This episode begins with multiple clips from the first two episodes to give a summary of Jame's entire incredible story, and then James brings us up to where he is today, and how incredibly blessed his life is now. To many James' life might seem like a broken and scattered mess, but when you look at how God was there all along pursuing James with his unwavering mercy and you hear James' profession of the greatness and goodness of God, you realize that his life is an illustration of such a beautiful tapestry that only God could create. The mercy of God truly knows know boundary, if you are running from God today please know that He loves you and is pursuing you as well.
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Episode Transcript
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Phil Shuler (00:00):
HellO, and welcome to Renew, Restore, Rejoice, the
(00:03):
Safe House Ministries podcast,where we share stories of the
power of God to change livesthrough Safe House Ministries.
Safe House Ministries is basedout of Columbus, Georgia, and we
are a ministry that exists tolove and serve people who have
been affected by addiction,homelessness, and incarceration.
I'm your host, Phil Shuler, theDirector of Development for Safe
House Ministries here inColumbus, Georgia.
(00:24):
Safe House serves over 1, 100people each month as they
transition back into ourcommunity.
Safe House provides an abundanceof services including 213 beds
for homeless individuals andfamilies, case management for
obtaining job skills and longterm employment.
Over 300 hot meals every day,free clothing, and so much more.
One of the most incredibleservices that Safe House
(00:45):
provides is our free 9 12 monthintensive outpatient substance
abuse program, which is statelicensed, CARF accredited, and
has no wait list.
Almost 100 percent ofindividuals staying in our
shelters who follow our threephase program become fully
employed within a few months.
And 68 percent of individualswho stay at least one night with
us End up finding work andmoving into their own home.
(01:07):
Thank you for being with ustoday and listening to our
podcast.
We hope you enjoy this week'sepisode.
James (01:12):
It was before then.
I had just turned 11, I think,when Mom and Dad got a divorce.
It was Me, my daddy, and mylittle brother.
Daddy had got custody of me andmy little brother.
After him, my mama got adivorce, and he was a single
parent.
That's another reason I fell bythe wayside, as you would say.
I started smoking marijuana at avery young age and that just led
(01:36):
to other stuff.
I've actually done every drugknown to man except heroin.
Wow.
Every one of them.
Abused it.
And, I wouldn't work for nothingbut drug money.
That's basically all I did.
Christmas morning in 1987, Iwoke up and I had to look at my
(01:56):
kids because I had spent theirChristmas money on that one.
On drugs.
And, I was a womanizer.
I started verbally abusing,emotionally abuse.
you got to be real careful withthe devil.
You got to be real carefulbecause he will trick you.
He talked angels out of heaven.
(02:17):
So don't think he ain't gotpower.
Yeah.
He's an angel of light.
He's a deceiver and a crafty.
Wednesday after that, my life ended as I knew it.
Oh, wow long story short, April2nd, they arrested me for a sex
offense.
when I went to trial, I wound upgetting a hundred and forty
(02:38):
years.
Wow.
That's what the judge sentencedme to serve.
It almost destroyed me.
It almost completely destroyedme.
But, I wasn't like your averageindividual in prison.
I took advantage of everyopportunity and everything the
state of Georgia had to offer, Ieven took classes that didn't
(02:58):
even apply to me.
I took them just so I could havethem.
Yeah.
To grow and
to build your knowledge base.
Exactly.
Knowledge.
I love knowledge.
Now, I love knowledge, but whileI was in prison, like I said, I
took advantage of everythingthey had to offer.
Like I said, I got locked up.
April 2nd, 2019, I was inprison, I took every class.
(03:20):
They said, this class don'tapply to you.
Is there a reason why I can'tgo?
No.
Then sign me up.
Then sign me up.
But in that time, I got myelectrician certification with
mobile construction and in thattime, remember I told you I got
thrown out of school.
I studied for my GED with avengeance.
(03:43):
Wow.
With a vengeance.
When I took my test, when I tookmy pre test, I was one of ten in
the state of Georgia to get aperfect score.
On science and social studies.
I had to better myself becauseif I survived this prison
sentence and I got out, Icouldn't come out the same
(04:04):
person that I went in.
I couldn't because where wasthat leading?
Where was all that gonna go?
Even though I'd quit the drugs,even though I'd quit all that,
but I hadn't quit thewomanizing, I hadn't quit the
abusive, I hadn't quit all theother stuff.
But I took a course.
Corrective thinking.
Miss Vickers.
Phil (04:20):
Oh.
James (04:21):
That class, if you've never took that class, and
you've never heard about it,take it.
It's a long class, but it's aneye opener.
Wow.
And you learn about the rippleeffect.
The ripple effect.
You may not realize, justbecause you hurt that
individual, you didn't just hurtthat individual, you hurt
everybody that loves thatindividual.
Not only did you hurt thatindividual, you hurt yourself
(04:43):
and everybody that cares aboutyou everybody's hurt somewhere
along the way.
You may think it's an isolatedincident.
It's not.
Nowhere close is it an isolatedincident.
That's true.
But I got all the knowledge Icould.
I made sure that when I comeout, when and if I did get out,
I wasn't going to be the sameperson.
I was not going to be the sameperson that I went in.
(05:05):
I had been in church in myyounger days when my
grandparents, my papaespecially, but I had never
grasped it.
I had never, like I said, Ihadn't had that aha moment.
I was young.
Yeah.
Some people realize, that's thework of God right there.
You didn't do none of that.
You can't take credit for noneof that.
(05:26):
You don't realize that at thatyoung age.
Phil (05:28):
Yeah.
James (05:29):
But, as I got older, and like I said, when I was in the
program, I got to thinking abouthow many times he stepped in,
and saved me, and I pushed hishand away.
Not real, not literally, butwhen I thought about it.
mixed (05:44):
Yeah.
James (05:46):
How many times he reached out to me, and I pushed his hand
away.
How many times were the drugs?
mixed (05:52):
Yeah.
James (05:52):
He saved my life.
mixed (05:53):
Yeah.
James (05:53):
He literally saved my life.
And he gave me another chance.
But I pushed his hand away.
I started to womanize him.
I let something else in.
Instead of cleaning it, keepingit clean, I let something else
in I pushed his hand away.
Phil (06:07):
Wow.
James (06:07):
But when I finished that course, actually before I even
finished the course, I knew thenwhat I had to do.
I had to just let it go.
I had to let You wanna You don'tthink God's got a sense of
humor?
Tell him your plan.
Tell him your plan.
You'll hear him laugh then.
But I know what I had to let myplan go.
(06:30):
I had to let my plan go and giveit to God.
Once I did that, everythingchanged.
Everything changed.
You surrendered.
I surrendered.
They called me, and this wasbefore I knew I was getting out.
I thought I really, I wouldn'texpect to ever get out.
And one day they called me, theysaid Sanders, we need an
address.
And I'm like, for what?
(06:51):
They said, you're going homewhat?
When am I going home?
Ain't nobody told me nothing.
I ain't been to no parolehearing, ain't been to none of
that.
End of.
They said we need an address onhim.
So I went to my counselor, and Iwas in the dog program then,
training second chancegreyhounds.
Really?
Yeah.
You really did take advantage ofeverything.
Everything.
I'm telling you, if you offeredit, and I've stood benefit from
(07:14):
it, Oh, I've got to have it.
