Beyond Sunday
Welcome to Beyond Sunday, the Podcast that takes you deeper into the Word of God throughout your week, with your Host Pastor Lee Day.
It's Time to Inspire, Uplift, and dig deeper. Beyond Sunday starts now!
Beyond Sunday
From Rock Bottom to Holy Ground
A husband and wife trace their separate descents into drugs, alcohol, abuse, and shame—and the moments where surrender to Jesus turned survival into purpose. Charlie and Taylor share how recovery, church, and service keep their marriage steady and their faith alive.
• childhood divorce, trauma and early rebellion
• eighth grade weed and alcohol leading to harder drugs
• blackouts, DUIs, probation and playing the system
• abusive relationship dynamics and making an exit plan
• overdose after childbirth and losing child custody
• homelessness in a U-Haul and a bathroom surrender
• meeting through AA, choosing a church and baptism
• jail ministry, prayer at work and daily dependence on God
• practical recovery rhythms that keep us sober and united
• why silence is the real gateway and how to ask for help
Father, I pray if there be anyone out there today that is just feeling hopeless, they're struggling, they just need help they pray a prayer like this... Lord Jesus, I am a sinner, and I ask you, Lord, to come into my life and save my soul. I repent of my sins and I recognize that you died on the cross so that I could be forgiven in Jesus' name and blood. Amen
Welcome to Beyond Sunday. I am your host, Pastor Lee Day, and our pastor Christ Family Outreach Church, CFO, located right here in Amelia County, Virginia. On this episode of Beyond Sunday, we are going to hear from a wonderful husband and wife team. They have just recently been married. Charlie and Taylor O'Brien. How are the two of you doing today?
SPEAKER_00:Doing great. Doing well.
SPEAKER_01:Better than I deserve. Yeah, I agree with that myself as well. And I want to say just thank you for the two of you coming in, uh sitting around the table so we can share your story, your testimony. And you guys didn't meet till later in life, but there's a lot of similarities in your testimony that was taking place. And just want to just kind of want to warn the listeners before we get into this thing, because they may have some little ones uh in the vehicle as they ride down the road. Um, you guys are gonna be raw. This is real, this is this is real deal testimony here. And we're not glorifying the sin by any means, but we want to share what you guys went through because we're gonna give glory to God the Father who bought you guys out of it. Amen. And I think that's that's what's so impactful about a testimony from a brother and sister in Christ. You guys were born in completely different states. Taylor, you were born in Virginia. Yes, Charlie, you were born in the great state of Connecticut. Yes, sir. Uh Charlie, let's let's get going with you, my brother. Okay. Uh, you were about five years old when your parents got divorced due to your dad's alcoholism. Correct. Um, your mom took you to church every once in a while, but in your testimony, you said that you never felt a connection. Absolutely. As a kid, you begin stealing a lot, both from stores and and from people. I know you said in your testimony that stealing helped feed your ego and it it would give you things that you did not already have. But what I'd like to ask you right now, Charlie, is how much of this stealing and and things of this nature, how much of it do you think might have been uh rebelling from not having your dad in your life? Was any of that connected? It it definitely could have played a part.
SPEAKER_04:Um, I guess I never really thought about that. And it was more so to make myself feel more important than I was. Okay. And to have things I couldn't get. To give yourself some self-worth, self-value.
SPEAKER_01:Exactly. Taylor, your parents divorced when you were just four. Yes. And you felt like you had a pretty normal childhood. You played sports, you had friends, good grades. Your testimony says you had presence under the tree, right? Yes. Just kind of kind of kind of that home that that a lot of children will want to have. Uh, but you went on to experience some childhood trauma early in life. Um, you had found your dad with his mistress mistress, and she would later become your stepmother. Yeah. You had also experienced some sexual trauma, which you believe later in life caused some of your body image issues, right? Yes. Um, along with a lack of respect for your own personal body.
SPEAKER_00:Definitely.
SPEAKER_01:Taylor, could you take a moment, sister, and share with maybe a girl, a teenager, a woman out there who might be listening right now and they're struggling with body image issues, what helped you and how can it also help them?
SPEAKER_00:Once I got to the point where I started really digging into the word and I realized that God was my true father.
SPEAKER_02:Amen.
SPEAKER_00:Um, I started receiving the love that I always wanted and needed. And then there's, you know, that verse in verse in there where it's like you're made perfect in his image.
SPEAKER_01:Amen.
SPEAKER_00:And it really stuck with me.
unknown:Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:Um and you are worthy and you are beautiful, how however he created you. And for me, opening up to somebody really helped.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:Um and getting deeper down into the trauma. So not running away from the trauma and not using other things to cope with the trauma, but to just finally deal with it.
SPEAKER_01:So part of what you're saying too is there's there's a time in your life, Taylor, where you you came to realize that Jesus Christ is enough. Yes. And his love is all the love you needed. Exactly. And that love is what brought fulfillment into your life. Yes. Amen. Charlie, you began drinking and smoking weed in in the eighth grade. Correct. Yeah. And and it continued on throughout high school. What was it? Was it your friend's circle? Was it your desire to exit reality and life? A little bit of both. I don't know. What was it that kept you turning back to the drugs and alcohol and not just shaking it, shaking it off of you?
