On the last episode we spoke with Freedom House directors, Gary and Susan Smith. Over the past few years we’ve had the opportunity to hear their story and experience Freedom House in Holcomb, MO. This episode we dive into three men’s lives and see evidence of an extraordinary life change facilitated by Freedom House.
The message is clear. Developing a faith in Jesus and resetting one’s worldview to become Christ centered is the key to life changing transformation. That is the story of Freedom House.
If you or someone you know is in desperate need of a life change call: 573-371-2020
JOIN US BY DONATING
We challenge you to give to Freedom House. As Susan mentioned on the podcast they are 100% supported by donations. With a 90% success rate and countless lives changed the least we can do is give up a fancy coffee to help someone get their life back.
https://www.freedomhousembtc.com/give.php
**
Discover more about Freedom House
https://www.freedomhousembtc.com/
https://www.facebook.com/freedomhousembtc
For life change opportunities speak to a Freedom House overseer at 573-371-2020
**
View this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/lqg7iiDRvIQ
Share your thoughts: podcast@sarahgood.com
Now That's Something Good Podcast by Sarah Good is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Show notes may contain affiliate links. This is at no extra cost to you but does help support telling more stories that bring more good. Now that is something good! Thank you for your kind support.
On the last episode we spoke with Freedom House directors, Gary and Susan Smith. Over the past few years we’ve had the opportunity to hear their story and experience Freedom House in Holcomb, MO. This episode we dive into three men’s lives and see evidence of an extraordinary life change facilitated by Freedom House.
The message is clear. Developing a faith in Jesus and resetting one’s worldview to become Christ centered is the key to life changing transformation. That is the story of Freedom House.
If you or someone you know is in desperate need of a life change call: 573-371-2020
JOIN US BY DONATING
We challenge you to give to Freedom House. As Susan mentioned on the podcast they are 100% supported by donations. With a 90% success rate and countless lives changed the least we can do is give up a fancy coffee to help someone get their life back.
https://www.freedomhousembtc.com/give.php
**
Discover more about Freedom House
https://www.freedomhousembtc.com/
https://www.facebook.com/freedomhousembtc
For life change opportunities speak to a Freedom House overseer at 573-371-2020
**
View this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/lqg7iiDRvIQ
Share your thoughts: podcast@sarahgood.com
Now That's Something Good Podcast by Sarah Good is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Show notes may contain affiliate links. This is at no extra cost to you but does help support telling more stories that bring more good. Now that is something good! Thank you for your kind support.
Gary:
[1:47] I would say something good is what's happening right now,
God has given us an opportunity to be with you guys and you guys are like an extended family to us and we want to thank you guys and the it's good to be able to do what we're doing right now to glorify the Lord,
and as Susan said there's something good in each of us and each of us have a story and that's good.
Sarah:
[2:11] That is good that is definitely something good,
awesome well thank you guys so I'm going to shift over here y'all on listening can't see me move but we're in our living room at the good house and I've got,
Dennis Brad and Brian Brad and Brian were looking at me for a minute because I got there both be names and I called the wrong one the wrong name earlier and I feel really bad but now I got a straight I said it right right,
I got it right so I'm just gonna go down the line Dennis I'm gonna start with you you get to be in the hot seat next so Dennis thanks for being here with us last minute I said I kind of tricked these guys I was like come over for dinner and come be on the podcast,
they've been working really hard on our project for us at 2Rivers church but,
Dennis tell us just a little bit of your story how you got to be at Freedom House and as much or a little bit as you want to you want to share pull that microphone.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[2:59] Can you hear me.
All right I had a pretty good childhood I grew up right I went to church I was on the Bible quiz team.
Oh my God I knew who Jesus was,
but when I was probably 13 14 years old the pastor of the church he you know announced in church that he'd been cheating on his wife and you know shortly thereafter my grandma died and you know I just got really,
angry you know it's like why is this happening to me in my life you know and so I just went the other way you know and I started you know using drugs and drinking which was the real problem,
the booze and I guess I just.
I mean it was fun at first supposedly that's what I you know that's what I told myself but.
You know I went on for 20 years you know and then.
Like there was a point where I started praying you know for the Lord to you know help me,
and you know I think he he was helping me I just didn't know it you know because like he let me get all the way to the bottom because.
[4:20] I've just been a know-it-all my whole life so I mean if he would have done something and it would have been me you know I did that you know and I wouldn't have you know gave him the glory for it but.
[4:34] I don't know what right before I came to the mission I was,
I ended up in the hospital from from drinking too much and they told me my liver was shutting down and I need to call my family because I'm probably not going to make it through the night,
so I called my mom I called my dad and my sister and you know I you know I got so bad that nobody showed up.
