Resurrection Reboot: Trixy the Fearless

You'll love this resurrection reboot!

Transcript

Copy

Speaker 3 0:00

Hello and welcome to Safe House Ministries. Our podcast today is gonna be another resurrection reboot, and it is a great podcast. again. Remember that. The ministry of Safe House really is all about resurrection and bringing life back into the lives of those who are experiencing destruction and death and bondage in so many ways. So enjoy this podcast. Remember also our new address at 7,200 Manor Road here in Columbus. And reach out. Please let us know what you think about the podcast. Give us a five star review and some comments on whatever podcast platform you listen to. God bless you and have a great week

Phil Shuler 0:45

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 people each month as they transition back into our community. Safe House provides an abundance of services

1:16

Including 184.

Phil Shuler 1:18

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. This morning I have Trixie Jones that is here with me. and I've talked with Trixie just a little bit already, and I'm excited to learn about her story. I think it was gonna be an encouragement to all of you out there listening, but to start off, Trixie, I wanted to ask you if there was a single word that you could use to describe yourself, what would it be?

Trixy Jones 2:21

Um, fearless.

Phil Shuler 2:22

Wow. I love it. So what do you mean by that

Trixy Jones 2:26

when you say that? Um, I guess growing up my mom always told me and other people's always told me like, you're fearless, you know, they always told me that I guess my actions, the way I moved and carried myself and Okay. I was

Phil Shuler 2:40

fearless, so You are bold. Well, I'm sure I'm gonna learn a little bit more about that as you tell your story. That's awesome. Right. So, um, Trixie, did you grow up

Trixy Jones 2:50

here in Columbus? I did not. Where'd you grow up in Monroe, Georgia. Okay.

Phil Shuler 2:55

What was it like in your childhood growing up, your family life and, and those things?

Trixy Jones 3:00

Um, I had a great family. Yeah. Still do. Very huge, very huge. Um, just loving. I had a great childhood and I. I guess you kinda say I was spoiled. Kind of spoiled.

Phil Shuler 3:11

Yeah. Yeah, so, so you have a lot of brothers and sisters? I do.

Trixy Jones 3:14

How many we got? I have four sisters and one brother.

Phil Shuler 3:17

Wow. So six total siblings? Six total. Awesome. That's, that's a lot of fun in that household, I'm sure. Yes. Never a dull moment. Never a dull moment. I know what that's like. I've got seven kids, so it's, it's a mad house sometimes, but it's good. I wouldn't trade it for the world. Right. So So you loved it. You sound like you had a just

Trixy Jones 3:35

a, a good, I loved it. I'm used to it and that's what I'm used to people. Kus of nieces and nephews everywhere, you

Phil Shuler 3:42

know? Yeah. Awesome. Are they all here

Trixy Jones 3:44

in Columbus still? They're not. I am actually the only one here. Okay. Yeah.

Phil Shuler 3:48

All right, so growing up things were good. what kind of circumstances into your life to take things from being good to being

Trixy Jones 3:56

not good? Um, I met a guy.

Phil Shuler 3:58

Oh, that's how the story starts so often, isn't it? That's how the story starts. Those knucklehead guys, right? So you met a guy, how old were you at this point?

Trixy Jones 4:07

I was 19.

Phil Shuler 4:08

19. So things were good. And then you turned 19, you meet a guy in. What

Trixy Jones 4:12

happened, and it was still good at that point, you know, and I ended up marrying him. Yeah. And actually I'm still married to him now.

Phil Shuler 4:19

Wow. Okay. Yeah. So there's, there's some good, so yeah, some good. So, uh, what began to happen that was not good.

Trixy Jones 4:25

Um, I got a taste of the street life

Phil Shuler 4:28

together

Trixy Jones 4:28

with him or was this together with him. Okay. I wasn't raised that way. And with him, and I got a taste of the street life and I kind of liked it. It was the fast life I could do what I want to do, you know, that type of life. Yeah. And I did actually like it.

Phil Shuler 4:43

What were your first steps into that

Trixy Jones 4:44

world? The drug selling. So

Phil Shuler 4:46

the fast I'm assuming you started meeting some other individuals and they started talking to you and they said, this girl's fearless, she's bold, she can help us out, make some money. So they approached you to start selling? Were you using At that

Trixy Jones 4:58

point? I was not using, I started out, um, started selling and I enjoyed it, you know, well, I liked it. The fast money. Yeah. The cars and. You know, the shop and the clothes, everything that came with it. It was just a fast life I was addicted to. Okay. What were you selling? Um, crack, cocaine, marijuana. Was this in Monroe still? It was in Monroe and the surrounding areas.