SPEAKER_04:It was definitely uh a little bit of both. Um, my group of friends, we definitely glorified that. We felt um felt it was a kind of a way to cut loose and uh and just do exactly what we wanted. We um there were no consequences to to the drinking and drugging early on. And um, because of that, it just continued and intensified throughout high school and and on the way to college.
SPEAKER_01:So you guys were getting away with it, so you just kept rolling in it.
SPEAKER_04:Exactly.
SPEAKER_01:You you wrestled in high school. Yep. And according to your testimony, you could have gone on to wrestle at a smaller college in Vermont. Correct. Right. But you decided to go to West Virginia because, in your words, it was the number one party school in the country at the time. Absolutely. And they also had a good football and basketball program. Yep. Right. So, Charlie, knowing what you know now in 2025, uh, let's Monday morning quarterback this thing for a moment, right? In the situation room, if you will. If you could go back and talk to 17 or 18-year-old Charlie, what would you tell him?
SPEAKER_04:To seek out some advice from from older people, to um to not just go off impulses, to think about my future more than the moment. Um, I felt like I was gonna be left out if I didn't go to a a fun college. Yeah. And um, and that was all I cared about, really.
SPEAKER_01:Taylor, you once told your mother in middle school that you would never smoke weed.
SPEAKER_00:I did. I remember it in the car.
SPEAKER_01:You gave her your word. Yeah. So I'm guessing as a mom caring for her daughter, did she just bring that up and and introduce that topic to you, or is that something you know?
SPEAKER_00:I have two older brothers, and I had a brother at the time that was doing it a lot. And so I knew the smell and I knew, you know.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:And um, yeah, I just never thought I would do it. I never I thought I was, you know.
SPEAKER_01:So you give her your word that you're not.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:But that all changes when you get into high school.
SPEAKER_00:Yes.
SPEAKER_01:Um, why was that? And how old were you when you first got high? Why why make that change?
SPEAKER_00:The first time I ever got high, I was 14. Um, I, you know, I think a lot of it was I wanted to fit in having the two older brothers, and they were very popular, and I wanted to have lots of friends like them. I wanted, I wanted to be cool, you know, what I thought was cool.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:So I and then, you know, there was that curiosity of like, well, what does it make you feel like?
SPEAKER_01:You wanted to test those waters. Yes. Yes. You're you're drinking though, Taylor, got to the point of you blacking out because you would drink so much. Um at the age of 18, you received your first charge of possession, and then you begin to drink alone. Yes. And there may be some people out there that are going through that right now, maybe some people that don't understand what that means and why. Why would you drink alone? Share with the listeners why.
SPEAKER_00:I at that point I was smoking every day. And once that got taken away from me, um, I was put on colors, and so I had to pass drug tests. So I basically knew that I couldn't smoke anymore. But I knew that I could get away with some drinking. So I started to just I wanted to feel something, you know, again. So I was like, well, I can do this to, you know, feel something else or to fall asleep. Or right.
SPEAKER_01:So you found something to replace what had gotten taken from you in the weed, right? Yes. You you had to report to classes. You kind of just mentioned that. You you had a probation officer, but in your testimony, you say that you're still playing the system and you're good at it. Yes. Right? You're getting away with some things, a lot of things. Yes. Uh one time leaving a wedding, you were actually driving your vehicle down the wrong side of the road. Praise God, you or no one else got hurt. Amen.
SPEAKER_02:Yes.
SPEAKER_01:Uh, and you were pulled over that night by the cops. You you made a promise that night when you get back to the hotel room, correct? Share with the listeners about that promise and if you kept it or not.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, so this one, yikes. All right, so after um basically the cops they ended up very nicely charging me with a um open container charge, and they told me that they would leave it at that if I could find two people sober, one to pick up my car and one to take me home. So I quickly tried to find two people, sober people, and they came and we went back to the hotel room, and you know, everybody was very concerned for me, and they weren't happy that I drove. Nobody knew I left the wedding, I just left. Um, so when I got back to the room, you know, in a lot of hotels, there's a Bible in the drawer.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:And we pulled it out, and I had a friend ha had I basically sweared on the Bible that I would not drink and drive again. And again, I broke that promise. So Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Well, you later got into a single vehicle car accident, right? And you had been drinking, yes, the promise broken, and and you are also on prescribed Xanax as well, correct? That the judge makes you attend classes once a week, but you're still working the system. Correct. Because you were drinking every day and had even been using some cocaine at this time in your life, correct? Yes. So from weed to alcohol to now something as hard as cocaine. Do you feel like the both of you guys, let me ask both of you this question. Do do you guys feel like weed was, as so many people call it, that gateway drug for you guys? Like, what's your opinion on that?
SPEAKER_04:For me, it definitely was. Um, it kind of just lowered the inhibitions for me and then took it was it was just putting a foot past the line, but once I went past that line, it just opened the doors for a lot of other things.