Sarah:
[5:00] Hmm yeah that's hard.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[5:04] He had other plans anyways because obviously I made it through the night but that didn't I didn't make a difference because I left the hospital and went to the liquor store which is terrible,
you know then a few months later I'm you know I'm living in a motel and I can't pay for the room anymore so,
my uncle is a preacher and he called me up out of the blue I guess he'd probably been talking to my mom because she had been talking to her and she was like you can't come here you know,
so he calls me and,
he said are you serious about changing your life and he gave me the number to Freedom House and I've been there ever since and,
you know when when they asked me to stay on even think about it you know I just knew that's what I'm supposed to do because somebody was there for me so I needed to be there for somebody else and.
Sarah:
[5:57] That's awesome Dennis.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[5:58] You know I just love it there so.
Sarah:
[6:00] Yeah how many years has that been since you've been at Freedom House.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[6:03] Four and a half years.
Sarah:
[6:04] Okay that's amazing tell me just a little bit more about what the program just being a part they're finding more family kind of how what's that smell in your life.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[6:19] It's it's pretty much meant everything to me because I like the last few years of my life before I came to the mission I was,
I didn't have anybody I had a bottle.
Sarah:
[6:29] Yeah yeah.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[6:31] You know,
like the Lord has restored my family because my mom didn't want to see me and now she can't wait to see me you know my daughter didn't want anything to do with me and now she calls me every day you know so.
And Susan and Gary have treated me like family since day one you know which is I mean it's a big deal.
Sarah:
[6:53] Yeah yeah so Dennis what is your main role now at Freedom House.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[7:00] My main role of Freedom House now? Grow stuff build stuff and take care of the bees.
Sarah:
[7:08] The bees I love it okay so tell me about growing stuff what are you growing.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[7:12] I got we got corn and tomatoes and.
Sarah:
[7:18] I love it.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[7:20] Peppers and the biggest cucumbers I've ever seen in my life and.
Sarah:
[7:24] You guys are becoming Farmers out there.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[7:26] Yeah well last last October maybe we put up a greenhouse and grew stuff all winter yeah and then we started you know putting stuff out in the garden this this spring and.
Sarah:
[7:39] Yeah that's so cool and then the building,
you've been well you've been here with us building some things here but why don't you talk a little bit about you guys are getting ready for a big project at Freedom house can you just talk a little bit about that and what God's doing.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[7:58] Well first off when I I mean I stayed on for staff I went through the office and overseer and stuff and then when I got out of the office.
Susan Mastermind over here she's.
Sarah:
[8:09] Yeah.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[8:10] I know ready to redo stuff so I've pretty much redone everything in the house and,
like room by room we just started and we just been able to keep going we built them in apartment and,
then went back to the house and just done everything and then now you know we were busting at the seams so,
the church is going to add on to the back and we're going to we're going to finish the inside of that and then we're going to take over one of their buildings and,
hopefully fill up again and maybe need to build something else.
Sarah:
[8:43] Yeah he'll just keep giving you building projects that's great and I did it I feel like I really have to ask her about the bees because this is a newer thing right the bees are kind of knew what why bees and how many times have you gotten stung.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[8:59] I haven't been stung at all I wear a bee suit but these two guys.
Sarah:
[9:03] He who are the be still got these other Brandon Browner all saying they've been stung.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[9:07] Get too close and got stung.
Sarah:
[9:09] Get it.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[9:11] Actually went to pick up some donations from a guy one day and he's like take everything out behind the barn and we went out there and there was,
a beehive so we're like yeah let's we can't have a beehive and no be so so we talked to Susan and she was like yeah let's get some bees so now we got bees.
Sarah:
[9:29] I love it I love it and so have you gotten to I don't know anything about bees dentist.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[9:34] Let me I'll tell you about some bees look.
Sarah:
[9:36] No they say you're like the bee Whisperer or something I think they have a name is that what you guys call them.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[9:39] Look at it it's I mean you can if you can't if you don't believe there's a God watch some bees because they're their bodies are too big they're not supposed to be able to fly,
like the most advanced piece of equipment that a man has ever made can only carry 25 percent of its weight and Abby can hold almost at own body weight and.
Sarah:
[9:59] That's amazing.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[10:00] In Honey and its wings are too small for its.
Sarah:
[10:03] Yeah if God can do something cool piece he could probably do something cool with us right.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[10:08] That's right.
Sarah:
[10:09] Have you guys a harvested honey yet is that the right to harvest honey I don't know what the.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[10:14] Not yet you know the first the first year they've got to make all the honeycomb and so they spend all summer making honeycomb and storing up more honey for the winter so next year we'll probably get some honey.
Sarah:
[10:26] Love it,
we're at the come visit you when it's honey time I start selling it at the little shops around like the Freedom House honey I think you could be on this that would be because you only have the one little bee hive right one that we have one stack don't know what they're called okay,
just going to have to.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[10:42] Well hopefully we're going to get some more we gotta get some more boxes because we've tried to catch a swarm already because this is just amazing too because,
like I've never seen a swarm of bees before we get a beehive and then within a week there's two different swarms come show up in the same tree.
