The Importance of Good Friends and Giving Back - Lessons on Victory with Jennifer

Two things that make a huge difference when it comes to living, and staying, in victory are a strong support network of good friends and a purpose in giving back to help others.

Transcript

Phil Shuler 0:07

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

0:38

Including 184.

Phil Shuler 0:39

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 1:20

Jennifer, so you... So last October, you got connected back with Safe House, you got into the Grace House, you got connected with the right support structure to get out of the darkness of addiction and to stay on a good path. Would you think back to your, the whole course of your st- your story and, and where you are now, and maybe just give us a few key lessons that you would, you would think are worth people taking to heart?

Jennifer 1:47

I would say if they're in recovery right now and they're young, they need to listen to these older people, all of us, because they don't wanna be our age doing this. Yeah. You know, I'm 53 and I'm coming out of recovery. You miss so many memories that you could make. You miss e- everything. You... If you're, if you've got some kind of support team, take advantage of it.

Phil 2:10

Yeah.

Jennifer 2:10

Because if, You know, when we're young, we think, "Hey, we got it, we got it, we got it." But, like, the drugs are getting so much more powerful these days, I mean, the fentanyl and everything. It's taking them out. They've got so many new drugs coming up all the time. And if they've got someone and they can... they've got a good support team or some of these programs Midtown, Safe House, Ho- Tomorrow's Hope, Drug Court, they need to take advantage of it now. Because when they don't, they end up my age, losing their whole life. So-

Phil 2:42

Yeah

Jennifer 2:42

I just say that they, they should just, take advantage and, and listen to us wiser people, you know, because, uh, we know. Isn't it crazy? We've been there. We've done

Phil 2:50

it. Yeah. But when you're young, you think-

Jennifer 2:51

You don't think of it you just- You got You think

Phil 2:53

you know better you're good. Yeah and they don't, you know, "I'm not gonna be like them or her."

Jennifer 2:56

Yeah. But they end up being like me.

Phil 2:58

Yeah, they

Jennifer 2:59

do. It's- When I, I was my age, I didn't... Um, when I was their age, I didn't have people. It's just recovery. Columbus is a recovery town now. I mean, it's just, it's recovery. A lot of a lot of places are recovery, but you just need to try to take heed in some of the programs and, and understand that we're-- the, the programs are put in place to give you that chance so you don't end up- Yeah 50 or 60 years old trying to do this like me, and you can have a better fulfilled life because it's nothing but... It's trauma. It's, um- Mm looking over your shoulders all the time. It's just crazy when you get our age and you realize all, everything that you've lost. Wow. Everything. Cars, houses, all the memories, all the families you've hurt, the kids we've hurt. The kids are the worst part of it, you can never make, fix that. You can never fix it completely. A lot of people I get... I do get jealous 'cause some of my friends, they do have their kids, but they've done drugs with them and everything. My son graduated from Auburn. He is a great s- great child. He- If I did teach him anything, I taught him what not to be, and that's crazy. Hmm. But it's a, it's a realization that I have to, um, I have to accept.

Phil 4:05

Wow.

Jennifer 4:05

I have to accept, and I'm working on restoration with him now, but it's something I have to accept.

Phil 4:10

Yeah.

Jennifer 4:10

I hate that I hurt him, but I have to realize and let him be in that place. So if they've got small children, it, it, they've got... The families are sick. I should've been there more with my mom and, you know, w- we're hurting our families. We, they have to give us tough love, but they just need to take heed in the programs that they're, they're in- Yeah or seek a program and get out of this because- Yeah it's just repetitious. It's over and over. Yeah.

Phil 4:33

Help, help is there.

Jennifer 4:35

Yeah. It's

Phil 4:35

just- You just have to reach out-

Jennifer 4:36

Yes

Phil 4:37

and embrace it.

Jennifer 4:38

Cause it's the same cycle. It never

Phil 4:40

changes. That's a good-- That's a powerful lesson. I appreciate you saying that, and I, I know that there are so many people that are in the midst of addiction, and they have young kids. And I know that they love their kids. Mm-hmm. I just, I pray that, that they would realize- They say

Jennifer 4:54

drugs, they say drugs is the one thing that can break a bond. I mean, I've heard-

Phil 4:57

Ugh

Jennifer 4:58

it can break the bond. It can make it where-

Phil 5:01

Yeah you love 'em. For the sake of their kids, they need to get, get the help- Yes and get away from that now. Yes,

Jennifer 5:05

sir.

Phil 5:06

Wow. What other lessons would you say are worth noting and pulling out for us to know?

Jennifer 5:12

Do what?

Phil 5:12

What other lessons would you like to share?

Jennifer 5:14

I don't know. I mean...

Phil 5:16

Safe House Ministries was there, to help you, and I'm so glad for that. Yeah. And I'm so glad that you're now a part of Safe House, and you are helping so many other people.

Jennifer 5:26

Mm-hmm. I love my job.

Phil 5:27

Yeah. I love it. Tell us about what you do day to day in your job.

