"Good Morning Sunshine", Onnie's Story Part 1: 32 Years of Active Addiction, 19 Felony Convictions, and the Prayer to God that Changed it all.

The Recording of this interview was nothing less than a miracle of God.  Onnie was someone who worked for SafeHouse Ministries, and whose life made a huge positive impact on all those who knew him.  He had a gift from God to love you from the moment he met you, and to make you feel like you were the most important person in all the world.  When Onnie and I originally scheduled a date to do his podcast interview, little did we know that the week before that date Onnie would have a heart attack and leave this world to be with the one he loved more than any other, Jesus.  But the Lord wanted this podcast to happen so that Onnie's story could be told for all to hear.  The week before Onnie died someone else cancelled their scheduled podcast and I reached out to Onnie to see if he could meet me two weeks earlier than we had originally planned, and he did.  In this episode you'll hear Onnie tell his story and you'll hear how the Lord turned his life around from complete hopelessness, to being a man who had an abundance of hope not only for himself, but also for every single person he met.  Onnie shares much wisdom and offers much hope in this interview.  Next week in Part 2 of Onnie's story you'll hear some of what a few others had to say about just how much Onnie's huge heart of love and hope impacted them.

Transcript

Phil Shuler: 0:00

HellO, and welcome to Renew, Restore, Rejoice, the Safe House Ministries podcast, where we share stories of the power of God to change lives through Safe House Ministries. Safe House Ministries is based out of Columbus, Georgia, and we are a ministry that exists to love and serve people who have been affected by addiction, homelessness, and incarceration. I'm your host, Phil Shuler, the Director of Development for Safe House Ministries here in Columbus, Georgia. Safe House serves over 1, 100 people each month as they transition back into our community. Safe House provides an abundance of services including 213 beds for homeless individuals and families, case management for obtaining job skills and long term employment. Over 300 hot meals every day, free clothing, and so much more. One of the most incredible services that Safe House provides is our free 9 12 month intensive outpatient substance abuse program, which is state licensed, CARF accredited, and has no wait list. Almost 100 percent of individuals staying in our shelters who follow our three phase program become fully employed within a few months. And 68 percent of individuals who stay at least one night with us End up finding work and moving into their own home. Thank you for being with us today and listening to our podcast. We hope you enjoy this week's episode.