I've got to have it.
If I'm going to gain knowledgefrom it, and I'm going to get
some kind of what do you callit?
Love from it.
And dogs.
I love dogs.
I love dogs, but I come out ofthe counselor's office and I was
bad because I didn't havenowhere to go.
I was banished from the countythat I'm from.
That's where all my familylives.
So I couldn't go there.
I couldn't go to no otherhalfway house, no diversion
(07:36):
center, none of that.
I didn't have nowhere to go.
So I come out of the office andI had my head down and the lady
over the dog program, she said,Sanders, what's wrong with you?
So I told her.
She said, hang on just a minute.
She said, come to my office in30 minutes.
And she walked out to thecontrol tower and she told the
guard, she said, send Jack, sendSanders to my office in 30
(07:56):
minutes.
Exactly 30 minutes.
30 minutes rolled around andthey said, Sanders, you need to
go to the office.
So I go up out of the office,she said, and you know who's had
on the phone
none (2) (08:07):
mike?
Mike.
Ha.
James (08:10):
She had Mike on the phone.
none (2) (08:11):
Good ol Mike.
James (08:12):
Good ol Mike, saving grace.
He was my saving grace.
But she had Mike on the phoneand Mike said Yeah, he said I
got a bed for him.
Send him on.
Phil (08:21):
Wow.
James (08:21):
And I was like, You gotta be kidding me.
I'm going home.
Wow.
You've got to be kidding me.
This is after 22 years and 22days.
Wow.
And that was when he was running
the Beacon House.
Beacon House, here in Columbus.
He said, send him, I got a bed for him.
She calls down there, her nameis Ms.
Coleman.
She calls down there and tellsmy counselor, he's got a bed,
give her the address, give herall that.
She says, okay, you're goinghome Friday.
(08:42):
Wow.
And that
is amazing.
Just seemingly out of nowhere.
Nowhere.
We know where it was from.
It was from the Lord.
Yeah.
But just so unexpected and
He said, my prodigal son, I'm going to give you one more
chance, one more chance.
That's
a miracle.
Just wow.
That God was working behind thescenes again.
(09:04):
That's just amazing.
Again.
God's like my prodigal son, Igive you one more chance, one
more chance, 777.
He said, you've used up quite afew of them.
Phil (09:14):
God is so good.
James (09:15):
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
Blessed beyond all measure.
So that bump up to 10 an hour inabout three weeks.
And then
It just kept going.
It just kept getting better.
And I kept thinking back onthat.
One more now.
One more.
Don't mess this one up.
Wow.
I'm going to open this door foryou, don't mess this one up.
Wow.
Like I said, I went from makingminimum wage, 7.
(09:36):
25 to three weeks, making 10 anhour.
Now what?
I'm saving every dime I can.
That's good.
Mike actually walked into my room and was like, James, you
can't have this kind of moneylaying around.
You can't do, you got to open abank account.
I can't be responsible for that.
Ain't nobody going to botherjust laying around there?
And, not bragging or nothing,there's 3, 000 laying there that
(09:58):
I've saved up.
I'm eating bologna sandwiches.
I don't go out and eat.
I don't do nothing.
Everybody's talking about, Oh,I'm going to go here.
I'm going to get me this.
I'm going to do that.
No, I'm not.
I'm going to try to You werereally
thinking ahead and trying to,yeah.
I had to, I had to make the best of this chance that I
was given.
I had to, because like I saidGod had many times opened the
(10:21):
door for me and me and my wayskick it shut.
mixed (10:25):
Yeah.
James (10:26):
I couldn't do it again.
I couldn't do it again.
Wow.
Because a lot of people don'tbelieve me when I tell them
this.
God will smite you.
He will smite you.
People go, oh, he's not, no, hewon't.
Oh, yeah.
Oh, yeah.
I have I felt the chastening ofthe Lord when I was not in line
where I needed to be.
You will.
It's
no fun.
You will.
You'll look at me and you'll belike, why me?
(10:46):
I'm
thankful that His mercy and Hisgrace Abundantly outweighs his
judgment and wrath a thousandtimes over,
but
it's still there.
It is there.
Like in the end.
That's what hell is.
If you just reject his grace andhis mercy for your whole life
and you don't receive Jesus asyour savior, you have to
experience his wrath.
But it's all the doors that was open.
(11:08):
And I told you, 725 to 10.
18.
Wow.
Within two months.
Wow.
Within two months.
Just wow.
Excuse me.
Another avenue for ColumbusBaptist Association safe house.
All of it together.
Mike says.
You was in business for yourselfat one point in time, right?
(11:29):
I was like, yeah, but thatwasn't a good time.
That's when I was doing drugs.
I was working more so I couldbuy more drugs, so I could work
more, so I could buy more drugsand all that.
He said we'll help you get yourLLC if you would like to try it
again.
I'm working for Rich Electricthen.
Miss Bessie, she knowed about mypast.
She knew about everything and Iexplained it to her, was honest
(11:49):
with her.
She said, We'll give you achance.
And she's the one that gave memy first electrical job in
Columbus after I got out ofprison.
But Mike and Safe House andColumbus Pipes Associates helped
me get my LLC, my businesslicense, and I started JLS
Superior Interiors.
And started my own business.
Phil (12:09):
Wow.
James (12:10):
So now, I'm an electrician and I'm the owner,
sole owner of JLS SuperiorResidential Interior.
Phil (12:18):
Wow, that's awesome.
So now, and you were still atthe shelter at that time.
Okay, and started your businessup and just.
Continuing to grow and save and
James (12:28):
right.
And then Mike told me one day,he said, look, you got to get
out of here.
We need to free up some spacefor somebody else who needs it.
That's basically what he said.
You're doing good.
Keep on going.
Let's get somebody else in hereto help.
That's exactly what he said.
He said, you can pay rent now.
We, you got to go.
That sounds, that's the plan.
That's the goal.
(12:49):
That is exactly what it was.
Mike said, you exceeded all ofour expectations.
You're good to go.
Bye and it was a blessing.
Like I said, he said that onemore and he just poured it out
and poured it out and poured itout and poured it out on me.
Beyond all measure
That's amazing.
Praise the Lord.
Absolutely.
Now was it, was the shelter whenyou left, was it Grace House at
the time?
They
had, he had
(13:10):
Before Freedom House.
Grace House, was the male side, and then they changed it
over to the female side.
Yeah, when we got the buildingout on Chautauqua, that became
the Freedom House for men.
Okay, were you at that location?
No.
Okay, you were there before.
That's before, right before they changed over to the
Freedom House up there.
Yeah.
But I had one over when theychanged over from the female to
the man side.
(13:31):
That's how I actually gotstarted in trying to pay back
because.
Yeah?
Allergical.
I did all the electrical work inthe Grace House, what is the
Grace House now, when theychanged the door to females.
Yeah, the women's shelter.
Mike said look, I need some getback.
He said, we just.
We helped you get on your feet.
You're doing great.
(13:52):
Exactly.
Give back to some more, someothers.
Exactly.
I had been trying to think ofsome ways that I could help,
that I could get back and itjust worked out to be perfect.
Praise the Lord.
That's awesome.
Perfect.
And I went over there and didthat for Mike.
I was like, what else?
That's awesome.
And as of, like I said, as ofnow, I've got almost 780 hours
and it's still low.
Wow.
