh to face the lies he had not yet faced, and learn how God redeemed Josh and restored Sammy and Josh's relationship to the place where they could build a solid and wonderful life together.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
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.
Welcome back for the conclusionof Sammy's story.
Last week we left off when Joshhad gone through an intense
medical procedure andtechnically or theoretically
became clean from his opiateaddiction.
But then He went right intoanother addiction which was just
(01:32):
as devastating to his life.
An addiction of gambling.
And he, so we left off where hewas getting on a plane for
Colorado and they couldn't findhim.
when he got off the plane to goto an addiction treatment
program because he had gone todo some gambling.
So this week you'll hear theconclusion of how God got a hold
(01:53):
of Josh, how God redeemed Josh,how God brought him out of the
insanity, got him clean, got himfree of his addictions.
And got him to the place wherehe was the kind of man that
Sammy could build a life with.
And you will hear the amazingconclusion of their story at the
end of this podcast as well.
(02:13):
You will hear some really,really good advice that Sammy
gives if you or someone you knowhas a relative or a loved one.
or maybe even a spouse or apartner who is dealing with
addiction.
Sammy gives some very helpfuland very insightful advice that
(02:34):
I hope and pray might be a helpto you as well.
God bless you and enjoy theamazing conclusion of God's
redemption in Josh's life and inSammy's relationship with Josh.
And learn how they got to theplace where now they are married
and pregnant with their firstchild.
(02:54):
And God is just doing someamazing things and blessing them
so much.
Enjoy.
Sammy (02:59):
Yeah, he was medically detoxed and so it's like you've
never used an opiate before.
Phil (03:05):
But then he goes to a whole other world of addiction
with the gambling.
Sammy (03:09):
Yes, yes, and it was bad.
I mean His parents, like, calledme, like, he pulled some stuff,
and I'm like, Are you stupid?
Like, really?
Like, you haven't made, like,what is wrong with you?
And he tried to pull, like, ahunger strike.
I was like, do it! I'm like, Idon't care if you don't eat, you
(03:30):
know?
I was like, nobody cares if youdon't eat.
And I just, I mean, some of thestuff, I'm just like, Can you
believe you did this?
And I told him, I said, you needsomething.
You need to go somewhere orlike, I'm, I'm not, I was like,
I don't care what it takes.
I will block you.
I will block your whole family.
(03:51):
I'm not doing this anymore withyou.
It's just too much.
I mean, you're driving toshorter in the middle of the
night and at the gas station,sitting there just playing slot
machines.
And
Phil (04:03):
From your perspective, was that a legit statement, or were
you kind of bluffing?
Sammy (04:08):
I think I was to that point, because I've, I mean, you
can't just keep on forever.
I mean, I was, I mean, 30 ish.
I don't even know.
This was a few years ago, so Iwas in my 30s.
Yeah.
I just
Phil (04:22):
Did that wake him up?
Did that
Sammy (04:24):
I think it was the combination of that and his
parents.
They're like What, what are yougoing to do the rest of your
life?
He had like, pawned the title tohis car.
Multiple times.
He would find it, like I'm justlike, And the problem was, I
think because he knew, like, hehad a safety net.
And I told him, I was like, Yourparents should take it away from
(04:45):
you.
Like, I was very hard on Josh.
It was never like the soft,like, Oh, it's okay.
I was like, no, it's not okay.
Like, what you're doing is notokay.
You're ruining your life.
You're ruining everyone aroundyou.
Like, you're ruining this.
And, that's when he decided togo to Colorado.
And He was gonna go to a placein Atlanta.
(05:08):
And his parents were like, hismom was more like, for the
Atlanta place, she said, Look,he found this place in Colorado.
Let him go.
Like and then when they finally,like, agreed, he's like, Oh,
well y'all are agreeing, there'ssomething wrong with, you know,
he's, he's, he's Mr.
Doomsday.
And the day he left to go toColorado, he landed and he went
(05:33):
gambling.
and the people are trying tofind him to the place he's
going.
I can't even remember the nameof it.
Phil (05:40):
I remember the place though, like, I just don't
remember the name of it, like,where you lived, like, literally
in the, in the rough, like,woods, like.
Sammy (05:47):
Well, no, he did a wilderness thing when he was
younger.
Phil (05:50):
Okay.
Sammy (05:50):
Straight up wilderness, but this place, like, they
cooked you dinner and it waslike no sugars or whatever,
like, he ate very well there.
I think it was Raleigh House.
Okay.
That's where he went, he went toRaleigh House.
And, he spit.
I don't know how long he was outthere.
I'm really not good with, like,the concept of time.
Like, everything's just a bigblur.
(06:13):
But he went there and he workedthrough a lot of the trauma that
he had growing up.
Just, like, from being born on.
And, I mean, I've heard hisstory.
I've heard his whole storybefore.
And, you know, he's asked me andI don't like hearing it.
I don't like hearing whathappened to him when he was You
(06:33):
know, a baby or, you know, akid.
It's very hard for me to hearand the other day like I was
unpacking something and I sawlike a kind of like a journal
And I was trying to like gothrough stuff and I read it and
I started looking I was likegosh Like it was descriptive of
what happened to him From hisbiological family and It's it's
(06:57):
crazy to think that people cando that
background (06:59):
And
Sammy (07:00):
so he went I mean, he, he was angry.
He was an angry person, and whenhe was at the Raleigh house, and
he went through counseling, andthey brought me into a couple of
the meetings and then he went tosober living, and still then,
he, he had his little chip andego, and I I'm so grateful that
(07:21):
he met Hey Zeus there, who wasalso in our wedding, who was the
house manager of Unity.
And he helped him a lot, like,calm down, like, Josh got mad
because they made biscuits andgravy and someone ate it all,
and he didn't get any, and I gota phone call that they ate all
(07:42):
the biscuits and gravy, and I'mlike, okay like, that's what
we're mad about today, and Imean, I give, like, there was
Jesus, and then he had Nick, Imean, people were scared of Josh
out there because he's soboisterous and big personality,
especially, like, watchingfootball and stuff.
(08:02):
Like, I I was like, I don't envyy'all because I've known him, I
mean, I've known him longer thanI haven't.
And he is a very big personalityto know.
And Hazy's really, really,really helped him.
And then he started He's doingconstruction out there.
And then I was like, well, youcan't do that.
(08:23):
Like the whole time, like yourrest of your life, you know,
what are you going to do?
Like, you want to help peoplelike that's your thing.
And he started doing the 12 stepmeetings and he loved it out
there.
They had a great community outthere.
The CA community, they had sobervolleyball, sober soccer, sober,
just everything.
Being in Cal, you know, Coloradois like, you know, weed state.
(08:47):
Like, in Denver, I mean, theyhad it, and he had a group of
people, and they were not, like,old.