Phil Shuler 5:23

Okay. All right. So selling crack, uh, marijuana. What else did you say? Just basically whatever, whatever, whatever. Okay. So living the fast life, making lots of money. What happened

Trixy Jones 5:34

then? Um, some years went by and I first started, I would try, um, my first drug, I always smoked a marijuana, but I thought I had that under control, which didn't, you know, bother my lifestyle or anything. And my first heavy, heavy drug I tried was cocaine, and I liked it. It kept me going. It kept me moving around, you know, to do the things. I did like to sell the drugs also, but it wasn't until years later, um, one drug led to another. Me trying something, always trying something a little more, a little more, and I finally tried, um, prescription pain pills. I was actually, um, doctor, a doctor actually prescribed them to me and I got addicted to 'em. Hmm. Because everything else I ever, ever tried in my life, if I wanted to stop, I could stop it. But getting addicted to the pain pills, I couldn't stop it. Wow.

Phil Shuler 6:21

So, so you are feeling like those pain pills were tougher of an addiction than the cocaine? Than

Trixy Jones 6:29

cocaine or anything? To me. Wow. It was something I couldn't stop, I couldn't control, and it actually took over with my life, my whole lifestyle, while I actually didn't have the drive to sell the drugs or even get up and go to work no more.

Phil Shuler 6:46

Wow. Was your husband

Trixy Jones 6:47

involved with my husband Right along. Just like old

Phil Shuler 6:50

bun. Was he using, was selling and all the same. Everything. Okay.

Trixy Jones 6:52

We was right neck and neck with everything. Okay. Yes. Wow. So you and my life just took a whole spiral within seven years of me using the, uh, prescription pills. I lost my home, uh, about five cars. I lost everything. Down to my dog. Oh.

Phil Shuler 7:10

So what was that like emotionally at that time? Did, you're saying it just you didn't wanna work, you didn't wanna do anything, you just stay at home. Just use, take the pills

Trixy Jones 7:20

and I started shoplifting or whatever. I did Rob, take from people. Was this

Phil Shuler 7:26

to make money or was this just because you wanted to just, you didn't care anymore?

Trixy Jones 7:30

Um, it's not that I didn't care. It was just, uh, Take care of my high for my pill prescription, my pills to pay for it. What I wanted to pay for it or to get 'em. However I, whatever I had to do, me and my, along with me and my husband, we did it to survive out here.

Phil Shuler 7:44

To keep feeding

Trixy Jones 7:45

the addiction. To keep feeding the addiction. Okay. And we didn't care if we had any and where to live. We was living in our car on people's other people's couches or just hanging out wherever. So things

Phil Shuler 7:55

had gotten so bad you weren't working a job. You weren't, were you still selling drugs at that point, or

Trixy Jones 8:00

not really? Yeah, but not much. It wasn't, 'cause every penny I got went to prescription pills. Addiction. All your money.

Phil Shuler 8:07

Okay. All the money. And then so you were spending so much on the pills that you just lost

Trixy Jones 8:11

everything else? I lost everything else. And on top of that, I was actually going to a doctor where they were prescribing me and my husband. We was actually getting them. We would sell them just to get by, you know, to pay maybe car insurance or whatever for a way cheaper price and go back to the same guy and he charging us the street value for 'em. Like Oh wow. So it was a never, I mean, it was no win situation with it. Wow.

Phil Shuler 8:36

Did the, doctor ever question and talk to you about maybe what was going on? Never.

Trixy Jones 8:43

I mean, I go in, I pay my money to visit. I come out whatever I want. Wow. And I actually visiting like one at one point in time before the d e A got involved. I was actually, me and my husband both were actually seeing two doctors a piece once, one every week. Wow. And before we even got on the pills, like I said, it was about the money. We started making money off 'em. First. We probably used to clear four or $5,000. Maybe $7,000 off the pills. A week. A week, a week he go up. One week I go the next, he go the week one. The next following week I go a week. We was making the money at first, and then me and him both end up. On the pills.

Phil Shuler 9:22

Wow. Wow. So that's a dark time. So real dark time. You and your husband are both there, just living on the streets or just trying to living with friends or what was What was, yeah,

Trixy Jones 9:33

living with friends or whatever. Like I always, like I said, I have a very tight knit close family that love me. Yeah. So when I did get to where I was losing places, I couldn't keep a motel room or nowhere to stay. I could always go home, but my husband wasn't welcome. Okay. cause at this point, my mom done felt like he's the reason why I. I failed. So they kind of blamed him. They blamed him 'cause they were so used to me having it, having it together, and always keeping me somewhere to stay. I always had money, you know, and then all of a sudden now I'm borrowing seven, $800 from my mom.

