March 25, 2025 • 29 mins
Tracy's story is a powerful illustration of how the enemy works to destroy so many people's lives. Tracy lived what she learned, and that led to great sorrow and heartache. But as Tracy states more than once in this interview, God was there all along, and He had a plan to redeem and restore her. One of the most tragic things Tracy experienced was the death of her 5-year-old son when an old farm tractor rolled on top of him and crushed his lungs, but Tracy has found healing from God even for this. What a powerful testimony she has, this is a podcast episode you do not want to miss!
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Episode Transcript
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Tracy (00:00):
Both of my parents were alcoholics.
my mom had me when she was 14,She never got the help that she
needed.
And by this time, I was ateenager, and I thought that
having a baby was normal.
At that age, because she had meat 14, so I had one at 15, and
unfortunately, the guy that Iwas with was not very good to
(00:23):
me, but I accepted the beatingsand the cheating and, because I
thought it was normal.
That's what I've seen throughoutmy dad and her.
Phil Shuler (00:34):
HellO, and welcome to Renew, Restore, Rejoice, the
Safe House Ministries podcast,where we share stories of the
power of God to change livesthrough Safe House Ministries.
Safe House Ministries is basedout of Columbus, Georgia, and we
are a ministry that exists tolove and serve people who have
been affected by addiction,homelessness, and incarceration.
I'm your host, Phil Shuler, theDirector of Development for Safe
(00:56):
House Ministries here inColumbus, Georgia.
Safe House serves over 1, 100people each month as they
transition back into ourcommunity.
Safe House provides an abundanceof services including 213 beds
for homeless individuals andfamilies, case management for
obtaining job skills and longterm employment.
Over 300 hot meals every day,free clothing, and so much more.
(01:17):
One of the most incredibleservices that Safe House
provides is our free 9 12 monthintensive outpatient substance
abuse program, which is statelicensed, CARF accredited, and
has no wait list.
Almost 100 percent ofindividuals staying in our
shelters who follow our threephase program become fully
employed within a few months.
And 68 percent of individualswho stay at least one night with
(01:38):
us End up finding work andmoving into their own home.
Thank you for being with ustoday and listening to our
podcast.
We hope you enjoy this week'sepisode.
None (01:46):
Good morning.
This morning on the podcast.
I have Tracy with me Tracy.
How do you say your last name?
Dowdy.
Dowdy.
Tracy Dowdy.
It's so good to have you.
Thank you.
Thank you for being here andbeing willing to share your
story.
It's good to have you.
Thank you.
And Tracy is someone thatcurrently works with with safe
(02:07):
house, right?
You're yes.
What do you do with safe houseright now?
Tracy (02:09):
I am a house manager at the Grace house.
Awesome.
None (02:13):
Awesome.
Tracy (02:13):
Yeah
None (02:14):
Doing well helping others.
Yes serving the Lord helpingothers praise the Lord, but it
was a journey to get to thatplace
Tracy (02:20):
It was a door that was opened and I believe that's
where my calling is This isserve others through Jesus.
None (02:28):
Awesome.
Tracy I would love to ask you ifthere was one word that you
think might
Tracy (02:34):
best
None (02:35):
describe you, what would that word be?
Tracy (02:37):
Thankful.
None (02:38):
Thankful.
That's a great word.
And what makes you say that?
Tracy (02:42):
Because he loved me where I was and pulled me from the
darkness.
None (02:47):
Praise the Lord.
Tracy (02:47):
Yeah.
None (02:48):
And a lot to be thankful for.
Tracy (02:50):
Absolutely.
Yeah.
Every day.
None (02:53):
Where did you grow up?
Tracy (02:54):
Here in Columbus, Georgia.
None (02:56):
Here in Columbus.
What was what was growing uplike for you?
Family life?
Tracy (03:01):
Both of my parents were alcoholics.
Phil (03:03):
Yeah.
Tracy (03:03):
I seen a lot that I probably should have never seen.
There was a lot of violence inthe family, a lot of drinking.
At one point my mom had me whenshe was 14,
None (03:15):
wow.
Tracy (03:16):
Yeah, that was pretty young.
None (03:18):
That's very young.
Tracy (03:19):
Wow.
I followed her pattern growingup into a teenager.
And I had my first child when Iwas 15.
Wow.
None (03:27):
So your mom had you when she was 14.
And were you there?
Was she living with her parentsat the time?
No.
Or?
Tracy (03:34):
I heard my dad were married.
I didn't realize the age that mydad was until later on in life.
I just knew that was my mom anddad.
But when I seen the birth, whenI really just studied my birth
certificate, it was like my momwas 14 and we lived on 4th
Avenue.
And my dad was 28 and I'm like,Oh my gosh, what is going on?
Wow.
None (03:52):
So your mom got married when she was 14?
Yes.
I'm assuming legally, maybe herparents had to sign off on that?
Tracy (04:00):
Most likely.
That's wow.
My granny did.
Wow.
That is Yeah.
Wow.
But my granny was also analcoholic too.
Yeah.
Okay.
It was sad.
None (04:09):
A pattern of
Tracy (04:10):
alcoholism.
Yeah.
Absolutely.
None (04:13):
So your mom was 14, your dad was 28, and you came along.
And what was the early yearslike?
Tracy (04:21):
Like one time we went to the fair and she told them I was
her sister.
None (04:26):
Great.
Wow.
Wow.
How old were you at that point?
Tracy (04:29):
Oh, I was probably about maybe 11 or 12.
None (04:34):
Okay.
Tracy (04:34):
That was I didn't understand the concept behind
that, but yeah.
That's just what we grew uptogether.
So you were
None (04:41):
Like buddies, like like just growing up.
Yeah, but
Tracy (04:43):
she was still my mama, um, when.
I can just remember herdrinking.
And when she did get of age andI really can't remember if it
was 18 or 21 in her years, but Ican remember her getting ready
to go out.
She'd be putting this Discostuff on it.
None (05:03):
Like music and?
Tracy (05:04):
With the outfits that went with the music.
Oh.
And I knew what was going on.
I didn't like it.
I was 5.
When you were young.
None (05:13):
I did.
So I guess you were probablywhat, 5, 6, 7 ish around then?
Yes.
And you started seeing that?
Tracy (05:19):
Maybe 8, but a little younger.
She would take us to ababysitter, and I remember her
name, and it was on 29th Street,and her name was Miss Jean.
But mom would go out, party, andsay that she would promise us
that she would see us the nextday, and we wouldn't see her for
two weeks.
Wow.
At a time.
None (05:39):
And that was fairly frequent that she would just do
that and yeah,
Tracy (05:43):
it was
None (05:44):
so miss Jean was just a Friend that you guys were just
staying with she was the
Tracy (05:49):
neighborhood babysitter for all the moms that
None (05:53):
Wow
Tracy (05:54):
yeah,
None (05:55):
so that so there was a bunch of other kids that because
of a she just
Tracy (05:59):
she was That's how she made her money, I guess but
None (06:02):
so she raised a lot of kids Wow.
She
Tracy (06:05):
did.