Sarah:
[10:58] Really okay.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[11:00] We were too slow to try to get the first win but we did get the second one you know but they didn't stay.
Sarah:
[11:04] That's amazing so if anybody's got any empty beehive boxes containers laying around reach out to us.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[11:11] Yeah.
Sarah:
[11:13] House people you never know someone on here could have something give us your beekeeping skills will know that's awesome Dennis anything else you want to share with us about Freedom House anything.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[11:24] It's just a it's just a wonderful place and I've seen a lot of change lives since I've been there these two Knuckleheads for sure.
Sarah:
[11:29] Yeah I love it I think we're going to hear from them too but Dennis you got something good else that you would like to share with us what something good for you.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[11:42] This is good like I've been truly blessed to come up here and hang out with all you guys and and help out at the church this.
Sarah:
[11:48] Awesome well thank you Dennis.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[11:49] We're working but it's a vacation for me so.
Sarah:
[11:53] That's awesome well we've appreciated you guys have done such a great great job on the building want to put pictures up so you all can see what they've been working on awesome okay well if you think of anything else you can I can come back because I'm I think questions okay we're going to switch the mike over Brad,
you're up tell us a little bit of your story Brad whatever you'd like to share with us how did you get to Freedom House.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[12:13] I got the Freedom House is kind of a long story nah my childhood really like was really horrible let me just say that foster homes it took my mom a few years to get me back,
I say I remember Lord like I don't know I didn't know Lord for a long long time but I remember a lady when I was in one of them places and she would come in at night time and she give us back rubs and then she'd pray for us right,
and I remember I being there like two years and almost like okay Lord if you're real like really like just let me see my mom my brothers are you.
Sarah:
[12:43] Yeah.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[12:46] It wasn't long after that night I didn't recognize that the Lord was a part of this until I come to know the Lord and so a mom got me back and through everything that I've been through and what she had been through as well she just let me go,
I mean not really let me go but let me do what I wanted to do and for a young child 11 years old and Bakersfield California is probably not the best thing in the world,
and I found myself in a lot of trouble and she blamed my friends but she just didn't know that I was very capable of getting myself in enough trouble I didn't need help.
Long history with I learned drug use and all that as a.
Sarah:
[13:26] Yeah yeah.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[13:27] And so once I was old enough to kind of get around it out that's what,
and so we I was in I was in trouble they were going to send me to youth prison in Cal and Los Angeles and my mom said no we're not having that and she moved me to Granite City Illinois when I was 15,
and that's where she was raised at and,
so for three years there I went to high school I got kicked out of high school my senior year all you know how it goes right just the same story and I went back to California for a few years,
two years 18 19 20 I come back when I was 20 and I was done with I thought I was done right I was like okay I'm done I'm gonna get a job and go back to the Midwest where life is slow and I'm on I'm just going to be normal.
Sarah:
[14:10] Yeah.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[14:10] Everybody else but that's not what happened right so I met my wife and two years after meeting her we had a son,
Bradley and up and whenever he was born just before he was born I married her before she was born,
and like my parents were married so I didn't know like this marriage thing I just knew I've always heard that that was well you got to be got to be got to make this right right she's need to bury her so that's what it is,
and I said I was done with the luck with the whole drug life and everything that I was involved with and,
it lasted for a little while I move from Granite City Illinois to this side of the river out to Ellsbury Missouri and ended up I stayed there for a while Workforce pre-owned products about,
Taylor was born I got really involved heavy with methamphetamines and,
before I realized what happened I ended up in federal prison and I lost everything and that was probably the.
Sarah:
[15:09] Yeah yeah.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[15:11] Because that was my little family,
that's a even though I was doing stuff on the other side of it I had something to come home to and when I got out I didn't have nothing to come home to and that's where I'll say the addiction really grabbed ahold of me at that point and,
so I guess the best decision that I ever really made right was that,
I knew when I got out of prison and I wasn't right and I was really mad at everything and my parents Adama both of my kids.
Sarah:
[15:38] Okay okay.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[15:40] And which turned out to be a good thing you know I had my little spy was it in in another life right and I used to remember always telling them they would ban with her mom and I would say look you can't be mad at your mother.
Sarah:
[15:51] Yeah yeah.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[15:52] You can't be because like haha I'm no different the only difference is I you see me more.
You mean that's the only difference I'm still living the same life.
Sarah:
[16:01] Yeah yeah.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[16:04] Man,
at the end of it all my mom got diagnosed with Hepatitis C and 27 years stage for cirrhosis they don't know if she's going to live right and I had took a job,
and I went out there is only in California in between there I'd overdosed on heroin and like it was bad I was in a hospital five days,
had some some septic infection to I just had a hernia surgery just before that so they kept me in the hospital and like they just told me to pretty much like we don't know how you're alive but you're here and so through that the relationship that I was in at the time.