Thousands and thousands more foreverything that Grace House and
(14:16):
Safe House has done.
Beacon House and Safe HouseMinistry has done for me.
Praise the Lord.
You got out, got your own place,building your business.
How are things now?
Like where you at now?
Well.
Like I told you earlier, I wentto the doctor today and didn't
get some very good news, butit's going to be all right.
(14:36):
Yeah.
You've seen some amazing things.
Like you have seen the miracleworking of God in ways
That's what I ain't worried
about.
I think few people probably haveseen.
Wow.
Yeah, I know.
How's your relationship withyour kids?
My daughters, it's, we communicate, but it's been like
three, no, it's been longer thanthat.
(14:59):
It's been like five years sinceI've seen my oldest daughter or
any of my grandkids.
My youngest daughter comeFather's Day two years ago.
Like I said, my oldest daughterlives in Lott, Texas.
My youngest daughter lives onthe Alabama Mississippi line and
my son lives in Virginia.
Yeah.
Yeah.
But.
My son, and I can't blame him,he remembers the old The bad
(15:22):
days.
Exactly.
Yeah.
And I don't blame him.
I don't blame him notwhatsoever.
Yeah.
So it's still a time of tryingto heal and Exactly.
Just
A lot of pain there.
Seeing
if you can rebuild.
A lot of pain there.
Yeah.
With him.
My, my daughter, my oldestdaughter, my youngest daughter,
they're I guess they're moreForgiven, but like I said, I
(15:45):
don't hold against him because Iwouldn't.
Yeah.
Wow.
He's completely justified.
Wow.
Praise the Lord.
You have a really amazing story.
I just, I have loved justhearing you share all that God
has done.
Thank you.
But.
We hadn't got to those Mikestories yet, so give me a couple
(16:06):
of good Mike stories.
Hold up, you are aware that Mike holds my will and
testament.
In that will and testament, hehas the power to have me
committed with no question.
Oh.
Oh.
He has a little bit of powerover me.
Oh but you know what?
If those stories might boost ourpodcast, and people might say,
those are great stories here,and share and listen to these
(16:27):
stories, and then Mike would belike, oh man, I'm all for
it.
I'm not going to take thatchance.
Oh, but Mike is, he's, I don'tknow.
Mike's a beautiful person.
A lot of people don't know it,but Mike is a beautiful
person.
Mike's seen some miracles of theLord.
That's why I tell Michael all the time, because it's been
(16:49):
hard on him.
It's been really hard on him,especially lately.
I said, you know why that is?
I said, cause you got a good jobwaiting on you up there.
I told him all the time.
I said, you want to advocate forme when you get up there.
You want to advocate for me downhere.
Wow.
I'm going to ride in on yourcoattail.
Wow.
What's your relationship withthe Lord like right now?
(17:09):
Your daily walk, or are yougoing to church anywhere?
What is your relationship withthe Lord look like?
I am a member of Calvary.
Attend Psychic Baptist onoccasion, but as far as me and
God, I love the Lord with all myheart and soul it would be
unjustifiable to feel any otherkind of way than blessed beyond
(17:29):
all measure.
I wished, I look back on it nowand I wished I had took the
opportunity.
When he first held his hand outin my younger life, if I'd have
took it then and started walkingthe walk instead of pushing his
hand aside, I would have neverhad to endure all that other
stuff.
But like I said, if you want tohear God laugh, tell him your
(17:51):
plan, because I had all theseother plans, all these that
didn't work out.
That is, that is a powerfullesson to ponder, and I think
for anybody listening, no doubtthere are going to be some
people that if they stop andthink about what's going on in
their lives, they're in a timewhen the Lord is trying to reach
(18:11):
out and they're faced with thatchoice.
If they push him away, it'sgoing to get worse, it's going
to get worse, but They have theopportunity to let them in,
yeah, reach out, open your heart, let him in, reach
out.
So many good lessons that youhave shared already.
But I want to ask you directlyif you had to think and just
(18:34):
maybe pick out a few key lessonsthat you feel like are some of
the things that stand out mostthat you've learned along the
way.
What would those be
for one, God works at his own time.
He don't work at your time.
Another is, people don't like itwhen I say this, but I call God
out.
I call him out on his word, hisscripture.
(18:57):
I call him out on it.
You said this, and I'm askingthis, or I'm bringing this to
you.
You made this promise.
I'm trusting in you, and I'mbelieving in you.
mixed (19:09):
Yeah.
That's something
James (19:10):
you've got to put your trust, you've got to put your
trust in God.
He loves it when people trusthim.
He loves it.
Loves it.
If you don't think he's going toreward you for trusting him, you
may not want to.
You may balk at the thought oftrusting him.
Please do.
Yeah.
Please do.
(19:31):
There is.
You've got to trust me.
There's a verse, I think it's 2Chronicles chapter 16 verse 9,
and the verse says that the eyesof the Lord run to and fro
throughout the whole earthlooking for those whose heart is
fully trusting in him.
And then it says.
(19:51):
So that he may show himselfstrong on their behalf.
Exactly.
That's amazing.
God is looking for people whowill do just what you're saying
and put their whole heart andtrust.
And when we do that's when hecomes in and does greater things
(20:12):
than we can imagine.
He comes in showing out.
I need that.
I need that too.
Everybody needs
that.
I need that.
That lesson needs to sink intomy heart and I just, I need to
operate always in that mode.
We can claim, to be religious.
We can claim to be righteous andall that, in reality, a lot of
times, We turn away from it, orwe doubt, or we question.
(20:34):
That's where we fall short.
Never doubt, never question.
mixed (20:39):
Yeah.
James (20:39):
Never doubt, never question.
That's why this little medicalthing that I was telling you
about.
So be it, if it be at his will,so be it.
Who am I?
I'm nothing.
If it be at his will, so be it.
Yeah,
In reality, I would be lostwithout Jesus.
There's just no other, there'sno other way around it.
I would be utterly lost withoutJesus.
(21:02):
Everybody is
lost without Jesus.
You're
right.
Yeah.
That's the truth and it's up tous to receive that truth.
You've got to seek it.
Yeah.
You've got to want it.
Wow.
What other key lessons stand outfrom your journey that the Lord
has shown you?
Take what's offered.
You may not realize the good init at the time, but it's not for
(21:24):
you to see.
If it's offered to you, take it.
mixed (21:29):
Yeah.
James (21:29):
It's maybe a blessing in disguise and you don't even
realize it.
If it's there, know who put itthere.
If it's not there, know whodidn't put it there.
There's a time and a place.
Yeah.
I think it's James 1 17 thatsays every good gift and every
perfect gift cometh down fromabove from the father of lights
and whom is no variableness.
(21:51):
Every good thing comes from theLord.
There's no doubt about it.
How can you justify saying itcomes from anywhere else?
You can't.
It just, it's it.
Yeah.
It just, yeah.
Wow.
Anything else?
Any other key lessons that standout?
If you want to.
Be the person you want to besure it's the person that you
want to be and lay it at hisfeet.
(22:11):
That's all you gotta do.
That's all you gotta do.
Lay it at the feet of Jesus.
Yield.
That's all you gotta do.
Yeah.
And he'll help you be that person.
Phil (22:19):
Wow.
Yeah.
He'll help you be better thanyou imagined.
James (22:23):
No doubt about it, beyond all measure.