Yeah.
None (06:06):
Wow.
Tracy (06:07):
It was a lot.
None (06:08):
So that would be Fairly frequent.
You just drop you off and goparty, do whatever for two weeks
at a time
Tracy (06:17):
And
None (06:17):
then she would come back and
Tracy (06:19):
pick us up.
None (06:20):
Yeah.
Tracy (06:20):
There was one time that she did remarry and She pulled
one of those stunts and at thattime it was my baby sister's dad
Found us and come and got us andtook us where my mom couldn't
find us'cause she left us there,whoa.
Wow.
Yeah,
None (06:39):
so I guess the first husband, he joined her in the
partying and was like, yeah,let's lead the kids.
And,
Tracy (06:46):
That would've been my dad and no he did not, he would beat
her up pretty bad in front of uschoke her until she passed out
in front of us.
That's horrible.
I've seen him.
Put a sawed off 12 gauge shotgunbetween her eyes.
And I've actually seen him getshot right in front of my face.
(07:06):
Yeah.
Wow.
With his ex wife.
And I was young.
None (07:10):
Wow.
Young 6, 7, 8?
That kind of, the same timeframe?
No, I was
Tracy (07:14):
younger.
I was younger than that.
And this was on 23rd Street.
And I can vividly remember.
What color the car is, who wasin the car and how it happened.
Wow.
Yep.
Phil (07:26):
Oh, man.
But,
Tracy (07:29):
It's okay though, because you know what, I didn't know
then, and I didn't know While Iwas growing up, but God had his
hands on me, for sure.
None (07:38):
Yeah.
So that that was, at what pointdid that first husband leave and
get off the scene?
Or did your mom end up leavinghim,
Tracy (07:47):
Actually, she did end up leaving him, and then they got
remarried.
Again, and it didn't work out.
then that's when she met my babysister's dad and then she
continued spiraling out with herdrinking problem.
And finally we moved toCalifornia, to Stanley State,
California for five years.
None (08:09):
How old were you then?
Tracy (08:10):
I was, Phil, there's so much that happens within the
years that I can't even keeptrack.
I was young.
I can't really remember the age,but
None (08:18):
not a teenager yet.
You were still
Tracy (08:20):
why I was not, I believe I was in fifth or sixth grade at
that point.
Phil (08:25):
Yeah.
Okay.
Wow.
Tracy (08:28):
It was a good life then.
Yeah.
Yeah.
None (08:31):
Thinking back of that time with your mom is there anything
that stands out about just, Idon't know the, did your mom
ever get her life back?
Unfortunately,
Tracy (08:41):
she didn't.
She passed away in 2002 and shewas still an alcoholic.
But, there was a lot I didn'tknow about my mom growing up.
Hurt people, and she, we were inchurch.
We did go to church, but not allthe time.
And I didn't, I did know God.
I just didn't have arelationship with Him.
I didn't know anything aboutthat.
But Mom she, Lord bless hersoul.
(09:04):
I love her so much.
I miss her.
But she was hurt when she wasgrowing up.
She was molested, and When youdon't go get help and you it
just continues and I thinkthat's why she continued with
her alcoholism is because shedidn't know how to fix it, she
didn't know where to go and wishthat was Jesus.
None (09:24):
Yeah.
Wow.
Did that abuse in her life, didit ever affect you like
directly?
No,
Tracy (09:32):
absolutely not.
She was very she sheltered us,believe it or not, even in her
alcoholism as much as she could.
And it's, when she got marriedto my baby sister's dad,
everything changed after awhile, when she's seen, hey, I
got a husband that loves me, andthat's not gonna abuse me, and
that's gonna accept me for who Iam.
(09:53):
And that's when we moved toCalifornia.
None (09:55):
Okay, so what was that time period like?
Tracy (09:56):
It was great.
None (09:58):
Yeah?
Tracy (09:58):
Yeah, it was good.
It was normal.
None (10:02):
Awesome.
It was
Tracy (10:03):
normal.
But, we didn't go to church.
But it was a normal childhood tome.
Yeah.
Because there was no drinkinggoing around and partying going
on.
None (10:14):
So she was a little more stable at that time.
Tracy (10:16):
And she had my sister, my baby sister.
And so that was amazing.
We got to name her Jamie afterwhat Six Dollar Million, the
Million Dollar Man with Jamie.
Yeah.
None (10:28):
Yeah.
Okay.
Tracy (10:30):
We named her Jamie after her.
It's like
None (10:33):
the bionic, Yes.
That's it.
Yes.
Yes.
That's awesome.
About five years you were inCalifornia?
We were.
Okay.
And then what brought about achange from that?
Tracy (10:44):
My mom wanted to come home and visit and that was
probably the worst decision thatshe could ever have made.
Phil (10:50):
Oh.
Tracy (10:51):
Because she spiraled out again and The next thing I know,
we were on a plane coming backhome.
And she divorced he divorcedher,
None (11:02):
and Because she started spiraling, and he's sick.
Yeah, again.
Tracy (11:06):
She never got the help that she needed.
And by this time, I was ateenager, and I thought that
having a baby was normal.
At that age, because she had meat 14, so I had one at 15, and
unfortunately, the guy that Iwas with was not very good to
me, but I accepted the beatingsand the cheating and, because I
(11:31):
thought it was normal.
That's what I've seen throughoutmy dad and her.
So
None (11:37):
You just expected that's the way it is?
Yeah,
Tracy (11:40):
that's, I expected that.
And then one day I just He hadput me in the hospital like
three times.
He's it was actually aprofessional boxer.
Wow he had to go to gloves ofNew Mexico and Yeah, I just Only
said I can't do this anymore.
I just can't I walked away fromit.
None (12:01):
How old were you at that point?
Tracy (12:02):
When he say 20
None (12:04):
So you were with him from about six
Tracy (12:07):
years
None (12:08):
Okay.
So you guys got together around14, had a baby at 15 and for,
until you were 20, you werejust,
Tracy (12:16):
wow.
And I was didn't think aboutthis, but the other day I was
thinking back through my wholelife.
In my teens, I was going to thedoctor getting diet pills.
So I actually was in.
My addiction as a teenager anddidn't realize it.
Diet pills?
Diet pills.
Phil (12:33):
Okay.
Tracy (12:34):
Yep.
Phil (12:35):
Wow.
Tracy (12:37):
Yep, so I never picked up drinking, but I did the pills.
Yeah, okay.
None (12:43):
do you have a boy or a girl, that first child?
Tracy (12:46):
I have a son.
Okay.
My first son, he passed awaywhen he was five.
Oh, was
None (12:51):
that, so that was before you left your
Tracy (12:55):
was
None (12:55):
husband at the time or just?
We were just together.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Tracy (12:59):
He was my firstborn.
Matthew.
Little Matt is what we calledhim.
None (13:02):
Was that what?
Did that spurred you to get outof that?
Tracy (13:07):
No, I still had more children with him.
I had twins after that.
And one of the twins passed awayat four months.
Wow.
