Avodah Talk w/ Matt Walton
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Avodah Talk w/ Matt Walton
Breaking the Chains: Christopher Biddy's Journey to Redemption Through Kingdom Business
From addiction and incarceration to becoming what he proudly calls a "heavy metal technician," Christopher Biddy's transformation story captures the essence of what happens when business owners prioritize kingdom impact over income.
Every morning, Christopher boards a bus from prison to Matt Walton's metal fabrication shop, where he's discovered not just employment, but purpose, dignity, and community. After nearly eleven years in the Nevada Department of Corrections, Christopher shares candidly about how his journey through addiction led him to "the bottom of the barrel" where survival meant compromising morals and making destructive choices.
What makes this story remarkable is the pathway to change. Christopher describes how transformation began with seemingly insignificant decisions – reducing profanity, avoiding negative music, picking up trash when he saw it. "Those little things," he explains, "they just started building me and building me." Through a transitional living program and support from Hope for Prisoners, Christopher gained technical skills and a renewed mindset. The world had changed dramatically during his incarceration – people "bowing to their neon gods" (smartphones) – requiring him to develop new approaches to social interaction.
Today, Christopher not only works with metal but also participates in "serve days" where he volunteers his time to help others. Though apprehensive about full reentry to society, he now possesses what he calls "weapons" for success: supportive relationships, marketable skills, and newfound faith. His powerful message to others facing similar struggles? "If I could do it, you could do it... The help is out there. You just got to apply yourself and throw yourself into it 100%."
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What's up, guys? This is Matt Walton with a Voda Talk with Matt Walton or at the real Matt Walton, depending on how you found me and today is a very, very special episode that is very close to my heart and I wanted to highlight one of my guy's stories. His name is Christopher Biddy. You guys will meet him in just a few minutes, but when y'all hear me talk about business as ministry, this is what I mean, and it's an opportunity or I have an opportunity to hire guys that are literally in prison. So Christopher Biddy gets on a bus from prison every single morning and comes to my shop, and when he is here he is just a light and a joy to work with and he is making leaps and bounds of improvements in his personal life and in his professional life as well, and it's so encouraging for me to see. I feel humbled and blessed and honored to work with somebody such as Christopher Biddy, and that goes for all of my guys.
Speaker 1:I have a very special crew, but again, when we talk people over profits, kingdom impact over income, you know businesses, ministry, the great commission this is the way that we live it out on a day-to-day basis. So I look forward to you guys meeting Christopher Biddy. What's up guys? This is Matt with Avoda Talk, or the real Matt Walton. This is your hub for all things Kingdom Business Business as Ministry Business Strategy. My goal is to provide as much value, minute by minute, each podcast that you listen to. So let's get to it.
Speaker 2:So my name is Christopher Raymond Biddy. My friends and loved ones and family all call me Hyper. I'm currently an inmate in the Nevada Department of Corrections. I've been there going on 11 years. Currently I'm at a transitional living called Casa Grande, where they've given us opportunities to get jobs and do stuff and, you know, try to turn things around a little bit.
Speaker 2:What led me there was a whole lot of bad decisions. I struggled with addiction not just with, you know, weed, meth, heroin, all across the board and a lot of what led me there is pretty much I could boil it down to survival. You know, once you're at the bottom of the barrel, you know you don't, you know you lower your morals. So I was open to going to wherever like and I knew, as long as I had a bag, they would let me in and I could either, you know, sleep on the couch or use a restroom or whatever. During my time of incarceration, when I first started, there was no end in sight for me, like. So I threw myself at the feet of those around me and I was just like down for whatever and I did whatever. I did a lot and finally, you know, it came down to I have a brother, I have a girl who I love so much, and you know they were really pushing for me to do something better. Like to, you know, go and get some certs. Like to, you know, go and get some certs. And you know, and I utilized the opportunities I had at Casa Grande to execute those things, which has really helped me turn things around, open new doors and you know where all my loyalties and were dedicated before I shifted into positive things and I started making small changes, like at first I started to try to not cuss so much. I tried to stop listening to vulgar music vulgar music and like hateful things, you know and I noticed. And then I started doing other things, like if I would see trash somewhere, I would pick it up. And then those little things, they just started building me and building me and then I started growing off of that. I built a platform off of that and started Just making bigger, better changes. And now that these doors are open to me, my mind is wider, like it's not so on dumb things.
Speaker 2:When I first went to Casa Grande, I was very nervous and I'm how do they say, prison mentality. So I went there and I was like my God, I can't do this, send me back. So I'm like you know, I'm not going to last here, nothing's going to work, and this and that. And then, like I said, I started making little small changes within myself and then basically I ended up I kept hearing about hope and hope for prisoners and this and that.
Speaker 2:And when I got to Casa Grande, I'm like I quickly realized I can't do this, I can't do this alone. I thought I had a grasp on it, but I didn't, because people have changed, the world has changed, everyone is. They bow to their neon gods. Now you know what I mean, and by that I mean like their phones. So I ride the bus and you know there's no people connection, no more there's. You know, they're all glued to their phones or something.