Phil Shuler 10:07

Did they know about your selling and, and all of that

Trixy Jones 10:10

in the time period before? They kind of did, but I don't think they knew how much of my participation I had over in with my husband. Yeah. Yeah. But I was right neck to neck with him. Wow. Yeah.

Phil Shuler 10:20

So then kind of what happened from there.

Trixy Jones 10:22

Wow. So upon my family really finding out the truth and what I did like it was a, me and a a girl had a big, huge falling out over some counterfeit money. So she kind of went, ratted me out to my mom about the truth, about what I was really out here doing. But of course I denied it, you know? And she threw in some extra stuff about me using needles, which I'm, I don't, I've never used needles, so I was afraid so upon my mom throwing that in my face and not trusting me at this time, 'cause I've already gone through so much with her, I end up spitting out the whole truth about, you know, yeah, no, you know, my addiction and how I'm really doing it, which I. Snorting them. I break 'em down. So I had to tell her that thinking it was way better than me just shooting up, you know? And she was like, had a fit over that. She was, oh lord, that ain't no better. You know? Mm-hmm. So, like I said, it only got worse from there. I only, I started going to jail. I even went to prison. Um, and I actually went to prison for shoplifting. I got like six or seven shoplifting wrapped. I racked these up within. What, four months or six months kept going to jail. Wow. I ended up going to prison over shoplifting, trying to keep up my, my addiction. Yeah. Yeah. Wow. So how long were you in prison? I did a year the first time, and then not even eight months later, I was back in jail looking at a four year prison term. No, a six year prison term. Oh, man. And, um, I ended up doing 14 months 'cause I ended up having money, then I went to jail money. So I was able to pay for a lawyer and then not even, let's see, I managed to stay out August, a little over a year before I went back again. That's what ended me up here. So how old were you at that point? I was 42 when I started going to jail. Okay.

Phil Shuler 12:06

When, when you first, the first time you went to

Trixy Jones 12:08

jail? The first time I went to jail, I went to prison. I was 42.

Phil Shuler 12:11

Wow. You, you don't even look 42 right now. I'm 48.

Trixy Jones 12:15

You

Phil Shuler 12:15

look so young. I mean, 48 is young, but you look just really young. Thank you. The Lord has given you some good genetics. Wow. Okay, so. First time you went to prison, you're 42 and you were still married. Still married. Was your husband, did he go to prison too or? When I

Trixy Jones 12:33

go, he go. Okay, so y'all worked, I mean, we always, we do our time together. We get out within a month of each other. He make it out a month before me or a month before him. Okay. These last times we went to jail, but throughout our 24 year marriage, um, he's always been in and out of prison 'cause he's always sold drugs or got into trouble. You know, I guess he was kind of, I. You know that bad boy? Yeah. You know, we be attracted to the bad boys, you know? Yeah. Bad

Phil Shuler 12:59

boy, bad girl. And you're stuck at the hip. You just in it together.

Trixy Jones 13:02

And basically, the last time I did go to jail before I ended up here, it was in August of, no, it was July of 21. Okay. I did 14 months. In Morgan County, county Jail, and I was at that point, I was tired then and I got out. My plan was like, you know, give my husband stipulation, like, look, we either get it together or I gotta go my way. I. So I made it outta jail six months this time before he did. So he

Phil Shuler 13:29

was the one that first once brought up the discussion of we need to change our lives and we need to, no, it

Trixy Jones 13:34

was me. Okay. You brought it up. Yeah. And, but I've been saying this throughout the years, but I always go back, you know, just I continue to go back to him or whatever. 'cause I do love him. Yeah. And um, so at this point, yeah, I was out like six months before him and when he got out. I didn't go back to him and I tried with, upon me not going back to him. He's kinda like my husband is. Um, lemme see, how can I put it? He's a jealous guy and he's very controlling. So upon me going through all what, without going through, I went through a lot of mental issues with him also, you know, with the control and the fight and the beating. So it wasn't just all good life. So you can imagine with us using drugs, what come behind that? Yeah, I mean it was kind of rough, but me, I accepted it for 20 something years and it was kind of a norm for me Just really recently upon me reaching, coming to made it to Columbus and I finally entered into a treatment where, um, I actually got help this time. So

Phil Shuler 14:29

what changed in your heart or your life that made you make that decision when you were last time you were in prison? Like, what happened that caused you to say, I want something different?