Yes, and then I was pregnantwith quadruplets, but I had a
miscarriage yeah.
Wow.
Yeah.
I blame God for the death of myfive year old.
None (13:26):
How did that happen?
Tracy (13:27):
He was at my dad's and they were on a farm and there
was a tractor that was chainedup.
It didn't work but it was like ariding lawnmower.
It was chained up to the treeand him and Christopher were
playing on it and it startedrolling downhill and he got in
front of it and it crushed hisupper respiratory system.
Oh wow.
(13:48):
Yeah.
He was
None (13:48):
five.
And how old were you?
You were 19 maybe or?
Tracy (13:51):
1920.
Wow.
Yeah.
I'm telling you, I can't move myfingers.
I'm sorry.
Yeah.
And still with that
None (13:58):
first boyfriend.
Tracy (13:59):
Yeah, I was still with him.
But I thought it was okay.
But it wasn't.
But you know what?
Through all this time, I canlook back and even though I was
angry with God Oh, he was stillwith me because he loved me
while I was at.
Yeah.
And I didn't know that until Iformed my relationship with him.
None (14:19):
Wow.
Yeah.
You're around 20, 21.
You're in the hospital and youhave one child living maybe at
that time?
Tracy (14:28):
I do.
He's 37.
None (14:30):
And so that was a point you said that you're like,
Tracy (14:34):
This is
None (14:34):
crazy.
I'm going to get out of thisrelationship after I lost a
Tracy (14:37):
quadruplets.
None (14:38):
Okay.
Tracy (14:38):
So I'm looking at almost 21.
None (14:43):
And how old was your son at that point?
Tracy (14:45):
Christopher was, I was 17 when I had him.
So he was maybe two or threesomewhere
None (14:50):
around there.
What happened that.
Helped you say this is crazy.
I don't want this.
I need to get out of this.
What happened?
How did you come to thatdecision to leave that abusive
relationship?
Tracy (15:03):
I got tired of it
None (15:04):
Yeah,
Tracy (15:05):
I got tired of it and still have not had a
relationship with Jesus yet, butI just knew That I was tired of
it.
I didn't know my word.
So I still it was still apattern.
Yeah.
I Was looking for love in allthe wrong places and definitely
All the wrong faces.
So I ended up getting married.
And,
None (15:24):
So you found somebody else.
Tracy (15:26):
I ended up getting married.
And We built a house from groundup.
We had good jobs.
And Got a taste of the good lifeon the other side.
You know what I mean?
I didn't have anything to worryabout.
Background (15:40):
Yeah.
Tracy (15:40):
And I have my son and he was bold and, but it still just
was not, we ended up in adivorce because he cheated on
me.
None (15:49):
Oh, he wasn't abusive, but he cheated on you?
Tracy (15:52):
Wow.
So it was more or less like acontrolled thing with him.
None (15:56):
Yeah.
Tracy (15:57):
Yeah.
None (15:58):
Wow.
And how long after, how long,how old were you about that
time?
Tracy (16:03):
I didn't get married until I was 25.
Wow.
Wow.
So I wanna say 31.
We were, so you guys
None (16:12):
were married for a good bit?
Okay.
And then you divorced him?
He divorced me.
he divorced.
Oh, wow.
Tracy (16:19):
Yeah.
Wow.
Yeah.
None (16:21):
So what'd you do from there?
Did you get Christopher withyou?
I
Tracy (16:25):
did.
Okay.
None (16:25):
I
Tracy (16:25):
did.
Um.
I ended up in anotherrelationship that we were not
married and we were together formaybe two years.
At this point I wasn't doingpills.
I was I did drink on theweekends at that point.
It wasn't through the day, butit was just through the weekends
and we would go camping with thekids, his children, and
(16:48):
Christopher, at Mulberry Creek,we would just do the weekends
with the kids, but there wasdrinking involved.
None (16:55):
Yeah.
Tracy (16:55):
Yeah.
None (16:56):
So you, you had started drinking?
Tracy (16:58):
Just the weekend.
Yeah.
Yeah, not a whole lot.
You said doing the
None (17:01):
diet pills still?
Tracy (17:02):
No.
Okay.
At this point, I wasn't anymore.
You were just, it was
None (17:05):
alcohol started to become.
Tracy (17:07):
Yeah.
But just the weekend.
And I know I keep saying justweekends and I say that because
I guess it was more of a social.
Thing on the weekends,
None (17:17):
okay.
Yeah, you guys were stable for awhile.
Tracy (17:20):
Yes I was assistant manager at Stuart Finance
Company and he worked forHolbrook's Plumbing.
Okay.
So yeah, we it was pretty stableBut then he came up to me one
day and asked me for myblessings that he was getting
married because he had a baby onthe way.
None (17:40):
Just out of nowhere, just like shock and yes.
Tracy (17:43):
So I've been hurt through the years and didn't understand
why I chose these people.
And I guess it was again, apattern.
Wow.
None (17:55):
So what, where'd you go from there after he comes to you
and says I know we've beentogether for however long, but I
got someone else pregnant.
I'm going to get married.
Will you bless me?
And what, where did you go fromthere?
Tracy (18:05):
So I met my second husband and his name was Randy
and he was superintendent atKegels and I was still at.
Stuart Finance Company, and wedated for a while, ended up
getting married, and I lived in,we lived in Hamilton at that
time, Georgia, and everythingwas great, but he had custody of
(18:28):
his son, and he, when you're,you just don't let a twelve year
old boy sleep in the bed withyou when you're, young.
Married, and it became a problemand he was, I think he was hurt
because his mom and dad wasn'ttogether.
So he really Held it against mebecause he felt like I took his
mom's place yeah, and I youknow, I tried to love on them as
(18:52):
much as I could but it's ablended family And so it was a
lot.
Phil (18:57):
Yeah.
Tracy (18:58):
Yeah, so we ended up getting a divorce after that It
was only a three year marriageYeah.
Wow.
None (19:06):
And then, what next?
Tracy (19:08):
I had a wreck.
None (19:10):
Okay.
A car accident?
A
Tracy (19:11):
car accident.
And that's how I got back on thepain.
That's how I got on pain pills.
From the car wreck.
And I ended up with somebodythat was in more shape than I
was on them.
He was stealing them from me.
And I ended up marrying him.
So he
None (19:28):
was addicted to pain pills.
And then you got started on painpills.
Tracy (19:32):
Pain pills, but a lot of other things I didn't know about
at that, yeah, at that time.
But we were married 11 years andhe passed away.
We were not together when hepassed away, but yes, he's yes,
that was that I believe.
I feel at that time, when Imarried him, that's when I met
(19:53):
darkness.
And it began with Full blown.
It was like a whole new worldthat I never knew about with
him.
None (20:03):
Wow.
And the darkness was in him.
Yes.
And he was in the darkness.
Yes.
And that, did that kind of drawyou into the darkness?
Tracy (20:14):
It did.
None (20:15):
It did.
Tracy (20:15):
It
None (20:15):
really did.
What did that look like?
How, what was that progression?
Tracy (20:18):
It was scary.
