John's Story

I started doing meth in 1995 for 10 years till 2005. In those ten years, I shot up crystal meth every day, all day. Within that time, I met a guy named Greg Mash who was also an addict who bought drugs from me. I lost contact with Mr. Mash for quite some time and between that time, I lost my girlfriend, my children, my job. One day I happened to go by the MRM and I ran into Greg Mash. Knowing that he was always good for $100 and I just happened to have a pocketful of meth, I asked him if he wanted to buy some he said no that he didn’t have any money. So I went on my way.

A couple of weeks later I came by the Mission again and asked him again if he wanted to buy drugs, and he said no he was high already. I asked him on what? He said “Jesus.” I asked him how much that cost and he said “it was free.” So he started to talk to me about getting into the brotherhood at the Mission. Right away, I started going to the bible study classes. But, I left and came back seven times. I wasn’t staying at the mission but living on the street. In order to get into the brotherhood I had to be voted in by the guys in the brotherhood. I was still using at the time and two weeks later they voted me in. After I got voted in, my addiction was still controlling me. I left and went out and still used. I stayed gone for a week and I was ashamed and embarrassed. I thought that when I went back to the MRM, my clothes would be out on the street.

I started to get hungry - I realized that they could kick me out of the brotherhood but they couldn’t stop me from eating. It was 11:00 in the morning and I knew all the guys in the brotherhood would be in chapel, so I walked into the chapel. The chaplain asked me was I was Joe (my brother who is still using) or John. I told him that I was John. “Boy, where have you been? Don’t you know that you belong here and that we love you?” I couldn’t believe it, I was in shock. And then guys welcomed me hugged me and told me not to leave again and that I belonged here in the brotherhood.

So then I started over again and went to classes. A few days later, my flesh said that I needed to go get high, so I did. I stayed out about three days, and then I came back. I couldn’t go back to my room and I had to talk to Tracy, the Mission Manager. He asked me what happened and I told him that I had no control over my addiction, that it just controls me. Tracy grabbed me and said “I want to pray for you right now.” And he did. That time I wasn’t really ready to change and I left again. The last time that I left and come back, Tracy came up to me and said “You know John, I don’t think we have what you need here.” He said something about sending me to Tennessee. I said “No, you have what I need, I don’t want to go to Tennessee. “ I told him that I would sleep in the chapel for a month. I actually stayed in the chapel for 2 weeks. That was the first time in 10 years that I was sober for that long. That night I went to chapel and Pastor Grove was speaking from the Hope Center. I walked up to him and said my addiction just calls me and I have no control over it. He prayed for me and that was the beginning of the end of my addiction.

I never used again. I got clean, I got saved, and I got baptized. I am now a prayer warrior. My wife and I pray for anyone who needs prayer. I have been going to the Hope Center now for 4 years. I have a life group that has met for two years in my home and we discuss Pastor Grove’s sermon, much like a bible study. Since then, I have made a full circle back to the mission and now I serve the guests as Resident Supervisor at the Men’s Shelter. All of the changes God blessed me with all came from Him. I couldn’t have done it without Him. I thought I was going to die an addict, there was no light at the end of the tunnel until I surrendered my life to God.

Now I have my own place, a relationship with the Lord, a relationship with my wife and children. When I left my former life, I had to leave my kids and now I have them back in my life. I got married at the Hope Center and had my reception at the mission 4 years ago. If it wasn’t for Tracy and Greg; Greg because he was there with me, and Tracy being so patient with me and showing me love. I never knew what love was, I thought they wanted something from me. They were His workers that He put in my life to save me.