SPEAKER_01:It was so so so much easier to go to the next yard line. Absolutely. Yeah. How how about you, Taylor?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, I mean, I think it's clear too. Like once I couldn't do it, I tried something else, you know, or not trying something else. I'd already tried that, but replacing it. So it's it's very clear that you know starts out somewhere.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. Yeah. What what I would like to say for anyone listening out there, regardless of their age, who may be tempted to smoke some marijuana, or maybe they've just started, or maybe they've been in it for a while and it's just not it's not doing what it once did when they first got into it and they're considering looking to that next step. I I would I just want to take a minute and encourage them, just set it down. Just just be just be done with it. Just be absolutely done with it so that it does not slowly creep in and take over, take over your life and lead you into deeper, darker worldly passions and desires. Taylor, I'm gonna ask you the same question I asked your husband Charlie here. If you could go back and speak to 14 to 27-year-old Taylor, let's jump into that age range of your life for a minute. If you could go back and speak to 14 to 27-year-old Taylor, what would you tell her? Because between those ages, you had smoked, you had drank, you had taken prescription pills, cocaine, psychedelics, right? What would you tell 14 to 27-year-old Taylor?
SPEAKER_00:Tell her to slow down. I'd tell her to slow down and talk to somebody. I think, you know, during that time of my life, a lot happened. Yeah. And instead of getting the help that I needed, I just continued to use. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:You just you're just burying and covering up feelings that you don't want to deal with, right? Definitely. It's very interesting that that you said the same thing that Charlie said. Talk to somebody. How so obviously you guys being in the type of circle where people are using and abusing, how many, how many people do you think fall under that same category that just didn't go talk to somebody? What's your thought on that?
SPEAKER_04:A lot. I mean, out of my 20 good friend groups, I think 17 of us went to rehab, a couple are dead. Um we just kind of looked at each other instead of seeking outside help or finding someone we could talk to and look up to. It was we yeah, like we glorified God getting messed up.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, I th and I think that's so important, like when we come to Christ, that when we see these people who are obviously sick coming into church, they're they're burdened by bondages and addictions. Like these are the people, these are the people that Jesus came for too. You know what I'm saying? Like, these are the people that spiritually mature folks need to have their eyes open and ready to see and receive. Not just see, because it's easy to see, right? But but to receive, to see and receive and to make them feel welcome when they come into the doors of the church house, God's house, so that they can feel that this is a safe place, that they're not gonna just judge me right out the door, but they're gonna walk this journey with me and and and show hope and love and redemption and healing and being rescued and set free in the name of Jesus. Yeah, and so I, you know, that's our job as Christians. Because, like y'all are sitting here, again, if you could Monday morning quarterback it, you would say just get help. Talk to somebody. Yeah, stop burying it, stop hiding it. Right. So I held everything to myself, you know. Just open up and ask for help. Did do you feel like one of the reasons that you held it to yourself, Charlie, was because you didn't want to be judged, you weren't done with it, you didn't think you thought someone was gonna drop the hammer on you, all of the above. Like, what are some of the reasons you felt you didn't go get help?
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, all the above, I mean, alcoholism runs very deep in my family, and so I didn't want to admit that I had a problem. That was a big, big thing early on. I thought I had control of it and I thought it showed weakness. Um yeah, just tried to handle it myself and that didn't end up working.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, yeah. Taylor, why do you think that you were just burying it and not talking to people about it?
SPEAKER_00:Um I think for me, like when it comes to some of the trauma, um it's weird. I almost wanted to protect other people. Um, so I think that really kept me from talking about it for a long time because I it's like I wanted myself to hurt more than I wanted them to hurt, which is kind of crazy.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, yeah. Buying buying into that lie from the enemy, right? Yeah. Uh Charlie, your freshman year went pretty smoothly in college. Yep. But once you moved out of the dorms and got off campus, uh the your testimony says that the drinking, the drugging really took over in your life. How many days a week? How many days a week were you going out and partying?
SPEAKER_04:Uh probably about four to five, and then it steadily increased. During the end of my time at West Virginia, I was going out about six days a week. Okay. Wow, that's that's pretty intense.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. All of those partying, drinking, drugging, smoking, absolutely, yeah. Getting it getting into trouble, right? Um, you you you even got arrested multiple times. Yes. Uh during this point of your life, but but still no wake-up call. Do do you feel that there were times where like where someone was just knocking on your door and you weren't listening, or was nobody was nobody around seeing what was going on? Like how does that work out for you? I kind of hid it.
SPEAKER_04:I mean, the only person my mom knew I kept getting in trouble and getting arrested. She felt that because I shared it with her, she didn't want to share it with anybody else. And she was going through her own demons at the time. And so it was kind of like our little secret. And then uh yeah, I mean, my friends were probably the ones who were most concerned about me.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. So again, it comes down to nobody's talking about it. Yeah. And then and then if you do share it with someone and they're not able to help you in the way that you need help, you've shared it, but it didn't go to the right someone who was equipped to help you. Yes. That's one of the reasons I like the life recovery class at our church because you get you get people in there that have struggled with all types of of abuses or all types of addictions or different traumas in life, whether it be physical, uh, sexual, whether it be drug addiction, alcoholism, and and and people can get in a room and they can just share with other people and be real and get help and see what God's word has to say about it. Yeah. Uh when when you went home for summer after your junior year in college, let's go there, Charlie. Okay. You get home for summer after your junior year in college, and you realize that your mom has a drinking problem as well. Yes. So this is running deep now. And you you mentioned earlier that there's alcoholism in your family. Uh so you take mom to rehab. Correct. You were the one who had to deal with the realtor. Well, man, when I read this part in your testimony, I was blowed away. I'm like, man, great day. You know, just you figure right right here, how old are you, junior in college, roughly? 19. So 19 years old. 20. Yeah. 19, 20, give or take, right? So you got to take mom to rehab. Yeah. You then you then come back. You've got to deal with a realtor to sell the house. Uh, you had to pack everything up. Yep. Right? You get it all in the storage, but you did not choose to learn a lesson yet. Correct. What what did this experience drive you towards? It's either gonna, it's either gonna make you better or worse. How does this experience 19, 20-year-old Charlie having to having to really step up and be be a be a man and do more than what really you should have had to do at that point in life? Yeah. What does this do to you?