It was scary.
I, I was, at this point I wasstill doing the pain pills and
he was still on them for me.
My son and his wife was on methand he was doing meth as well.
None (20:33):
You're saying Christopher was on meth?
Yes, he was.
So Christopher had somewherealong the way.
Tracy (20:37):
Yes, lost his way As well.
None (20:40):
Did you know that from the beginning?
No,
Tracy (20:42):
I didn't know what it was.
I didn't at that point I didn'tknow what it was then.
And was
None (20:47):
it that man that introduced Christopher or was
Christopher in that worldbefore?
Tracy (20:51):
Yes, Christopher was in that didn't know it.
I didn't know what it was.
When I did find out, Iabsolutely hated it.
I just oh my gosh, where didthis thing come from?
Where did this drug come fromfor it to destroy my son?
Because he's lost all of hischildren.
He had eight children, ninechildren, but eight of them have
been adopted out now because ofit.
(21:12):
Wow.
How old
None (21:13):
was he around that time?
He was
Tracy (21:15):
young.
He was like 17, 18.
And it was his wife at the time.
That turned him on to it.
None (21:22):
Was he still living with you at the time?
No.
No, he was married
Tracy (21:26):
and So he got married young?
Yes, he did.
And he had his first child youngas well.
None (21:31):
How old, was he like 16, 17 when he got married?
Tracy (21:33):
He was like 17.
Wow.
None (21:35):
And I guess you thought that was normal too, just cause
you had Yeah, I did.
You saw that and I did.
Phil (21:40):
Wow.
None (21:42):
So you found out that he was In the midst of deep
darkness, and then you married afella that was there, and How
did you get drugged deeper intothat?
Tracy (21:54):
I got on meth.
All for pills, and I got intothe meth world.
None (21:59):
Just wanted to try it since he was doing it, kind of
thing, maybe?
Yeah,
Tracy (22:04):
I did.
And I'm telling you, that drugis so demonic, it will drag you
down through there.
It got to where I had, from ahouse of paying bills food on
the table, lights and water, toliving in a house just paying
rent with no water, no lights,no food.
Phil (22:27):
Wow.
Tracy (22:27):
Yes.
I didn't, I, I quit working.
I quit working, and we were justliving off of his check at that
time, which wasn't much, butwow.
Any evictions after eviction?
It was it was pretty bad.
Wow.
Yeah.
None (22:46):
Were you ever on the streets or did you always Oh
Tracy (22:48):
yeah.
Yes.
After he passed away?
Not after he passed away, I hadleft him and I went and stayed
with my sister and we were allin our mess there.
None (22:57):
Your sister as well?
Tracy (22:58):
Yes, and she still is.
None (23:00):
Oh.
Tracy (23:01):
And but anyhow, I was living with my sister and we
were all in our mess there.
And they lied to the police andtold the police that, I didn't
live there, but all of my stuffwas there.
I paid rent and everything, andI just, somehow or another, I
got pushed off that property andI was not allowed to go back on
that property.
I had to go through, in order toget my things, I would have had
(23:23):
to have went to a judge to setup a time.
None (23:26):
So this was your sister's place that she was renting
maybe,
Tracy (23:31):
and
None (23:31):
they just kicked you out.
Tracy (23:32):
Her, my niece, and my ex daughter in law at the time.
None (23:36):
So you were homeless at that point?
Tracy (23:37):
I was, and I had nowhere to go.
I remembered a friend of mybrother's.
His name was Jody.
And I went to him.
I didn't know what to do.
I'd never been in the streetsbefore.
I just didn't know what to do.
And so I went to him.
And told him what happened andhe just helped me out along the
way.
(23:58):
And because of that we ended upin a relationship.
And we lived in a Bando.
I would wash clothes by hand.
None (24:06):
Bando is just an abandoned house that you just found
Tracy (24:09):
it belonged to someone but he was in jail but there was
no electricity.
But there was water, but noelectricity.
And, so I would wash clothes byhand and I don't know, I thought
I was grateful just because Iwasn't in the streets anymore
and I could at least do thatmuch, but, it ended up from a
house with no electricity toanother house, oh in tents.
(24:33):
I lived in tents in people'sbackyards.
We went from there to anotherbando on the south side.
And then a tent in the backyardof that place.
And two park benches on theriver walk.
Wow.
Sleeping behind bushes, coveringup with a tarp.
Phil (24:51):
Wow.
Tracy (24:51):
And living in motels, working, just, trying to, yeah.
It was a scary time in my life.
None (24:59):
Were you were together with that other fellas?
Yeah.
Through all of that.
Tracy (25:03):
Yeah.
I was he he cheated on me aswell, but I didn't know.
I just didn't know.
I couldn't live in the streets.
I didn't know how to live in thestreets by myself.
Phil (25:13):
Yeah.
Tracy (25:14):
Because I was never I was never, I never thought I would
that would happen to me, but itdid.
None (25:20):
So you, so he was the security that you had during
that time.
Yes how long of a time periodwas that?
Tracy (25:26):
Oh gosh, that was four years.
Four years.
Yes.
Yes.
Wow.
None (25:32):
Still in, in deep addiction with the meth and
Tracy (25:35):
wow.
And it was very scary.
So evil.
The things that I've seen isjust
None (25:41):
What was one or two of the, just the scariest, craziest
things that you saw during thattime?
Tracy (25:47):
I can tell you this.
There's some woods behind a safehouse that we stayed at in a
tent.
And honestly, Phil, I shouldn'teven be here right now.
We had no idea that someone elsewas staying there and they
didn't like it because we werethere.
And he came through with a 22shooting and those bullets just
were going anywhere and Ihonestly should not be here
(26:08):
right now.
Wow.
The other time was in the sameplace before that happened was
that Jody was there and peoplewere back there with flashlights
and I was on the ground for awhole hour and I would not move
because I was scared to death.
I didn't know what they werecoming for.
I thought I was going to die.
Wow.
(26:29):
And when I realized that I wasokay, I jumped up and I called,
I, I begged somebody to pleaselet me use their phone because I
didn't know where my phone was.
And I had my ex sister in lawcome pick me up and me and my
dog stayed in her truck allnight long because I was so
(26:49):
scared.
I was crying hysterically.
I I thought I was gonna die
Phil (26:53):
wow.
Tracy (26:54):
I thought I was gonna die.
I've been through some thingsthat I wouldn't wish nobody to
go through.
It was scary.
It was scary.
Traci is in the midst of thedarkest point in her life, and
what a powerful illustration herlife is of the strategy that the
enemy uses to destroy so manylives.
(27:16):
Traci simply followed thepattern that she saw in her mom
and her parents, and it led toso many failed relationships.
So much heartache, so muchsorrow, but wow.
Can you hear the peace and thejoy and the, just the healing in
Traci's voice, even as sherecounts the horrendous things
(27:40):
that she went through, the peaceand the joy and the healing that
is in her spirit.
I.
That comes from Jesus, and nextweek you'll hear how everything
turned around.