They were younger, and, I mean,there was some old people.
But they had a lot of clean timecombined in these rooms that he
would go to, and he loved it outthere.
And so, he came back for avisit, and that's when I finally
(09:08):
told my parents.
I said, Josh is here, and heasked me to go to dinner.
It's just, I had to rip it off,and I'm crying.
I'm like what, like, 32?
31, 32 or something?
And I'm like, crying, like,telling, and my parents are
like, it's your decision.
And I don't know, I just clearlycare about what people, well,
people, what they think.
(09:29):
Yeah, well, I mean, they're yourparents, so yeah.
Yeah, and so from that pointforward, it's been You know, all
in the open and he came back andI flew out there for Valentine's
Day a couple years ago, I guesslast year, year before, and you
know, I went out there, my bestfriend came out there, and then
(09:49):
we started doing the longdistance.
Like he would come here, there,I would, you know, or he would
come here, I would go there.
It was easier for me because Ihave a remote job so I could go
out there and I would still workand he was working and he got an
apartment, a very niceapartment, you know, it was
great for him, it wasoverlooking mountains and then
(10:10):
it comes time to like, well,what's, what are we going to do?
Like, you, you've got your lifetogether, you've got your life
here, but I have my life backhome where, you know, both of
our families are, both of every,you know, and he, Was it May?
He finally, he decided, we gotmarried last March.
He decided to move back in May.
And so I know it's been a littlebit of a struggle coming back
(10:32):
here and I was very worried thatI was taking him from that
community and bringing him intoa place.
Phil (10:38):
Where he knew all the wrong things, all the wrong
people.
All the wrong
Sammy (10:41):
people and I had people telling me, don't let him come
back, don't this, don't that.
I was like.
Thank you, but I didn't ask.
Like, I didn't ask you.
And, I mean, the first cominghome was hard.
I mean, it was hard for him andus in general.
I mean, you've got two alphapersonalities going together
(11:02):
into a house.
And I mean, he was having arough time working when he first
started with the safe house.
You know, it wasn't what hethought it was going to be in
this and that.
And I was like, I don't carewhat you do.
Just like quit complaining.
You know, I was like, you'recoming home and making my day
horrible.
And so
Phil (11:23):
it just makes me like, wow.
Like.
He better always take care ofyou, because you are such a help
and a blessing to him.
Sammy (11:33):
I try.
I mean, I, I think I talk to hismom just as much as I talk to my
parents, and she's like, Well,how's Josh?
I'm like, I'll let you know thetruth.
Like, I'm not gonna sugarcoatit.
I mean, with him, there has tobe kind of a clear line of
communication, because I knowthat they have my back.
Like, if something happens,like, I can go to them and be
like, Hey, like, we need to
background (11:55):
Yeah.
Sammy (11:56):
And I mean I still look for, you know, triggers or
things like that.
It's, it's kind of like innate.
Phil (12:04):
It's like you're just, you're always in the back of
your mind trying to be aware tomake sure that Yeah,
Sammy (12:09):
like if he comes in and he's in like a really bad mood
or gets super stressed out andI'm like, okay, like, anything
going on?
Do you feel this way?
And I mean, they can tell you,anyone can tell you like, oh,
I'll, I'll let you know.
I'm like Will you, you know,will you let me know?
He goes to the meetings here andit's we have, you know, some
mutual, well we have somefriends that are there and
(12:31):
actually have family membersthat are in there and he didn't,
he didn't even know, like, thefamily member.
You
Phil (12:37):
have fam, like your fam, some of your family members are
in some of those meetings?
Yeah.
That have dealt with addictionover the years?
Sammy (12:42):
Yeah, and I have another family member that just You
can't get right.
So
Phil (12:46):
you, you have really seen that from a lot of different
angles.
Sammy (12:52):
I've seen it, like with, I mean with Josh, I've seen
things I've never wanted to seeand, you know, it, I've I know a
lot about things that I'd neverwanted to know about, I mean.
Yeah.
I don't think there's anythinghe hasn't tried
Phil (13:05):
was there ever a point when you were tempted to, Try
some of those things?
Sammy (13:12):
The worst thing I did was take a Xanax when I was in high
school, but I think that Withseeing what happened to him and
just the downfall and justeverything I Didn't like
Phil (13:27):
you had the the wherewithal and the wisdom to
say I'm not even gonna take thefirst step Yeah,
Sammy (13:33):
I don't have an addictive personality.
So it's hard for me tounderstand like That.
Like with alcohol, I could takeit or leave it.
I can walk away from a drinksitting there, you know?
And with him being home, I waslike, does alcohol bother you?
Because he had friends that werealcoholics, and he's like, no,
alcohol really never, that wasthe one thing he wasn't addicted
(13:55):
to, but I didn't like him whenhe drank.
He, his sarcasm just escalated,and I was like, ooh.
So, that was never really Imean, I didn't have the problem
of trying anything.
Phil (14:08):
Yeah, you were never drawn to try to
Sammy (14:10):
No.
I mean, I had drugs around mebefore.
I've had you know I've seen himdo bare minimum.
He never, like, I've never seenhim shoot up.
I've never seen him, like, I'veseen him smoke weed.
Which, nowadays, like, it'scrazy to think, like, Oh, yeah,
everyone's smoking weed.
Everyone around you, like, it'sso
background (14:31):
open.
We're a drugged up society.
Like,
Sammy (14:32):
it's very open and very different than, you know, back
whenever we were younger.
Yeah.
And so, he, he didn't do thosethings around me.
I mean, he might have popped apill and I didn't know.
But, he was never
Phil (14:47):
Yeah, he was more respectful, at least, around
you.
Sammy (14:50):
Yeah, he probably knew I was like, probably like, Or
scared of you.
Yeah, yeah.
Phil (14:55):
Do you have alcohol in the home, so that's not a big deal
to him?
Well, I'm pregnant now, so, No.
Sammy (15:00):
I mean, he's around alcohol.
I mean, my family drinks, andI've, I've told him, I was like,
Hey, like, does this bother you?
He'll get N.
A.
's.
And he's likes Hop water?
Not hop water.
It's kind of like that like H2Ohops or whatever like at our
wedding all of our groomsmenbesides one was sober So I like
made sure like we had plenty ofoptions if they didn't want that
(15:24):
But the hops it's not even a nonalcoholic.
It just has a hop flavor So it'snot like even the 0.
5 percent or whatever.
It's water
Phil (15:34):
Yeah, so let me ask you when he asked you to marry him
and you said yes Was, was thatin part because you really
believed that the addiction andthe craziness was done?
Or did you just love him andwanted to be with him even with
the risk of what if somethinghappens in the future?
Sammy (15:54):
I know that there's always a risk.
But that's why, like, we doeverything to mitigate that
risk.
I mean At this just at thatpoint, I was like, you know,
this, he's my person.