SPEAKER_04:Um, it pushed me farther away, like more into the drinking and the drugging and and that entire lifestyle. Um, so I mean, at that time I was after I put my mom in rehab, and I started stealing from her, started stealing from her bank account, um, started selling drugs, anything I could, anything I could sell to make money off of. And um It just pushed me further down the the wrong path. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, and it's gotta be a tough spot to to be so so bought into what you're doing that you're willing to steal from your own mother. Yes. And I'm sure you're probably justifying it to some degree, you know. Absolutely. Well, if she's doing this or she's not here, what whatever. You know, at this point in your testimony, it says that there's daily cocaine usage going on. Yes. Um, selling the drugs that you just mentioned, there's oxy, right? So a lot of things happening in the life of Charlie. You ended up failing out of West Virginia University. Correct. And you you moved to Virginia.
SPEAKER_04:Yep.
SPEAKER_01:What was your headspace like during the move? What are you what are you thanking coming to Virginia? Where are you at?
SPEAKER_04:So my dad, I kind of let my dad in on a lot of what was going on with my mom. And um, he had told me a couple times, hey, why don't you get out of there and move down here? And so eventually I did. And um, I didn't know anyone down here, just my my dad and my stepmom. And so I was I was actually really looking forward to it. I was looking for a geographic change and thinking that getting out of Connecticut would solve a lot of problems. And uh when I came down here, I did pretty good for about a month or so, and then started meeting people that I used to hang out with back home and then was right back off to the races.
SPEAKER_01:You left one circle, found another circle eventually, but the circles uh mirrored each other. Yeah. I brought me wherever I went. Yeah, yeah. Uh you end up getting a job at a local golf course, yeah, and it doesn't help you towards getting better. Why not?
SPEAKER_04:Well, it was a great job, and I got around a lot of good people, but um I was only really working four hours a day, and the the members were letting me drink with them, and and I got paid in cash. So it was just a combination of everything for a good alcoholic and drug addict.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, so to something that that that Taylor had said, she said that she would tell her younger self to slow down. Yes. So something about this fast pace uh the way of living, you didn't you didn't have to work long. You got cash. Yep. These guys are are letting you drink with them, right? And so I I'm just picturing that Charlie's back into this fast paced action again of doing what Charlie wants to do. Without a doubt. Yeah. During the next few years, Charlie, you began using heroin daily? Correct. Yes. And you did go on to graduate from VCU with a business degree. Yes. Congratulations on that. In your testimony, you mentioned um right. Right when you graduated, you ran out of the theater where the graduation was being held. Explain to the listeners what you were doing immediately after graduation. You run out through the cars in the street, you meet somebody. What are you doing as you're as you're weaving through the cars?
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, so I went and met my girlfriend at the time and and got some heroin from her. And uh I'm ducking in between the cars, taking a sniff, and I pop up and and see my dad, stepmom, and sisters walking down the street and just they're smiling ear to ear. They're so proud of me. Yeah. And uh, and little did they know I was a full-blown heroin addict at the time.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. How how do you how do you feel in that moment, or do you remember? Like, did you feel guilty? Were you just like, ah, whatever, man? It's just another another day in the life of Charlie, or or how did you feel?
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, it was more so just covering my own butt, you know, like making sure they didn't know exactly what I was doing. Um, and then it just kind of moved right on past it. I didn't really think about it until I got got sober.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, it really just shows the power of the drug. Absolutely. You know what I mean? And as you said earlier, marijuana was that gateway for you, man. Yep. You know, so we could trace it all the way back to that. But now here you are, which should have been one of your greatest moments in in that particular chapter of your life, and you worried about your next hit and covering up from your parents, yeah, from your family. Taylor, I'm gonna come back to you um for a moment here. When you were 21, you were in an abusive relationship. Yes, and you had a gun held to your head multiple times and even had been abused physically multiple times as well, correct? Yes. Let me just ask you this why not leave? Uh, what was holding you there? Because there's odds are there's some people going through something very similar right now. And I would love for you to just kind of share with them because maybe a light bulb can go off for someone out there and say, man, that's me. You know, like as I'm sitting here listening to this lady Taylor, like it sounds so much like my story. And maybe hearing your story could help them make the move and not have to go through it as long as you did, Taylor. So uh just a couple questions. Why not leave? What was holding you there? And what would you tell that woman who may still be struggling uh with making the right decision right now?
SPEAKER_00:So I think the ultimate reason why I didn't leave is you know, we would also drink together, and a lot of this, a lot of the times that he would get to this really physically abusive state, he would be drunk. And so I tried to kind of say, well, that's not really him.
SPEAKER_01:Make excuses for him.
