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.
Phil:Good morning. This morning on the podcast, we're going to do something a little bit different. We are going to put together kind of a montage or just a compilation of various little segments and snippets from podcasts, and pull out some highlights, some wisdom nuggets, and just some neat little stories so that you can get a snapshot of the podcast as a whole and of what we do every week here. God has done some amazing things in people's lives and The stories that people share on this podcast are absolutely incredible. The mercy of God, the grace of God, the love of God, the greatness of God and the providence of God, there are some miracles that you'll hear of how God was just always there and guiding and in control and raised people back to life who should have been dead and brought people together who would never have been. Otherwise brought together, how God opened doors, how God did amazing things. You'll also hear some lessons, some wisdom, some things that others are sharing as to the keys to how they turn that corner, how they yielded to the Lord and how the Lord just then changed their lives and the trajectory of their lives brought them out of darkness into light, out of bondage and into victory. I hope you are blessed and enjoy this week's podcast.
Trixy Jones:So I was like, I'm not going back to him. Of course, I had started dealing with another guy. It was a guy I had a relationship with off and on throughout. When me and my husband, he would go to prison or jail or whatever. It was the same guy that I always had relations with. And so I tried meth and boy, That was a bad experience. Hmm. Real bad experience. I, like I said, I try to leave my husband, so at this point I say he's very controlling or whatever. He wouldn't let me do it. He started harassing me at my mom's house, so the more I felt pressured from him trying to leave him, the more this meth I started doing and I was smoking it and within that point in time, him getting out in February. I wigged out from using the meth. Me realizing, looking back, I had been up for like three weeks straight, no sleep. Whoa, wow. Three weeks straight. No sleep, no eating. Oh man. And I was working a norm, you know, trying to be normal, but I'm thinking I'm just going, going, going. And I wigged out within three weeks time of no sleeping or nothing. Started hallucinating seeing things and I mean, I seen the devil himself. Hmm. I mean, got chills talking about it. Um, it was a crazy time. Wow. I mean, it was real. It was deep. This, it is deep. You know?
Phil Shuler:So you're, you're in that place. You're wigging out, hallucinating, just darkness all around you. What happened then? Did that
Trixy Jones:last for a long while? Um, it last, it lasted about a month. Even when I'm telling myself, um, not realizing this, the drug was doing this to me. Because I really thought I was just actually just freaking out losing my mind. And, um, my mom and everybody kept saying, well, my mom actually put me out her home. I was living with my mom then and she was like, she was afraid of me.'cause I wigged out on my mom as a Saturday night. I actually wigged out on her while I wanted my mom. I mean, it was so scary where I wouldn't, um, go to a hospital or nothing. I just wanted my mama. Hmm. And, but she was afraid of me and she was running from me and stuff, and I, um, I mean, I was like, it was like frogs or something was biting me, attacking me, or I took a knife and tried to cut my own leg off and my mom was scared and. Um, she ran from me and, you know, and I busted in her home and she had to end up calling the cops. I, at this point I was begging to call for help though cause I was, I was real afraid. Mm-hmm. And so her and my uncle end up putting me in a, um, motel room cause she was afraid of me living her home. She was afraid of me and I can understand that. But, um, Yeah. Well, upon me living in a motel room, I was, I was still going through it, just like couldn't sleep, couldn't do nothing, because I was still hitting the every now and then. Mm-hmm. You know what I mean? I still hit it not knowing this is what's causing, causing this. Yeah. And I'm not sleeping so. Upon that I was afraid to stay by myself because I kept seeing the devil. I kept seeing these demons that was just all on me. And I seen stuff crawling all in me. I mean, I was actually freaking out, so I was scared to stay by myself. So I ended up calling, going back to my husband cause I knew he was gonna take care of me once and let nothing happen to me or whatever. And I called him and he come to the motel and got me. And that's how I end back up with him. Wow. Yeah. And he did help me through this. And, um, we prayed. I had to pray to God. I had, I got a cousin who's a pastor. I mean, she, they prayed on me. They thought, my family thought somebody had, did something to me. Put roots something.'cause I wasn't being truthful to him that I was using drugs. I kept saying, I don't know what's wrong. I haven't used no drugs, but I, you know, I was, and. But they was there for me and they helped me out of that. You know,'cause I have seen people, I have been locked up with girls that get on this meth that don't come back from this stage I was in. Oh wow. They actually do not come back and they're, they actually stay that way. So I was afraid of, I knew what was going on, I could tell them what's going on. So I was afraid of staying there, not being able to come back to Trixy, not nor being normal. So I. That was all, you know, I, and I never told nobody this story.