Yeah.
So, like, whenever, like, mydad's like, why him?
I was like, it just is, like,you know, people are like, well,
why do you love someone?
(16:15):
Like, it's so, it's such a hardquestion, because it's like,
there's so many things.
I mean and, you know, dependingon my mood, like, if I'm mad at
him, I'm like, I don't even knowtoday.
But we, I like, he's in themeetings.
I'm, I would say kind of, notsay push, but I'm like, he's
like, I don't feel like, I'mlike, you're going.
Phil (16:35):
It's not a discussion.
You don't have a choice.
I was
Sammy (16:37):
like, also, it's like my time, you know, like, you know,
it's like you go.
And then it just, I have myroutine and I just expect like
Tuesdays and Thursdays.
I'm like, okay, you're not here.
Like that's your, you go to you.
Phil (16:50):
Go to your meetings.
Yeah.
Sammy (16:51):
And he's like, just bring me back dinner.
I'm like, okay, that's fine.
And You know, he has a closefriend now that is also, he's an
AA, so like it's, I'm like, oh,did you see him tonight or
whatever?
And so it, it helps that he'sbuilding the community.
It's not like it was inColorado, but also his life is
very different here.
Like, I mean, family and a housethat we're working on and moving
(17:16):
and this and that.
And I mean, he's back in school.
He's finally, you know, pulledthe trigger and The problem is,
his mom likes to remind him he'sa genius, because he took a test
and he's a genius, and I'm like,I'm like, he doesn't act like
it.
Like his ego needs
Phil (17:30):
that.
Sammy (17:31):
I know, he's like, I need my ego back.
I'm like, no, I stomp it everyday that I can.
He just, he is, he is a specialperson, and he does love to just
help people.
And so, I have to remind myself,because he's so generous, I'm
like, why are you doing this?
Like, You know, and he's had hissponcies, and they just don't
(17:54):
seem to work out very well.
And I mean, he, I think he'sgood.
But I'm still gonna
background (18:02):
watch.
Sammy (18:03):
And I'm like, if it aggravates you, it aggravates
you.
I don't care.
I was like, you've aggravated mea long time.
Like, too bad.
And, so, yeah.
Phil (18:11):
So You have an amazing story.
Like, you're, I love thisconversation.
I just and I'm learning so much.
How has being pregnant changedthe dynamic and the expectation
of what the future might looklike?
How's that affected you guys?
Sammy (18:29):
I'm a lot more emotional right now.
That's for sure.
We're having a lot of thingshappen during this pregnancy.
I mean, we found out.
On the cruise ship that I waspregnant, like, running around
Belize looking for anotherpregnancy test.
And I didn't get to keep itquiet very long, and, I mean, it
kind of, I've told him, like Idon't want to be a single
(18:52):
parent, but I will, like it's,I'm very protective, and he
just, I know he's excited tohave, I think he wanted a boy,
but he's, he's surrounded bygirls, you know, he's got a
daughter.
So you're, it's going to be agirl.
Yes, we're having a girl.
And then we have girl dogs andjust, you know, I think that's
(19:14):
another reason like he went backto school and he wants to be a
substance abuse counselor, Ibelieve.
Yeah.
So I think it kind of pushed himto, I mean, he doesn't want to
be working like.
All these crazy hours,especially, and you'll be home
during school, like, for thebeginning.
Yeah.
Of her life.
So.
Phil (19:34):
That's awesome.
That's awesome.
Wow.
So, you guys all have a reallygood relationship with all of
your relatives and everybodyelse now?
Sammy (19:45):
Yeah, I mean, every Sunday, we are at my aunt's for
dinner.
I mean, we go to church with hisparents, we go to lunch with his
family we just got back from atrip visiting my parents, and, I
mean, it's, it's a lot better.
I mean, it's one of thosethings, like, it sounds so
cliche and so corny, or like,you sit back and you think,
like, you did pray for this andit was a long time, like and I
(20:08):
never thought, like, we wouldactually be here.
Phil (20:11):
Yeah.
Wow.
So, tell me about your personalrelationship with God, and, and
like, how old were you when youtrusted Christ as your Savior?
Sammy (20:20):
I was in a bad car accident in my 20s.
I flipped a car because thepassenger grabbed the wheel, and
I tried to correct, and we werein a lifted Tahoe, and we rolled
in the middle of the highwayright next to the Welcome Center
exit.
And so we actually all, I had mybest friend with me, and then
(20:44):
two other people, and we allwalked away perfectly fine.
Phil (20:49):
That's a miracle.
Sammy (20:50):
Yeah.
So at that point, that's when Iwas like, okay, there's, there's
a reason.
We were all protected.
I was protected.
We were at a concert before andI was like, you know what?
I don't, I don't feel likehaving a drink tonight.
I'll drive, you know?
And so I had a state patrol inmy face within like, we parked
in the next, you know, I havethis like in my face asking me
(21:13):
what happened.
I know he's trying to smellalcohol on me.
Have you been drinking?
Have you this?
Have you that, you know?
And I hadn't been, like, therewas just a reason for it.
And that's when I decided to getbaptized.
And it was at Cascade Hills, andI had to, like, walk in front
of, like, all these people fromthe balcony.
It just, it just fell on me.
(21:36):
And so, and that was in my 20s.
I mean, I had gone to church,and Josh and I had gone to
church, and we're now at St.
Luke.
And, you know, kind of building.
our relationships there.
Phil (21:48):
Yeah awesome.
Are you involved in ministrytogether?
Like, do you guys work withkids?
Or do you do singing in thechoir or anything?
Sammy (21:55):
No, they don't have a choir and you do not want me to
sing.
No, we have our Sunday schooland we haven't, like, found
that, like, I was at Highlandsand I was plugged in there a lot
and just we haven't I don'tknow, Josh went to do some
mentor thing the other day, andright now, I think just in the
season of life that we're in,like, we are, we are tapped to
(22:19):
the max of just life, trying tojust get, like, get into this
house.
This house, we've been workingon it since May, and like, we're
so close, so close to getting inthere.
And so we just, we haven't foundit yet.
Phil (22:33):
You still worried about moving away from your dad?
Oh yeah.
Sammy (22:36):
I, I cry.
Josh is like, I don't get it.
And I was like, well, it's also,I bought this place myself when
I was 21.
Like it's been my home.
Wow.
So yeah
Phil (22:45):
so Sammy, think for a second and would you share some
of the really key Lessons thatyou have learned along the way
some things that others would dowell to learn and maybe be able
to help them
Sammy (23:03):
like with Josh yeah I say first thing is like trust your
gut like especially women likewe have these senses and if you
feel like something's wrong likesomething probably is wrong and
I would say that and Like, look,look for signs if you're going
(23:26):
to be in a relationship withsomebody that is an addict or
whatever, I mean, it's nodifferent than some relation,
like looking for red flags insomebody else, but look and just
be, be aware.