You will hear how the darknessturned into light by the power
of the son, the son of God, whoredeemed and restored and did an
(28:05):
amazing miracle in traci's life.
So please come back next week.
You will not wanna miss theconclusion of Traci's story and
I look forward to being with youagain then.
God bless you.
Phil Shuler (28:18):
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
(28:41):
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 (28:56):
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.
Both of my parents were alcoholics.
my mom had me when she was 14,She never got the help that she
needed.
And by this time, I was ateenager, and I thought that
having a baby was normal.
At that age, because she had meat 14, so I had one at 15, and
unfortunately, the guy that Iwas with was not very good to
(00:23):
me, but I accepted the beatingsand the cheating and, because I
thought it was normal.
That's what I've seen throughoutmy dad and her.
Phil Shuler (00:34):
HellO, and welcome to Renew, Restore, Rejoice, the
Safe House Ministries podcast,where we share stories of the
power of God to change livesthrough Safe House Ministries.
Safe House Ministries is basedout of Columbus, Georgia, and we
are a ministry that exists tolove and serve people who have
been affected by addiction,homelessness, and incarceration.
I'm your host, Phil Shuler, theDirector of Development for Safe
(00:56):
House Ministries here inColumbus, Georgia.
Safe House serves over 1, 100people each month as they
transition back into ourcommunity.
Safe House provides an abundanceof services including 213 beds
for homeless individuals andfamilies, case management for
obtaining job skills and longterm employment.
Over 300 hot meals every day,free clothing, and so much more.
(01:17):
One of the most incredibleservices that Safe House
provides is our free 9 12 monthintensive outpatient substance
abuse program, which is statelicensed, CARF accredited, and
has no wait list.
Almost 100 percent ofindividuals staying in our
shelters who follow our threephase program become fully
employed within a few months.
And 68 percent of individualswho stay at least one night with
(01:38):
us End up finding work andmoving into their own home.
Thank you for being with ustoday and listening to our
podcast.
We hope you enjoy this week'sepisode.
None (01:46):
Good morning.
This morning on the podcast.
I have Tracy with me Tracy.
How do you say your last name?
Dowdy.
Dowdy.
Tracy Dowdy.
It's so good to have you.
Thank you.
Thank you for being here andbeing willing to share your
story.
It's good to have you.
Thank you.
And Tracy is someone thatcurrently works with with safe
(02:07):
house, right?
You're yes.
What do you do with safe houseright now?
Tracy (02:09):
I am a house manager at the Grace house.
Awesome.
None (02:13):
Awesome.
Tracy (02:13):
Yeah
None (02:14):
Doing well helping others.
Yes serving the Lord helpingothers praise the Lord, but it
was a journey to get to thatplace
Tracy (02:20):
It was a door that was opened and I believe that's
where my calling is This isserve others through Jesus.
None (02:28):
Awesome.
Tracy I would love to ask you ifthere was one word that you
think might
Tracy (02:34):
best
None (02:35):
describe you, what would that word be?
Tracy (02:37):
Thankful.
None (02:38):
Thankful.
That's a great word.
And what makes you say that?
Tracy (02:42):
Because he loved me where I was and pulled me from the
darkness.
None (02:47):
Praise the Lord.
Tracy (02:47):
Yeah.
None (02:48):
And a lot to be thankful for.
Tracy (02:50):
Absolutely.
Yeah.
Every day.
None (02:53):
Where did you grow up?
Tracy (02:54):
Here in Columbus, Georgia.
None (02:56):
Here in Columbus.
What was what was growing uplike for you?
Family life?
Tracy (03:01):
Both of my parents were alcoholics.
Phil (03:03):
Yeah.
Tracy (03:03):
I seen a lot that I probably should have never seen.
There was a lot of violence inthe family, a lot of drinking.
At one point my mom had me whenshe was 14,
None (03:15):
wow.
Tracy (03:16):
Yeah, that was pretty young.
None (03:18):
That's very young.
Tracy (03:19):
Wow.
I followed her pattern growingup into a teenager.
And I had my first child when Iwas 15.
Wow.
None (03:27):
So your mom had you when she was 14.
And were you there?
Was she living with her parentsat the time?
No.
Or?
Tracy (03:34):
I heard my dad were married.
I didn't realize the age that mydad was until later on in life.
I just knew that was my mom anddad.
But when I seen the birth, whenI really just studied my birth
certificate, it was like my momwas 14 and we lived on 4th
Avenue.
And my dad was 28 and I'm like,Oh my gosh, what is going on?
Wow.
None (03:52):
So your mom got married when she was 14?
Yes.
I'm assuming legally, maybe herparents had to sign off on that?
Tracy (04:00):
Most likely.
That's wow.
My granny did.
Wow.
That is Yeah.
Wow.
But my granny was also analcoholic too.
Yeah.
Okay.
It was sad.
None (04:09):
A pattern of
Tracy (04:10):
alcoholism.
Yeah.
Absolutely.
None (04:13):
So your mom was 14, your dad was 28, and you came along.
And what was the early yearslike?
Tracy (04:21):
Like one time we went to the fair and she told them I was
her sister.
None (04:26):
Great.
Wow.
Wow.
How old were you at that point?
Tracy (04:29):
Oh, I was probably about maybe 11 or 12.
None (04:34):
Okay.
Tracy (04:34):
That was I didn't understand the concept behind
that, but yeah.
That's just what we grew uptogether.
So you were
None (04:41):
Like buddies, like like just growing up.
Yeah, but
Tracy (04:43):
she was still my mama, um, when.
I can just remember herdrinking.
And when she did get of age andI really can't remember if it
was 18 or 21 in her years, but Ican remember her getting ready
to go out.
She'd be putting this Discostuff on it.
None (05:03):
Like music and?
Tracy (05:04):
With the outfits that went with the music.
Oh.
And I knew what was going on.
I didn't like it.
I was 5.
When you were young.
None (05:13):
I did.
So I guess you were probablywhat, 5, 6, 7 ish around then?
Yes.
And you started seeing that?
Tracy (05:19):
Maybe 8, but a little younger.
She would take us to ababysitter, and I remember her
name, and it was on 29th Street,and her name was Miss Jean.
But mom would go out, party, andsay that she would promise us
that she would see us the nextday, and we wouldn't see her for
two weeks.
Wow.
At a time.
None (05:39):
And that was fairly frequent that she would just do
that and yeah,
Tracy (05:43):
it was
None (05:44):
so miss Jean was just a Friend that you guys were just
staying with she was the
Tracy (05:49):
neighborhood babysitter for all the moms that
None (05:53):
Wow
Tracy (05:54):
yeah,
None (05:55):
so that so there was a bunch of other kids that because
of a she just
Tracy (05:59):
she was That's how she made her money, I guess but
None (06:02):
so she raised a lot of kids Wow.
She
Tracy (06:05):
did.
Yeah.
None (06:06):
Wow.
Tracy (06:07):
It was a lot.
None (06:08):
So that would be Fairly frequent.
You just drop you off and goparty, do whatever for two weeks
at a time
Tracy (06:17):
And
None (06:17):
then she would come back and
Tracy (06:19):
pick us up.