SPEAKER_00:Right. And you know, I also honestly I thought I could save him, but you know who saves Jesus saves, you know. So I could not do that. That was not my work to do. Um and I would say, you know, for me, if I finally had a breaking point where I just was like, What am I doing? You know? Yeah, and that night I actually called my best friend and I told her, I said, You come here tomorrow morning and you come get my things with me. I don't care if I try to talk you out of it. Yeah, you're gonna, I need your help, come get me.
SPEAKER_03:Right.
SPEAKER_00:And she did.
SPEAKER_03:Amen.
SPEAKER_00:And so definitely again, asking for help, you know, ask for help. And I know it's hard, and I know that you might also feel like you can save this person, but the truth is like only Jesus can do that. And until the Holy Spirit convicts that person, then you know, there's not much else you can do, but honestly walk away from it.
SPEAKER_01:Amen. One thing I got from that that piece that you just mentioned there, you called somebody, but you called somebody that was willing to do something about it.
SPEAKER_02:Yes.
SPEAKER_01:You know what I mean? And and I think that that's so important. If we're gonna talk to someone, talk to somebody that's willing to do something about it and have our backs. And like you said, even if you get here in the morning, I don't want to go, pull me out the house with you. Yes. When when COVID hit, Taylor, your drinking that was already bad, escalated and got even worse. Yes. And you got to the point to where you were drinking for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And when you were at work, where would you run to when it was time for lunch break?
SPEAKER_00:So I would actually run to the liquor store to get a quick fix.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. So to me, that's that's like, okay, we've we're beyond problem, right? And and you you're you're going to get your fix at the liquor store. It comes down to the point to where you thought you had lost your job, and your mom, your mom has to come and and get you your your job later on ends up working with you, right? Um, but your mom has gotten to the point to where she was extremely worried for her daughter, yeah, as she should be. And you were at the point where you could you couldn't hide the drinking any longer. It it had just consumed you, correct? 100%. So she takes you, mom takes you to the hospital where you're admitted and you're evaluated, and your blood alcohol content was 0.45.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Legal level, 0.08, but you're 0.45. Yeah. And most people at this point would have been dead.
SPEAKER_00:Definitely. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:I mean, so can we just say it's a miracle that you're here at the table with Charlie and myself? Amen. You know, I mean, so we thank God for that. I mean, that that is a miracle. Yeah. In your testimony, it says that the hospital that you were at said that you were the second highest level that they had ever seen. Yes. I mean, that's incredible. I mean, that that's absolutely amazing that that you are still here. So that just tells me that even in even in one of your darkest hours, God the Father is not done with Taylor. No. And I just think that's a beautiful thing about our Heavenly Father. And maybe there's some people listening that just feel like life is not worth living. But if you're still here, God's not done with you. If you're still listening, God is not done with you. Amen. Amen. Uh, Taylor, your your life is a testimony, really, Charlie, yours as well, of God sparing the two of you. And it's a miracle that the both of you are are here here tonight, uh, recording this podcast with me around this table. But Taylor, what do you feel? What do you feel, Taylor, when you think about just like your whole life and what God walked you through in this journey? What do you feel when you consider how blessed you are to still be here? Like, what what what what what can even come into your mind? I mean, I can't I can't even imagine. So I'm just gonna ask you. Like, because I would think that there's been times in your life where you sit back and think, like, wow.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, well, there's probably a lot of times I um could have died, to be honest with you, in that period of my life. I mean, from just doing reckless things to too many drugs to too much alcohol. Yeah. I mean, it's it's truly a blessing that I am here today. And I'm so grateful for that. And what he is continuing to bless me with. And I feel like the higher my faith gets, like faith to faith, glory to glory, like the more blessings I'm seeing.
SPEAKER_01:Amen. And yeah. And the beauty in that is like you guys are both serving the Lord now. You you guys are sold out for Christ. You know, you're you're living a walk that he's calling you to walk and being a light in a dark world. You guys, because of your testimony, can can go touch and have impact on people. Charlie will talk about that in a moment on on what you do once a month, right? Uh before we before we get there, Charlie, you go from drinking to drugging to using crack and heroin daily. Yep. You you overdose the day you return from the hospital. When I when I read that in your testimony, I was like, okay, so this lets me know where my brother's at. You know, like this tells me how bad he is. So so your firstborn son, yeah, he's born. Correct. You guys come back from the hospital, you you got him with you, yeah, right? And and you've got your dealer waiting in the driveway, yeah, so that you can get a fix, right? And then you end up overdosing, correct? Correct. Because of it. Uh your your girlfriend at the time and the mother of your two sons, you guys, it gets so bad that y'all go on to lose custody for a while.
SPEAKER_04:Correct.