1:13

Good Morning. I am here with Onnie Boswell and Onnie is someone that I met when I started working for Safe House Ministries and right from the beginning, he just seemed like a great personality and a, he had a good spirit about him. Onnie is one that, like many others, has a testimony, And his life has not always been great. Yeah. He's not always been in the path and the place where he is now. And so Onnie is here with us today and he's gonna just share his story, share his struggles, what his life looked like in its darkest points, and what the Lord did and how Safe House Ministries was a part of. Turning things around. So Onnie, good to have you. Thanks. Thanks to be here, Phil. It's good to be here. I'm 46 years old. I'm from northeast Georgia, Athens commerce area, and made some bad decisions at a young age. I was a straighted student, got with the wrong crowd started doing drugs in high school. Had to leave high school, and that's when my addiction started. Spent 32 years in active addiction. I've been to prison several times. I've gave up hope several times. Lost my father at a young age. Just went through the troubles of not knowing how to deal with stuff, and just kept putting more and more drugs on top of it. Got addicted to the street life, the hustle, the grind, being the guy go to this, that and the other, and. It cost me a lot. I've been locked up in my county jail. I think it's over 52 times. I'M like 18, 19 time convicted, felon, been, like I said, been in prison several times. First time I've done seven, then three, then a few months on a violation here, a few months on a violation there. And fast forward a little bit, come around to about two years ago, it was May 8th. Matter of fact, 2021. I broke down. I was a heroin addict, shooting a heroin, just couldn't live without it. Cause I didn't wanna be sick. I'd go to rehab up in Gainesville, Georgia and de what they call a detox and I'd detox for a week or even a month. And I think I had it and I'd go back home to the same areas that I grew up in. The same areas where I knew everybody. And it wouldn't be long, and I'd relapse and I'd ride the wave again for a minute, and then I'd get sick and tired of being sick and tired and go back and detox, come back, ride the wave. Finally, I just asked God to remove me. Completely from my circumstances, whether it is take me to be home with you or whatever. I was ready to die. I was done. I was completely drained, tapped out, just didn't have nothing left. No hope, no desire for life at all. hE said he had different plans. Got arrested. Stayed 14 of the sickest days of my life. I've ever been, never been sick like that before in my life. I'm withdrawing off heroin in the hole at my county jail. When I come out of the hole, they said I had court coming up on the new charges and I've never been offered rehab or nothing like that. They've always sent me to the Department of Corrections, general population. Some people that worked for with me. I just meet new people in there to deal with or to buy from, or whatever the case was. And so I just went in. They tried to gimme 10 years with citizens and I just told my lawyer, hold on, let me speak up for myself. And I spoke up to the judge and I said, look at my record. I said, y'all keep sending me to prison. I keep doing the same thing. I said, I'm a drug addict, period. Point blank. Can you please give me a chance at rehab? He said, I'll think about it. I'll let you know. I'm sitting there in court at the podium. I'm like, okay. So then they sent me back to the jail. The next day they called me back to court. The judge said, I've thought about it, prayed about it, and we're gonna give you a chance, Mr. Boswell and we'll see if you can change your life. And he said, I'm gonna give you 30 days to go home and you got 30 days to be in a rehab. I said, no sir, please don't do that. That's not gonna work. I said, there's too many chances I can mess that up. I said, I've only got a month or so clean. I said, I don't want a chance. He said, okay, we'll send you to Athens to a rehab we know of. I said, sir, I'm from Athens. I said, if you send me to Athens, I'm gonna be 10 minutes from my connection to the drug world. I said, please don't do that. He said, what is it you want, Mr. Boswell? I said God tells me I want to stay here, find my own program, and then y'all send me straight to the program from here. So he said, we usually don't do that. He said, but I understand where you're coming from. I'm gonna give you a chance. They printed me off a Thor list. I got back to the jail the next morning I started going through the Thor list, looking at what I could afford cause it has prices on it and all that stuff. And I was a addict. I couldn't afford nothing. First place I called Chattahoochee Valley Jail Ministry, which is the Safe House, Tomorrow's Hope drug program. And God blessed me. Pastor Eric McClure answered the phone and done my intake and my assessment for tomorrow's hope over the phone with me. And it was like a week and a half later, the lieutenant from the jail come. He said, Mr. Boswell, you got an acceptance letter to tomorrow's hope. He said, bear with us. We'll get your shipping details down for security reasons we can't tell you when. So I'm like, all right, so I'm high on the hog now. Done got my sickness behind me. I'm putting some weight back on and I'm just riding, waiting to get to this rehab to see what's