Jennifer 5:30

Oh, I have 30 to 45 women. I make sure they get up in the morning. I make sure they clean their rooms. I make sure if they are having a bad day, that they can talk to me. I make sure that they follow rules, and they have a, I make sure they take their medications. I get to, Just e- even if I don't do anything all day, they know that all of us up there are women that have been through the same thing, and we are happy now. And they can come. They can be happy too if they would just, work the program-

Phil 5:59

Yeah

Jennifer 5:59

you know, give theirselves some time and want better for theirselves. Because I tell all the women when they come in these doors up there or, or any program, I tell them, first thing I tell them, "You gonna walk in this h- w- walk in these gates, and you're not gonna have a job. You're not gonna have any money. You're gonna have a bad relationship. You're not gonna have your kids or a rocky relationship with your kids, your family. You're not there like you should be every Sunday eating dinner with your mom." You know what I'm saying? Yeah. And I tell 'em, you, you have to worry about... Most of them have to worry about men taking care of them. But if they'll just give it the opportunity just to come in- Follow the rules, clean their room, do some chores, go to a program or try to find a job. We help them out there. We help them try to get their identification, get their Social Security cards, get everything that they need, and when they walk out this, that door, they'll have a job, they'll have money in savings. Yeah. They'll have a place to live. They'll be on some kind of program or something to help them get back on their feet. Yeah. Um, whether, whether it be one or the other, there's, like, four or five. They'll have respect. They won't be insecure. They won't need a man for nothing- or their family to take care of them anymore, 'cause a lot of us on addiction, we need our families to take care of us well 'cause we just can't do it ourselves. We can't do it. We look to them and get mad at them when they don't give us $50 or $25, but they know we're going to get high. So I tell them if they'll just work a program, that they can walk in one day and six months later they can be a completely different person. They can be happy again, respect their self, and love their self.

Phil 7:24

Oh, that's so good. I love Safe House Ministries. I love- Me too I love how it is such a blessing and a hope and a help to truly change people's lives. Mm-hmm. And take them from darkness and bondage and death and bring them into life- Mm-hmm and hope and stability in, into the place where they can help bring that into the lives of others. Yes, sir. That's so good. Any other last comments you wanna share?

Jennifer 7:49

No.

Phil 7:49

This has been so good, Jennifer.

Jennifer 7:51

Yes, sir.

Phil 7:52

Thank you.

Jennifer 7:52

Yes, sir.

Phil 7:53

Um, I'm so glad for what the Lord has done in bringing you-

Jennifer 7:57

Oh, thank you, God.

Phil 7:58

Yes.

Jennifer 7:58

Yeah. Yes. You- I love God. My relationship, my girlfriend Christy, Christy B- uh, just made me a Bible, and I've got a Bible recap. So I'm just now getting my relationship back. I'm focusing. I go to the Fort Church every Sunday- Yeah because Fort Church is all recovering addicts. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. It, it, it, it, it, all my friends that I used to get high with or in addiction with are at that church, so I love that church. I love everything they do also, but yeah I love Safe House Ministries. I love everything. I love God. Every day my relationship grows. I thank him every day for what he's doing in my life. Yeah. I used to thank the girls, but God put them girls in place for me. I tell Christy all the time, "I love you, Christy. I love you." But, um, they put, God put them people in my pla- in, in there. Yeah. I love Chap. He really

Phil 8:41

is in charge.

Jennifer 8:42

Yeah. I love Chap. Chap has been there for me for the last 10, 12 years, and I love everything about him. I love that he gives everyone a second chance, third chance, fourth chance, fifth chance. Mm. He, he is, uh, he is right where he needs to be, too. I love Chap.

Phil 8:57

Yeah.

Jennifer 8:57

I love everyone at Safe House.

Phil 8:59

Yeah. Oh, wow. Amen. Mm-hmm. I just... That's awesome. That's awesome. Uh, and I love that you talked about how you, you're now, your group of, your network and your Support group, the people that you hang out with are-

Jennifer 9:12

My ladies.

Phil 9:12

Yeah. They-

Jennifer 9:13

It's my ladies.

Phil 9:13

We, we, we- Every, the people, and they've, all of y'all have gone from following the devil- Yes to following

Jennifer 9:17

Jesus. And we all- And just- get along great at work. That is the best thing in the world. We don't talk about nobody. 'Cause you go in jobs where you don't get along, but we all discuss everything, and we talk it out, and I take constructive criticism. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. I love my job. I love the women I work with. I love everything about Safe House. I love the Grace House. I love it. I love it. Awesome. I love that God has allowed me, I love that God's allowed me to be in a position there, and allowed me, while, that I'll get to watch the women grow while I grow.

Phil 9:47

Yeah.

Jennifer 9:48

You know, 'cause I'm still in, early in recovery. But and it, and it keeps me grounded, and I love my job.

Phil 9:53

That's awesome. Praise the Lord for His mercy and grace and goodness, and just long suffering. Ah. I, I was reading the Book of Jonah this morning, and it's all about the mercy of God. The mercy of God upon Jonah, the mercy of God upon Nineveh. And your life is such a beautiful story of the mercy of God and the grace of God. Thank you for sharing it.

Jennifer 10:15

All right. Thank you.

Phil 10:16

Yeah. Um, do you mind if I close us in a word of prayer?

Jennifer 10:19

That's okay. Yes, sir. Yeah.

Phil 10:21

Father, I thank you for Jennifer. I thank you for her willingness to share her story. I thank you for Neal and for the love that he has shown to her, and, and for Safe House Ministries, and all the people that you have put in place to be able to reach out to Jennifer and to help her get out of the darkness and out of the bondage, and into a life of joy and peace and happiness, and just walking with you. Lord, bless her. Bless her future. Bless her path. Help her as she still tries to navigate in the relationship with her son, and I just pray you'd help her to be a great blessing and a help to so many women that are now at Grace House, and so many that will be coming to Grace House in the days ahead. Thank you for your goodness, and thank you for your grace. Thank you for Jesus. In His name I pray, amen.

Jennifer 11:15

Amen.

06-21-23 SAFEHOUSE-CH2 11:16

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

Speaker 11:38

7,200 Manor Road.

06-21-23 SAFEHOUSE-CH2 11:40

Columbus, Georgia, 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 4 11:51

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.