Phil Shuler:So what's it look like
Trixy Jones:now for you? Wow. It's good. Yeah? Yeah. It's busy and it's different because I'm around a whole different string of different people. Yeah. You know, all my friends used to be friends, used to be users, dealers, or something else. Now my whole surroundings at chain and I'm happy. I have fun. I laugh every day and I am working at the Grace House. Awesome. What do you do at Grace House? I'm a house manager. Okay. Yeah, and I go to, I also go to school at Columbus Tech. I'm getting my g e d back and a career at the same time. Awesome. Yeah. And, I catch my meetings. and I call my sponsor. I have a sponsor and she's so helpful. I, I called my sponsors at Tamara's. Hope I stay involved. I gotta stay involved. They gave me that hope. They seen something in me I didn't see in myself. And they don't, I don't think they like to take the praise for it, but tomorrow's hope was a blessing to me.
Kristi Haynie:I was a full-blown, full, full-blown meth addict by the time I was 18. I did what I wanted to do when I wanted to do it. Yeah. I was with two, two guys that needed a ride up there for something. So we got in the car and went and all three of us got arrested for Grand theft auto. I was dating a guy that was completely bad news. we were staying in an abandoned house out in Alabama, cooking dope. I was letting people just take my car for like a sec. They'd borrow my car. then they were out. Burglarizing stuff. so we were at a gas station and Lee County Sheriff's Department rolled up on us and took us to jail for all kinds of charges. It was really bad. Ended up coming home for Christmas and actually ran into the guy that I had gotten in trouble with originally. He had just gotten outta prison. so we decided, you know, to hang out. got pregnant, one night stand, got pregnant. So my parents adopted Grace. This was later on in life. but for a long time they had temporary custody. But I knew, if I didn't let my parents raise her, it would've been bad. you didn't want that for her? No. And giving up a child is the hardest thing a woman could ever go through.
Phil Shuler:I can only imagine.
Kristi Haynie:Yeah, it's the hardest. So knowing that I'm just not, I wasn't capable of doing what needed to be done. Yeah. you had a lot of guilt
Phil Shuler:inside
Kristi Haynie:it. Yeah. The guilt and the shame will eat you up, especially when it comes to your children. it is unreal, but it's just instead of facing it and dealing with it, I just kept running and kept running and kept running. I ended up catching some more charges and at this time I actually went to prison in Georgia. With another guy. but when we got out, we actually, we were still together, but we were clean. and we were clean for about two years. and I ended up pregnant again with my second child. I was seven months pregnant when he pulled me into the garage and offered me a pipe with some meth in it. so in July is when my parents officially adopted my kids. okay. So they had told me that they were talking, you know, we talked about the adoption and I was okay with it. I knew in my heart that. That's what needed to be done for my kids. so I told'em I was gonna go to the court date and sign the papers. they told me I didn't need to go to the court date. I was like, okay, well, like two months later I found out they got me for abandonment. I, so I've kind of felt like stabbed in the back, you know, like I was willingly gonna give. Give the kids to you. Like, why'd you have to get me for abandonment? Yeah. But now I know that they had to get me for abandonment in order to get my baby daddy's, both of them, for abandonment. okay. But I didn't, I didn't understand that then, and I relapsed. not only did I relapse, I found a guy that was like a kid. I, I had just lost my two kids, so I like picked up some random dude and tried to raise him on the side of the road, if that makes sense. so this guy ended up being, very abusive, narcissistic. and I was, I didn't have any family at the time. I felt like, My parents had just stolen my kids. you know, they didn't really want anything to do with me'cause I was back on drugs. so I like latched onto this guy and I just did not let go. so I, here I am full blown meth addict again. I mean, I spent two months living in a tree house. it was awful. It was awful. the mental abuse alone. I was desperate for changes in my life. And it was in that moment that I, I'd started praying like, God, I don't even know if I can get out of this hole, but if I can, like help me. So I had contacted Pastor Eric, with Safe House Ministries. I was trying to move into the Trinity House. Yeah. my friend Ronnie Price had told me about it. Yeah. That was a women's shelter at that time. Yes. Yes. I was supposed to call him back on that Monday, that Friday I went to jail. so looking back, me going to jail saved my life. I, I sat in jail for five months, but that gave