Trixy Jones 14:40

I, I'm gonna be truthful with you. I said in my mind that I was ready, but my heart wasn't because I still went right back to the same thing I was doing. I. Okay. The drugs, thinking it's, you know, fun. Yeah. I didn't always let it go. I was only lying to myself. I tried to tell my mom them, but I wasn't. But the whole time, soon as I stepped foot out, not even two weeks later, I was right back to using pills and just trying to cover it up and. Yeah. You know, try to maintain without nobody knowing. But I done those 14 months, within two months of me getting outta them 14 months, I was right back to using without my husband around. It was me. Okay. I wasn't totally ready. Yeah. And so, like I said, I made it out after the 14 months and my husband, I got out August 21st of 20. Was it 21? Yeah. Okay. And my husband made it out February of 22. Okay. 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 16:53

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 17:01

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. I told a couple people this story, but, um, I never really told my mom them the truth. Wow. About what was happening to

Phil Shuler 19:45

me. And that was about a month that, that was happening. Now your husband came and got you all straight month. So now you're with your husband, you're in that state.

Trixy Jones 19:53

What happened then? We, um, I kept. Telling him I, at this point, I didn't, I didn't wanna be back with him, so I kept telling him, look, we just friends or whatever. But me going back to him, that just opened a way up for us just to be right back together. Yeah. So upon maybe after a month after that, we was working, me, him went and got a job together and we got stopped by the cops. And I, so I left my mom's house. Now I'm on probation there, so I left my mom house. Me, just, once I went back to my husband, my mom was like, she threw her hands up. I'm done with you. So I, I didn't have any communication with my mom, probably for about three weeks maybe. So I got pulled over by cops. I had a warrant on me. I'm like, dang, here I go back to jail again. It was for probation. 'cause my probation officer come visit my mom home at this point. She hadn't heard from me in three weeks. She told me she don't know where I'm at. She ain't heard from me. So just, just like I skipped town or broke, you know, changed homes without them knowing. Yeah. So they locked me up. I was locked up for 45 days, no 60 days total on that charge. And I got out June, I think it was June 11th in 22.

Phil Shuler 21:00

Okay. Yeah. And had you been in jail, did that force you to at least get out of that wigged out state and get clean and

Trixy Jones 21:08

kind of, but I was still wigging a little bit in jail. Were you seeing things, stuff move? I freak out like, you know, I wasn't totally okay out of it. Had still all the way left. So yeah, I got out June 11th, 2022. And husband came, picked me up from jail or whatever. I was right back with him. 'cause at this point, like I said, my mom had threw me out her house. So I went back with my husband and so I was clean all the way up to October. I went to jail October the second, 2022. That was on a Sunday. So at the end of the month of September. That Friday before leading up to the second. Yeah, I started back using pills.

Phil Shuler 21:44

The prescription pills. The pain pills. The prescription pills,

Trixy Jones 21:46

okay. And I visited my mama that same Friday. She looked at me and she was like, well, you look nice, you look good. Because once I used the prescription pill, all my weight fall off me. I'm like a skeleton. I mean like I am. I lose a lot of weight cause I won't eat. So, and I looked my mom dead in her eyes and I said, Nope, I'm not using. But I was hiding in when I looked her in her eyes. And that Sunday morning I went to jail. Wow. And that's, I always say, I got, I lied to my mama. So I feel like that's the reason why. And God knew, he knew I was on that path to go right back into that same destruction that I had been living in. And when I went to jail October 2nd, I cried. I cried. I cried. Well, I didn't cry when I got locked up. Something would not let me cry this time. Did not cry when I first got locked up. I accepted it for what it was, but, um, I got stopped upon me getting stopping. Me and my husband had a fight that Sunday morning. I found out he was doing heroin and we always talked about. Something else extra just as too much. And that too much was either heroin or fentanyl. We always said, you won't try it. Won't do it. That was it. You know, everything else we try, always try together. Those two things we always said that we would not do. And so he crossed that boundary. He crossed that line, and I was sitting in the car. He was sitting on the driver's side and he, he have a twin brother. His twin brother is on. Um, heroin and fentanyl, him and his girlfriend and, um, so we had been together the whole weekend. They had got with us 'cause they didn't have anywhere to go, so they was living in our motel with us. So, behind my back I found out and my husband, he ended up admitting it to me that they both were, he had been doing the heroin the whole weekend with him. So this particular Sunday, I don't know if he was just so high or just forgot I was sitting there in the driver's seat, but he. Asked him number four, open it up, fired it up in front of me. So I'm like, I know damn well you didn't, you know? So we got into a fight behind that. And upon that, he had purchased a lot of, he had purchased pills, he had meth, he had heroin, but he was selling it, you know, he was selling it, make the money, whatever. I took it off from him and he jumped out of the car. Well, he would jumped outta the car after I was hitting him. He didn't realize he left all his stuff. So I grabbed it and unlocked the door. He come around to my driver's side, tried to get me to roll down the window to give it back. I'm like, no, son. I'm like, this what you want. This is what you want. So I took the fo he was at, he was doing, and I, he was like, I dare you to do this. And he hit the window one time when he, with his fist and broke. So I fired it up and I, and I hit it. And he hit the one the last time he hit the window. I put the car in reverse and left. I didn't even make it two blocks. First stop sign, I came to, I went out, blacked out. I blacked out, went to sleep. I dozed, gnawed out. Whatever the heroin did, it put me out. Foot was still on the, all I saw, I get a knock on the window and know, find out, hear somebody saying ma'am. Hey ma'am. And I looked over it was the cops. I'm like, oh Lord. That's all I could say. And did you say all these drugs are sitting here in my lap. Oh wow. Everything I had was still sitting in my lap 'cause I had took off with it. Oh man. Foot car still in dry foot on park. And I had been sitting that way for like two over two hours. Wow. Yeah. And that's how I did end up in Columbus. So you got arrested? I got arrested. And this