going on. I'm a little nervous about it cause I ain't never been, and it's a long way away from home. I'm about three hours Finally the shipping day comes, they transport me down here and drop me off at the safe house day house up at 2101 Hamilton Road. And I see that's where school used to be. I see people standing on the steps and I get out with my jail bag and they pull off. I'm like, okay. So I go find somebody and ask'em what I'm supposed to do. And luckily the people that were standing on the side of the building were the class people. That was going through the program as I was coming into it and they showed me where to go and I got with Mr. McClure and they transported me to the Grace House, which was the man's facility at the time. And, I got into the program, I met the facilitators, which was great. They started giving me tools that I needed to cope with life on life's terms, to change everything about myself, to have a different life. Started working some steps. 12 step program. Started changing. I started feeling change in myself. I had started having a little bit of hope that, maybe I can do this, and I met some people who was about to graduate and who was further along in the program. They helped strive along and saw that there was. Hopeful Recovery, started relating to some people instead of doctors. It was my peers that were showing me it was possible. One of the facilitators that class I had she was great. She had a lot of the backstory I had. And she showed me that she'd been through all this, I've been through all this and she's doing this now. I want to do this now. And it come together to where I knew I had hoped. So I grabbed a hold and didn't let go. Started into work phase in the end of November of 2021 with December the 10th, I had a job offer to go to work with Able Electric, making good money. Had went to the electrical classes they provided, already knew the stuff cause my dad was electrician growing up and so I was supposed to start to work out Monday morning. Had a wreck that Friday on the 10th, separated my shoulder in many different places, cracked my arm. They put a rod and a bunch of screws and stuff in it. And I couldn't go into work phase cause I couldn't work. So I stayed in day class. For the whole time I was there. As a matter of fact, up until aftercare and we still visit with day class to help give back to some of the people coming in and just to keep that hope, to be able to keep that hope that it was possible, everything was gonna be all right. Cause it was God's plan for my life. It was just a blessing to me. I graduated tomorrow's hope in May of 2022. And then Chaplain Neil and Mike Krug come to me and they said, look, we've been watching you. We want you to be a house manager and recovery coach for the Safe House ministers. And I was blown away. miSs Sapp, the head lady at Tomorrow's hope, she said, yeah, I absolutely approve of that. Why don't you go in and do it? I've been doing that now since May of last year, and I'm now the head house manager and recovery coach for the ministry. I just passed my certified peer specialist test. So now instead of having a GDC number behind my name, I've got actual documented letters behind my name. And that's a pretty good feeling. I've kinda been tripping on that last couple days. If you live in addiction or in struggles of homelessness or whatever, your struggles could be. Struggles can be anything. You know what I mean? But if you're struggling, there is hope to live a different life. Absolutely there is. And these last two years have been a rollercoasters ride of trials and tribulations. But as long as I keep one foot in front of the other and do what I know is right, then ain't nothing wrong gonna be. Wow. So when you got sentenced to tomorrow's hope and you got dropped off, you started in the program, they took you to the men's shelter, were there times when. You were tempted to run away, to stop I've seen a lot of people be tempted, but thanks to God I wasn't. I didn't go through that temptation of running away because I knew what I had over me that accountability. Of, okay, you run from it if you want to, and it's gonna be ten years with sentencing, so try something new in life or keep doing the same thing over and get the same results. So I had done made peace with it to let's get on this new path to see what God has to offer. Praise the Lord. That's awesome. So tell us a little bit about. Going through the Tomorrow's Hope program, was it a painful process? Was it it gets, sometimes it gets mundane. You've got day class, three to four months to start with and it's all day and it can get repetitive. But just like when we was out there repeatedly getting high before we became addictive, you've gotta have that consistency of hearing something over and over. Until that miracle happens and it clicks in your head, and that's the way we have to have the recovery to know it's possible, is that over and over and over, you don't learn how to put a roof on a house by doing it one time. You have to repeat it and repeat it. To be able to just have the confidence to go in and say, yeah, I can put that roof on that house. Now with that repetitiveness of the classes, It gives you the hope and the knowledge to know that, hey, this is possible. Tell us about your family a little bit. Do you still have family in Athens and do you stay in touch with them and what's that been? Yeah, I talk to my