me time to get clean, to really think about my life. and I was tired. I was so tired. So I remember when my mom, when they gave me a bond and my mom was like, okay, let's get you to the Trinity house. Let's, let's do this. I was like, okay. She picked me up from jail that morning. And she took me by their house to get my stuff. And she told me, she said, we have to be gone by three because Grace does not wanna see you. That was my oldest child. Oh, I bet that hurt. I remember sitting at the kitchen table and I almost packed up and I almost left.'cause I was like, what's the point? You know? how old was Grace at that time? She was. 13. Okay. Yeah, 13. but I didn't run that day. I made a decision that, enough was enough. I was tired. and even if she never wanted to see me again the rest of her life, I was still gonna do what I had to do to get clean and to be able to show up. you know, so. My mom. I, I'm telling you, I'm praying and I'm making this decision and like an hour later my mom's like, Hey, guess what? Grace wants to see you. Wow. Yeah. So, it was like the biggest deal ever. Like, that was my first like, okay, God. Okay, God. That's amazing. Yeah. She actually dropped me off at the Trinity House that day. She rode with us and everything. She was like, mom, I love you. I'm tired of your crap, but I love you. Like you can do this. I was like, okay. but that, that, that made it for me. Yeah. that made it for me. I was in the program for five months. Okay. So, I stayed at the Trinity House, I think almost eight months. So I moved out into my own place. That
Phil Shuler:is awesome. Yeah. So, and it kept on getting better from
Kristi Haynie:there, right? Oh yeah. Absolutely. Absolutely. I moved out and I was working a job, and then I remember seeing Jamie Lee. at church on a Sunday morning. She asked me if I was working and I was like, yeah, but I'm looking for a new job.'cause our hours were kind of getting cut at the other place. And she was like, oh, I got a case management position for you. And I was like, I, I want to cry just thinking about it.'cause I remember being in the Trinity House saying, and six months from now I'm gonna be working for the safe house. Really? Yes. so
Phil Shuler:you were at. The women's shelter for Safe House. And then you knew at that point you wanted to work for Safe House. Yeah,
Kristi Haynie:I wanted to give back to the ministry that helped me. Yeah. when I needed it, you know? I felt like at that point in my life, I mean, so many people had taken chances on me and, and, and I'd always let everybody down, you know? So,
Phil Shuler:so you, so Jamie Lee and Safe House hires you as a case manager? Yes. So then are you working in Trinity House as a
Kristi Haynie:case manager? I'm at the Grace House. That's the, the women's shelter is now at the Grace House. Yeah. So they moved,
Phil Shuler:so did you, you started at Trinity House
Kristi Haynie:or? Mm-hmm. They had already moved when I started. Okay. So yeah, I've been at the Grace House, since November as
Phil Shuler:a case manager Yes. For the, those in recovery, right? Yep.
Kristi Haynie:How do you like that? I love it. Being able to help somebody when they're at their broken moment. You know, just being able to remember what I needed. Yeah. And being able to give that to them. you know, sometimes it's just give'em a hug. Sometimes it's helping'em get an ID or ride to a doctor's appointment. You know, sometimes they just need a shoulder to cry on. yeah. So it's really cool being able to watch people come into the program and then graduate and just being able to see the transformation. I mean, it's beautiful. That is awesome.
Phil Shuler:Yeah. So how are things now with you and Grace and
Kristi Haynie:Bailey? I am an everyday mom. Fantastic. My parents, they still live with my parents. like I said, they've been adopted. I will never uproot them from that situation unless they want to be, You know? Yeah. They're in a good situation. Bailey goes to private school. She's going to St. Ann's. I mean, St. Luke's, sorry. St. Luke's. you know, grace just started high school. but I am an everyday mom. I show up every day, even if it's just for 30 minutes. Hey. Hi. How was school? my youngest is playing softball. She's pitching. Wow. Yeah. I bet that's really neat for you. It is. It is. You know, I just being able to be a part of their lives. Yeah. you know, I'm mom, they call me mom. sometimes Grace will call me bru, but, I'm still mom, you know, I'm
Phil Shuler:not sure I understand that bru thing.
Kristi Haynie:Bru. I don't either, but it's like, I am not your bru. I'm your mom. and it's really cool too, because I mean, grace, she's, she's a freshman this year and she's, she's got some struggles. Yeah. But she knows that she can come talk to me about whatever, and that is the best feeling in the world. Like That's awesome. Yeah. You know, she's not scared to reach out or ask my opinion.