SPEAKER_01:Yes. But but now talk talk about a redemption story, right? Because now, Charlie, you've you've got you've got your boys, Taylor. You're now you're now a wonderful mother to these two boys. I see you guys at our church events, man, and y'all are just like one big happy family. And I and it's like, man, what a blessing for you guys, but also for these boys. Absolutely. You know, the the boys worked their way through three different foster families. Uh, Charlie, you were you were living in the back at one point of a U-Haul truck for six months. What was that like? Miserable. I was getting ready to stay miserable, bro. I was getting ready to say it. You took it out of my mouth.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, it was miserable. I mean, anytime I parked it, I was afraid they were gonna come pick it up and tow it because I I didn't pay the bill on it. Yeah. Um you're just running with it. Yeah, just running with it. Yeah, yeah. So so you totally miserable.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, you you lived in that for six months until they did come to pick it up. Correct, yeah. Uh you you end up you end up hitting your knees in a bathroom and crying out to God for help, Charlie. Walk us through that moment in the bathroom.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, um it's surreal thinking back on it now. Um to be honest, right before right before that was the last time I used. And uh I went back to the treatment center and uh was getting ready to take a shower, and I was just staring in the mirror and I was like, I can't do this anymore. And uh was crying, um and and then just hit my knees and I begged God for help.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, I didn't yeah. And he answered. Any answer and and that's the beauty in it. When we when we truly cry out to God for help, he always answers. Yeah, he he he knows and examines our hearts, and when he sees a heart that is truly repenting and apologetic for where they've taken their own self, like he sees that, and that's so that's where the rescue story starts, you know. Taylor, you end up coming to Jesus Christ as well, and in the spring of 2023, God brings the two of you guys together. If I remember right, didn't I read um that the first date was at an AA meeting? Did I read that right? Yeah, that's right. So walk me through that. Like, how does how does that happen? Did y'all know you were going there together? Was it like, hey, do you want to go? You just met each other there.
SPEAKER_00:We had already met in through AA. Okay, and then um, well, I took it upon myself to find him on Facebook. Then um, he messaged me first. Yeah, and so then we kind of went from there and he picked me up from my house, and I'll never forget it. He brought me a flower pen instead of flowers. He brought me a flower pen, and I still have that pin to this day. That's awesome. So, yeah, and it'll never die. Yeah, that's right.
SPEAKER_01:If it had been if it had been a flower, right? If it had been a flower, odds are it'd been trash by now, right? So that's extremely special. That's awesome. Yeah, so so you guys were both really in your recovery journey um early on together and begin dating one another. Yeah, you're you're both attending a church in Chesterfield, Virginia. But Taylor, uh, you end up getting invited to a Bible study at our church here in Amelia at CFO. And then eventually you end up asking Charlie to attend a Sunday service at CFO because you were kind of you kind of felt torn between both churches, right?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, I was definitely going back and forth. But you know, doing the Bible study, I was making a lot more connections. And I just it was just something I was like, and actually I'll I'll say this. So the Bible study was the bait of Satan.
SPEAKER_01:Yes, which we're currently doing it in right now. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:And I did not know this. And um, my friend, she sent me the link. I bought the book and it came in the mail. And when I opened it and I started reading it, I was at the time in the fourth step of recovery, which is dealing with your offenses. And that's exactly what this study is on. And I just knew in that moment that God just I felt this like sensation, like God was there, like he was there, and he said, I got you.
SPEAKER_01:Praise God. Yeah, praise the Lord. So you you really felt his presence in that moment, and you know that this is where God wants you to be.
SPEAKER_02:Yes.
SPEAKER_01:So you end up inviting Charlie to come out on a Sunday service. Am I right in saying that? And in in the testimony, it says, if I've got this right, it's January 7th of 2024. Yes. Yep. Charlie, that's your first day coming out. It is. And and something special happens in the service. Just kind of walk us through what took place on that Sunday for you.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, so at the end of service, um, Pastor Lee called us up for anyone who wanted prayer. And uh Taylor and I went to the front of the church with a big, large group of people, and um, and then he asked if anyone wanted to get to know Jesus. And uh and my hand went straight up, and uh, he called me up on stage and we repeated the sinner's prayer with him, and uh I just felt the Holy Spirit just kind of go all through my body and just kind of felt this warm feeling and got very emotional um when I was repeating it and just praise God and just knew I was at home.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, yeah, that's awesome, brother. That's awesome. I just remember you being up there. Uh as you said, the the Holy Spirit just hits you and you feel his presence in your body, you begin to cry, you know, and it's just it was just a beautiful moment, man. Absolutely beautiful moment. Yeah, uh now talk about a beautiful moment. A few a few months later, the two of you get baptized at church.
SPEAKER_02:Yes, yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Uh and that was special because Charlie, I got to baptize you first, and Taylor was in the pool with us in the baptismal pool. You get to help baptize Taylor, which, which I just think is just amazing, you know, and and how beautiful is that? Because not everybody can say, Hey, I I I baptized my wife. Now, you guys weren't married yet, you know, but not everybody can say, I baptized my wife, or I was in the pool when my husband got baptized. Right. I I just think that that is that's that's that's such a gift, hearing as a listener's hear the the two paths that both of you guys journeyed on. I don't think it's any accident because I know God doesn't, God doesn't make accidents. Yeah, you know, he it's like God's not like, uh-oh, well, check that out. Wow, this is something that Charlie and Taylor got together and they and their past, you know, their their their backgrounds were so like similar, you know what I mean? Like from the jump, like he knew, you know, from the very jump, from the very get-go, he knew. And I just I just feel like in so many ways, it's so that you guys are gonna be stronger together. And absolutely when when one gets weak or one struggles, or one, you know, one's going through something, the other one can understand it in a different way that a lot of people really can't understand, you know. So I just see it as as God providing strength for each one of you through through the entire marriage for the rest of your lives. I mean, how cool is that that God God did that for you guys? Yeah, you know, that that you have one another to lean on. Yeah, it's amazing.
SPEAKER_04:It really is.