Phil (22:25):
Yeah.
James (22:26):
Amen.
That's why I love that saying, Iam blessed beyond all measure.
Phil (22:30):
Yeah.
James (22:30):
All measure.
Phil (22:31):
Wow.
God has blessed you.
Absolutely.
And I pray God's even greaterblessings upon you and just,
yeah.
It's, I have been encouraged inmy heart with this time with
you.
And.
And I know for me personally, Ineeded this, that there were
some words that you shared thatthe Lord took and just took them
(22:53):
straight to my heart that just,even in, I'm in the midst of
some transition in my own lifeand having to come to the
reality of letting go and justyielding to Jesus and trusting
Him, not knowing what the futuremight be.
So I needed that.
Thank you.
This is good.
Thank the Lord.
Amen.
(23:14):
Amen.
We
James (23:15):
are
nothing.
Yeah.
It is all.
One last chance for a Mikestory.
Can I pull one out of you?
Is there anything I can do topull just a little one?
It doesn't have to be anythingsuper crazy bad.
Just something that he won'tmind you sharing.
Honestly, off the top of my head, I can't think of
nothing to be honest with you.
Mike might have beenexaggerating when he told you
(23:37):
that.
He
really was pretty emphatic aboutnot knowing if he should send
you my way, because you couldtell some stories about him.
That's not entirely true.
I love Mike.
I love Mike.
I
do too.
Jesus loves Mike.
I it's, yeah, he
does.
He shows him favor all the timebecause how did I ask him all
the time, how did you ever getthis old?
(23:58):
And because he is so accidentprong, if it can go wrong, it
goes wrong.
For Mike I tell him all thetime, how did you get this far?
God got to love you.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah I hope you don't get toobig ahead listening to this
podcast.
He ain't perfect He sure ain'tperfect.
Just like none of us areperfect.
(24:20):
Oh, absolutely.
But he's a servant and he lovesthe Lord and he probably works
too much He does.
He works on my lands.
I don't say how he does it, butI would say he a good word to
describe him as a servant.
That is and I was thinking when I was out there in
the lobby, I sat there and I wasthinking.
The labor of the Lord isabundant.
If you're going to work for God,there's a lot of work to be
(24:42):
done.
There is.
But the rewards is
Phil (24:47):
Eternal.
So
James (24:48):
great, yeah.
Phil (24:49):
Yeah,
eternal.
James (24:50):
Yeah.
Amen.
You may think, everything I dofor the Lord.
And you do.
If you want the reward, you'vegot to
yeah, an internal perspectiverather than an earthly
perspective.
Exactly.
Exactly.
Yeah.
We're wrapping up.
I'm about to pray, but is thereany last thing that you want to
share before we close up?
(25:12):
Oh yeah.
We're just talking about now Ihave met a wonderful, absolutely
wonderful woman.
Phil (25:19):
Wow.
James (25:21):
I told you I was a womanizer, and I was mean and
abusive and all that otherstuff.
I wrote a letter and put it inmy Bible about asking God to
bring me a partner.
He answered that prayer.
Wow.
He put her in my life.
But, He also Since I'm extraalong with her, this one has an
opinion.
(25:45):
This one has morals.
This one has standards.
This one has a mind of her ownand she don't fall weak to her.
Nothing, and he said I'm gonnaanswer your prayer, but this
one's got an opinion.
So let me know how it works
out.
Sounds like someone that mightbe a good help to you.
Exactly.
It is.
It's my soulmate.
(26:06):
Wow.
So you guys are pretty serious.
Are you engaged or?
I bought her a ring Saturday.
Wow.
It was Saturday.
Wow.
But you haven't given it to heryet for you?
She's seen it.
She went with me to pick it up.
Okay.
So she's not going to besurprised if she hears that on
this podcast.
Oh, absolutely.
Okay.
Absolutely.
Wow.
(26:27):
That is just an amazingblessing.
What a joy.
What an answer to prayer.
I had somebody told me one time, matter of fact, this
was from a guy at the BeaconHouse.
He said, anything you want oryou ask of God, write it in a
letter to him.
And put it in your Bible.
And I was lonely on the land.
Since I got out of prison, Ihadn't been dating nobody.
(26:50):
Hadn't been seeing nobodybecause I was trying to get me
right.
Trying to get my mind trying toget my heart and trying to live
right.
Trying to do right.
And get on my feet.
And I had wrote that letter, Ihad dated one or two in the last
year or two.
And they, it turned out to bereally bad.
It was.
Devil let me know, you let yourguard down, I'm gonna get in
there on you.
Wow.
(27:10):
I had to send them away, getaway from me Satan, get away
from me.
The enemy wants to trap youevery way he can.
Oh he does, and he knows I have to fight it daily.
But I put that letter in thereand sure enough this is, it's
strange how we met.
Like I said, I was working withMr.
Sparky, and I got this workorder.
Anybody could have got this workorder that day, and I went to
(27:32):
this house, and there's thislady.
When I see her, I think, oh myGod, that's my soulmate.
That is my soulmate standingthere.
And when I got out and I spoketo her, and she looked at me, I
asked God in the letter, let meknow her and let her know me
when we meet.
And she looked at me, and when Ilooked at her, when I first seen
(27:54):
her, I said, That's my soulmateright there.
I knowed right then appreciateit, big guy.
Appreciate it.
And we've been together eversince.
We're going on our second yeartogether.
How amazing.
It is.
What's
her name?
Tara.
Tara Renzi.
Tara.
Awesome.
Beautiful.
Beautiful woman.
Beautiful heart.
Beautiful mind.
Beautiful spirit, beautifulsoul.
(28:15):
Wow.
You've probably seen her with meat Psycho Baptist.
She's come with me a time or twowhen I come down here.
I'll
have to make sure to meet herand talk with her next time I
see her.
I'll tell you what, I'll make you a promise Sunday.
I'll bring her to church.
Awesome.
I look forward to it.
Okay.
Awesome.
I want you to meet this individual.
Phil (28:31):
Oh,
fantastic.
Man, I'm excited.
James (28:33):
That's just another way that he's going.
I got you.
I told you.
I got you, man.
I got you.
We'll never go wrong trusting inthe Lord.
Now we're how could you?
How could you?
How could you?
Yeah.
There's no way.
Amen.
He promises that.
Amen.
All right.
I had to throw that
in there.
Yeah.
That's a good thing to throw inthere, Wow.
That's a, that's awesome.
(28:53):
It is.
Nothing else right?
No.
All right, that was a big thingyou were sandbagging there to
throw it at the end all right Itell you what, let me pray and
listen.
Yes, sir.
Father, I love you.
I thank you for James.
Thank you for this morning.
Thank you for this conversation.
God, I pray.
I pray for your blessing uponJames's life and Tara's life.
(29:14):
I pray For your continuedgoodness and mercy, I pray that
you would protect him and herboth from the traps of the
enemy.
That you would just encourageJames heart and help him to
continue to trust in you throughthe news that he got from the
doctor.
And through whatever the futureholds, Lord, help him to trust
in you.
(29:35):
Help him to continue to serveyou and love you with all his
heart.
Give him wisdom, give himguidance, Lord.
I pray that you would be withhis children, Lord.
And get their hearts and guidetheir paths and continue to
bring healing and encouragementto them and to their kids as
well.