Speaker 2:And so I realized the world has changed dramatically since I have been in there, and for me to adapt I got to change a lot of things, I got to make some big adjustments, because I'm still thinking hey, you, you know you step on my toe in the yard, that's a problem, but in here, in real life, you know people will step on your toe and just keep pushing and I'm like wait a minute, where's, where's my excuse me, you know and chase them down and go get that. But this was at first. So now I? So? Now what happened was I was hearing a lot about hope for prisoners and this and that, but then I was hearing a lot of drama behind that, like um. So I ignored all that. I went over there to john ponders, threw myself at their feet, did the workshop, you know, joined some classes, balanced living and a few others at the time, and it started giving me, it started giving me a new mindset. It started giving me something that I can like, like when you plant the seed and little roots started taking roots and started. Then you start seeing a little, you know, green coming out and it starts growing a little more, a little more. And you know I'm not perfect. I I still got things that I'm struggling with, but not like I was right now. I detest drugs. Even the smell of marijuana makes me kind of nauseous and I smell it all the time on the bus and over there, by concept, they have a dispensary, and then I'm walkingous and I smell it all the time on the bus and over there, by concept, they have a dispensary, and then I'm walking back and I smell this like, oh, gross, you know. Oh.
Speaker 2:So I went to school and everything, um, you know, did a really good job at school, earned, earned the love of the people there, you know, to doing a good job not just in my class work and in my book work, but also helping around the shop, when you know, because there's a shop too just like yours well, maybe not just like yours, but it's got a lot less going on so but you know they need help with things and so I would stay extra if I could and throw myself into it and know, basically, I just dive into everything like, but positive stuff, not the stuff that I used to like throw myself into. And so, yeah, I got my certs and I didn't know how it was going to work, went to a few places, applied and a few more and it didn't work. And then, finally, I went back to my school and they directed me to here, yeah, and so through that and even still, I was super nervous and you know. But I knew that this was a more setting setting environment for me, because I'm kind of a ruffian, I need to be doing rough stuff. I can't. Well, I guess I could if I was trained properly, sit at a computer and stuff, but that would inevitably drive me nuts, so I need to be out running around with my hands on something, creating something. And then Matt here gave me the opportunity to come here and I just threw myself at his feet, just like I did with Hope, and it's been nothing but a blessing.
Speaker 2:I've learned so much. I can build things now, which I could probably build some things before, but just out of wood, like never metal, and I love it. I feel like I'm a heavy metal technician right now. I'm not even the same thing I was before I got here, not even really close. I mean, yeah, I'm. I still struggle with some little things here and there, but nothing illegal. I don't think of doing crime anymore. I don't think of running around hurting people or rolling people out the yard or you know stuff like that. That's all done like and I hear these dudes over there talking about I just do my thing, go take my shower or eat my food or whatever, and go on to the next day. And yeah, I've grown immensely and through this, through the people downstairs that I work with, they've all taught me so much and they've been here while open arms. And you know, my shop supervisor is a fire chief for 30 years and you would think for anybody to hold some kind of disregard for somebody who's done 10 years in prison it would be him. But no, it's all love. He's always there for me. He's got my back to the fullest, just like Matt and his family and everybody here, and you know I'm fully dedicated to this and I love it.
Speaker 2:I didn't know the whole logistics of things and I'm learning and stuff, and we started talking about doing serve days and going out and serving the community. I like to help people whenever I can and do what I can, and prior to that, I was going to City Light Church and I noticed a lot of the times they kept asking for because they were in the process of building a new church and they were always asking for donations and stuff, which is not easy for me to do in my situation because I don't operate on cash or anything like that. They pretty much take everything I got and so I didn't think so I can't just, you know, give freely, like as if I was a free man. So when I heard that we're going doing serve days, we're going out, serving the community, we're doing church things, we're helping kids, and I decided I decided, wait a minute. We went on a couple and I was like, oh, these guys, like they're staying punched in. Why is that? You know? For we're all going to help, you know. So I decided how I'm going to give back is I'm going to go in and do everything I can every time and I'm definitely not going to charge my company for the work that we're doing to help people. I think I forgot one time, maybe the last time, I'm not sure we went to make sandwiches. But yeah, I forgot one time, maybe the last time, I'm not sure we went to make sandwiches, but uh, yeah, I make sure to try to punch out, or you know, I mean and and go and just give my all wholeheartedly, and that's how I give back all the blessings I've been granted along the way, and or try at least.
Speaker 2:I'm scared. I'm scared to get out, but I got tools in my box. Now, I got, I got tools and I got weapons, and I'm not talking about like a Glock, I'm talking about I got God on my side, I got. You know what I mean. I got you, I got my brother, I got my girl, I got Abraham Taylor. I know they got my backs to the fullest, even Javier. They're all really good people and, yes, I'm scared to get out because now I'm going to be over there. They bring you toilet paper. You know, I got to go to the store and buy this stuff now. So, yeah, all of those little things I guess I'm going to have to relearn and do proper so that I have the provisions I need to make it through, and you know. So I am scared, but I am excited too, because I do want to apply the things that I've learned. I want to, you know, go and get my own apartment, get my own car. You know maybe have people over for dinner or something at my place. You know not have to go and beg, you know, to get in or something. You know, type stuff.
Speaker 2:My message is you can do it. If I could do it, you could do it, and I know there's many others like me that have been all the way down in the dumps and things may look hopeless. It may look like there's no end. There may, but there is always a light at the end of the tunnel and there's always help, and I know through God that. You know, things have really turned around like incredibly, like it's like I told you the other day I have to watch what I pray for because I'll get it.
Speaker 2:That's not cool. It's not cool all the time. Or at least send me a list of the full logistics of it. You know what I mean. It doesn't really work that way. So, yeah, so I. My message is yeah, you can do it, anybody can do it. Anybody can do it, male, female, older, younger. The help is out there. You know, you just got to apply yourself and throw yourself into it 100%. Don't go in sitting on the fence. Jump over the fence and run. You guys are awesome. That's it. That's it. Did I do good you?
Speaker 1:did incredible.
Speaker 2:Are you sure you communicate very well Really? Yes, okay, you got a gift baby. No I don't, yeah, thank you I love you. I love you too, thank you.