SPEAKER_01:Absolutely. Charlie, share with us how long has it been because you started you started really early in life. How how long has it been since you've been drug and alcohol free? Do you do you know the date or like a time for November 11th, 2022? November 11, 2000, 2022. Yeah. So you guys have been married now. We kind of mentioned this in the beginning of the podcast, Charlie. You you got you guys been married now since this past September. Correct. So a lot of people say y'all are still newlyweds. Share with the people where y'all went to the honeymoon. Where'd you go? Went to Jamaica. And y'all got out right before the big hurricane. Yeah, praise God. But praise God y'all got home. You know, y'all got out right in time. Y'all, y'all were some of the blessed ones that were able to do that. Once a month, Charlie, and I related to this uh uh a few minutes ago, but we'll talk about it now. Once a month, you go back into the jail system and you help other people who are struggling with addiction. What's that look like?
SPEAKER_04:So it's really amazing. Um, so when I was locked up in Chesterfield, every Monday they would bring AA meetings into the jail. And uh that's actually where I met my sponsor in that same room that we hold them in today. And uh I get a chance to go back once a month and and kind of bring some experience, strength, and hope to the guys.
SPEAKER_01:And that's powerful. It is, it's it's powerful. So you're going back sowing good seed, godly seed on fertile ground, just like someone came and sowed seed into your life. Absolutely. Yeah, Taylor, what do you do for a living if you don't mind?
SPEAKER_00:I'm a cosmetologist.
SPEAKER_01:Okay, so is there opportunities with people just because so you're seeing people, right? Uh opportunities in your line of work as well to share the gospel, to shine the light. How does that work for you?
SPEAKER_00:Yes, definitely. I mean, people come in all the time and talk about their struggles and things like that. And it does, it gives me an opportunity to sometimes share my story if they're struggling. Um and I've actually I had a young guy come in one time and I won't share what he shared with me, but it was the first time I was able to pray over somebody. Wow, that's awesome.
SPEAKER_01:And um but that's big growth.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, that was so that was really, really, that was just really nice. And I he you could tell he was very grateful for it, and he walked out feeling good. And amen.
SPEAKER_01:Praise God. So that's the beauty of living our faith and shining the light of Christ out loud. We're not to take it and hide it under a desk or a bed. We're to where to set it up on the stand, right? And let that light shine. So when when when someone comes to Christ, it's it's like boom, there it is. God's got another, another set of hands and feet, another, another mouthpiece out in the community. And when people come you know across our path, we get to shine and we get to share the love of Jesus and we get to share hope, which is what we're doing in this in this episode right now. We're sharing hope with anybody that's willing to listen and share the link, you know. Right. Uh Taylor, in your testimony, you said that um to stay strong, here's a list of things. And I'm just gonna go over the list that you said because I loved it. I loved it. I loved it. In your testimony, you said you stay strong, the two of you together, because you guys attend church together. You you serve in the church, uh, you read God's word, you attend life recovery, you you spread the light of Jesus Christ. These are all things that keep the two of you strong together, right? Now, you said the following thing, Taylor. I'm gonna quote you for a minute because it was so good. I was like, I I gotta Taylor quote this thing. So here's my Taylor quote, okay? You said this and I quote Taylor. I personally feel the closest to God when helping others and serving him. I don't just rely on God to keep me from drinking again, but I rely on him in every aspect of my life. He is my healer, my provider, my protector, and so much more. He is everything to me. Unquote. And when I read that, I was just like, that is so powerful. That is so powerful. It's the truth. Yeah, amen. And and and you've walked it, you know, like you have walked it through through through uh sexual abuse, physical abuse, um, the whole, you know, uh body shaming and feeling different ways about about you, you know, yourself, the the drugs, the alcohol, the numbing of things, the not the not talking to people when you should have talked to people, like you've walked such a dark journey, and Christ is the one that has rescued you. You you are his daughter, and he loves you and he he he died on the cross for you, he redeemed you. And what I love about it is is you see that and you know that. Yeah, and you're you're living proof, you're a living testimony of that. And and I just think it's it's it's amazing.
SPEAKER_02:Thank you.
SPEAKER_01:Thank you for sharing it. Yeah, Charlie, you said, because I got a Charlie quote here. Uh I'm gonna drop down a Charlie quote on the listeners. You said this, and I quote, I hit my knees in the morning and ask God for help daily. We pray as a family and thank God for everything that we have. The only reason I am here today is because of God's grace. He has given me a chance to be a husband and a father. And then you go on to say this these. Are the things that I always prayed for, but never thought was possible. When I finally got out of the way and let God do the driving, they became a reality. Yeah. And folks, I'm here to tell you today that there is hope available, and his name is Jesus Christ. And I know that the two of you would agree. Touch on that, on that thought for a minute, Charlie. Um, that quote where you said, These are the things that I always prayed for, but never thought it was possible.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah. Um, I mean, like, before I hit my knees that night in the uh in the treatment center, uh, the only time I really prayed were what I call like foxhole prayers. You know, you're in jail and you're like, God, if you let me out, I'll I'll never do this again. And and you said it perfectly. God knows what's in our heart. And he knew he knew how genuine I was in that moment, and then that's that's right when he stepped into my life. Um but I can still remember in treatment, um, praying to God and asking to make me a uh help help form me into be a husband, a father, uh, a better, a better person. And he's slowly molding me into that.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, amen. It's a daily journey, isn't it, Charlie? Absolutely. It's a daily, daily journey. Well, we begin this episode with Charlie. So, Taylor, I'm gonna let you close it out with with a thought. I'll go back to one of your quotes here. Um, I don't just rely on God to keep me from drinking, but I rely on him in every aspect of my life. So, what's that look like when you wake up tomorrow? What's that look like for you in the life of Taylor O'Brien?