Father, I pray for your blessingupon this podcast, Lord, this
(29:58):
conversation.
There's so many things that areso good and so rich and so
powerful that have been spokenhere in this podcast.
I pray that you would Bless it,guide it, that your power would
even just spread this wordfarther than we can imagine to
reach and to help more peoplethan we can fathom.
(30:20):
I pray in Jesus name, Amen.
If you enjoyed this podcastepisode, and if you've enjoyed
any of the others that we'veshared, please go ahead and give
us a five star review, writesome comments of encouragement,
some positive things that youhave found or what you've
learned or what you enjoy aboutthe podcast, and please share
(30:41):
it.
Please share it.
And if you haven't already doneso, go ahead and click follow or
subscribe.
And just help us to get the goodword of what God is doing as far
out in reaching as many peopleas possible.
God bless you.
Phil Shuler (30:57):
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
(31:20):
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 (31:36):
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.
James (01:12):
It was before then.
I had just turned 11, I think,when Mom and Dad got a divorce.
It was Me, my daddy, and mylittle brother.
Daddy had got custody of me andmy little brother.
After him, my mama got adivorce, and he was a single
parent.
That's another reason I fell bythe wayside, as you would say.
I started smoking marijuana at avery young age and that just led
(01:36):
to other stuff.
I've actually done every drugknown to man except heroin.
Wow.
Every one of them.
Abused it.
And, I wouldn't work for nothingbut drug money.
That's basically all I did.
Christmas morning in 1987, Iwoke up and I had to look at my
(01:56):
kids because I had spent theirChristmas money on that one.
On drugs.
And, I was a womanizer.
I started verbally abusing,emotionally abuse.
you got to be real careful withthe devil.
You got to be real carefulbecause he will trick you.
He talked angels out of heaven.
(02:17):
So don't think he ain't gotpower.
Yeah.
He's an angel of light.
He's a deceiver and a crafty.
Wednesday after that, my life ended as I knew it.
Oh, wow long story short, April2nd, they arrested me for a sex
offense.
when I went to trial, I wound upgetting a hundred and forty
(02:38):
years.
Wow.
That's what the judge sentencedme to serve.
It almost destroyed me.
It almost completely destroyedme.
But, I wasn't like your averageindividual in prison.
I took advantage of everyopportunity and everything the
state of Georgia had to offer, Ieven took classes that didn't
(02:58):
even apply to me.
I took them just so I could havethem.
Yeah.
To grow and
to build your knowledge base.
Exactly.
Knowledge.
I love knowledge.
Now, I love knowledge, but whileI was in prison, like I said, I
took advantage of everythingthey had to offer.
Like I said, I got locked up.
April 2nd, 2019, I was inprison, I took every class.
(03:20):
They said, this class don'tapply to you.
Is there a reason why I can'tgo?
No.
Then sign me up.
Then sign me up.
But in that time, I got myelectrician certification with
mobile construction and in thattime, remember I told you I got
thrown out of school.
I studied for my GED with avengeance.
(03:43):
Wow.
With a vengeance.
When I took my test, when I tookmy pre test, I was one of ten in
the state of Georgia to get aperfect score.
On science and social studies.
I had to better myself becauseif I survived this prison
sentence and I got out, Icouldn't come out the same
(04:04):
person that I went in.
I couldn't because where wasthat leading?
Where was all that gonna go?
Even though I'd quit the drugs,even though I'd quit all that,
but I hadn't quit thewomanizing, I hadn't quit the
abusive, I hadn't quit all theother stuff.
But I took a course.
Corrective thinking.
Miss Vickers.
Phil (04:20):
Oh.
James (04:21):
That class, if you've never took that class, and
you've never heard about it,take it.
It's a long class, but it's aneye opener.
Wow.
And you learn about the rippleeffect.
The ripple effect.
You may not realize, justbecause you hurt that
individual, you didn't just hurtthat individual, you hurt
everybody that loves thatindividual.
Not only did you hurt thatindividual, you hurt yourself
(04:43):
and everybody that cares aboutyou everybody's hurt somewhere
along the way.
You may think it's an isolatedincident.
It's not.
Nowhere close is it an isolatedincident.
That's true.
But I got all the knowledge Icould.
I made sure that when I comeout, when and if I did get out,
I wasn't going to be the sameperson.
I was not going to be the sameperson that I went in.
(05:05):
I had been in church in myyounger days when my
grandparents, my papaespecially, but I had never
grasped it.
I had never, like I said, Ihadn't had that aha moment.
I was young.
Yeah.
Some people realize, that's thework of God right there.
You didn't do none of that.
You can't take credit for noneof that.
(05:26):
You don't realize that at thatyoung age.
Phil (05:28):
Yeah.
James (05:29):
But, as I got older, and like I said, when I was in the
program, I got to thinking abouthow many times he stepped in,
and saved me, and I pushed hishand away.
Not real, not literally, butwhen I thought about it.
mixed (05:44):
Yeah.
James (05:46):
How many times he reached out to me, and I pushed his hand
away.
How many times were the drugs?
mixed (05:52):
Yeah.
James (05:52):
He saved my life.
mixed (05:53):
Yeah.
James (05:53):
He literally saved my life.
And he gave me another chance.
But I pushed his hand away.
I started to womanize him.
I let something else in.
Instead of cleaning it, keepingit clean, I let something else
in I pushed his hand away.
Phil (06:07):
Wow.
James (06:07):
But when I finished that course, actually before I even
finished the course, I knew thenwhat I had to do.
I had to just let it go.
I had to let You wanna You don'tthink God's got a sense of
humor?
Tell him your plan.
Tell him your plan.
You'll hear him laugh then.
But I know what I had to let myplan go.
(06:30):
I had to let my plan go and giveit to God.
Once I did that, everythingchanged.
Everything changed.
You surrendered.
I surrendered.
They called me, and this wasbefore I knew I was getting out.
I thought I really, I wouldn'texpect to ever get out.
And one day they called me, theysaid Sanders, we need an
address.
And I'm like, for what?
(06:51):
They said, you're going homewhat?
When am I going home?
Ain't nobody told me nothing.
I ain't been to no parolehearing, ain't been to none of
that.
End of.
They said we need an address onhim.
So I went to my counselor, and Iwas in the dog program then,
training second chancegreyhounds.
Really?
Yeah.
You really did take advantage ofeverything.
Everything.
I'm telling you, if you offeredit, and I've stood benefit from
(07:14):
it, Oh, I've got to have it.
I've got to have it.
If I'm going to gain knowledgefrom it, and I'm going to get
some kind of what do you callit?
Love from it.
And dogs.
I love dogs.
I love dogs, but I come out ofthe counselor's office and I was
bad because I didn't havenowhere to go.
I was banished from the countythat I'm from.
That's where all my familylives.
So I couldn't go there.
I couldn't go to no otherhalfway house, no diversion
(07:36):
center, none of that.
I didn't have nowhere to go.
So I come out of the office andI had my head down and the lady
over the dog program, she said,Sanders, what's wrong with you?
So I told her.
She said, hang on just a minute.
She said, come to my office in30 minutes.
And she walked out to thecontrol tower and she told the
guard, she said, send Jack, sendSanders to my office in 30
(07:56):
minutes.
Exactly 30 minutes.
30 minutes rolled around andthey said, Sanders, you need to
go to the office.