None (06:20):
Yeah.
Tracy (06:20):
There was one time that she did remarry and She pulled
one of those stunts and at thattime it was my baby sister's dad
Found us and come and got us andtook us where my mom couldn't
find us'cause she left us there,whoa.
Wow.
Yeah,
None (06:39):
so I guess the first husband, he joined her in the
partying and was like, yeah,let's lead the kids.
And,
Tracy (06:46):
That would've been my dad and no he did not, he would beat
her up pretty bad in front of uschoke her until she passed out
in front of us.
That's horrible.
I've seen him.
Put a sawed off 12 gauge shotgunbetween her eyes.
And I've actually seen him getshot right in front of my face.
(07:06):
Yeah.
Wow.
With his ex wife.
And I was young.
None (07:10):
Wow.
Young 6, 7, 8?
That kind of, the same timeframe?
No, I was
Tracy (07:14):
younger.
I was younger than that.
And this was on 23rd Street.
And I can vividly remember.
What color the car is, who wasin the car and how it happened.
Wow.
Yep.
Phil (07:26):
Oh, man.
But,
Tracy (07:29):
It's okay though, because you know what, I didn't know
then, and I didn't know While Iwas growing up, but God had his
hands on me, for sure.
None (07:38):
Yeah.
So that that was, at what pointdid that first husband leave and
get off the scene?
Or did your mom end up leavinghim,
Tracy (07:47):
Actually, she did end up leaving him, and then they got
remarried.
Again, and it didn't work out.
then that's when she met my babysister's dad and then she
continued spiraling out with herdrinking problem.
And finally we moved toCalifornia, to Stanley State,
California for five years.
None (08:09):
How old were you then?
Tracy (08:10):
I was, Phil, there's so much that happens within the
years that I can't even keeptrack.
I was young.
I can't really remember the age,but
None (08:18):
not a teenager yet.
You were still
Tracy (08:20):
why I was not, I believe I was in fifth or sixth grade at
that point.
Phil (08:25):
Yeah.
Okay.
Wow.
Tracy (08:28):
It was a good life then.
Yeah.
Yeah.
None (08:31):
Thinking back of that time with your mom is there anything
that stands out about just, Idon't know the, did your mom
ever get her life back?
Unfortunately,
Tracy (08:41):
she didn't.
She passed away in 2002 and shewas still an alcoholic.
But, there was a lot I didn'tknow about my mom growing up.
Hurt people, and she, we were inchurch.
We did go to church, but not allthe time.
And I didn't, I did know God.
I just didn't have arelationship with Him.
I didn't know anything aboutthat.
But Mom she, Lord bless hersoul.
(09:04):
I love her so much.
I miss her.
But she was hurt when she wasgrowing up.
She was molested, and When youdon't go get help and you it
just continues and I thinkthat's why she continued with
her alcoholism is because shedidn't know how to fix it, she
didn't know where to go and wishthat was Jesus.
None (09:24):
Yeah.
Wow.
Did that abuse in her life, didit ever affect you like
directly?
No,
Tracy (09:32):
absolutely not.
She was very she sheltered us,believe it or not, even in her
alcoholism as much as she could.
And it's, when she got marriedto my baby sister's dad,
everything changed after awhile, when she's seen, hey, I
got a husband that loves me, andthat's not gonna abuse me, and
that's gonna accept me for who Iam.
(09:53):
And that's when we moved toCalifornia.
None (09:55):
Okay, so what was that time period like?
Tracy (09:56):
It was great.
None (09:58):
Yeah?
Tracy (09:58):
Yeah, it was good.
It was normal.
None (10:02):
Awesome.
It was
Tracy (10:03):
normal.
But, we didn't go to church.
But it was a normal childhood tome.
Yeah.
Because there was no drinkinggoing around and partying going
on.
None (10:14):
So she was a little more stable at that time.
Tracy (10:16):
And she had my sister, my baby sister.
And so that was amazing.
We got to name her Jamie afterwhat Six Dollar Million, the
Million Dollar Man with Jamie.
Yeah.
None (10:28):
Yeah.
Okay.
Tracy (10:30):
We named her Jamie after her.
It's like
None (10:33):
the bionic, Yes.
That's it.
Yes.
Yes.
That's awesome.
About five years you were inCalifornia?
We were.
Okay.
And then what brought about achange from that?
Tracy (10:44):
My mom wanted to come home and visit and that was
probably the worst decision thatshe could ever have made.
Phil (10:50):
Oh.
Tracy (10:51):
Because she spiraled out again and The next thing I know,
we were on a plane coming backhome.
And she divorced he divorcedher,
None (11:02):
and Because she started spiraling, and he's sick.
Yeah, again.
Tracy (11:06):
She never got the help that she needed.
And by this time, I was ateenager, and I thought that
having a baby was normal.
At that age, because she had meat 14, so I had one at 15, and
unfortunately, the guy that Iwas with was not very good to
me, but I accepted the beatingsand the cheating and, because I
(11:31):
thought it was normal.
That's what I've seen throughoutmy dad and her.
So
None (11:37):
You just expected that's the way it is?
Yeah,
Tracy (11:40):
that's, I expected that.
And then one day I just He hadput me in the hospital like
three times.
He's it was actually aprofessional boxer.
Wow he had to go to gloves ofNew Mexico and Yeah, I just Only
said I can't do this anymore.
I just can't I walked away fromit.
None (12:01):
How old were you at that point?
Tracy (12:02):
When he say 20
None (12:04):
So you were with him from about six
Tracy (12:07):
years
None (12:08):
Okay.
So you guys got together around14, had a baby at 15 and for,
until you were 20, you werejust,
Tracy (12:16):
wow.
And I was didn't think aboutthis, but the other day I was
thinking back through my wholelife.
In my teens, I was going to thedoctor getting diet pills.
So I actually was in.
My addiction as a teenager anddidn't realize it.
Diet pills?
Diet pills.
Phil (12:33):
Okay.
Tracy (12:34):
Yep.
Phil (12:35):
Wow.
Tracy (12:37):
Yep, so I never picked up drinking, but I did the pills.
Yeah, okay.
None (12:43):
do you have a boy or a girl, that first child?
Tracy (12:46):
I have a son.
Okay.
My first son, he passed awaywhen he was five.
Oh, was
None (12:51):
that, so that was before you left your
Tracy (12:55):
was
None (12:55):
husband at the time or just?
We were just together.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Tracy (12:59):
He was my firstborn.
Matthew.
Little Matt is what we calledhim.
None (13:02):
Was that what?
Did that spurred you to get outof that?
Tracy (13:07):
No, I still had more children with him.
I had twins after that.
And one of the twins passed awayat four months.
Wow.
Yes, and then I was pregnantwith quadruplets, but I had a
miscarriage yeah.
Wow.
Yeah.
I blame God for the death of myfive year old.
None (13:26):
How did that happen?
Tracy (13:27):
He was at my dad's and they were on a farm and there
was a tractor that was chainedup.
It didn't work but it was like ariding lawnmower.