[16:42] Being Chief has she found me dead you know so that look that she has in her eyes there's no you can't get past that,
and I do a job and I went out there zoning in California I've gotten saved to my grandma's Church in Granite City Illinois and I think that I was like really liked at that point I was really broken and even I didn't know like that that's what it took I died no clue,
and so I went to church and I got baptized and we was going to church and then Vicki didn't really like that church or whatever and she didn't want to go so I stopped going I found myself out in California and I think that's the worst that I ever got,
when I come back from California and I was back in Granite City I ended up in a County Jail,
for some probation stuff and remember was just different right I was like this is horrible like I don't even belong here no more like something's wrong these guys are crazy and I'm not no more I mean like I don't even like this,
and,
so I remember asking to seal it was like look I'm like can we go to church like we could do something you know I mean and he's like well if you can get these guys in here just took at least five of you to go,
and I didn't think it was going to happen because it just didn't like you know they were cussing it to CEOs and you know throwing stuff and just had just named just how jailhouse stuff goes and,
I was like hey well you guys signed this thing so we can go to church and like everybody in there did so I was like we're going to the Lord really started showing up that I was like aware of because I was like this is unbelievable.
[18:07] When I talked to that Pastor guy there I was like look I was like I don't know exactly what I'm doing here but I just know that this is where I'm supposed to be right and he's like well he's like have you ever tried anything discipline and I was like well hold on I don't know about this disciplines,
is there a way to know the Lord without that and he's like we'll just read this pamphlet and I was like all right you know I read this pamphlet it's kind of funny because it was a it was a it was a pamphlet just like Freedom House,
but it was from Jerseyville actually where Miss Susan is from her family is from right.
Sarah:
[18:37] Wow okay.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[18:39] So I read the pamphlet and it's talking about this overseers he come from New Jersey at her she had her kid there and like she was she was done with overseer and been out once and then come back with her kid and it was like I was like oh this is going to be the place right,
remember writing a letter to my mom and tell her look I know you're I think I'm crazy and but I got to go to this place I got to go find out what this is about,
and I came in the mission teams in 2016 to Mark Tree Arkansas guys new life,
and I stayed Faithfully for three and a half years and,
I can just say this they like I didn't know my friends that I had that new I was going I remember them saying like how do you know that you're not going to get down there and they're not going to have red Kool-Aid I'm like well look,
this is one thing that I know for sure right if everything that I've been through in my life if this is God really leading me he's not going to leave me some places going to be harmful to me,
and I don't know how I knew that but I just knew that so I got two gods do life and I just stuck it out you mean like I didn't like.
[19:39] I wasn't going to leave right I've been through all this stuff of my life and I was like wow I didn't take me long like I might have been,
I don't know maybe I might have just turned trainee and when I realized I got the concept of my mind and it has to be God because you read your word every day and you pray you're doing all this stuff and I was like just watch it I'm a very good Watcher and listener,
and I was like man you know what this program is not 8 to 10 months,
his program is overseer right that's the full commitment in my mind that's the way I looked at it was like okay you go through the stage of Tim,
but then there's a there's a staff training right and so after the staff training and then you get all the way through.
[20:21] AC and FC which the senior in Demon and you do the overseer and in my mind I'm like okay well if you get through overseer then that means the now if you do decide to go back,
you'll be able to operate and know how to operate with a household with a bunch of dysfunctional people.
Sarah:
[20:37] Yeah.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[20:39] And have some balance in it and that so I just stayed and I didn't really have a lot of problems I'll say this and my first year being there my son learned a lot of bad habits for me and,
he was in a he was in a mess and I were telling a lord like look just let him be the father that I never was.
[21:04] He did.
Sarah:
[21:05] Praise God.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[21:08] Remember like he called me a couple it's like 18 months for I seen him for my family ever come down and see me at all,
and they said he was a he was with my mom and and I was like he's like oh Dad I'm sober and I'm like well how sober really are you.
Sarah:
[21:24] Yeah yeah.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[21:25] Because I've done this before and he's like he's like whoa I'm sober and I was like well if that's the case then sounds like prayers been working and he was like God didn't have nothing to do with that.
You know and huh his testimony is kind of funny because he's like he just kept saying Jesus to me Jesus to me but I just like I didn't really impress him and he did end up coming to the mission,
he didn't stay the first time like he was stay there for a while had some problems went home and he come back and he graduated the program over there and,
Gary Gary says this all the time he says he told me one time in office that he needed to get serious and that he would be glad to marry her I guess brad.leah told Gary he said look if if I do this thing will you marry me and Amber have,
and that's what happened and how I got to Freedom House when they got married I left God's New Life,
then I went back home and he left the mission just same time right and you think oh this is a great info great great great in for a family right well it is,
in my mind I thought well you know well go home at the same time he's got a little family I'll be around and we'll spend time together but that's not what happens in the real world,
he's got a family of his own and I'm with my daughter saying where where they live now with my daughter and her boyfriend and everybody's got jobs and they got stuff and family to do stuff and I'm by myself,
and I'm not supposed to be about myself.