Phil Shuler 24:55

was, was this in

Trixy Jones 24:56

Monroe or It was in Barar County. Okay. The county over. Okay. That's where my husband from, Barar County. So, so then you were back in jail? Back in jail again. Had just got out what? June 11th and this is October the second. Okay.

Phil Shuler 25:08

So what happened then?

Trixy Jones 25:09

Um, I went to jail. And you know, they asked me do I need medical help or whatever. They called out. Well, no, 'cause they thought maybe I was OD'ed or something. I was good. I went and I sucked it up. I didn't call no one, let nobody know I was there, but my husband was looking for me. So he finally seen that I was in jail or whatever, and then called my mom for like two weeks. And then I finally got out nerve to call her after two weeks of me being there, which I slept for about two weeks in jail. 'cause I was, you know, tired and high and had a rough weekend whole weekend. And I slept and I finally called her and she was like, I already figured you was in jail 'cause I ain't heard anything from you or whatever. But this time it was different. Every other time I go to jail, I, my sisters and my brother, they're good to me in jail. I didn't never want for nothing. I kept money on my bugs, my whites, whatever I needed. But this time, last time, I, everybody told me no. They kind of made me suffer. They put the bare minimum they could. On my books, no packs, no nothing. Mom told me no. So I was trying to figure out how can I just get outta jail? How can I get out of this? How can I get out of this? Um, I never asked for drug court or d r c, so I'm trying to use all my resources. I'm trying to get out of this place. So I tried D R C program first. I got approved and then I didn't have a place to go to to do it 'cause you gotta have an address to come out. So everybody I called, they was like, yeah, you can come stay. My mom was the first one y'all heard, I'm gonna give you this last name, but when time came through where I found out, yeah. My uncle told her, look, you gonna have to say no to Trixie because she ain't gonna get it till you say no. Because they spoiled me. They do. I'm, they was my biggest enablers also. And she finally told me no, I couldn't use her address. And my sisters, I called them, they was like, yeah, you can. Then they get where they then, uh, my advocate, come see me. She was like, they say, no, you can't use their address. cause my mom told 'em if she, they let me use their address. She's done with 'em all. That I need to learn. So I was pissed. I was pissed about two months in jail, even before I ended up coming to Columbus for the, uh, rehab. Wasn't calling them no nothing. I was mad at 'em. Like, darn, they don't love me. You know, 'cause they treat me this way or whatever. But at the end of the day, this was the best thing they ever did. I mean, you know. Yeah. And I, when I told my mom, dad, she was like, thank you. I mean, you know what I mean? Yeah. She was like, I was feeling so bad for telling you no. She said, I cried and I had a couple of aunties that mad with her 'cause they wouldn't let me come out. They was like, tell her she could use our address. She said, I didn't tell you nothing 'cause you would've went for it. And I would've just to try to get out. But this the best thing mom they could've did for me. Just trying to tell me no. Like seriously. Yeah. You know, they saved me.

