Renew. Restore. Rejoice. A SafeHouse Ministries Podcast

Surviving a High Speed Police Chase and Surrendering to the Chastening Hand of the Lord -- Shelley Culpepper's Story Part 2

• Phil Shuler • Season 2 • Episode 58

Share episode

A High-Speed Police Chase through two states, navigating the heartache of a daughter that followed in her bad footsteps, and surrendering to the chastening hand of God so that He could remake her into something amazing for his glory and his purposes!

Shelley:

And I'm just a nobody trying to tell everybody all about somebody who saved me,

Phil:

you know? Amen. That is so true. Yes, sir. Awesome.

Phil Shuler:

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.

Shelley:

My sister had a revelation from the Holy Spirit while she was in the shower. The Holy Spirit revealed that I was gonna take my dad's truck on a high speed chase and, and I was gonna wreck it. Wow. So she didn't know if that was something she just needed to pray about or to tell my dad not to let me use the truck. Wow. And she told him, but I manipulated and I got the keys anyway, that's crazy. I was trying to come up with abortion money'cause my daughter was pregnant with her. Um,

none:

this was Shelby. Shelby was,

Shelley:

she was pregnant with her third child and Wow. I was trying to come up with abortion money and God said, I'm gonna remove you all the way from the situation and sit you down. That's her blessing. Who are you to block that blessing? You know?

Phil:

So, so had Shelby kind of followed in your footsteps of her

Shelley:

whole life,

Phil:

bad decisions and

Shelley:

Yeah. And she didn't, it is not, it wasn't so, uh, here recent, yes. Every, not even meaning to she, um, her whole life, but, and I thought that, um, keep us staying together. I thought that that was gonna help my kids. In fact, it just either one or two things are gonna happen. They're gonna go the opposite direction because they don't want that same lifestyle or they're gonna go with what's familiar and what they've been raised in. You know, uh, their kids are, are proud of their environment. Period. They don't know anything except for what they're being taught or what they're being exposed to. You know what I mean? Yeah. So, um, that

Phil:

she followed that path.

Shelley:

She did, she did. So this is where I'm gonna get to the good stuff. So on May 25th, I took the police on the high speed chase through two states with a stolen motorcycle in the back of my dad's truck, truck, Georgia and Alabama, Georgia. I started on Woodland Drive in Phoenix City. Yeah. My friend said, hit the gas because everybody was on probation. I had just got outta jail two weeks before for another motorcycle that I stole. Wow. Um, and, and in the midst, these, my parents are paying for all my mistakes, you know what I mean? But they're right there by my side and just cheering me on, you know? Wow. And, um, and I, I can't go back. I can't fix that. But, um, uh, my friend said, hit the gas. So I hit the gas and. I didn't know where I was going. The police came by me and I brushed his truck and I kept on going from Woodland Drive all the way. And I thought once I crossed state lines that the police will fall back and I'm safe. Well, that's not the case. Once I crossed over to the next state, they were at every red light waiting for me. And until there was one time when I got to Benning Hills off Victory Drive. There was one I had lost all the police. There was one Phoenix City cop that stayed behind my tail and stayed. Uh, but anyway, I was fixing to hit Fort Benning, which they would've probably started shooting at me thinking I'm a terrorist.

Phil:

Wow.

Shelley:

And Jesus snatched the wheel and took me left and onto Chicago Road where the police did their pit maneuver and wrecked me. Wow. I had stopped two times because the same ones that said hit the gas. I was driving like outta control. I didn't know I could drive like that, that was Oh wow. I mean, so I stopped twice and let them out and I kept going. But that police, I'm gonna have to do my research and find him and, and give him a hug.'cause he saved my life. But the police, uh, came and he snatched me out of the truck and the ambulance came and rushed me to the ambulance. I,'cause my blood sugar had dropped or whatever, but, um, so I was shackled to the hospital bed for a couple hours and then on to Muskogee County I went Wow. And, um, I was there up on the fourth floor for about two weeks. I didn't call home. I slept. I didn't really know where I was at, but when I finally called home, I said, dad, I need help. I've been shooting dope and I am outta control. And, um, I think I was on the news though. I think he saw it on the news too. But then fast forward about a week or two, chaplain Neal Richardson, my angel came and accidentally on purpose, placed me in the faith-based dorm.

Phil:

Wow.