Sarah:
[22:50] Yeah yeah yep that's it.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[22:52] At all it's not good for me,
it's not good for me and I realized that today and when I got to the end of myself Gary first time ever you're my testimony had any,
was the only person who came and talked to me that up has always meant a lot.
Sarah:
[23:12] Yeah yeah.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[23:14] Hannah so when I got to that point I was like I just text him on face Facebook Messenger is like hey man I need to come back and hit up they told me to come on,
right there's a big ordeal because I like you mean like because you'll have it as you learn a deep love for people,
when you come to know the lord it's not like oh I love you and hope you hope you get hope you get better but that's no I love you and I'm going to help you get better.
Sarah:
[23:39] Yeah that's good that's good.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[23:44] Nana so they they took me in and look it wasn't easy the second time coming through the program is for me it's harder like and I'll say because I had more time in the mission after,
staff training and all that was longer than the program so I have to go back through it all over again even though it was kind of fast it was like horrible.
Sarah:
[24:03] Yeah.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[24:04] Took a little Lord right let me just get it took me maybe just like saying all right Lord no matter what it is this is what I'm going to do because I know this is what he's called me to do.
Sarah:
[24:10] Mmm Yeah.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[24:15] I don't there's no reason for me to go back to the world I can't find contentment in it the enjoyment I get from Life Today is using whatever the Lord has blessed me with to help other people and to do whatever it is he puts before me,
and so I've been back now a little over a year and it's the best thing that's ever happened right.
Sarah:
[24:36] Brad that's amazing thank you for sharing all of that I man,
so good powerful I think there's gonna be a lot of people wiping their eyes right now listening to the story and then so Brad tell me what is your kind of role now at Freedom House.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[24:51] Well right now I'm over donations basically people call in and they donate to the mission,
and I schedule my time or a pickup and we'll go pick their stuff up and we'll bring it back to the mission and we have yard sales once a month or sometimes more if there's more than stuff than what we have we have a 52-foot trailer,
that gets filled up in no time and then we got all these tarps that we put the stuff underneath the tarps and as it's been a real blessing for me because the people there broken and I get a chance I get a chance to minister or talk to people and it's like.
If you learn how to live this it's not just at all,
right it's actual it's a living living steel and it's all the Lord who owns it I don't pick and choose who he puts before me it was two people before me and I just I just tell them about what's happened to me,
and it's a testimony and it's a self I don't have to do nothing the Lord does it and then I work on the vehicles whenever something I've always enjoyed doing.
[25:53] The best part about it is is like I'm a pretty much a people person and I like being around the people so like I spent a lot of time with the residents and there's nothing better for me than the season won't come in and be like not real sure what's going on in their life,
and the light come on in their eyes that's that's the best part of all of it because I was that person my children will that was that was in people and,
for anybody who has kids or family members who are struggling all they want is that person back.
Sarah:
[26:22] Yeah yeah Brad that's amazing how God has just worked all that worked in your life and you've been surrendered to him when lay it all down right he'll do amazing things yeah.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[26:32] I don't have to do nothing except for wait on him right like I just I just do the next right thing we just wake up in the morning I read my Bible I saved some prayers,
I go on about my day a lot of times I spend talking to this guy next to me in the morning Brian cuz we both kind of get up early in the morning so we spend a lot of.
Sarah:
[26:47] Yeah early risers doing the.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[26:49] Hey I talking about the word or something always something in the morning right.
Sarah:
[26:53] I love it well tell me just a little more about the yard sales because it's such a huge part I love a freedom house to just because Susan had mentioned that,
there's no necessarily regular income it is everything operates survives in functions because of donations gifts how the Lord provides right and so these yard sales tell us why you do them,
all that.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[27:16] Well the yard sales pretty much it's not I mean we have to function but the yard sales are really an opportunity even though it is like,
support the ministry it's mostly the residents in a program they get to,
go out there and be a part of it and we encourage them to pray for people,
and a lot of times I don't even give them like a half a half a chance kind of most of the time I'm just like hey come here and pray for this person,
and I'll just say go I mean just go ahead and pray I mean because if I have if I give away if I tell them beforehand then they'll get all nervous and scared when if he's just happens it's like more natural in the Lord has a chance to operate in that.
Sarah:
[27:56] Absolutely that's great.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[27:59] But all the people that come through they get to see something and experience something that they've never experienced before in their life I mean we set up 25 to 30 tables and they're covered with stuff,
I mean we're talking 8-foot tables.