So I go up out of the office,she said, and you know who's had
on the phone
none (2) (08:07):
mike?
Mike.
Ha.
James (08:10):
She had Mike on the phone.
none (2) (08:11):
Good ol Mike.
James (08:12):
Good ol Mike, saving grace.
He was my saving grace.
But she had Mike on the phoneand Mike said Yeah, he said I
got a bed for him.
Send him on.
Phil (08:21):
Wow.
James (08:21):
And I was like, You gotta be kidding me.
I'm going home.
Wow.
You've got to be kidding me.
This is after 22 years and 22days.
Wow.
And that was when he was running
the Beacon House.
Beacon House, here in Columbus.
He said, send him, I got a bed for him.
She calls down there, her nameis Ms.
Coleman.
She calls down there and tellsmy counselor, he's got a bed,
give her the address, give herall that.
She says, okay, you're goinghome Friday.
(08:42):
Wow.
And that
is amazing.
Just seemingly out of nowhere.
Nowhere.
We know where it was from.
It was from the Lord.
Yeah.
But just so unexpected and
He said, my prodigal son, I'm going to give you one more
chance, one more chance.
That's
a miracle.
Just wow.
That God was working behind thescenes again.
(09:04):
That's just amazing.
Again.
God's like my prodigal son, Igive you one more chance, one
more chance, 777.
He said, you've used up quite afew of them.
Phil (09:14):
God is so good.
James (09:15):
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
Blessed beyond all measure.
So that bump up to 10 an hour inabout three weeks.
And then
It just kept going.
It just kept getting better.
And I kept thinking back onthat.
One more now.
One more.
Don't mess this one up.
Wow.
I'm going to open this door foryou, don't mess this one up.
Wow.
Like I said, I went from makingminimum wage, 7.
(09:36):
25 to three weeks, making 10 anhour.
Now what?
I'm saving every dime I can.
That's good.
Mike actually walked into my room and was like, James, you
can't have this kind of moneylaying around.
You can't do, you got to open abank account.
I can't be responsible for that.
Ain't nobody going to botherjust laying around there?
And, not bragging or nothing,there's 3, 000 laying there that
(09:58):
I've saved up.
I'm eating bologna sandwiches.
I don't go out and eat.
I don't do nothing.
Everybody's talking about, Oh,I'm going to go here.
I'm going to get me this.
I'm going to do that.
No, I'm not.
I'm going to try to You werereally
thinking ahead and trying to,yeah.
I had to, I had to make the best of this chance that I
was given.
I had to, because like I saidGod had many times opened the
(10:21):
door for me and me and my wayskick it shut.
mixed (10:25):
Yeah.
James (10:26):
I couldn't do it again.
I couldn't do it again.
Wow.
Because a lot of people don'tbelieve me when I tell them
this.
God will smite you.
He will smite you.
People go, oh, he's not, no, hewon't.
Oh, yeah.
Oh, yeah.
I have I felt the chastening ofthe Lord when I was not in line
where I needed to be.
You will.
It's
no fun.
You will.
You'll look at me and you'll belike, why me?
(10:46):
I'm
thankful that His mercy and Hisgrace Abundantly outweighs his
judgment and wrath a thousandtimes over,
but
it's still there.
It is there.
Like in the end.
That's what hell is.
If you just reject his grace andhis mercy for your whole life
and you don't receive Jesus asyour savior, you have to
experience his wrath.
But it's all the doors that was open.
(11:08):
And I told you, 725 to 10.
18.
Wow.
Within two months.
Wow.
Within two months.
Just wow.
Excuse me.
Another avenue for ColumbusBaptist Association safe house.
All of it together.
Mike says.
You was in business for yourselfat one point in time, right?
(11:29):
I was like, yeah, but thatwasn't a good time.
That's when I was doing drugs.
I was working more so I couldbuy more drugs, so I could work
more, so I could buy more drugsand all that.
He said we'll help you get yourLLC if you would like to try it
again.
I'm working for Rich Electricthen.
Miss Bessie, she knowed about mypast.
She knew about everything and Iexplained it to her, was honest
(11:49):
with her.
She said, We'll give you achance.
And she's the one that gave memy first electrical job in
Columbus after I got out ofprison.
But Mike and Safe House andColumbus Pipes Associates helped
me get my LLC, my businesslicense, and I started JLS
Superior Interiors.
And started my own business.
Phil (12:09):
Wow.
James (12:10):
So now, I'm an electrician and I'm the owner,
sole owner of JLS SuperiorResidential Interior.
Phil (12:18):
Wow, that's awesome.
So now, and you were still atthe shelter at that time.
Okay, and started your businessup and just.
Continuing to grow and save and
James (12:28):
right.
And then Mike told me one day,he said, look, you got to get
out of here.
We need to free up some spacefor somebody else who needs it.
That's basically what he said.
You're doing good.
Keep on going.
Let's get somebody else in hereto help.
That's exactly what he said.
He said, you can pay rent now.
We, you got to go.
That sounds, that's the plan.
That's the goal.
(12:49):
That is exactly what it was.
Mike said, you exceeded all ofour expectations.
You're good to go.
Bye and it was a blessing.
Like I said, he said that onemore and he just poured it out
and poured it out and poured itout and poured it out on me.
Beyond all measure
That's amazing.
Praise the Lord.
Absolutely.
Now was it, was the shelter whenyou left, was it Grace House at
the time?
They
had, he had
(13:10):
Before Freedom House.
Grace House, was the male side, and then they changed it
over to the female side.
Yeah, when we got the buildingout on Chautauqua, that became
the Freedom House for men.
Okay, were you at that location?
No.
Okay, you were there before.
That's before, right before they changed over to the
Freedom House up there.
Yeah.
But I had one over when theychanged over from the female to
the man side.
(13:31):
That's how I actually gotstarted in trying to pay back
because.
Yeah?
Allergical.
I did all the electrical work inthe Grace House, what is the
Grace House now, when theychanged the door to females.
Yeah, the women's shelter.
Mike said look, I need some getback.
He said, we just.
We helped you get on your feet.
You're doing great.
(13:52):
Exactly.
Give back to some more, someothers.
Exactly.
I had been trying to think ofsome ways that I could help,
that I could get back and itjust worked out to be perfect.
Praise the Lord.
That's awesome.
Perfect.
And I went over there and didthat for Mike.
I was like, what else?
That's awesome.
And as of, like I said, as ofnow, I've got almost 780 hours
and it's still low.
Wow.
Thousands and thousands more foreverything that Grace House and
(14:16):
Safe House has done.
Beacon House and Safe HouseMinistry has done for me.
Praise the Lord.
You got out, got your own place,building your business.
How are things now?
Like where you at now?
Well.
Like I told you earlier, I wentto the doctor today and didn't
get some very good news, butit's going to be all right.
(14:36):
Yeah.
You've seen some amazing things.
Like you have seen the miracleworking of God in ways
That's what I ain't worried
about.
I think few people probably haveseen.
Wow.
Yeah, I know.
How's your relationship withyour kids?
My daughters, it's, we communicate, but it's been like
three, no, it's been longer thanthat.
(14:59):
It's been like five years sinceI've seen my oldest daughter or
any of my grandkids.
My youngest daughter comeFather's Day two years ago.
Like I said, my oldest daughterlives in Lott, Texas.
