In this episode of the Abundant Life Podcast, Ben and Sasso sit down with Michael to hear a powerful testimony of addiction, despair, redemption, and new life in Christ.

Michael shares openly about nearly 15 years of drug addiction and more than 20 attempts at treatment. After reaching a point where he believed he could no longer live the way he was living, God began directing his steps toward help. Michael recounts the people God placed along his path, his journey back to Arizona, entering treatment, and ultimately becoming free from his desire for drugs. His sobriety date is December 14, 2020.

The conversation centers on Exodus 14:14: “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Michael explains how he now sees God's hand throughout his story, including moments when he believes God protected him from death.

The episode also explores the parable of the lost sheep in Luke 15 and the difference between knowing about the Bible and truly knowing Jesus. Michael describes how God transformed his life and gave him a new purpose, including opportunities to serve others through his businesses and sober-living ministry.

Major Discussion Points

• Michael's nearly 15-year battle with drug addiction
• Repeated attempts at treatment and recovery
• God's intervention during a season of despair
• Learning to recognize and follow the Holy Spirit's direction
• The lost sheep and God's pursuit of those who are far from Him
• Becoming a new creation in Christ
• Restored relationships with his parents
• Using a transformed life to serve others
• Learning to trust God with the future

Key Takeaway: God is still the Redeemer. No matter how broken or hopeless a person's circumstances may seem, God can rescue, transform, and give new purpose.

• If this episode encouraged you, subscribe to the Abundant Life Podcast and share it with someone who needs to hear a message of hope.

Welcome to the Abundant Life Podcast, bringing you encouragement and challenging believers to spiritual change and growth by applying biblical principles to everyday life.

And now your hosts, Sasso Mendez and Ben Arellano.

Welcome, everybody, to the Abundant Live Podcast.

This is episode number 77.

I'm here with my good friend and faithful servant in the faith, Sasso Mendez from.

Hey, good afternoon.

What's up, brother?

Saturday.

We haven't recorded a Saturday in a long time, bro.

It's been a hot minute on a Saturday.

Yeah, it's usually, what, Tuesday night?

Tuesday, Thursday.

Thursday.

You know, we're doing this at 11 o', clock, 12 o' clock at night, something like that.

That's kind of.

Kind of nice, kind of refreshing.

Got the weekend and today we are joined by a special guest and I'd like to just quickly introduce a good friend I met at a men's retreat, uh, this past, uh, week.

And, uh, so this is Michael.

Michael, welcome on the show.

Thank you.

Thank you for having me.

Looking forward to hearing your.

Your testimony.

And it was such a powerful weekend up at Thrive and heard lots of testimonies.

There was a lot of.

Lot of good teaching.

It was just a very impactful weekend.

And I was telling Sasso, like, man, I wish we could get our.

Our FTL guys, our group of guys up there, man, your cousin Tony.

I think of a bunch of guys that we could get up there and just.

I don't know, man.

It's impactful.

Anthony, we'll go into that a little bit, but, yeah, I think he wants to go and were you there?

So.

So I was not.

Yeah, yeah.

But anyway, so we got.

We got taco talk right now.

And so would you.

Would you what, what you been munching on lately, bro?

A lot.

We just had Mexican food a couple hours ago.

So what'd you do?

Had the chorizo and eggs and some.

They didn't have potatoes.

I don't know.

They have French fries, which I don't understand the difference, but.

So that's what we had and.

But yeah, I mean, we've been back to B Dubs.

The manager that we have seen like 500 times finally talked to us, and.

But that place is a mess.

I mean, if it wasn't for Emily, I. I don't know.

It's a hot mess.

I went.

I went twice this week.

So I don't know.

This is so.

So this is one of our spots.

We go to.

We go to B Dubs at least once, me and him.

And then my son hit me up.

He's like hey, let's do lunch this week.

I'm like, sweet.

And it's funny.

Cause I go.

I go.

I was thinking.

I was selfishly thinking, like, hey, man, I want to.

I want a burger.

So I said, hey, you want to just go in and out or whataburger?

And for whatever reason, I swear, he said, whataburger?

And I was like, sweet.

That's what I felt like, you know?

And then so Friday comes and I hit him up.

I'm like, hey, dude, so where are we going, man?

And he's like, well, I thought we were going to B Dubs.

I was like, B Dubs?

I said.

I thought you said whataburger.

He's like, nah, I feel like some wings.

I'm like, okay, okay, okay.

We'll go to.

We'll go get some.

We'll get some wings.

But, yeah, I was not a.

It was not a great experience.

Oh, yesterday was not.

Oh, yeah, they messed you up.

Yeah.

So we.

We bought 20 wings.

And, you know, we told him, I want.

I had two different sauces.

He had two different sauces.

And the.

The waiter came and brought the.

The.

The order out, and he.

He said, hey, man, we packaged it to go.

But, yeah, he's like, I know you're here.

So he said, I just dumped it on the train.

I'm like, bro, like, what's what?

Like, which sauces?

He's like, well, I think that's Asian zing there.

And I think that's, like, original.

But he's like, let me go get my little notepad.

I'll tell you which one.

I'm like, bro, I know what I ordered.

Like, but which is which?

Like, it was kind of funny, man, but it's all good.

Like, cattles, you know, like, ones that are mixed up.

Like, what are you supposed to do?

Yeah, I like that.

Customer service, though.

He was on it.