I mean, you don't have to likeconstantly like, are you okay?
Are you okay?
I mean, that annoyed Josh, causeI was like that when he first
(23:46):
came home.
Because I was scared.
And I mean, you have to trust,but verify.
Yeah.
And, I mean, I, I did, I, Iprayed a lot about Josh and
about us.
And I know that peoplethroughout his family, like,
they were praying for him too.
(24:08):
You know, it's okay to ask forhelp with things.
I mean, I went to counseling andtalked to it.
I talked to certain friends.
Like, you don't have to go tellthe world.
It's not everybody's business.
It, it helps if you havesomebody that has been through
it and that can understand,because if you've never been
through it, you don't understandit.
(24:28):
I mean if someone, you know,like, had an eating disorder, I
wouldn't know what to do.
But, like, with Josh, like, I, Italk to him and I do check ins
and, you know, I kind of askwhat he needs.
And he's like, well, I just needM1, and I'm like, okay,
whatever, you know, like, that'sfine.
But, yeah, I mean, I've had tokind of rely on myself.
(24:51):
And then, if some people likegoing to Al Anon or going to
meetings, and I've gone tomeetings with him, like in
Colorado, I don't do it here.
I only went, you know, with himbecause I was out visiting, but,
and kind of build yourcommunity.
I mean, things are different,like if you are with an
alcoholic, it's not right todrink in front of them, or, you
(25:14):
know, I wouldn't, but Josh, Imean, I asked him, like, does
this bother you?
Like if I was drinking, but I'mnot a big drinker.
I'm not a big partier and Imean, we're older now.
Yeah, so You're not gonna catchme in a club anymore So, yeah, I
mean it's all about kind of anopen dialogue I mean If the
(25:36):
other person doesn't want totell you what's going on I mean,
you can't force that but youhave to have boundaries
yourself.
Yeah, I mean If you don't havethat boundary, they're going to
walk all over you
Phil (25:47):
yeah.
Sammy (25:48):
So.
Phil (25:49):
That's a lot of good advice.
And I love how you started outwith the idea of trusting your
gut.
It is, it is just somethingamazing to me about the way that
God has created and gifted womenspecifically.
I see it in my wife.
Like, my kids are great.
I've got seven of them.
But.
They're kids, and they'repeople, and people get into
(26:09):
stuff they're not supposed tosometimes.
And it just amazes me that, thatsixth sense that my wife has.
To like, something's not right.
Like, we need to look into this,and she'll dive deeper.
And it just, it's really neat.
Sammy (26:23):
With one time with Josh, he left his phone at home, so it
would say that he was there.
It's like, I, I mean, I've wokeup in the middle of the night.
And like, he didn't call me.
Something's, something'sdifferent.
And I would go.
I mean, there's definitely somecrazy that, like, came out of
(26:44):
me.
And, I, I admit it, like, Iprobably, on a true crime
broadcast, if somethinghappened, they probably, like,
it was her.
Like, she was a stalker.
But, I I just had the need tomake sure I was 100 percent
correct before.
I came at him with anything.
I mean, the Christmas that hewas using, you know, his mom was
(27:08):
calling me and I, I didn't wantto tell, I didn't want to ruin
Christmas.
I was like, finally, she said,well, if you, I said, I do have
proof.
I've got the, you want them?
Like, she's like, then you haveevery right to be mad.
I said, exactly I was like, I'mnot just going off of all
feelings.
Like, if I get the feeling, I'mgoing to see why I have this
feeling.
And Yeah, it is crazy and we didtalk about the other day like
(27:32):
Women's intuition and the ohfeeling and I mean in today's
world you have to have it.
Phil (27:37):
It's amazing It really is it's just an amazing gift like
just the way that God hascreated women specifically, I
mean, I know all of us have agut feelings and at some level
but It's just and it's so trueto listen right to it to Figure
out why do I have this feeling?
What's going on?
(27:58):
Yeah, that's good advice.
Any other last words you want toshare?
Sammy (28:02):
No, I don't think so.
Phil (28:04):
Thank you for being here.
This has been awesome.
This has been really awesome.
Just thank you for who you areand just sharing your story and
just sharing some things thatare going to be a huge help to a
lot of people.
Sammy (28:19):
Thanks.
I feel like it was a little allover the place, but Josh's story
definitely has a better timelinethan what I have, and I know
I've missed so many things thathave gone on in our lives.
Phil (28:31):
Well, Josh's life has been all over the place, so that's
not, I mean, that's not
Sammy (28:35):
That is correct.
He's working on it.
He's getting better.
Phil (28:39):
Things are in a great place, though.
He's doing so well.
He's helping so many people.
And I'm so excited for you guys.
Do you have a name already?
Sammy (28:47):
Yes, we do.
Phil (28:48):
Is it something you can share?
Yeah,
Sammy (28:50):
we're going with Sawyer.
Phil (28:51):
Awesome.
Sammy (28:52):
Yeah, we Shockingly agreed it was Was it hard or was
Phil (28:58):
it kind of like early on you're both like, oh, yeah,
that's great.
Let's do it
Sammy (29:02):
I had names picked out that like I've always wanted but
then you know, I have adifferent last name now and I
would I love the name Parker fora girl I was like, I can't do
that.
It'd be Pee Pee, you know, andkids are mean.
And so I, I threw three namesout.
I was like, here's three.
(29:22):
And he's like, I really likeSawyer.
I was like, Oh, okay, we'redoing it then.
Perfect.
We've, cause we found out thatwe were having a girl very early
on.
People are you going to end uplike new?
Nope.
Nope.
We're not waiting.
Like as soon as I find out.
Phil (29:36):
Awesome.
Sammy (29:37):
Oh yeah.
Phil (29:37):
Sawyer.
That's good.
That's great.
That's great.
You mind if I close this in aword of prayer?
Sure.
Dear Lord, thank you for yourgoodness.
Thank you for just what you'vedone over the years in Sammy's
life, Lord.
Thank you for her family and themany blessings that you've given
her.
Thank you for protecting herthat day when their car flipped
(29:57):
on the highway.
Just what a miracle.
You're so good, God, in so manyways.
Thank you for what you've donein Josh's life and just bringing
him through the chaos and the,the relapses and so many things,
Lord.
Thank you for bringing him tothe place where his feet are on
solid standing and where he'strusting in you and in your son.
(30:19):
I pray you'd bless Josh andbless Sammy and their marriage
and as they raise little Sawyer.
Just do amazing things in theirlives and bless them and just
keep them close, guide theirpath, protect them from pitfalls
and dangers, and use them to bea great blessing here in
(30:40):
Columbus to so many others, Ipray in Jesus name, Amen.