Phil Shuler 27:42

So you, you didn't know where you were gonna go. What happened

Trixy Jones 27:46

then? Um, I end up racking my brains, you know, I go in that cell and I'm thinking like, man, I gotta get outta here, whose address I can use? Even roommates come in. They was like, yeah, we got you. We got you. But something never let me, would never let me do it. And so I finally, I talked to God, I was like, God. You know, you get me out of this one this time. You know, I've had this conversation with him so many times, but I think that he finally, um, felt it, you know, that I was real about him. That I'm tired, you know, and I really need to help. And I, you know, I admit that I do have a problem, you know, help me. cause I, I always kept saying, I got this. I can do this. But, um, I think it really felt my cry this time, and I kind of stayed to myself and just kept praying. I kept praying, you know, for him to leave me somewhere. And the thing about it is I, I filled out three applications somewhere else, not even here. So upon I know it was time for me to leave there because I was getting frustrated with everybody, the officers and all. And. And they called me outta my room. They was like, Trixie, your advocates here on video. Come see him. So she was like, Ms. Jones, I got some good news for you. Well, this, after I got told you I got locked on October 2nd, and I didn't leave there until February 6th. Okay. So this was like two weeks before the sixth. My advocate came and seen me and she was like, well, your D r C program didn't go through your drug court. Didn't go through, um, what's next. I told 'em like, at this point, I don't know, just prison, whatever, let's get it over with, you know? And then, um, I thought about, I'm like, well, what about a rehab? I never tried to rehab. She was like, we can do that. I can ask the judge for that, or whatever. So putting your applications within two weeks time, me putting in three applications, I had like eight people ahead of me, so that mean it could have been months before a bed was open. I was still been there. I got upset with her. I left and slammed the door with her. Like, you come wait out here to tell me this. You know, I'm ready to get out. Went back up to my room and I cried a little bit. I'm like, Lord, whatever you got, I remember this so good. I was like, whatever. You got for me. I understand and I'm willing, but please move me. That's what I said. Move me. Move me. So two weeks later, I didn't hear nothing for two weeks though them didn't move me too. It was two weeks later and she came on a Friday. They popped my door and I had a whole attitude this morning. I don't know why I wouldn't take my meds or nothing. I'm like, wouldn't come out my room for nothing. They popped my door about three times, like, Jones, get out here now we need you, your advocate here, speak to. I'm like, I don't want talk to that lady. You know what I mean? I was like, all right, I'm coming. I went so upon me, gone see her. I get down there, she start talking, I got good news for you, blue. The video went out. I'm like, oh my, what the world. So she sat it up for 30 minutes later. I, they sent me back to my room. I went back down. She's like, Joan, I got good news for you. The other three, um, rehabs you want, you know you got a weight line, so I got one for you. It's outta Columbus area. Do you, are you familiar that I said, no. And she said, she was like, well, it's about three hours away from here where I'm from. Do you want it? I was like, yeah. She said You're fine. We're going three. I'm fine. We're going three hours away. 'cause none of the other ladies wanted it. Yeah. And I didn't want to go. A lot of 'em. I know. And I didn't wanna go to the same rehab. 'cause I know how you know somebody, you know? Mm-hmm. We get together, we'll be pew. We go. Yeah. So I'm like, I'll take it.

Phil Shuler 30:52

There was no waiting

Trixy Jones 30:53

list with this one like that. No waiting list. There was on a Friday morning, Monday morning at 6:00 AM they popped my door Jones pack, pack it up. That quick. Wow. And that's how I end up here. So,

Phil Shuler 31:04

and that program was Tomorrow's

Trixy Jones 31:05

Hope with Safe House. That program was tomorrow's hope that I never, ever even filled out an application for. Wow. And I said it was nothing but God. It was never God, and upon me making it to the Grace House, I automatically judged the Grace House. I'm like, I'm not going in that place where the world have y'all brought me to? You know? That's the

Phil Shuler 31:24

women's shelter for Safe House. That's the women's shelter. Yes. Yeah. So, so when was that, that you came, actually started, like you got to the Grace House and when

Trixy Jones 31:32

was that? I got, I met to Grace's house on February 6th. Okay. And, um, I was like, and where have y'all? And I, I came in, they brought me cuffs. So I mean, like I said, immediately me getting out of the cop's car, I judged Grace House. I'm like, what the world have y'all? What y'all brought me to? What, you know what I mean? I'm like, I'm looking around and you know, you know, I ain't gonna lie, I really thought I was, the way I was raised and came up, I was like judging But no, upon me internet, the people were so, everybody I met was so humble. You know, and I felt the love, I felt the calmness there. So upon me getting into my room and coming back out and meeting a couple people, I was okay. Like instantly. Wow. I felt at home and I kid you not, the first week I worked, uh, started there. I told my other roommates, I was like, y'all, I'm gonna work here. I already, I don't, I don't know how I knew this. Yeah. Upon, yeah. And I said, y'all, I'm gonna work right here. They was like, girl, you ain't gonna work. You know, they like whatever. I was like, no, I'm gonna work here. They said, okay, then whatever. Yeah. But, um, so you, you're