Shelley:

And that's where God showed up for me when I hit my knees and God just made himself so apparent. And that's where we started a relationship. And then I just started digging in my word and I knew I wasn't going anywhere, but I found my happy place. He gave me that peace. And I just dug in my word and started in the Old Testament where when I was finally released, I was on fire for God and doing God's work. I, my first job was at All trade chicken plant where I fed a lot of homeless people. Um, I worked there for four months. Then COVID broke out. I started getting unemployment. I was, I didn't stay connected or I got stagnant. And I was so eager trying to go and witness the people from my past.'cause I was, but then it turns out it was like, look at me, look what I've done. You know what I mean? And God will not have that. Okay? So,

none:

so true. And,

Shelley:

uh, and I didn't armor up and I went to people from my past and I got ate by the wolves.

Phil:

So you. You were doing great. Yes. And then you went back to the same old crowd,

Shelley:

the same thing I promised God I would never, ever do again in my life. If you just, what was

Phil:

it? Do you remember that moment? What the temptation was like? Yeah, I just

Shelley:

wanted to smoke a bowl one more time just to see what I wasn't missing. And then wow. And then, uh, seven more addictions attached, or seven more spirits attached. And gambling. I don't know if it was the smoking, the meth or the gambling that, but it all goes hand in hand. And then I was gambling outta control and that is the worst beast. It got a hold of me. And I mean, that's and then I started shooting dope again and gambling and stealing and just lying and manipulating until, and then the shame and the guilt attacks. And then I didn't think I was ever coming back from that. I thought I was just a lost cause. You know what I mean? I tried this one time, it didn't work here. It is what it is, God. You know what I mean? Yeah. But God. But God, so two wheeling vessels showed up at my house. They randomly, they're fa, they're my family from past, present, and future. But they also, they went through the Center of Hope. And they reached out to me when I was in my, they stopped by and talked to me about the Center of Hope, and I just pass pacify them. I filled out the application. I got approved. And my, this

Phil:

is a substance abuse treatment program. That's in what? Aniston Alabama. Aniston

Shelley:

Alabama. This is a discipleship training school.

Phil:

Awesome.

Shelley:

Not a, definitely not a rehab. It's actually the second hardest program in the nation to complete.

Phil:

Wow.

Shelley:

There, uh, there can be a 2% success rate, or there can be a hundred percent success rate. It's, however, it's, uh, never My sister, my kid had Shiloh said, we don't like who you are anyway. Go do something with yourself. And I was, I didn't know what else to do. So, these two wheeling vessels show up at my doorstep at five o'clock in the morning, like they said they would. Hmm. I had my stuff packed and off we go to Aniston, Alabama and there was no turning back. And, um, and, and when I get there, God just showed up. He's in the second Corinthians five 17 is the verse that that spoke to my heart. You know, the old passed away, a new creation is born, you know, let today be the day of salvation. So, but once even in falling back once I was on fire for God and I had that relationship even falling back into addiction, he always became the highlight of my, to the topic of my conversation, even in the midst of my mess. Wow. Look what God, you know, um, I lost sight of that, but God, um, and I didn't, but even, and, and I knew, I said then that maybe this will be, in addition to my testimony, not even realizing that that's what was happening, that he already, I mean, the. He's my author and my creator. He's the only one who knows my story, but everything that it is, just all lining up. So I get to the Center of Hope and it's a 12 to 18 month program, and, um, I wasn't court ordered to go. Okay, let me back up a little bit. So I did time in Muskogee County for, I got charged with everything because of course I was driving. Yeah. So I did time and then I got transferred to Alabama, um, did five years probation and, uh, all kinds of fines and stuff. I, I did what I was asked to do, but even in going to my probation officer, I would still get high along the way. Just, um, I was before, so you were

Phil:

high when you met with your probation officer?

Shelley:

Yeah. Uh, just and did they, he could have very well drug tested me, but he never did. So I'm thinking I'm, I'm just that good, you know what I mean? Or I can sell ice to an Eskimo, you know what I mean? I got this covered, but it was because I didn't have drug charges. So they didn't Wow. You know, but, so that's where Wow. Yeah. But anyway, um, so fast forward the Center of Hope. I was about four months into the program. I got frozen for 10 weeks. and, was like I, I don't know if I can do this. But then that's when God spoke to me, Luke 1433. Regardless of what it may look like, I'm protecting you from something, my child, what you thought you knew before, you have no idea. So you need to be still and know that I'm God and I'm fighting for you. So that's exactly what I had to do. And in the midst of it, he kept a hedger protection over my family. My parents, they would go to the, have to take trips to the hospital, but they made it home. You know, I stand on Deuteronomy 30 19. I've been selfish all these years for long enough. Now I choose life so that my children may live. You know what I mean? Yeah. And I'm standing on those promises that generational curses will be broken and it stops with me. And in the process, my oldest daughter got clean. She had to. Wow. She had to, um, uh, we get called, there comes a time where we get called out in our mess and they called her out at the Center of Hope and told her she can't come back on that property until she gets clean and can pass a drug test. So months went by. That so

Phil:

was Why would she, what was she on the property for? Was she visiting you? Well, coming to see me. She was visiting you? Me, me. Yeah. And they just saw the mess that she was Yeah. And they said, you can't come back unless she, yeah.