Phil Shuler (30:45):
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
(31:08):
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 (31:23):
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.
Welcome back for the conclusionof Sammy's story.
Last week we left off when Joshhad gone through an intense
medical procedure andtechnically or theoretically
became clean from his opiateaddiction.
But then He went right intoanother addiction which was just
(01:32):
as devastating to his life.
An addiction of gambling.
And he, so we left off where hewas getting on a plane for
Colorado and they couldn't findhim.
when he got off the plane to goto an addiction treatment
program because he had gone todo some gambling.
So this week you'll hear theconclusion of how God got a hold
(01:53):
of Josh, how God redeemed Josh,how God brought him out of the
insanity, got him clean, got himfree of his addictions.
And got him to the place wherehe was the kind of man that
Sammy could build a life with.
And you will hear the amazingconclusion of their story at the
end of this podcast as well.
(02:13):
You will hear some really,really good advice that Sammy
gives if you or someone you knowhas a relative or a loved one.
or maybe even a spouse or apartner who is dealing with
addiction.
Sammy gives some very helpfuland very insightful advice that
(02:34):
I hope and pray might be a helpto you as well.
God bless you and enjoy theamazing conclusion of God's
redemption in Josh's life and inSammy's relationship with Josh.
And learn how they got to theplace where now they are married
and pregnant with their firstchild.
(02:54):
And God is just doing someamazing things and blessing them
so much.
Enjoy.
Sammy (02:59):
Yeah, he was medically detoxed and so it's like you've
never used an opiate before.
Phil (03:05):
But then he goes to a whole other world of addiction
with the gambling.
Sammy (03:09):
Yes, yes, and it was bad.
I mean His parents, like, calledme, like, he pulled some stuff,
and I'm like, Are you stupid?
Like, really?
Like, you haven't made, like,what is wrong with you?
And he tried to pull, like, ahunger strike.
I was like, do it! I'm like, Idon't care if you don't eat, you
(03:30):
know?
I was like, nobody cares if youdon't eat.
And I just, I mean, some of thestuff, I'm just like, Can you
believe you did this?
And I told him, I said, you needsomething.
You need to go somewhere orlike, I'm, I'm not, I was like,
I don't care what it takes.
I will block you.
I will block your whole family.
(03:51):
I'm not doing this anymore withyou.
It's just too much.
I mean, you're driving toshorter in the middle of the
night and at the gas station,sitting there just playing slot
machines.
And
Phil (04:03):
From your perspective, was that a legit statement, or were
you kind of bluffing?
Sammy (04:08):
I think I was to that point, because I've, I mean, you
can't just keep on forever.
I mean, I was, I mean, 30 ish.
I don't even know.
This was a few years ago, so Iwas in my 30s.
Yeah.
I just
Phil (04:22):
Did that wake him up?
Did that
Sammy (04:24):
I think it was the combination of that and his
parents.
They're like What, what are yougoing to do the rest of your
life?
He had like, pawned the title tohis car.
Multiple times.
He would find it, like I'm justlike, And the problem was, I
think because he knew, like, hehad a safety net.
And I told him, I was like, Yourparents should take it away from
(04:45):
you.
Like, I was very hard on Josh.
It was never like the soft,like, Oh, it's okay.
I was like, no, it's not okay.
Like, what you're doing is notokay.
You're ruining your life.
You're ruining everyone aroundyou.
Like, you're ruining this.
And, that's when he decided togo to Colorado.
And He was gonna go to a placein Atlanta.
(05:08):
And his parents were like, hismom was more like, for the
Atlanta place, she said, Look,he found this place in Colorado.
Let him go.
Like and then when they finally,like, agreed, he's like, Oh,
well y'all are agreeing, there'ssomething wrong with, you know,
he's, he's, he's Mr.
Doomsday.
And the day he left to go toColorado, he landed and he went
(05:33):
gambling.
and the people are trying tofind him to the place he's
going.
I can't even remember the nameof it.
Phil (05:40):
I remember the place though, like, I just don't
remember the name of it, like,where you lived, like, literally
in the, in the rough, like,woods, like.
Sammy (05:47):
Well, no, he did a wilderness thing when he was
younger.
Phil (05:50):
Okay.
Sammy (05:50):
Straight up wilderness, but this place, like, they
cooked you dinner and it waslike no sugars or whatever,
like, he ate very well there.
I think it was Raleigh House.
Okay.
That's where he went, he went toRaleigh House.
And, he spit.
I don't know how long he was outthere.
I'm really not good with, like,the concept of time.
Like, everything's just a bigblur.
(06:13):
But he went there and he workedthrough a lot of the trauma that
he had growing up.
Just, like, from being born on.
And, I mean, I've heard hisstory.
I've heard his whole storybefore.
And, you know, he's asked me andI don't like hearing it.
I don't like hearing whathappened to him when he was You
(06:33):
know, a baby or, you know, akid.
It's very hard for me to hearand the other day like I was
unpacking something and I sawlike a kind of like a journal
And I was trying to like gothrough stuff and I read it and
I started looking I was likegosh Like it was descriptive of
what happened to him From hisbiological family and It's it's
(06:57):
crazy to think that people cando that
background (06:59):
And
Sammy (07:00):
so he went I mean, he, he was angry.
He was an angry person, and whenhe was at the Raleigh house, and
he went through counseling, andthey brought me into a couple of
the meetings and then he went tosober living, and still then,
he, he had his little chip andego, and I I'm so grateful that
(07:21):
he met Hey Zeus there, who wasalso in our wedding, who was the
house manager of Unity.
And he helped him a lot, like,calm down, like, Josh got mad
because they made biscuits andgravy and someone ate it all,
and he didn't get any, and I gota phone call that they ate all
(07:42):
the biscuits and gravy, and I'mlike, okay like, that's what
we're mad about today, and Imean, I give, like, there was
Jesus, and then he had Nick, Imean, people were scared of Josh
out there because he's soboisterous and big personality,
especially, like, watchingfootball and stuff.
(08:02):
Like, I I was like, I don't envyy'all because I've known him, I
mean, I've known him longer thanI haven't.
And he is a very big personalityto know.
And Hazy's really, really,really helped him.
And then he started He's doingconstruction out there.
And then I was like, well, youcan't do that.
(08:23):
Like the whole time, like yourrest of your life, you know,
what are you going to do?
Like, you want to help peoplelike that's your thing.
And he started doing the 12 stepmeetings and he loved it out
there.
They had a great community outthere.
The CA community, they had sobervolleyball, sober soccer, sober,
just everything.
Being in Cal, you know, Coloradois like, you know, weed state.
(08:47):
Like, in Denver, I mean, theyhad it, and he had a group of
people, and they were not, like,old.
They were younger, and, I mean,there was some old people.
But they had a lot of clean timecombined in these rooms that he
would go to, and he loved it outthere.