My youngest daughter lives onthe Alabama Mississippi line and
my son lives in Virginia.
Yeah.
Yeah.
But.
My son, and I can't blame him,he remembers the old The bad
(15:22):
days.
Exactly.
Yeah.
And I don't blame him.
I don't blame him notwhatsoever.
Yeah.
So it's still a time of tryingto heal and Exactly.
Just
A lot of pain there.
Seeing
if you can rebuild.
A lot of pain there.
Yeah.
With him.
My, my daughter, my oldestdaughter, my youngest daughter,
they're I guess they're moreForgiven, but like I said, I
(15:45):
don't hold against him because Iwouldn't.
Yeah.
Wow.
He's completely justified.
Wow.
Praise the Lord.
You have a really amazing story.
I just, I have loved justhearing you share all that God
has done.
Thank you.
But.
We hadn't got to those Mikestories yet, so give me a couple
(16:06):
of good Mike stories.
Hold up, you are aware that Mike holds my will and
testament.
In that will and testament, hehas the power to have me
committed with no question.
Oh.
Oh.
He has a little bit of powerover me.
Oh but you know what?
If those stories might boost ourpodcast, and people might say,
those are great stories here,and share and listen to these
(16:27):
stories, and then Mike would belike, oh man, I'm all for
it.
I'm not going to take thatchance.
Oh, but Mike is, he's, I don'tknow.
Mike's a beautiful person.
A lot of people don't know it,but Mike is a beautiful
person.
Mike's seen some miracles of theLord.
That's why I tell Michael all the time, because it's been
(16:49):
hard on him.
It's been really hard on him,especially lately.
I said, you know why that is?
I said, cause you got a good jobwaiting on you up there.
I told him all the time.
I said, you want to advocate forme when you get up there.
You want to advocate for me downhere.
Wow.
I'm going to ride in on yourcoattail.
Wow.
What's your relationship withthe Lord like right now?
(17:09):
Your daily walk, or are yougoing to church anywhere?
What is your relationship withthe Lord look like?
I am a member of Calvary.
Attend Psychic Baptist onoccasion, but as far as me and
God, I love the Lord with all myheart and soul it would be
unjustifiable to feel any otherkind of way than blessed beyond
(17:29):
all measure.
I wished, I look back on it nowand I wished I had took the
opportunity.
When he first held his hand outin my younger life, if I'd have
took it then and started walkingthe walk instead of pushing his
hand aside, I would have neverhad to endure all that other
stuff.
But like I said, if you want tohear God laugh, tell him your
(17:51):
plan, because I had all theseother plans, all these that
didn't work out.
That is, that is a powerfullesson to ponder, and I think
for anybody listening, no doubtthere are going to be some
people that if they stop andthink about what's going on in
their lives, they're in a timewhen the Lord is trying to reach
(18:11):
out and they're faced with thatchoice.
If they push him away, it'sgoing to get worse, it's going
to get worse, but They have theopportunity to let them in,
yeah, reach out, open your heart, let him in, reach
out.
So many good lessons that youhave shared already.
But I want to ask you directlyif you had to think and just
(18:34):
maybe pick out a few key lessonsthat you feel like are some of
the things that stand out mostthat you've learned along the
way.
What would those be
for one, God works at his own time.
He don't work at your time.
Another is, people don't like itwhen I say this, but I call God
out.
I call him out on his word, hisscripture.
(18:57):
I call him out on it.
You said this, and I'm askingthis, or I'm bringing this to
you.
You made this promise.
I'm trusting in you, and I'mbelieving in you.
mixed (19:09):
Yeah.
That's something
James (19:10):
you've got to put your trust, you've got to put your
trust in God.
He loves it when people trusthim.
He loves it.
Loves it.
If you don't think he's going toreward you for trusting him, you
may not want to.
You may balk at the thought oftrusting him.
Please do.
Yeah.
Please do.
(19:31):
There is.
You've got to trust me.
There's a verse, I think it's 2Chronicles chapter 16 verse 9,
and the verse says that the eyesof the Lord run to and fro
throughout the whole earthlooking for those whose heart is
fully trusting in him.
And then it says.
(19:51):
So that he may show himselfstrong on their behalf.
Exactly.
That's amazing.
God is looking for people whowill do just what you're saying
and put their whole heart andtrust.
And when we do that's when hecomes in and does greater things
(20:12):
than we can imagine.
He comes in showing out.
I need that.
I need that too.
Everybody needs
that.
I need that.
That lesson needs to sink intomy heart and I just, I need to
operate always in that mode.
We can claim, to be religious.
We can claim to be righteous andall that, in reality, a lot of
times, We turn away from it, orwe doubt, or we question.
(20:34):
That's where we fall short.
Never doubt, never question.
mixed (20:39):
Yeah.
James (20:39):
Never doubt, never question.
That's why this little medicalthing that I was telling you
about.
So be it, if it be at his will,so be it.
Who am I?
I'm nothing.
If it be at his will, so be it.
Yeah,
In reality, I would be lostwithout Jesus.
There's just no other, there'sno other way around it.
I would be utterly lost withoutJesus.
(21:02):
Everybody is
lost without Jesus.
You're
right.
Yeah.
That's the truth and it's up tous to receive that truth.
You've got to seek it.
Yeah.
You've got to want it.
Wow.
What other key lessons stand outfrom your journey that the Lord
has shown you?
Take what's offered.
You may not realize the good init at the time, but it's not for
(21:24):
you to see.
If it's offered to you, take it.
mixed (21:29):
Yeah.
James (21:29):
It's maybe a blessing in disguise and you don't even
realize it.
If it's there, know who put itthere.
If it's not there, know whodidn't put it there.
There's a time and a place.
Yeah.
I think it's James 1 17 thatsays every good gift and every
perfect gift cometh down fromabove from the father of lights
and whom is no variableness.
(21:51):
Every good thing comes from theLord.
There's no doubt about it.
How can you justify saying itcomes from anywhere else?
You can't.
It just, it's it.
Yeah.
It just, yeah.
Wow.
Anything else?
Any other key lessons that standout?
If you want to.
Be the person you want to besure it's the person that you
want to be and lay it at hisfeet.
(22:11):
That's all you gotta do.
That's all you gotta do.
Lay it at the feet of Jesus.
Yield.
That's all you gotta do.
Yeah.
And he'll help you be that person.
Phil (22:19):
Wow.
Yeah.
He'll help you be better thanyou imagined.
James (22:23):
No doubt about it, beyond all measure.
Phil (22:25):
Yeah.
James (22:26):
Amen.
That's why I love that saying, Iam blessed beyond all measure.
Phil (22:30):
Yeah.
James (22:30):
All measure.
Phil (22:31):
Wow.
God has blessed you.
Absolutely.
And I pray God's even greaterblessings upon you and just,
yeah.
It's, I have been encouraged inmy heart with this time with
you.
And.
And I know for me personally, Ineeded this, that there were
some words that you shared thatthe Lord took and just took them
(22:53):
straight to my heart that just,even in, I'm in the midst of
some transition in my own lifeand having to come to the
reality of letting go and justyielding to Jesus and trusting
Him, not knowing what the futuremight be.
So I needed that.
Thank you.
This is good.
Thank the Lord.
Amen.
(23:14):
Amen.
We
James (23:15):
are
nothing.
Yeah.
It is all.