Shelley:

Unless you can pass a drug test. So months went by and I just, I would be on my face. Wow. Just, uh, praying to God, you know, break these chains, break these vicious cycles. It stops with me, and I'm gonna seek you with everything in me, Lord. And I know you're gonna work everything together for my good, because that's what you promised. And that's what I'm standing on. And that's exactly what he did, and that's exactly what he's doing. Now, my youngest daughter, I had to sign over temporary custody. She was failing. You know, she dealt with abandonment issues. Her dad's not present. And, um, I, I had to go and be selflessly selfish, and I had to focus on me for this 12 to 18 months, which turned into 13 months. But I knew my, the, so everybody was good at home, you know what I mean? I stayed in the streets lost. So I'm on the right path now. Wow. They'll be okay without me, you know what I mean?

Phil:

Now how did, uh, Shelby. Get on the better path and get clean. Like was, did she go into a program or did the Lord just do a work in her heart and her life and just took her out of that?

Shelley:

Well, I knew that, uh, because she fallen in my footsteps all her life and God spoke to me and he told me she's gonna follow in some good footsteps. Now. That's awesome. I didn't know how it was gonna look or what it was gonna look like, but, but it was absolutely nothing. I did, it was all glory to God.

Phil:

That's awesome. That reminds me of like, I'll see my kids, like, they'll be, they'll buy a half gallon ice cream, start eating this or something. I'm like, they're like, I'm just following your example, dad. Well, how about follow the good examples that I do, not the bad ones.

Shelley:

Well, you know, they can let'em splurge a little bit, you know what I mean? But

Phil:

that's so awesome that. Now she's following in the right things that you're doing. Yes. Cleaning her life up, getting on a better path.

Shelley:

Yes.

Phil:

Praise the Lord.

Shelley:

And my youngest daughter's been living with her seventh grade teacher. Her grades all went down and while I was in the program she went to stay with her seventh. You

Phil:

said she was living with her seventh grade teacher?

Shelley:

She is now. She Okay. Currently my youngest daughter,

Phil:

Does she have custody

none:

of her? Um,

Shelley:

temporary custody while I was at the Center of hope on my face, praying God send somebody a godly role model into my daughter's life to intervene on my behalf. Wow. While I can't be there. And that's exactly what he did. Wow. And, um, she's been the traveling the world, living living as a kid. Living her blessed life. Her grades have improved. Um, she's gotten leadership recognition throughout her whole school. Just God, that's, I'm sure that's

Phil:

an amazing story. All on its own, just. That story of I made a mess of my kids' life and

Shelley:

Yes. And I, so I thank God for her each and every day. And we, we co-parent together and she, she picked up a role that she didn't have to do, but God did. Is she married? She's married. Okay. And, um, yes. And, uh, she's just been an angel. Um, that's exactly what God, he heard my, my cries and he heard my prayers. And, um, how did that, like how did that come to pass?

Phil:

That's not a normal thing. It's not that a teacher would just,

Shelley:

I was in this book, my work study at the time, it's called Power of a Praying Parent, and those prayers that are so specific, he said, bring your prayers specifically boldly, conf confidently and persistently unto me. And, um, that's what he did. He knows exactly what we need. He'll supply all of our needs according to his riches and glory. And that's exactly what he did. And I,

Phil:

so I guess the Holy Spirit must have worked on that teacher's heart and she saw the situation and he moved her to she.

Shelley:

Yes. And she, um, she stepped in and they come to see me, um, on, uh, the weekends and came to church. And now we're a big fam extended family. Wow. And, um, man, God is doing something new and I want to know what, but that's where he strengthens my faith every day. I don't have to know everything. I don't have to know the how, what, where, when, why. I just know who's in control and I just let him have, I just give it to him. Yeah. Wow. You know?

Phil:

You're willing,

Shelley:

willing. That's all. How

Phil:

old is, uh, Shiloh now?