And so, he came back for avisit, and that's when I finally
(09:08):
told my parents.
I said, Josh is here, and heasked me to go to dinner.
It's just, I had to rip it off,and I'm crying.
I'm like what, like, 32?
31, 32 or something?
And I'm like, crying, like,telling, and my parents are
like, it's your decision.
And I don't know, I just clearlycare about what people, well,
people, what they think.
(09:29):
Yeah, well, I mean, they're yourparents, so yeah.
Yeah, and so from that pointforward, it's been You know, all
in the open and he came back andI flew out there for Valentine's
Day a couple years ago, I guesslast year, year before, and you
know, I went out there, my bestfriend came out there, and then
(09:49):
we started doing the longdistance.
Like he would come here, there,I would, you know, or he would
come here, I would go there.
It was easier for me because Ihave a remote job so I could go
out there and I would still workand he was working and he got an
apartment, a very niceapartment, you know, it was
great for him, it wasoverlooking mountains and then
(10:10):
it comes time to like, well,what's, what are we going to do?
Like, you, you've got your lifetogether, you've got your life
here, but I have my life backhome where, you know, both of
our families are, both of every,you know, and he, Was it May?
He finally, he decided, we gotmarried last March.
He decided to move back in May.
And so I know it's been a littlebit of a struggle coming back
(10:32):
here and I was very worried thatI was taking him from that
community and bringing him intoa place.
Phil (10:38):
Where he knew all the wrong things, all the wrong
people.
All the wrong
Sammy (10:41):
people and I had people telling me, don't let him come
back, don't this, don't that.
I was like.
Thank you, but I didn't ask.
Like, I didn't ask you.
And, I mean, the first cominghome was hard.
I mean, it was hard for him andus in general.
I mean, you've got two alphapersonalities going together
(11:02):
into a house.
And I mean, he was having arough time working when he first
started with the safe house.
You know, it wasn't what hethought it was going to be in
this and that.
And I was like, I don't carewhat you do.
Just like quit complaining.
You know, I was like, you'recoming home and making my day
horrible.
And so
Phil (11:23):
it just makes me like, wow.
Like.
He better always take care ofyou, because you are such a help
and a blessing to him.
Sammy (11:33):
I try.
I mean, I, I think I talk to hismom just as much as I talk to my
parents, and she's like, Well,how's Josh?
I'm like, I'll let you know thetruth.
Like, I'm not gonna sugarcoatit.
I mean, with him, there has tobe kind of a clear line of
communication, because I knowthat they have my back.
Like, if something happens,like, I can go to them and be
like, Hey, like, we need to
background (11:55):
Yeah.
Sammy (11:56):
And I mean I still look for, you know, triggers or
things like that.
It's, it's kind of like innate.
Phil (12:04):
It's like you're just, you're always in the back of
your mind trying to be aware tomake sure that Yeah,
Sammy (12:09):
like if he comes in and he's in like a really bad mood
or gets super stressed out andI'm like, okay, like, anything
going on?
Do you feel this way?
And I mean, they can tell you,anyone can tell you like, oh,
I'll, I'll let you know.
I'm like Will you, you know,will you let me know?
He goes to the meetings here andit's we have, you know, some
mutual, well we have somefriends that are there and
(12:31):
actually have family membersthat are in there and he didn't,
he didn't even know, like, thefamily member.
You
Phil (12:37):
have fam, like your fam, some of your family members are
in some of those meetings?
Yeah.
That have dealt with addictionover the years?
Sammy (12:42):
Yeah, and I have another family member that just You
can't get right.
So
Phil (12:46):
you, you have really seen that from a lot of different
angles.
Sammy (12:52):
I've seen it, like with, I mean with Josh, I've seen
things I've never wanted to seeand, you know, it, I've I know a
lot about things that I'd neverwanted to know about, I mean.
Yeah.
I don't think there's anythinghe hasn't tried
Phil (13:05):
was there ever a point when you were tempted to, Try
some of those things?
Sammy (13:12):
The worst thing I did was take a Xanax when I was in high
school, but I think that Withseeing what happened to him and
just the downfall and justeverything I Didn't like
Phil (13:27):
you had the the wherewithal and the wisdom to
say I'm not even gonna take thefirst step Yeah,
Sammy (13:33):
I don't have an addictive personality.
So it's hard for me tounderstand like That.
Like with alcohol, I could takeit or leave it.
I can walk away from a drinksitting there, you know?
And with him being home, I waslike, does alcohol bother you?
Because he had friends that werealcoholics, and he's like, no,
alcohol really never, that wasthe one thing he wasn't addicted
(13:55):
to, but I didn't like him whenhe drank.
He, his sarcasm just escalated,and I was like, ooh.
So, that was never really Imean, I didn't have the problem
of trying anything.
Phil (14:08):
Yeah, you were never drawn to try to
Sammy (14:10):
No.
I mean, I had drugs around mebefore.
I've had you know I've seen himdo bare minimum.
He never, like, I've never seenhim shoot up.
I've never seen him, like, I'veseen him smoke weed.
Which, nowadays, like, it'scrazy to think, like, Oh, yeah,
everyone's smoking weed.
Everyone around you, like, it'sso
background (14:31):
open.
We're a drugged up society.
Like,
Sammy (14:32):
it's very open and very different than, you know, back
whenever we were younger.
Yeah.
And so, he, he didn't do thosethings around me.
I mean, he might have popped apill and I didn't know.
But, he was never
Phil (14:47):
Yeah, he was more respectful, at least, around
you.
Sammy (14:50):
Yeah, he probably knew I was like, probably like, Or
scared of you.
Yeah, yeah.
Phil (14:55):
Do you have alcohol in the home, so that's not a big deal
to him?
Well, I'm pregnant now, so, No.
Sammy (15:00):
I mean, he's around alcohol.
I mean, my family drinks, andI've, I've told him, I was like,
Hey, like, does this bother you?
He'll get N.
A.
's.
And he's likes Hop water?
Not hop water.
It's kind of like that like H2Ohops or whatever like at our
wedding all of our groomsmenbesides one was sober So I like
made sure like we had plenty ofoptions if they didn't want that
(15:24):
But the hops it's not even a nonalcoholic.
It just has a hop flavor So it'snot like even the 0.
5 percent or whatever.
It's water
Phil (15:34):
Yeah, so let me ask you when he asked you to marry him
and you said yes Was, was thatin part because you really
believed that the addiction andthe craziness was done?
Or did you just love him andwanted to be with him even with
the risk of what if somethinghappens in the future?
Sammy (15:54):
I know that there's always a risk.
But that's why, like, we doeverything to mitigate that
risk.
I mean At this just at thatpoint, I was like, you know,
this, he's my person.
Yeah.
So, like, whenever, like, mydad's like, why him?
I was like, it just is, like,you know, people are like, well,
why do you love someone?