Piled up with stuff you name it it's there and and that's not to mention this,
40-yard tarp with four foot of clothes on it and I'm talking name-brand tags on the clothes and then you got all the furniture and I mean this is not like furniture that you were talking nice,
it's amazing that to me that like I remember last year when I first came in and it was like hot,
and I was miserable and I was like oh my gosh like a three days we don't filled up this 52-foot trailer and I was like this is like beyond anything that I've ever seen like right and so a year later it's still happening and I'm like,
the Lord Non-Stop and I just say one thing I've been here for four and a half years I don't know where all this stuff keeps coming from.
Sarah:
[28:56] It just keeps showing up.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[29:00] Every month sometimes twice a month sometimes three times a month the trailer is full and we've got so much stuff in the yard you can't hardly walk through there.
Sarah:
[29:08] That's amazing that's crazy well.
Susan:
[29:10] Our town is only 500.
Sarah:
[29:12] That is if that is not a testament of something it's just like that just keeps refilling up and never goes empty right the trailer that's I love that,
yeah
I love it so if you listening are big yard sale find Like Love yard sales it would be worth the drive to Holcomb Missouri go check out their yard sale or what they just did it right Memorial Day weekend it's the hundred-mile yo,
so go check this out come go see Freedom House see our friends tell him now that something good since you and let them pray for you and find some good fines.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[29:47] We have we have one starting next Wednesday.
Sarah:
[29:49] Do you really okay next wins okay will be well I will list some dates on that will ask,
I'm in the show notes so people know when the come to the yard sales but that's awesome Brad so you've shared a lot of good things already but do you have anything else something good you want to share with us.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[30:03] Yeah CS is hard for me sometimes.
Sarah:
[30:10] Emotions are good it's here where we tears are good.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[30:16] It says good to be able to use my abilities that because our Lord blessed me with.
Sarah:
[30:20] Hmm.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[30:21] To use them for good and not for bad luck I did.
Sarah:
[30:24] Yeah it's awesome bread that's definitely something good yeah that's really good thank you for sharing that Brad that's awesome we're all clapping around here so many good things and we got one more it's like that amazing stories just.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[30:39] Give me a call to die.
Sarah:
[30:42] For this episode and now that something good they didn't know they were getting all the things so Brian with an i not a why I feel like Brian we just need to start off with you let's make sure this is close enough to you.
I need you just to tell your thing your I told me about Brian's so I mean we love everybody every name all the things but what did you tell me about Brian's who don't spell their name with an eye but with the why.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[31:04] Well we drive up and down Braun Road or bronze street but it's spelled with a why on spelled with an i and I grew up with a Braun was spelled with a while I know him all my life kindergarten all the way through senior you know,
I used to always tell him that you know that's just because your mother and dad wanted a girl,
I spell your name with a Y so that's all this isn't funny games I've you know I played sports with him and we were but we were buddies but that's what I've always said.
Sarah:
[31:32] I love it that's great well Brian tell us a little bit about your story as much or as little as you want to share with us but tell us your journey and what God's been doing and how you ended up at Freedom House and now sitting on my couch.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[31:44] Well I mean that stories it can be long,
I was raised right like a lot of people here I mean I was brought I was drugged to church and,
and I'm thankful for it now I think I was kind of hated my parents for it then I wanted to make my own decisions even,
this rebellious you know and but I was a great raising great family and if I pinpointed something into the Lord's really just showing me this last year,
I had my whole life planned out and had a high school sweetheart and I joined the Coast Guard and we were going to travel and have kids and,
I went to boot camp got stationed the Boston and we had a wedding date and and she friend called and she was cheating on me and to be honest that I know maybe sappy but it like crush me,
broke my heart is really like I made these decisions and I never really knew it but at that point I was angry,
um and I angry at the world and God you know and and I just went on a tear.
[33:01] I'll still work and get a lot of a lot of things and but just wanted to live the life of a bachelor and just always escalates you know,
through the whole Gauntlet of drugs and alcohol and everything else,
LeBron made you Freedom Hall started back in 2008 the one story I will tell I was,
some people you can take it take the story are you on but one night I was sitting in a place and I've been there we could you and I know you know been up for those,
couple of weeks and a guy was on the couch with me and told me about missing teens,
I don't know where you came from I don't know where he went I know that he never did any drugs with me and the next day I headed out and left walking in the middle of Alabama and the country,
closest place that I can get to was probably 10 or 12 miles away was a police station and walked in and told the lady I need to use the phone,
and she can remember she cocked her little head and I said ma'am I said so I need help,
and she looked at me and she goes do you think you know then off a couple of weeks and you know and I'm walking into the police station and she let me use the phone and my sister came and picked me up,
within a week I was in karlsville Mission Bible Training Center same program diff different.
Sarah:
[34:29] Yeah yeah.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[34:30] From there I went to Kentucky to Mission and help start that one,
what they call pioneering it that's where I met Susan and that year I met Susan and Susan was there at that mission with me I met Gary two or three times at Crossville and an order grand opening.