Shelley:

She's 14.

Phil:

Okay.

Shelley:

Yeah. And now, um, is where I have to step up and I have to be a mother, not a friend to my kids, but I have to be a mother and a lead by example. And so I know that, I know I learned so much. I know I don't have another redo in me. I don't have another recovery in me because Senator Hope poured in over 800 hours of biblical studies and personal relationship with God. So if I fall back in my old ways that's spit in his face and that comes promised death and destruction behind that. So I believe, and there's so much power in the, in the tongue speaking life and death over any situation. So that part of my life is closed chapter from here on out is to testify of God's goodness and to be a disciple, to go forth and make disciples. That's what my calling, that's what my purpose is. Wow. And I'm standing on God's promises that I'm gonna be that light in the dark place in the jail again. And I, um, been told that I can get my job back if I get my record expunged. And that's in the works Wow. Of Lieutenant Johnson told me that he would gimme my job back. So that's,

Phil:

wow. So how did you get from graduating the Center of Hope? Back to Columbus. Like how did you get to Safe House Ministries now?'cause you're working now for Safe House, right. And you're a part of. Helping invest in other people's lives?

Shelley:

Well, um, when I got home I was cleaning houses a little bit'cause uh, we worked at thrift stores at the center. So, um, there's so much structure there, there's so much discipline there. Like I spent most of my program and extra duty, um, just getting in trouble for little things. A rule is a rule and it's set forth for a reason and you're supposed to follow it and you're not exempt from any rules. So this is where God disciplines the ones he loves and I made a mess of, you know, so I'm just, here I am Lord, just whatever you're trying to do in me or correct. Um, thank you Lord for correction. Thank you Holy Spirit for conviction. But when I would go in extra duty and we would have to write from the New Testament for an hour back to front. So not only are you reading the word, you're writing the word to remember the word to engrave the word, to apply the word. So he was only shaping and equipped me and molding me for this time right here. Yeah. And who would've thought that the bible, that scripture is our instruction manual. You know what I mean? And you don't know who you are in him until you get in and you learn and you read his truth. Yeah. And that's where, and you don't have to settle for anything less than what God says because he created you. You know what I mean?

Phil:

Yeah.

Shelley:

So, um, I don't know where I was going with that. So you were

Phil:

cleaning houses and like somehow got connected to Safe House or, um,

Shelley:

yes. I actually, um, went to church one day on a Sunday, and pastor Chris Cloud asked me to, uh, give a lady, um, a ride from, she had been staying at the Colonial m We went and picked her up and took her to the Grace House. But my Aunt Tracy she's the one of the willing vessels that came and ambushed me and took me to the Center of Hope. Is this the Tracy

none:

does, does, she works at Safe House? She works at Safe House.

Shelley:

Tracy Dowdy.

none:

Yeah. Who's been on the podcast. Her

Shelley:

and her son, Chris Mahan is the two vessels that ambushed me. Wow. Yeah. Yeah. So, uh, she had put in a good word for me, and I know Christie, um, Haney, uh, and um, but I don't meet a stranger. So when I delivered Miss Rhonda there, I just kind of made myself at home. Yeah. But I had no idea at that time that got, that's not a job. That is my calling. When you love what you do and you do what you love, I miss those ladies. I, I go there on my weekends off, you know what I mean? Yeah.

none:

Back to the Grace House and just back to the Grace House.

Shelley:

Just Yeah. To love on'em and just encourage'em and. We're an extended family now, you know what I mean? And they, they're as much a blessing to me, you know what I mean? Wow. And so God, um, is to make disciples, you know, just plant a seed. Yeah. Just one soul at a time. Wow. Yeah.

Phil:

Now, are you working for Safe House or are you, is it most of it volunteer time? Um, I'm

Shelley:

working, I'm the van driver Okay. For the Grace House. Awesome. Yeah.

Phil:

That's great.

Shelley:

And I'm standing on, I'm gonna be that correction. I'm gonna be that Miss Ann. She's the one who shackled me and, and prayed for me all the way to court six years ago. And I When,

Phil:

when you got arrested? Mm-hmm.

Shelley:

Um, I didn't know her name. I'll shoot, it was a silhouette. It was an angel in a uniform. But her praying over me, it, it stuck in my heart. Wow. And I want to go, I want to be maybe even a chaplain in Russell County Jail again, to lead people to the center of hope that Jesus' feet.