Phil Shuler:so that's good. Yeah. And you have a good relationship with your
Kristi Haynie:parents as well? I do. It's, it's excellent. And I'm driving a brand new car. Wow. I shouldn't even juggle like that, but I, I'm actually paying for this one. I just pay them. Instead of paying a car place, I'm paying them every out of every paycheck. So, I wanna feel like I earned it. Yeah. I don't want a handout today. I wanna work hard for what I, what I have. Yeah. So, it works. But I've been on family vacations. yeah. I can go in my parents' house like I own it. I don't, I don't knock. I just walk in. My mom doesn't have to hide her purse anymore. life's good today. I'm so glad
Phil Shuler:to hear that. Yeah. you have an amazing story. is there any last bit of advice that you want to offer? those who might be struggling?
Kristi Haynie:for somebody struggling, I would definitely say don't be scared to ask and don't be scared to say what you need. You, nobody knows if you don't reach out. and there there is nothing anybody has done wrong that's worse than what somebody else has done. Like we're, we've all sinned, we've all fallen short. there is no judgment. Like, let's just do what we need to do to get right. you know, and that's, that's my biggest thing'cause my guilt and my shame from, being this awful mother and being a drug addict, like it kept me held back for so long. and then I get into like treatment and it's like, oh, they don't have their kids either, you know? And it, it, it's, you realize like, it's not as bad as you think it is, and there is a light at the end of the tunnel, quit running from it and let's just do what we need to do. and there will always be somebody there to help you. Always. Awesome. Yeah. Wow. I've never been alone since the day I decided to get clean. I've never had one day alone. Like there's always somebody there.
Neil Richardson Talk at Rotary 6.10.23:I met Lori 42 years of age when I was chaplain in the jail. She'd become a heroin addict in her forties, blown off a good job, blown off a family, and was living on the streets, shooting dope. Several trips in and out of the jail. Her mother called me one day and said, do not let her out. I said, well, we probably have a constitutional problem with that question. She said, well, then don't let her come back to my house. What pain, how sad. You know, Lori said that she was ready to make some changes. We put her in the substance abuse program that we had in the jail at the time, and then I took Lori and we brought her into our women's shelter, and we helped Lori find a job. And we helped Lori struggling with her addiction, find some recovery, and then Lori got a job and Lori saved enough money. Lori moved into her own place and then her mom started letting her join them on the same pew at church every Sunday. And after a few months, mom said, why don't you come home for lunch after church? And she did that for a while, and then they said, maybe you'd like to come home. And so Lori moved home and within a year her mom got really sick and Lori was able to be a caretaker and held her hand as she passed. I was telling this story in a place, actually it was a city office and doing a United Way gig and talking about why we need to be active in our community. And this one girl was sitting there as I was sharing Lori's story, and she's sitting on the, in the middle, and I was watching her. She's just bawling her eyes out. And I, I was, listen, I've never had that effect on somebody. I was going, this is a good day. But when the show was over, this girl came up to me and she said, Lori's my mom. She said, nobody ever bragged about Lori. There's still lorries out there,
The heartbeat of safe house ministries is the heartbeat of Jesus. When in Luke chapter four, verse 18, he quotes the prophet Isaiah and he says this, the spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor. He hath sent me to heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised. That is what we are all about here at safe house ministries. We are about the ministry of loving, helping, setting people free. Helping them to get out of the bondage and into victory, to get out of darkness and into the light, to get out of the quicksand that so often they might find themselves in, to be able to set their feet on solid ground, to have stability in their lives, to recognize that there are others who love them. There is help. There is hope just like the apostle Paul said in second Corinthians chapter five, verse 18, all things are of God who has reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation. So. Those of us like myself who were lost in our sins and found salvation in Jesus and are now reconciled with God, God has given us the ministry to help reconcile others to him and we want to help others to be able to be reconciled to God, to recognize that there is forgiveness, there is love, there is hope, there is a great future. To be reconciled with God and also to be reconciled with their families, to be reconciled with their children, to be reconciled back into society as well. A ministry of reconciliation. That's what we are here at Safe House Ministries. A ministry of love, a ministry of reconciliation, a ministry to help those who are broken hearted, those who are captive, those who are blind, those who are bruised, to help them be free. Be victorious, be reconciled, and to have an abundant life in this world and to have hope of eternal life hereafter as well.
Phil Shuler: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.
you can also visit our website at www. safehouse ministries. com.