One last chance for a Mikestory.
Can I pull one out of you?
Is there anything I can do topull just a little one?
It doesn't have to be anythingsuper crazy bad.
Just something that he won'tmind you sharing.
Honestly, off the top of my head, I can't think of
nothing to be honest with you.
Mike might have beenexaggerating when he told you
(23:37):
that.
He
really was pretty emphatic aboutnot knowing if he should send
you my way, because you couldtell some stories about him.
That's not entirely true.
I love Mike.
I love Mike.
I
do too.
Jesus loves Mike.
I it's, yeah, he
does.
He shows him favor all the timebecause how did I ask him all
the time, how did you ever getthis old?
(23:58):
And because he is so accidentprong, if it can go wrong, it
goes wrong.
For Mike I tell him all thetime, how did you get this far?
God got to love you.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah I hope you don't get toobig ahead listening to this
podcast.
He ain't perfect He sure ain'tperfect.
Just like none of us areperfect.
(24:20):
Oh, absolutely.
But he's a servant and he lovesthe Lord and he probably works
too much He does.
He works on my lands.
I don't say how he does it, butI would say he a good word to
describe him as a servant.
That is and I was thinking when I was out there in
the lobby, I sat there and I wasthinking.
The labor of the Lord isabundant.
If you're going to work for God,there's a lot of work to be
(24:42):
done.
There is.
But the rewards is
Phil (24:47):
Eternal.
So
James (24:48):
great, yeah.
Phil (24:49):
Yeah,
eternal.
James (24:50):
Yeah.
Amen.
You may think, everything I dofor the Lord.
And you do.
If you want the reward, you'vegot to
yeah, an internal perspectiverather than an earthly
perspective.
Exactly.
Exactly.
Yeah.
We're wrapping up.
I'm about to pray, but is thereany last thing that you want to
share before we close up?
(25:12):
Oh yeah.
We're just talking about now Ihave met a wonderful, absolutely
wonderful woman.
Phil (25:19):
Wow.
James (25:21):
I told you I was a womanizer, and I was mean and
abusive and all that otherstuff.
I wrote a letter and put it inmy Bible about asking God to
bring me a partner.
He answered that prayer.
Wow.
He put her in my life.
But, He also Since I'm extraalong with her, this one has an
opinion.
(25:45):
This one has morals.
This one has standards.
This one has a mind of her ownand she don't fall weak to her.
Nothing, and he said I'm gonnaanswer your prayer, but this
one's got an opinion.
So let me know how it works
out.
Sounds like someone that mightbe a good help to you.
Exactly.
It is.
It's my soulmate.
(26:06):
Wow.
So you guys are pretty serious.
Are you engaged or?
I bought her a ring Saturday.
Wow.
It was Saturday.
Wow.
But you haven't given it to heryet for you?
She's seen it.
She went with me to pick it up.
Okay.
So she's not going to besurprised if she hears that on
this podcast.
Oh, absolutely.
Okay.
Absolutely.
Wow.
(26:27):
That is just an amazingblessing.
What a joy.
What an answer to prayer.
I had somebody told me one time, matter of fact, this
was from a guy at the BeaconHouse.
He said, anything you want oryou ask of God, write it in a
letter to him.
And put it in your Bible.
And I was lonely on the land.
Since I got out of prison, Ihadn't been dating nobody.
(26:50):
Hadn't been seeing nobodybecause I was trying to get me
right.
Trying to get my mind trying toget my heart and trying to live
right.
Trying to do right.
And get on my feet.
And I had wrote that letter, Ihad dated one or two in the last
year or two.
And they, it turned out to bereally bad.
It was.
Devil let me know, you let yourguard down, I'm gonna get in
there on you.
Wow.
(27:10):
I had to send them away, getaway from me Satan, get away
from me.
The enemy wants to trap youevery way he can.
Oh he does, and he knows I have to fight it daily.
But I put that letter in thereand sure enough this is, it's
strange how we met.
Like I said, I was working withMr.
Sparky, and I got this workorder.
Anybody could have got this workorder that day, and I went to
(27:32):
this house, and there's thislady.
When I see her, I think, oh myGod, that's my soulmate.
That is my soulmate standingthere.
And when I got out and I spoketo her, and she looked at me, I
asked God in the letter, let meknow her and let her know me
when we meet.
And she looked at me, and when Ilooked at her, when I first seen
(27:54):
her, I said, That's my soulmateright there.
I knowed right then appreciateit, big guy.
Appreciate it.
And we've been together eversince.
We're going on our second yeartogether.
How amazing.
It is.
What's
her name?
Tara.
Tara Renzi.
Tara.
Awesome.
Beautiful.
Beautiful woman.
Beautiful heart.
Beautiful mind.
Beautiful spirit, beautifulsoul.
(28:15):
Wow.
You've probably seen her with meat Psycho Baptist.
She's come with me a time or twowhen I come down here.
I'll
have to make sure to meet herand talk with her next time I
see her.
I'll tell you what, I'll make you a promise Sunday.
I'll bring her to church.
Awesome.
I look forward to it.
Okay.
Awesome.
I want you to meet this individual.
Phil (28:31):
Oh,
fantastic.
Man, I'm excited.
James (28:33):
That's just another way that he's going.
I got you.
I told you.
I got you, man.
I got you.
We'll never go wrong trusting inthe Lord.
Now we're how could you?
How could you?
How could you?
Yeah.
There's no way.
Amen.
He promises that.
Amen.
All right.
I had to throw that
in there.
Yeah.
That's a good thing to throw inthere, Wow.
That's a, that's awesome.
(28:53):
It is.
Nothing else right?
No.
All right, that was a big thingyou were sandbagging there to
throw it at the end all right Itell you what, let me pray and
listen.
Yes, sir.
Father, I love you.
I thank you for James.
Thank you for this morning.
Thank you for this conversation.
God, I pray.
I pray for your blessing uponJames's life and Tara's life.
(29:14):
I pray For your continuedgoodness and mercy, I pray that
you would protect him and herboth from the traps of the
enemy.
That you would just encourageJames heart and help him to
continue to trust in you throughthe news that he got from the
doctor.
And through whatever the futureholds, Lord, help him to trust
in you.
(29:35):
Help him to continue to serveyou and love you with all his
heart.
Give him wisdom, give himguidance, Lord.
I pray that you would be withhis children, Lord.
And get their hearts and guidetheir paths and continue to
bring healing and encouragementto them and to their kids as
well.
Father, I pray for your blessingupon this podcast, Lord, this
(29:58):
conversation.
There's so many things that areso good and so rich and so
powerful that have been spokenhere in this podcast.
I pray that you would Bless it,guide it, that your power would
even just spread this wordfarther than we can imagine to
reach and to help more peoplethan we can fathom.
(30:20):
I pray in Jesus name, Amen.
If you enjoyed this podcastepisode, and if you've enjoyed
any of the others that we'veshared, please go ahead and give
us a five star review, writesome comments of encouragement,
some positive things that youhave found or what you've
learned or what you enjoy aboutthe podcast, and please share
(30:41):
it.
Please share it.
And if you haven't already doneso, go ahead and click follow or
subscribe.
And just help us to get the goodword of what God is doing as far
out in reaching as many peopleas possible.
God bless you.
Phil Shuler (30:57):
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
(31:20):
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 (31:36):
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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