It was chained up to the treeand him and Christopher were
playing on it and it startedrolling downhill and he got in
front of it and it crushed hisupper respiratory system.
Oh wow.
(13:48):
Yeah.
He was
None (13:48):
five.
And how old were you?
You were 19 maybe or?
Tracy (13:51):
1920.
Wow.
Yeah.
I'm telling you, I can't move myfingers.
I'm sorry.
Yeah.
And still with that
None (13:58):
first boyfriend.
Tracy (13:59):
Yeah, I was still with him.
But I thought it was okay.
But it wasn't.
But you know what?
Through all this time, I canlook back and even though I was
angry with God Oh, he was stillwith me because he loved me
while I was at.
Yeah.
And I didn't know that until Iformed my relationship with him.
None (14:19):
Wow.
Yeah.
You're around 20, 21.
You're in the hospital and youhave one child living maybe at
that time?
Tracy (14:28):
I do.
He's 37.
None (14:30):
And so that was a point you said that you're like,
Tracy (14:34):
This is
None (14:34):
crazy.
I'm going to get out of thisrelationship after I lost a
Tracy (14:37):
quadruplets.
None (14:38):
Okay.
Tracy (14:38):
So I'm looking at almost 21.
None (14:43):
And how old was your son at that point?
Tracy (14:45):
Christopher was, I was 17 when I had him.
So he was maybe two or threesomewhere
None (14:50):
around there.
What happened that.
Helped you say this is crazy.
I don't want this.
I need to get out of this.
What happened?
How did you come to thatdecision to leave that abusive
relationship?
Tracy (15:03):
I got tired of it
None (15:04):
Yeah,
Tracy (15:05):
I got tired of it and still have not had a
relationship with Jesus yet, butI just knew That I was tired of
it.
I didn't know my word.
So I still it was still apattern.
Yeah.
I Was looking for love in allthe wrong places and definitely
All the wrong faces.
So I ended up getting married.
And,
None (15:24):
So you found somebody else.
Tracy (15:26):
I ended up getting married.
And We built a house from groundup.
We had good jobs.
And Got a taste of the good lifeon the other side.
You know what I mean?
I didn't have anything to worryabout.
Background (15:40):
Yeah.
Tracy (15:40):
And I have my son and he was bold and, but it still just
was not, we ended up in adivorce because he cheated on
me.
None (15:49):
Oh, he wasn't abusive, but he cheated on you?
Tracy (15:52):
Wow.
So it was more or less like acontrolled thing with him.
None (15:56):
Yeah.
Tracy (15:57):
Yeah.
None (15:58):
Wow.
And how long after, how long,how old were you about that
time?
Tracy (16:03):
I didn't get married until I was 25.
Wow.
Wow.
So I wanna say 31.
We were, so you guys
None (16:12):
were married for a good bit?
Okay.
And then you divorced him?
He divorced me.
he divorced.
Oh, wow.
Tracy (16:19):
Yeah.
Wow.
Yeah.
None (16:21):
So what'd you do from there?
Did you get Christopher withyou?
I
Tracy (16:25):
did.
Okay.
None (16:25):
I
Tracy (16:25):
did.
Um.
I ended up in anotherrelationship that we were not
married and we were together formaybe two years.
At this point I wasn't doingpills.
I was I did drink on theweekends at that point.
It wasn't through the day, butit was just through the weekends
and we would go camping with thekids, his children, and
(16:48):
Christopher, at Mulberry Creek,we would just do the weekends
with the kids, but there wasdrinking involved.
None (16:55):
Yeah.
Tracy (16:55):
Yeah.
None (16:56):
So you, you had started drinking?
Tracy (16:58):
Just the weekend.
Yeah.
Yeah, not a whole lot.
You said doing the
None (17:01):
diet pills still?
Tracy (17:02):
No.
Okay.
At this point, I wasn't anymore.
You were just, it was
None (17:05):
alcohol started to become.
Tracy (17:07):
Yeah.
But just the weekend.
And I know I keep saying justweekends and I say that because
I guess it was more of a social.
Thing on the weekends,
None (17:17):
okay.
Yeah, you guys were stable for awhile.
Tracy (17:20):
Yes I was assistant manager at Stuart Finance
Company and he worked forHolbrook's Plumbing.
Okay.
So yeah, we it was pretty stableBut then he came up to me one
day and asked me for myblessings that he was getting
married because he had a baby onthe way.
None (17:40):
Just out of nowhere, just like shock and yes.
Tracy (17:43):
So I've been hurt through the years and didn't understand
why I chose these people.
And I guess it was again, apattern.
Wow.
None (17:55):
So what, where'd you go from there after he comes to you
and says I know we've beentogether for however long, but I
got someone else pregnant.
I'm going to get married.
Will you bless me?
And what, where did you go fromthere?
Tracy (18:05):
So I met my second husband and his name was Randy
and he was superintendent atKegels and I was still at.
Stuart Finance Company, and wedated for a while, ended up
getting married, and I lived in,we lived in Hamilton at that
time, Georgia, and everythingwas great, but he had custody of
(18:28):
his son, and he, when you're,you just don't let a twelve year
old boy sleep in the bed withyou when you're, young.
Married, and it became a problemand he was, I think he was hurt
because his mom and dad wasn'ttogether.
So he really Held it against mebecause he felt like I took his
mom's place yeah, and I youknow, I tried to love on them as
(18:52):
much as I could but it's ablended family And so it was a
lot.
Phil (18:57):
Yeah.
Tracy (18:58):
Yeah, so we ended up getting a divorce after that It
was only a three year marriageYeah.
Wow.
None (19:06):
And then, what next?
Tracy (19:08):
I had a wreck.
None (19:10):
Okay.
A car accident?
A
Tracy (19:11):
car accident.
And that's how I got back on thepain.
That's how I got on pain pills.
From the car wreck.
And I ended up with somebodythat was in more shape than I
was on them.
He was stealing them from me.
And I ended up marrying him.
So he
None (19:28):
was addicted to pain pills.
And then you got started on painpills.
Tracy (19:32):
Pain pills, but a lot of other things I didn't know about
at that, yeah, at that time.
But we were married 11 years andhe passed away.
We were not together when hepassed away, but yes, he's yes,
that was that I believe.
I feel at that time, when Imarried him, that's when I met
(19:53):
darkness.
And it began with Full blown.
It was like a whole new worldthat I never knew about with
him.
None (20:03):
Wow.
And the darkness was in him.
Yes.
And he was in the darkness.
Yes.
And that, did that kind of drawyou into the darkness?
Tracy (20:14):
It did.
None (20:15):
It did.
Tracy (20:15):
It
None (20:15):
really did.
What did that look like?
How, what was that progression?
Tracy (20:18):
It was scary.
It was scary.
I, I was, at this point I wasstill doing the pain pills and
he was still on them for me.
My son and his wife was on methand he was doing meth as well.
None (20:33):
You're saying Christopher was on meth?
Yes, he was.
So Christopher had somewherealong the way.