brother constantly all the time. I've got my brother up there, a couple of aunts and uncles. I've got a son, he's 11 years old in Orlando, Florida. I've got one son that's 21 years old in South Carolina. And yeah, my relationship with them that God has gave me the power to restore and restored by his power is great. Cause it was a long time I wasn't there, I'd be there, birthdays, Christmas, whatever, holidays. Hey dad, I need some money here. Go. But as far as being able to be a father, no, I wasn't there, wasn't there mentally, spiritually, or physically because I was in and out of prison, gone running in the streets. And now to be able to be there for them, it's just, it's unimaginable. My son comes up from Florida pretty good bit every couple months at least, and sees me and my other son. He's old enough where he's just Hey dad, I'm doing good. I'm proud of you. And that's about as far as that goes. But it's a very good relationship that we have on both sides. Me and my brother, my brother's been just stood beside me through thick and thin, gave me some tough love when I needed it. But he's proud and that makes me proud that he's proud because I didn't think we'd ever have a relationship again. Yeah. That's awesome. So you have a restored relationship with your family, your brother, your sons. Yeah. And all the way across the board. That's awesome. Yeah, absolutely. Wonderful. Do you ever go back to Athens or is that a yeah, I do. I do go back up here. I've got some pending charges from 2020 before I come down here. I go back up for court on it. Hopefully it. This next time will be the last time. But I go back up there to visit and stuff like that. But like I told him, after a couple days up there, I'm ready to get back home to Columbus. I feel like I'm missing my family down here cause I have a big recovery family down here. I go do go up there and see'em at least every couple of months and spend time with'em, cook out, do a little fishing, something like that. Awesome. Yeah. Awesome. Tell us a little bit about. Your role within Safe House Ministries and what you do as a housing manager, as a recovery coach and now how that's gonna even be furthered more with your CPS certification? Yeah, so it started off I was a house manager and recovery coach and what that looks like to me is, So I stay on the treatment hallways. I work the whole facility, but my main concentration is people coming through with struggles, and it just shows that, show them that my recovery can lead their recovery, help'em get to meetings, tell'em you know, what the drug program's about, share my experience and strength and hope with'em. And then at the same time, as a house manager, I have to work on holding them accountable. If they fail a drug test, have to do their write up or punishment or whatever the case may be. But the main thing is connecting with'em. Build that relationship, that trust to where they talk to you about their feelings, they talk to you about what their life's experiencing. So I can help bring them through that. And especially now as a certified peer specialist, that's what my life's going to be and that's what I feel my calling is. Is helping my peers because when I came through, if a doctor would've tried to talk to me about addiction or mental health, I'm like, man, you're reading that out of a book. You don't know. You haven't been through it. But now they can see that I've been through it. They're, I know I was a lot more likely to listen to somebody that had been there, done that than somebody who just read it out of a book. And so I just strive to give back to others and show them that, recovery is possible and a good life is out there waiting for you if you just accept it and take it in stride. Amen. do you currently have a strong support system? Oh, absolutely. What does that look like? My church family for one of the fourth church. I love Pastor Matt Stephens. I'Ve got John Burdeshaw and them that work over at Connections. I go to meetings. I've got na sponsor and a AA sponsor. And just the comradery of people in recovery, period. I've probably got a hundred numbers in my phone. If I was having a problem, I can pick up and call the number and every one of'em is gonna be there if I need'em there. I'm go to a wonderful home group fitting to celebrate my two years at the end of this month. Cause we celebrate at the end of every month instead of the day of. So we got a big celebration coming up on my two years and somebody else's two years. So it's just, to have that family cuz you know, family ain't gotta be blood, but I've got a recovery family down here that size everything I've seen. Oh, that's amazing. tell us a little bit about your relationship with the Lord and how you came to know him personally. Okay, see, I didn't grow up going to church. We'd go of course, Easter, Christmas, we'd know what Christmas was about. But we didn't go to church every Sunday. My dad passed away and I thought, I hated God for a while. I was like, ain't no God, why would my dad be gone, da. And that led me, of course, deeper into my addiction just hating life in general. But I would always come to him in my time of need. When hit the fan, as you say I would be like, oh God, please help me. And I never thought he was helping me. I was like, you turned your back on me da. But now that I look back on all the times that I was calling on him, he was absolutely right there with me. The whole