SPEAKER_00:Well, for me, uh first of all, when I do dig into the word, I always ask him to open my heart, my eyes, my ears, whatever it is. Yeah. Um, I ask him help there to teach me. Um, I ask him, you know, when I get anxious through things to give me the strength to get through them. Yeah. Um, I mean, even, you know, raising two kids now.
SPEAKER_01:Um Yeah, because you went from not being a mom to all of a sudden bam, right? Having two boys, having two boys.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, which I wouldn't trade it for the world, but I mean, they're really cool boys, by the way.
SPEAKER_01:They're awesome. Anytime I can have a little conversation with them at church. I mean, it they're cool kids. They're they're they're cool kids.
SPEAKER_00:But you know, every mom knows and every dad knows it's hard raising kids. And so I've definitely had to ask him for the guidance through that. And like, you know, what am I supposed to be doing here? Like, am I doing this right? So, I mean, I I really ask him for help in everything.
SPEAKER_01:I mean, and that's how it really should be. Yeah, you know, uh we we we should be seeking his counsel for all things, for all things, and that's why you guys are where you're at today. Yeah, because you you you surrendered, you you cried out to him, you realized the way that you were doing it just wasn't working. Do you guys think is it a fair assessment to make that if you guys would have kept on the path you were on, it probably would have resulted in death?
SPEAKER_04:Oh, without a doubt. I I overdosed at least six, seven times. Wow. Yeah. Wow. Yeah. And uh, like I said, that I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for God's grace. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Six or seven overdoses and live to tell about it. Yeah. You know, we we had said earlier how Taylor is a miracle, and she is, and how just as much you as well. I mean, that's man, that's knocking on death's door right there. Yeah. That's knocking on death's door. I could I could only imagine that when you get it, get an opportunity to worship the Lord, it's it's it's gotta be it's gotta be easy to give him praise when he's bought you through something, something like that, you know. Absolutely.
SPEAKER_00:I was just talking cry and worship all the time in a great way.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, in a great way.
SPEAKER_00:It gets me emotional. I'm just so grateful.
SPEAKER_01:I hear that. I was just this week talking to an individual and just kind of having conversation about what worship looks like and just this person, you know, they're they they just don't feel like they need to sing, you know. And and I was just asking, you know, why not? You know, well, I just don't want to sing in public, or um, I don't really sing at all is what they were talking to me about. And I said, Well, you know, if if being in public is the issue, I want to remind you that Jesus went to the cross for you in public. Amen. You know, his his his crucifixion was not a private matter. Yeah, you know, it was extremely public. What they did to him was public, and it how they how they how they whipped him and beat him and scourged him and and and ripped the hair out of his face. I mean, putting the putting the crown of thorns on, you know, it's it's so public that we still talk about it today. Right. You know, it's extremely public. And so what I was sharing with this individual was this brother in the Lord, if Jesus could do that publicly for you, then then don't you think that you can sing publicly for him? You know, if if he didn't worry about who was to his left and right and in front and behind watching him be crucified in public, then should we be worried about who's beside us, in front of us, behind us when we go to sing out loud in a worship or praise service? And so I can only imagine that when someone is truly saved, truly redeemed, truly set free, it becomes that much easier to just profess publicly, even through song, that Jesus is Lord and King. Yes. Amen. Well, I just want to personally say thank you for the two of you coming in here around this table, sharing your testimony. I know it's given hope for people and it will continue to give hope for people. And I know God's not done with you guys. He's gonna, as you mentioned, Taylor, faith to faith and glory to glory. He's gonna continue to raise you guys up and continue to walk you through these levels of faith that he has given you guys knowledge and wisdom so that you can go forth and shine brightly for him in his glory and his name. So let's pray. Father, I'm grateful for these two here. Lord, what amazing, amazing testimonies that they have. And you're not done. You're not done building upon these testimonies. And Father, I thank you for the miracles that they are sitting here at this table, sharing what has taken place with them and in their lives and through their lives. Father, I pray if there be anyone out there today that is just feeling hopeless, they're struggling, they just need help. God, I just pray that they would do as Charlie and Taylor has mentioned, that they would just go find somebody. Father, that it just wouldn't be a somebody. It would be a special somebody that's willing to take action along with them, just like Taylor's friend was willing to come get her that next day. Father, I pray that they would be willing to steer them in the right direction. I pray that they would be just like Charlie, where he would he would cry out to Jesus for help. That it would just come to the point to where you're at the end of the rope and you know you are, and you just need to do it a different way. And maybe there's some people out there that that are not saved and they they they right now in this moment want to ask Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior of their soul. And if that's you, I just welcome you to say a prayer like this: Lord Jesus, I am a sinner, and I ask you, Lord, to come into my life and save my soul. I repent of my sins and I recognize that you died on the cross so that I could be forgiven in Jesus' name and blood. Amen. God bless you guys. Until next time on Beyond Sunday. Thank you guys so much for coming in. Thank you really. Absolutely.