[34:49] Thing I can say that was when I was about 32 is that what I was I was desperate,
okay because I was basically homeless and I was too prideful to literally sleep on the street just to be honest and I was desperate,
met Jesus six days later climbed out of my bunk got them on these July 21st 2008 and,
you know he just he radically changed me,
one of those probies stories that she was Susan was talking about a couple of weeks into it you know drugs and stuff get out of your system and I had this horrible to take,
and,
I prayed when I said Lord if you want me to stay here you're going to have to take this you know because my parents have done wrote me off which is what they had to do but I knew I couldn't I didn't have no money or anything and I woke up the next day and it was gone,
and it didn't come back for a year,
you know what I'm talking about bad toothache like swollen up and all that it went away and then in a year I was in Kentucky and I was in a situation and obviously a family restoration I was got to take care of and that was just the Lord meeting me like I'm you know.
[36:01] You can't just always do that with God but God knew what I needed then and then I stayed you know it was amazing.
[36:13] I know now that what I was really wanting was,
my old lie my old to be my old person but sober things happened I made some mistakes didn't do what I was taught and I left.
I can't say that I did good for 10 years all I did was stay sober I got married.
Built this amazing life that I thought that I wanted and had my old I was my old person,
my whole life and everything I ever thought that I wanted I had and it was still miserable.
Sarah:
[36:51] Hmm.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[36:53] I didn't understand that the difference was I was always Spirit-filled and I quit feeding that and but he's never going to let you go,
okay once once once you ask him in your life and then he's there.
Sarah:
[37:10] Yeah yeah.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[37:10] And he's only going to let you go for so long you know.
Some things other things happened I was you know in a marriage that was started in sin and should have never happened and so it obviously fell apart and I went back down that road and it was a whole new experience,
and I can remember the moment that when I really got back into the drugs I'll get you the details that that he really know that moment he picked his hand up and really sad,
if you want more of this life you can have.
Sarah:
[37:54] Hmm.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[37:55] And and that's a feeling that you never want to experience.
Within months I mean I was I know now to that I just I just didn't want to live I was trying to kill myself by drug overdose on,
and turn turn that back I remember the moment that the Lord put his hand back on me and said said I'm not done with you.
And when that happens is I woke up that morning and I'd reached out to Gary and Susan and on messenger I think she's told me it was four in the morning and,
I didn't really know the timeline and everything's really a blur but,
but you know and it took me I'll take another day or two tournament reached back out,
like say the timelines a blur but she knew my ex-wife at the time and so she'd reached out to her think testimony to that I believe when you were Susan was talking to Patricia,
about bringing me here which my ex-wife I hadn't seen in six months and she couldn't stand me for good reason Susan was with the group of people here at two rivers right.
Susan:
[39:14] I was at the Fearless women and Advent Service.
Sarah:
[39:19] Yeah oh yeah.
Susan:
[39:21] I was excusing myself to try to get him.
Sarah:
[39:25] Wow what a crazy full that's funny.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[39:30] That's great.
Sarah:
[39:31] God's always working it out.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[39:33] You know and that's just another thing of God always making a way you know you don't have to live these crazy life so that we left a little bit of a little back and see these moments that he's making that way you know what I mean he put Gary and Susan in my life because,
I don't know if I would have called another sinner you know but I just I reached out on messenger you know and and they,
basically said where you at you know and and I you know,
so Patricia came and got me and brought drug me Kicking and Screaming that was she should have left me on the interstate many a times it was East Tennessee so it was seven or eight hours away and I was she had to,
they just was not a good thing but I mean it you know I know that she did care when she brought me here I would have made it you know,
the one difference to though the difference there when I got here this time I mean I was broken and the one thing I would say to anybody listening and I'll tell the residents it's always a question of why,
it's very clear the reason I had to go through everything I had to go through and the Lord allowed that was because that's what it took for me to come to him.
Sarah:
[40:46] Hmm yeah.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[40:47] That's how much he loves us right he loves his son and he still put him on the cross okay.
That's all,
let's just amazing you know what I mean so to let us go through what we go through because we're his children to you know what I mean and but that's what it took you know I had to go through all of that to get to where I'm at now,
and we and to be broken okay to know that not to just be desperate because I don't want to be homeless I need a savior.
Sarah:
[41:21] Mmm yeah yeah.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[41:22] You know I can't do this you know but he can.
And he can give me the tools and equipment to do that and and it's just it's amazing I've been here coming up on two years you know,
and then bright right the second time's a lot harder because we know the program even though I had a 10-year Gap I still know the program and you know I'm,
like one of the one of the more smartest people that I've ever met I don't know how to say it you did it.
Sarah:
[42:00] Enough I'm one of the smartest people.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[42:02] Dennis likes to say that I'm the smartest guy that I know and I'm like I'm like no hi.