Phil Shuler 32:38

at the Grace House? I am at the Grace House. And then did you also at that same time, start in the

Trixy Jones 32:43

Tomorrow's hope? I started tomorrow's recovery program. Two days later. Okay. And then I was like a fast track, so upon me gone, they was like, oh, you got two weeks, three weeks to chill out, to get to, you know, get comfortable. No, not me. I was just threw on it, thrown in there two days later. I started tomorrow's hope, everything, everything was happening so fast for me. Yeah. Yeah. And I was like, me, I thought this was gonna take a minute, you know? You know. And they was treating me like I've been here. Everybody was like, I even got hollered at once. I'm like, well, I don't even know the rules, you know? I'm like, I don't even know the rules yet. They was like, you been here? I'm like, I only been here three days. They was like, well, it seems like you've been here forever. And I said, okay. But yeah, I got reprimanded soon as I got here. And yeah, I went to Tamara's Hope and like my life when I first got there, I didn't have no intentions on really grasping the program. I. I was trying to, I got out of prison or 12 months rehab. I got 12 months rehab. Okay. And I didn't have any intentions of the place just grabbing hold of me the way it did. Yeah. cause outta my, my first 30 days there. I got my first certain pass home and I wasn't ready for tomorrow's hope. I was listening to 'em. I heard them. I wasn't listening to nothing they had to say. Yeah. 'cause I thought I knew it all. I heard 'em talking though. So after my first pass, I went home and I relapsed. Oh. Yeah, I did. I relapsed. And my mom, she don't even know that either. But yeah, I relapsed and I actually came back, slipped through a drug test. Don't know how. Ain't nobody sitting there. I just went on back to my room. I slipped through a, through a couple days of drug test. No drug test, but upon me going back to class, whatever, got talking, it seems like everything they spoke about was about me. So the guilt started hitting me. I went, talked to my counselor. I cried to her and I told her I relapsed. And yeah, I felt real guilt. I, I, I felt bad cause I went home and relapsed, but I coulda actually got away with it, but I didn't, you know, I would've knew that I used and nobody else, but they wouldn't. And I ended up telling on myself

Phil Shuler 34:43

this was, was it the pain pills that what caught you again? Yeah.

Trixy Jones 34:47

Okay. And, um, yeah, I felt real bad behind and I ended up telling on myself at tomorrow's, so my counseling and, you know, and I realized then that everything they was telling me, I was listening, I heard 'em and 'cause I'm, I was ready for that change. Yeah. I was at my bottom. I was at my bottom when I got in that car. But I think I had to go back out and just test it one more time to see, was that what I really wanted? No, I don't. And I seen all the failure, all my mistakes, all the people I hurt, people I took from the life that was lost. I mean, all of that just, you know, it was on me. It weighed on me real heavy. So yeah, tomorrow's hope.

Phil Shuler 35:24

So then the counselor and you talked through those things and you started back, uh, with the

Trixy Jones 35:29

program? Started back with the program. I was on the third, um, a one and done a third day one and done. Upon that, I. And you know, to see how I do or whatever, to see was I really, really, this is what I really, really wanted. But that was back in, that was April, the weekend of April the ninth Easter weekend that I relapsed. And I, um, coming up October the second, I would've been a year clean, but today I'm like 141 days clean. cause I had that setback, you know? Yeah. So, Okay, but I'm, I'm grateful for this, for that relapse too. cause it hurt and it was painful. It took me like a whole 60 days. Maybe I haven't got over that pain yet. When I think about it, I feel it here. It hurts still. Yeah, it hurts real bad. And no tomorrow's hope they was there. And you know, they told me, you know that relapse are in some people's story and some people need it. You know, to get to where they're at. Yeah. And I think I was one of the ones that needed it, you know? So

Phil Shuler 36:22

what phase are you in now with tomorrow's hope?

Trixy Jones 36:25

I'm in the work phase right now. Okay.

Phil Shuler 36:26

So you went through phase one, which is not working. Not working, working. Just treatment only. Treatment only. And, and phase two is when you, you're working, right? You're working, yes. Working. Saving up some money, saving

Trixy Jones 36:37

money, doing all that. Okay.