time toting me, showing me that my history is what he had planned. To get me to where I'm at today, and knowing that he pulled me out of all of my circle. I've been through so much junk and trash, and just knowing that it was all part of his plan to build me into who he needed me to be able to live his will for my life and give back to others. And if I showed just one person, Can change one person's life. It makes all my past worth it, and I've got some past for you, but it makes it all worth it if I can just change one person. And that's what I strive to do. That's amazing. your heart for others really comes across and it seems like you really have a purpose and you want to just pour your life into. Helping others. Yeah. When I got locked up and last year when I was telling you it hit me, I'm in the back of the police car and it hit me. You prayed for it. Here it is. He done it for you. And I'm in tears in my mugshot and people in the jail, they know me. They're like, why are you crying for you? You know how to do time? I said, nah. I said, I asked for this. I said, and God gave me exactly what I wanted because I knew what it was time for just the peace come over. My heart knew I was fixing to be sick. Didn't even worry about it. I just laid there sick. But to know that it was part of his plan and he had answered one of my prayers that quick, it was just, it was astonishing. There's no words to describe it. Onnie would you share if there was something that you think would be one of the most important things or a couple of things that would be most important that you could share to others, maybe to encourage them if they're in a dark place. Just a couple of points of advice that you'd wanna share. My advice is, first of all, know that you are worth it no matter what you've done in your past. How big or how little know that you're worth God's love and the life change he has in store for you, if you could just have a little bit of hope. Cause you know, they say hope is the definition of being in a tunnel. Not being able to see the light, but knowing that it's there. Just a little bit of faith to know that it's possible and start there. Then life is unlimited. There's a phrase that says Life L I F E live in faith every day. And that's what I go by. So know that you're worth it. You're worth God's love. Absolutely. And if you don't think anybody has your back, Call me. I got you back. I believe in you because I know that if I can do it, anybody out there can do it. If they want it, if they want change it is very much possible. Very much. I love that. I love that advice. Because you and I both know that. God does love every single person in this world. Oh, absolutely. Even in the depths of darkness, no matter what they might have done, where they might be, God loves them. Don't let your guilt and shame of your past get in your way of your future. There's no other explanation for it. And once you get on that path, you'll feel it and you'll see it, and everything will come together just like a puzzle piece. You have such a great testimony, and I have no doubt that there are so many people, many that might even be listening to this podcast, that have experienced hardship in their life. Family members, uh, dying, and their first response may be to blame God, to get angry at God, to think how can there be a God? How can this happen? And, uh, just to hear you. Coming from a place where you did struggle with that a little bit and then realizing that God loves you and God is there for you, and he has a plan for your life. Thank you for sharing it. It's an encouragement. It really is. Glad to be here. And Onnie, can we just take a minute and can I say a prayer? Absolutely. Father, I love you. I thank you for. Onnie, thank you for just allowing me to know Onnie and to get to work with him some at Safe House Ministries. Thank you for the testimony that he has. Thank you for what you've done in his life, how you brought him to Safe House Ministries, how you just gave him hope, how you restored his life. Thank you. That he's able to have a relationship with his sons and just to be able to invest in their lives as a father. I just pray and bless him, guide him, protect him from traps that, that the devil in the world may want to throw at him. Just keep him strong in his faith. Lord, thank you for saving his soul and raising him up and giving him an opportunity to be able to help so many others. Bless and guide Onnie and bless and guide Safe House Ministries I pray in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen.

Phil Shuler: 23:39

We look forward to being with you again next week as we share another testimony about the power and the goodness of God to change lives through Safe House Ministries. if you are someone listening to this podcast that loves to hear these stories of the great things that God is doing in changing people's lives for the better, and if you would like to be a part of that work, please reach out to us You can reach us at 2101 Hamilton Road, Columbus, Georgia, 31,904. You can call us at seven oh six three two two. 3 7, 7 3, or you can email us at info@safehouse-ministries.com.

Microphone (Samson Q2U Microphone)-2: 24:17

Thank you so much for being with us this week for the renew restore and rejoice podcast of safe house ministries, we pray that God will bless you this week. And we look forward to having you back with us again next week for a new episode.