Sarah:
[42:05] Haha that's hot we always all think we're the smartest.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[42:09] You know we're just prideful men you know what I mean and we're blessed I mean with nice with gifts and things and we,
so it's hard to be told what to do you know one of the things about the structure of the programs like you have to,
certain times of the day you gotta ask to go use the restroom you know you have to ask to do this you have to do everything you know and that's that's difficult when you,
been running your life for 45 years you know or of course I ran it right in the ground you know and,
but it's just amazing for.
To watch the transformation to really get on your knees and bare bare your soul to the Lord and just watched and just see him and feel him put it back together you know,
he had,
he has let must let me get tore down to that point you know and I still struggle I mean you know Tom's I still want to you know,
one of the blessings like Gary and Susan I mean just not long ago I went to them with a question and/or,
for permission and you know Susan had to say you know Jesus is not enough right now,
and that's a hard hard pill to swallow but it's the truth.
Sarah:
[43:28] Yeah yeah.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[43:29] Okay and I know I can trust the love boat and you know love them and that's when I can go to them and it's the council I know you're going to ask what it's good what's good as these people.
Sarah:
[43:39] Mmm Yeah.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[43:39] You know what I mean these brothers that that I've never had that will.
Sarah:
[43:44] Hmm yeah.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[43:44] Be there for me you know what I mean and friends and,
you know mentors I mean it's just it's a bond he said not not to be alone you know it's not good the thing is I kind of crave that,
introvert and need alone time but I don't need it you know and they give me my space but they're always there.
Sarah:
[44:06] Mmm Yeah.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[44:07] I know I can depend on them no matter what not that you know we're all flawed you know but but I know that they're seeking the Lord and they're going to put me back to Jesus,
you know what I mean and and Gary Susan were right I mean that Mom you know I'm still here you know but Jesus has to be enough and that's what I'm striving for and then in the Lord just says it's a process,
you know because I obviously went straight to my knees to the Lord with that and the Lord was like you just keep doing what you're doing.
Sarah:
[44:33] Yeah yeah.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[44:34] You know the hardest thing is to wait on the Lord.
Sarah:
[44:36] Yeah.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[44:37] I think for everyone.
Sarah:
[44:38] Yeah absolutely.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[44:39] Because we want what we want we want it now not everything that is good is of God,
something that I've heard in the last few months that they're really stuck with me you know and I'll he knows what we need,
it's amazing you know to watch what happens in these programs or these people.
Sarah:
[45:04] Brian is amazing thank you for sharing your story what I feel like every one of us we talk a lot here on the podcast is like sometimes we think,
part of our heart was just it's a kind of normalized some things that everyday faith is just hard walking with the Lord no matter our story it's hard and it is a constant having to go Jesus is enough and.
[45:28] Sometimes he's more than enough than what I desire in this moment whether it's a drink or do drugs or watch something I shouldn't watch or say something to my kids I shouldn't say or blow up or what
fill in it with any sin and we're real good about thinking certain sins are.
[45:43] Elevated than others but every sin separates us from a holy God and we all needed Jesus we all need a savior to come and
our place and bridge the gap that we would never bridge on our own but because of Jesus he allows us to come and he sees us clean and so something I just I want to share with you guys Susan you just you said the you call
you said sometimes we were thought about us throwaways and stuck with me because I think really,
every person probably struggles with feeling like that but hearing you guys just share your story like you are nothing but throwaways and the coolest thing is it's like those are the people,
God
looking for when we open scripture over and over I told you our heart of the story was when Paul they had been in the council and they left in there like those are just ordinary men,
but I can tell they've been with Jesus
and it's like that's what we want our life to be and it's like man he takes the ordinariness of all of us the hard Parts the broken parts everything and if we allow him to come in and do it only he can do to heal and restore he make something way beautiful
out of it and goes,
I'm going to use you and he showed that with his son right he could have sent he could we write that's why they were so confused and know who Jesus was because they were looking for this high and mighty king and they sent a baby in the middle of nowhere to be born around some cows.
[47:01] Cow story but be born,
in the lowliest of ways and that's cool because I know you guys sharing your story is blessing a lot of people and when you're getting to pray with somebody and hear it and it's one person at a time and to share that and help encourage somebody else's what it's about so
thank you for being here today and being an encouragement and a blessing to people listening,
I had one more question I was going to ask you and now I totally forgot what it was because we've shared so many good things do you guys have any other things you want to share before we just,
kind of close it down for this time this episode anything else well.
Dennis, Brad, Brian:
[47:39] Just want to say thank you.
Sarah:
[47:42] Course yeah well
thank you guys it's been a real honor and a blessing and I hope that you guys listening will go check out Freedom House and learn more and be encouraged today that no matter where you're at no matter what you're walking through you can cry out and Lord hears you he is faithful
he is good and he cares for you.
Susan:
[48:00] Amen.
Sarah:
[48:00] Thanks guys.