Phil Shuler 36:39

So what's it look like

Trixy Jones 36:40

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. Yeah. Yeah. So,

Phil Shuler 37:25

uh, where's your husband at right

Trixy Jones 37:27

now? And he's actually in a, um, r a program. Okay. It's a drug treatment program, also have nine months and um, are we gonna be back together? I really don't know. I put it in God's hands at this point. Yeah. Yeah. Are you,

Phil Shuler 37:42

are you a little fearful of if he's doesn't get on that better path? I am. Of what may happen. I

Trixy Jones 37:48

am. cause if he don't do right and I go back with him, I'm not gonna do Right. cause I will follow him. You know. Yeah. I've tried it so many times not to do it with him and get, be clean and he's still using, that's what we did between the months leading up to me coming back this time and eventually I fall right back.

Phil Shuler 38:03

Yeah. Yeah. So are you going to, um, I guess that's, when does he get out, when does he finish?

Trixy Jones 38:09

Um, may. Okay. Sometimes in May. I don't know the exact date, but he'll finish up in May. Okay. And I'll finish up in February. All right. Yeah. You

Phil Shuler 38:17

have a beautiful smile. Thank you. And I'm so, so happy that. You are doing well, thank you. That you're clean, you're working, you're giving back. Uh, I mean, I, I'm sure you're able to be a great blessing and a help to those ladies there as

Trixy Jones 38:32

they're a blessing and help to me. They're teaching me.

Phil Shuler 38:36

Awesome. Yeah. Um, and how, and the support structure. You've got a sponsor, you've got the counselors got church

Trixy Jones 38:43

family, church home. Where are you going to church at O C C? Where's that at? Overcome Christian Church. Okay. It's Pastor Sap is my

Phil Shuler 38:50

Awesome, yes. Fantastic. I'm excited for you. the Lord's got big plans for you. Man, I'm, and it still blows me away. How long, how young you look, do you, I mean, like, I mean, you've got this story, this story that spans a good deal of time, but you just look so young.

Trixy Jones 39:06

Well, thank you. Well, a little hip tell a little different sometimes, but you know.

Phil Shuler 39:10

So, Trixie, was there anything that I didn't ask that you think I should have? Maybe you want to add.

Trixy Jones 39:17

I don't know, just addiction. It is real out here. Yeah. And um, I know I had a conversation with one of my counselors at Tomorrow's hope about, we was kinda giving them the praise or whatever, and they do deserve it because they do give a us a chance and they do believe in us. Like they don't under, I don't know if they understand how much hope they do put in us. Yeah. And. All it takes is that little bit to just show somebody that you do care or whatever and it goes a long way. Yeah, because I took it upon that, a good little bit of 'em over there. 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. I'm so glad to

Phil Shuler 39:55

hear it. A real blessing. Um, that's awesome. So Trixie. Is there any one or two pieces of advice that you would like to leave for others maybe who are struggling and, uh, just something you think that would be good for them to hear?

Trixy Jones 40:10

Um, I do know that when someone is ready, when you're ready and you hit your bottom, you're gonna know when, but, I can say is don't wait till it's too late. Just try it. Try a rehab, try some kind of treatment. If you realize you do have a drug problem, I. But you don't see it as a problem. Yeah. Um, reach out for help. It's help available and take heed to your loved ones, telling you that you have a problem and you don't want to before it's too late. Okay. Because I've, I've lost a lot of friends and that we can't get 'em back. Yeah.

Phil Shuler 40:43

So, okay. Thank you Trixie. Welcome. Thank you for being here. Thank you. Thank you for having a beautiful smile. Thank you for your spirit. Uh, I'm so happy that you're doing well, that you are living in victory. You mind if I close this in a word of prayer?

Trixy Jones 40:57

Oh, I love to.

Phil Shuler 40:58

Father, I thank you so much for my friend Trixie. I just, I just pray your blessing upon her. Lord, I pray that you would help her father. Help her path ahead, Lord. Mm. There's things that are unknown. Father, yes. I just pray for her husband and I just pray that you would get his heart, that he would get clean, stay clean, and just make the decision to join Trixie in a. Better life that they would both live in victory. I pray you'd just continue to use Trixie to be a blessing and a help to others. I pray that she would just continue to receive instruction and guidance and that she would just continue to receive your voice and, and follow your path. Bless her Lord, help her protect her from any. Pitfalls, protect her from any traps and just continue to bless her, I pray in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you Trixie. And, and, um, thank you everybody for joining us today and we look forward to seeing you back next week. 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 just 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.

Speaker 42:41

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.