Tracy (20:37):
Yes, lost his way As well.
None (20:40):
Did you know that from the beginning?
No,
Tracy (20:42):
I didn't know what it was.
I didn't at that point I didn'tknow what it was then.
And was
None (20:47):
it that man that introduced Christopher or was
Christopher in that worldbefore?
Tracy (20:51):
Yes, Christopher was in that didn't know it.
I didn't know what it was.
When I did find out, Iabsolutely hated it.
I just oh my gosh, where didthis thing come from?
Where did this drug come fromfor it to destroy my son?
Because he's lost all of hischildren.
He had eight children, ninechildren, but eight of them have
been adopted out now because ofit.
(21:12):
Wow.
How old
None (21:13):
was he around that time?
He was
Tracy (21:15):
young.
He was like 17, 18.
And it was his wife at the time.
That turned him on to it.
None (21:22):
Was he still living with you at the time?
No.
No, he was married
Tracy (21:26):
and So he got married young?
Yes, he did.
And he had his first child youngas well.
None (21:31):
How old, was he like 16, 17 when he got married?
Tracy (21:33):
He was like 17.
Wow.
None (21:35):
And I guess you thought that was normal too, just cause
you had Yeah, I did.
You saw that and I did.
Phil (21:40):
Wow.
None (21:42):
So you found out that he was In the midst of deep
darkness, and then you married afella that was there, and How
did you get drugged deeper intothat?
Tracy (21:54):
I got on meth.
All for pills, and I got intothe meth world.
None (21:59):
Just wanted to try it since he was doing it, kind of
thing, maybe?
Yeah,
Tracy (22:04):
I did.
And I'm telling you, that drugis so demonic, it will drag you
down through there.
It got to where I had, from ahouse of paying bills food on
the table, lights and water, toliving in a house just paying
rent with no water, no lights,no food.
Phil (22:27):
Wow.
Tracy (22:27):
Yes.
I didn't, I, I quit working.
I quit working, and we were justliving off of his check at that
time, which wasn't much, butwow.
Any evictions after eviction?
It was it was pretty bad.
Wow.
Yeah.
None (22:46):
Were you ever on the streets or did you always Oh
Tracy (22:48):
yeah.
Yes.
After he passed away?
Not after he passed away, I hadleft him and I went and stayed
with my sister and we were allin our mess there.
None (22:57):
Your sister as well?
Tracy (22:58):
Yes, and she still is.
None (23:00):
Oh.
Tracy (23:01):
And but anyhow, I was living with my sister and we
were all in our mess there.
And they lied to the police andtold the police that, I didn't
live there, but all of my stuffwas there.
I paid rent and everything, andI just, somehow or another, I
got pushed off that property andI was not allowed to go back on
that property.
I had to go through, in order toget my things, I would have had
(23:23):
to have went to a judge to setup a time.
None (23:26):
So this was your sister's place that she was renting
maybe,
Tracy (23:31):
and
None (23:31):
they just kicked you out.
Tracy (23:32):
Her, my niece, and my ex daughter in law at the time.
None (23:36):
So you were homeless at that point?
Tracy (23:37):
I was, and I had nowhere to go.
I remembered a friend of mybrother's.
His name was Jody.
And I went to him.
I didn't know what to do.
I'd never been in the streetsbefore.
I just didn't know what to do.
And so I went to him.
And told him what happened andhe just helped me out along the
way.
(23:58):
And because of that we ended upin a relationship.
And we lived in a Bando.
I would wash clothes by hand.
None (24:06):
Bando is just an abandoned house that you just found
Tracy (24:09):
it belonged to someone but he was in jail but there was
no electricity.
But there was water, but noelectricity.
And, so I would wash clothes byhand and I don't know, I thought
I was grateful just because Iwasn't in the streets anymore
and I could at least do thatmuch, but, it ended up from a
house with no electricity toanother house, oh in tents.
(24:33):
I lived in tents in people'sbackyards.
We went from there to anotherbando on the south side.
And then a tent in the backyardof that place.
And two park benches on theriver walk.
Wow.
Sleeping behind bushes, coveringup with a tarp.
Phil (24:51):
Wow.
Tracy (24:51):
And living in motels, working, just, trying to, yeah.
It was a scary time in my life.
None (24:59):
Were you were together with that other fellas?
Yeah.
Through all of that.
Tracy (25:03):
Yeah.
I was he he cheated on me aswell, but I didn't know.
I just didn't know.
I couldn't live in the streets.
I didn't know how to live in thestreets by myself.
Phil (25:13):
Yeah.
Tracy (25:14):
Because I was never I was never, I never thought I would
that would happen to me, but itdid.
None (25:20):
So you, so he was the security that you had during
that time.
Yes how long of a time periodwas that?
Tracy (25:26):
Oh gosh, that was four years.
Four years.
Yes.
Yes.
Wow.
None (25:32):
Still in, in deep addiction with the meth and
Tracy (25:35):
wow.
And it was very scary.
So evil.
The things that I've seen isjust
None (25:41):
What was one or two of the, just the scariest, craziest
things that you saw during thattime?
Tracy (25:47):
I can tell you this.
There's some woods behind a safehouse that we stayed at in a
tent.
And honestly, Phil, I shouldn'teven be here right now.
We had no idea that someone elsewas staying there and they
didn't like it because we werethere.
And he came through with a 22shooting and those bullets just
were going anywhere and Ihonestly should not be here
(26:08):
right now.
Wow.
The other time was in the sameplace before that happened was
that Jody was there and peoplewere back there with flashlights
and I was on the ground for awhole hour and I would not move
because I was scared to death.
I didn't know what they werecoming for.
I thought I was going to die.
Wow.
(26:29):
And when I realized that I wasokay, I jumped up and I called,
I, I begged somebody to pleaselet me use their phone because I
didn't know where my phone was.
And I had my ex sister in lawcome pick me up and me and my
dog stayed in her truck allnight long because I was so
(26:49):
scared.
I was crying hysterically.
I I thought I was gonna die
Phil (26:53):
wow.
Tracy (26:54):
I thought I was gonna die.
I've been through some thingsthat I wouldn't wish nobody to
go through.
It was scary.
It was scary.
Traci is in the midst of thedarkest point in her life, and
what a powerful illustration herlife is of the strategy that the
enemy uses to destroy so manylives.
(27:16):
Traci simply followed thepattern that she saw in her mom
and her parents, and it led toso many failed relationships.
So much heartache, so muchsorrow, but wow.
Can you hear the peace and thejoy and the, just the healing in
Traci's voice, even as sherecounts the horrendous things
(27:40):
that she went through, the peaceand the joy and the healing that
is in her spirit.
I.
That comes from Jesus, and nextweek you'll hear how everything
turned around.
You will hear how the darknessturned into light by the power
of the son, the son of God, whoredeemed and restored and did an
(28:05):
amazing miracle in traci's life.
So please come back next week.
You will not wanna miss theconclusion of Traci's story and
I look forward to being with youagain then.
God bless you.
Phil Shuler (28:18):
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
(28:41):
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 (28:56):
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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