(16:15):
Like, it's so, it's such a hardquestion, because it's like,
there's so many things.
I mean and, you know, dependingon my mood, like, if I'm mad at
him, I'm like, I don't even knowtoday.
But we, I like, he's in themeetings.
I'm, I would say kind of, notsay push, but I'm like, he's
like, I don't feel like, I'mlike, you're going.
Phil (16:35):
It's not a discussion.
You don't have a choice.
I was
Sammy (16:37):
like, also, it's like my time, you know, like, you know,
it's like you go.
And then it just, I have myroutine and I just expect like
Tuesdays and Thursdays.
I'm like, okay, you're not here.
Like that's your, you go to you.
Phil (16:50):
Go to your meetings.
Yeah.
Sammy (16:51):
And he's like, just bring me back dinner.
I'm like, okay, that's fine.
And You know, he has a closefriend now that is also, he's an
AA, so like it's, I'm like, oh,did you see him tonight or
whatever?
And so it, it helps that he'sbuilding the community.
It's not like it was inColorado, but also his life is
very different here.
Like, I mean, family and a housethat we're working on and moving
(17:16):
and this and that.
And I mean, he's back in school.
He's finally, you know, pulledthe trigger and The problem is,
his mom likes to remind him he'sa genius, because he took a test
and he's a genius, and I'm like,I'm like, he doesn't act like
it.
Like his ego needs
Phil (17:30):
that.
Sammy (17:31):
I know, he's like, I need my ego back.
I'm like, no, I stomp it everyday that I can.
He just, he is, he is a specialperson, and he does love to just
help people.
And so, I have to remind myself,because he's so generous, I'm
like, why are you doing this?
Like, You know, and he's had hissponcies, and they just don't
(17:54):
seem to work out very well.
And I mean, he, I think he'sgood.
But I'm still gonna
background (18:02):
watch.
Sammy (18:03):
And I'm like, if it aggravates you, it aggravates
you.
I don't care.
I was like, you've aggravated mea long time.
Like, too bad.
And, so, yeah.
Phil (18:11):
So You have an amazing story.
Like, you're, I love thisconversation.
I just and I'm learning so much.
How has being pregnant changedthe dynamic and the expectation
of what the future might looklike?
How's that affected you guys?
Sammy (18:29):
I'm a lot more emotional right now.
That's for sure.
We're having a lot of thingshappen during this pregnancy.
I mean, we found out.
On the cruise ship that I waspregnant, like, running around
Belize looking for anotherpregnancy test.
And I didn't get to keep itquiet very long, and, I mean, it
kind of, I've told him, like Idon't want to be a single
(18:52):
parent, but I will, like it's,I'm very protective, and he
just, I know he's excited tohave, I think he wanted a boy,
but he's, he's surrounded bygirls, you know, he's got a
daughter.
So you're, it's going to be agirl.
Yes, we're having a girl.
And then we have girl dogs andjust, you know, I think that's
(19:14):
another reason like he went backto school and he wants to be a
substance abuse counselor, Ibelieve.
Yeah.
So I think it kind of pushed himto, I mean, he doesn't want to
be working like.
All these crazy hours,especially, and you'll be home
during school, like, for thebeginning.
Yeah.
Of her life.
So.
Phil (19:34):
That's awesome.
That's awesome.
Wow.
So, you guys all have a reallygood relationship with all of
your relatives and everybodyelse now?
Sammy (19:45):
Yeah, I mean, every Sunday, we are at my aunt's for
dinner.
I mean, we go to church with hisparents, we go to lunch with his
family we just got back from atrip visiting my parents, and, I
mean, it's, it's a lot better.
I mean, it's one of thosethings, like, it sounds so
cliche and so corny, or like,you sit back and you think,
like, you did pray for this andit was a long time, like and I
(20:08):
never thought, like, we wouldactually be here.
Phil (20:11):
Yeah.
Wow.
So, tell me about your personalrelationship with God, and, and
like, how old were you when youtrusted Christ as your Savior?
Sammy (20:20):
I was in a bad car accident in my 20s.
I flipped a car because thepassenger grabbed the wheel, and
I tried to correct, and we werein a lifted Tahoe, and we rolled
in the middle of the highwayright next to the Welcome Center
exit.
And so we actually all, I had mybest friend with me, and then
(20:44):
two other people, and we allwalked away perfectly fine.
Phil (20:49):
That's a miracle.
Sammy (20:50):
Yeah.
So at that point, that's when Iwas like, okay, there's, there's
a reason.
We were all protected.
I was protected.
We were at a concert before andI was like, you know what?
I don't, I don't feel likehaving a drink tonight.
I'll drive, you know?
And so I had a state patrol inmy face within like, we parked
in the next, you know, I havethis like in my face asking me
(21:13):
what happened.
I know he's trying to smellalcohol on me.
Have you been drinking?
Have you this?
Have you that, you know?
And I hadn't been, like, therewas just a reason for it.
And that's when I decided to getbaptized.
And it was at Cascade Hills, andI had to, like, walk in front
of, like, all these people fromthe balcony.
It just, it just fell on me.
(21:36):
And so, and that was in my 20s.
I mean, I had gone to church,and Josh and I had gone to
church, and we're now at St.
Luke.
And, you know, kind of building.
our relationships there.
Phil (21:48):
Yeah awesome.
Are you involved in ministrytogether?
Like, do you guys work withkids?
Or do you do singing in thechoir or anything?
Sammy (21:55):
No, they don't have a choir and you do not want me to
sing.
No, we have our Sunday schooland we haven't, like, found
that, like, I was at Highlandsand I was plugged in there a lot
and just we haven't I don'tknow, Josh went to do some
mentor thing the other day, andright now, I think just in the
season of life that we're in,like, we are, we are tapped to
(22:19):
the max of just life, trying tojust get, like, get into this
house.
This house, we've been workingon it since May, and like, we're
so close, so close to getting inthere.
And so we just, we haven't foundit yet.
Phil (22:33):
You still worried about moving away from your dad?
Oh yeah.
Sammy (22:36):
I, I cry.
Josh is like, I don't get it.
And I was like, well, it's also,I bought this place myself when
I was 21.
Like it's been my home.
Wow.
So yeah
Phil (22:45):
so Sammy, think for a second and would you share some
of the really key Lessons thatyou have learned along the way
some things that others would dowell to learn and maybe be able
to help them
Sammy (23:03):
like with Josh yeah I say first thing is like trust your
gut like especially women likewe have these senses and if you
feel like something's wrong likesomething probably is wrong and
I would say that and Like, look,look for signs if you're going
(23:26):
to be in a relationship withsomebody that is an addict or
whatever, I mean, it's nodifferent than some relation,
like looking for red flags insomebody else, but look and just
be, be aware.