Phil:

That's awesome. So you, uh. You first got connected to Safe House through Neil when you were in the Muskogee County Jail. Yeah. When he was the chaplain back in the very early days of Safe House Ministries. Right. Then you got out and the Lord led you to Center of Hope, which where he did just a permanent transformative work Yes. In your life by His word and his Holy Spirit. Yes. And then he led you back here to to to work. He says In the Safe house. And he said, I'll

Shelley:

be found by you, says the Lord. And I will injure captivity and restore your fortunes where I sent you and I'll bring you home again to your own land.

Phil:

Yes. And now he's using you to reach so many others. Just

Shelley:

a little old me.

Phil:

Praise the Lord. So how is Shelby and Shiloh doing right now?

Shelley:

Um, amazing. Shelby is, um, just got, she's been answer. We all stay at my mom and dad's house and we're taking shifts, taking care of them.

Phil:

And Shelby has, how many kids?

Shelley:

She's got three, but one, her oldest son lives in Texas with her boyfriend's dad. Okay. With their dad, I mean, with their mom. Um, so she's got two kids here. But uh, so she still remains clean. She just started her new cleaning business. She's a caregiver for open arms and she comes and volunteers at the Grace House also because that's also her calling, you know. Wow. Um, but uh, and she's been anxious about trying to find her own place, and I'm trying to tell her what's for you is gonna be for you and what's not God, it is not gonna be a complicated thing. What's for you? He's gonna, is gonna just flow. And she just got, um, my pastor, we had sold the house that I grew up in. We sold it to my pastor and they told us that, um, they would sell the house to Shelby and help her get financed for it. So that's nothing but God ordaining, you know what I mean? He just, he moves mountains. Wow. Like he says he will, you know. Where do

Phil:

you go to church at?

Shelley:

Church on the Rock is my home church in Phoenix City. Okay. And then I catch the fort at 12 o'clock and then I go to the recovery house from two o'clock to four, five o'clock Sundays.

Phil:

Now do your, does Shiloh and Shelby, do they go to, does everybody go to church with you at the church on the Rock? Uh, Shelby goes

Shelley:

to church on the Rock with me. My youngest daughter, Shiloh, she's a member of 7:00 AM Ministries. Okay. Okay.

Phil:

That's where the seventh grade teacher who I guess

Shelley:

well, um, we're not there yet. Okay. We're working on it. Okay. Yeah, she, no, she goes to church on the Highlands. I'm sorry. Okay. Um, her teacher, but yeah.

Phil:

So is Shiloh back now? Is she still with the teacher? Yes. Okay.

Shelley:

Yes. And I don't know, uh, and so I, sometimes I've got my own little room at the Grace House, so I stay there some during the week. Yeah. But, uh, God's just opening doors that no man can open and no man can close. I

Phil:

love it. It's, that's awesome. It, it's, it is a wonderful thing to behold when the Lord works to do things and it, everything just falls into place. Yes. And you have an amazing story, just the way that you, God has worked in your life, in Shelby's life, in Shiloh's life. There are multiple stories like. There's so much that could be told that we just Yeah. We aren't able to get to. Yeah.

Shelley:

And you know, I don't reme like, uh, it's, it, sometimes he'll bring something to my remembrance, uh, but what the enemy meant for evil. God turned around for my goods. So, things that I, he forgave me for, thrown into the sea of forgetfulness, you know what I mean? And, uh, and he'll put on my heart what I need to remember and what I need to let go of. You know what I mean? Yeah.

And that is the end of part two of Shelly's Amazing story. What a ride with that high speed chase time in jail and prison time on probation. And just how amazing is it that what God did to get his word into her heart and truly transform her life. Next week we will finish up Shelly's story. She's gonna share. Where she is now, and she'll talk about her grandkids. She'll talk about the blessings of the Lord in her life and what going forward looks like for her and for her children and for her grandchildren. She will also pull out some lessons and things that God taught her along the way. Some lessons that will be a help to many others if they will just listen. I'm an avid reader and one of the reasons that I read so much is because I want to learn and grow and gain wisdom really, so that if I can avoid mistakes and heartaches and problems that I would like to, you know, we can all learn by the school of hard knocks. But who wants to do that? How much better is it if we can learn from the wisdom that others have gained by themselves, having to go through the school of hard knocks, and then the sharing that wisdom, how much better is it if we can learn from them and avoid those? Pains and heartaches and sadness in our lives completely. So come back next week. You're gonna really be blessed by it. Thanks for being here this week, and God bless you. We look forward to being back with you again next week.

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.

Microphone (Samson Q2U Microphone)-2:

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.