I mean, you don't have to likeconstantly like, are you okay?
Are you okay?
I mean, that annoyed Josh, causeI was like that when he first
(23:46):
came home.
Because I was scared.
And I mean, you have to trust,but verify.
Yeah.
And, I mean, I, I did, I, Iprayed a lot about Josh and
about us.
And I know that peoplethroughout his family, like,
they were praying for him too.
(24:08):
You know, it's okay to ask forhelp with things.
I mean, I went to counseling andtalked to it.
I talked to certain friends.
Like, you don't have to go tellthe world.
It's not everybody's business.
It, it helps if you havesomebody that has been through
it and that can understand,because if you've never been
through it, you don't understandit.
(24:28):
I mean if someone, you know,like, had an eating disorder, I
wouldn't know what to do.
But, like, with Josh, like, I, Italk to him and I do check ins
and, you know, I kind of askwhat he needs.
And he's like, well, I just needM1, and I'm like, okay,
whatever, you know, like, that'sfine.
But, yeah, I mean, I've had tokind of rely on myself.
(24:51):
And then, if some people likegoing to Al Anon or going to
meetings, and I've gone tomeetings with him, like in
Colorado, I don't do it here.
I only went, you know, with himbecause I was out visiting, but,
and kind of build yourcommunity.
I mean, things are different,like if you are with an
alcoholic, it's not right todrink in front of them, or, you
(25:14):
know, I wouldn't, but Josh, Imean, I asked him, like, does
this bother you?
Like if I was drinking, but I'mnot a big drinker.
I'm not a big partier and Imean, we're older now.
Yeah, so You're not gonna catchme in a club anymore So, yeah, I
mean it's all about kind of anopen dialogue I mean If the
(25:36):
other person doesn't want totell you what's going on I mean,
you can't force that but youhave to have boundaries
yourself.
Yeah, I mean If you don't havethat boundary, they're going to
walk all over you
Phil (25:47):
yeah.
Sammy (25:48):
So.
Phil (25:49):
That's a lot of good advice.
And I love how you started outwith the idea of trusting your
gut.
It is, it is just somethingamazing to me about the way that
God has created and gifted womenspecifically.
I see it in my wife.
Like, my kids are great.
I've got seven of them.
But.
They're kids, and they'repeople, and people get into
(26:09):
stuff they're not supposed tosometimes.
And it just amazes me that, thatsixth sense that my wife has.
To like, something's not right.
Like, we need to look into this,and she'll dive deeper.
And it just, it's really neat.
Sammy (26:23):
With one time with Josh, he left his phone at home, so it
would say that he was there.
It's like, I, I mean, I've wokeup in the middle of the night.
And like, he didn't call me.
Something's, something'sdifferent.
And I would go.
I mean, there's definitely somecrazy that, like, came out of
(26:44):
me.
And, I, I admit it, like, Iprobably, on a true crime
broadcast, if somethinghappened, they probably, like,
it was her.
Like, she was a stalker.
But, I I just had the need tomake sure I was 100 percent
correct before.
I came at him with anything.
I mean, the Christmas that hewas using, you know, his mom was
(27:08):
calling me and I, I didn't wantto tell, I didn't want to ruin
Christmas.
I was like, finally, she said,well, if you, I said, I do have
proof.
I've got the, you want them?
Like, she's like, then you haveevery right to be mad.
I said, exactly I was like, I'mnot just going off of all
feelings.
Like, if I get the feeling, I'mgoing to see why I have this
feeling.
And Yeah, it is crazy and we didtalk about the other day like
(27:32):
Women's intuition and the ohfeeling and I mean in today's
world you have to have it.
Phil (27:37):
It's amazing It really is it's just an amazing gift like
just the way that God hascreated women specifically, I
mean, I know all of us have agut feelings and at some level
but It's just and it's so trueto listen right to it to Figure
out why do I have this feeling?
What's going on?
(27:58):
Yeah, that's good advice.
Any other last words you want toshare?
Sammy (28:02):
No, I don't think so.
Phil (28:04):
Thank you for being here.
This has been awesome.
This has been really awesome.
Just thank you for who you areand just sharing your story and
just sharing some things thatare going to be a huge help to a
lot of people.
Sammy (28:19):
Thanks.
I feel like it was a little allover the place, but Josh's story
definitely has a better timelinethan what I have, and I know
I've missed so many things thathave gone on in our lives.
Phil (28:31):
Well, Josh's life has been all over the place, so that's
not, I mean, that's not
Sammy (28:35):
That is correct.
He's working on it.
He's getting better.
Phil (28:39):
Things are in a great place, though.
He's doing so well.
He's helping so many people.
And I'm so excited for you guys.
Do you have a name already?
Sammy (28:47):
Yes, we do.
Phil (28:48):
Is it something you can share?
Yeah,
Sammy (28:50):
we're going with Sawyer.
Phil (28:51):
Awesome.
Sammy (28:52):
Yeah, we Shockingly agreed it was Was it hard or was
Phil (28:58):
it kind of like early on you're both like, oh, yeah,
that's great.
Let's do it
Sammy (29:02):
I had names picked out that like I've always wanted but
then you know, I have adifferent last name now and I
would I love the name Parker fora girl I was like, I can't do
that.
It'd be Pee Pee, you know, andkids are mean.
And so I, I threw three namesout.
I was like, here's three.
(29:22):
And he's like, I really likeSawyer.
I was like, Oh, okay, we'redoing it then.
Perfect.
We've, cause we found out thatwe were having a girl very early
on.
People are you going to end uplike new?
Nope.
Nope.
We're not waiting.
Like as soon as I find out.
Phil (29:36):
Awesome.
Sammy (29:37):
Oh yeah.
Phil (29:37):
Sawyer.
That's good.
That's great.
That's great.
You mind if I close this in aword of prayer?
Sure.
Dear Lord, thank you for yourgoodness.
Thank you for just what you'vedone over the years in Sammy's
life, Lord.
Thank you for her family and themany blessings that you've given
her.
Thank you for protecting herthat day when their car flipped
(29:57):
on the highway.
Just what a miracle.
You're so good, God, in so manyways.
Thank you for what you've donein Josh's life and just bringing
him through the chaos and the,the relapses and so many things,
Lord.
Thank you for bringing him tothe place where his feet are on
solid standing and where he'strusting in you and in your son.
(30:19):
I pray you'd bless Josh andbless Sammy and their marriage
and as they raise little Sawyer.
Just do amazing things in theirlives and bless them and just
keep them close, guide theirpath, protect them from pitfalls
and dangers, and use them to bea great blessing here in
(30:40):
Columbus to so many others, Ipray in Jesus name, Amen.
Phil Shuler (30:45):
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
(31:08):
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 (31:23):
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.
Popular Podcasts
Crime Junkie
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.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Stuff You Should Know
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.