Like, yeah, I just dumped it on the tray for you.

He told the truth.

Yeah, he was straight up.

So that sounds like B Dubs for sure.

So what's.

What's your poison now?

What do you.

What do you like grubbing, man?

You know what I just tried was that Smash burger that they opened up on.

Is it Happy Valley or Pinnacle Peak and the whole 17?

Okay.

I wasn't a fan, actually.

No, it's called Smash Burgers.

No, not.

Yeah, smash.

No, Shake Shack.

Oh, Shake Shack.

It's pricey, right?

I heard it's, like, pretty expensive.

Very pricey.

And it was child's portions.

Oh, okay.

Was it?

And it's a la carte, right?

Everything like.

Yeah, everything's separate.

Yeah, I've had it like once or twice, I think.

Yeah, I love Mexican food.

Dude, that is.

That's my jam.

Okay, so where, so where you go, man?

What was your popos?

Popo's.

Okay.

Popo's right here on Bell.

59Th.

I used to go to the old.

On Indian School on Indian School.

I got a story that's off the air, but I can tell you.

I can't tell you on the air.

My ex girlfriend's family owns it and so when I was with her, that's when I started.

Yeah, okay.

Okay.

They taught me how to make tamales and all that for Christmas.

It was cool.

Yeah, very cool.

Okay.

Okay.

Anyways, yeah, that or Valley Luna some.

You know, those are the normal.

That Valley Luna on Bell is.

We've been going to for.

Since I was a child.

35Th and.

I've never been really.

I've never been to.

You gotta try it.

I. I don't know you.

Have you tried it?

I've never been.

Well, we gone through work.

I've not gone.

Chosen to go on my own.

Okay.

Okay.

Pollo fundido.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I think that's what I mostly hear.

Like everybody that's, you know, likes go in there and say, hey, get the.

Get the point, you know?

Yeah, we.

We do.

We do some Mexican spots.

We, we do one called Rito's.

You ever been to Rito's?

That's pretty good, bro.

What is that, Sasso?

16Th and 7th Street.

7Th street in Bethany.

Home street in Bethany.

Yep.

Pretty.

Pretty legit.

We go to a spot downtown called Guadalajaras.

Yeah, dude, it's.

It's an old school spot, man.

I mean, how long has that one been around, bro?

I don't know.

I remember it as a kid.

I used to be like a bar with food and then now they expanded to a full blown restaurant.

Yeah, they like.

It's like they had like the original restaurant and you could tell they like.

Built onto it on both sides.

Yeah.

Like they're just adding additions to.

It's pretty big.

It's pretty old.

It wasn't very.

I mean they used to have a lot of violence in there.

It was pretty bad back in the day.

Yeah, people got shot and killed there.

Dang.

Yeah.

Until they started to make it.

I mean, that's not good for business.

So they made it more into a restaurant.

Okay.

They used to Use the white cheese.

And it was pretty authentic.

Yeah, it's pretty good, though.

It's pretty bomb.

They've got some.

The bariata is pretty good.

I mean, they've got some pretty good.

Pretty good stuff there.

I have not had.

They've.

They have breakfast too, correct?

Yeah, but they used to open at 7.

Now they don't.

They open, like, at 11, and they're.

They're closed Monday, Tuesday, so, you know, you're good when you don't have to function.

Seven days.

Yeah.

And they close at seven.

Yeah, they don't care.

They just have a security guard out there, too.

I'm just kind of watching some old Mets can do, like, you know, he's not gonna do nothing to you but call the cops.

You know what I mean?

But, yeah, he ain't gonna fight you.

No, no, no.

Yeah, but he'll call for help.

Maybe back up.

Yeah.

So cool, man.

Should we.

Should we jump in here?

Yeah.

I mean, before we, you know, start the podcast, I. I do want to recognize, you know, the family of Peter Silvis, and he came on, really, we aired his podcast on Thanksgiving Day.

I remember getting ready for company and listening to that podcast, and I remember seeing him in the studio, and he came to freedom at last.

And with his family just got.

Spent a lot of time, pretty much his whole life in prison.

Got out and then was told he had, you know, serious cancer.

And he was, you know, hoping God would heal him.

And really, God did heal him ultimately, because he took him home.

But on this earth, he did not see healing.

And so really, our prayers go out to his family and really appreciate the fact that he shared his testimony with us before he passed.

And that's a legacy that his kids will have and his wife as well, just to remember him and the power of God in someone's life when you allow him in.

And as you know, the verse says, he stands at the door and knocks, and if he will open the door and let him in, you know, he'll change your life.

And so just want to.

I didn't.

I don't want to go past that and just remember Peter and his family and his children.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Well, let's.

Let's jump in here.

We've got.

So if you want to.

If you want to hit that.

And I think we got a word of the day from the Webster, So I do.

Do you want to.

You want to say it, Michael, or.

Yeah, yeah, go ahead.

Yeah, absolutely.

So Exodus 14.

14 Is the Lord will fight for you.

You need only to be still cool.

Amen.

Thank you, Rachel, for this.

Ginormous.

Somebody breaks in, we can kill them.

It's a weapon, bro.

Yeah, I do like the old school.

A lot of the words here, they have verses with them because that's how people, new words, that's how people used to be educated.

Now we try to push that out of education.

But the, the Webster says to carry on contention, to maintain a struggle for victory over enemies.

Second Timothy tells us, I have fought a good fight to contend with in battle, to war against.

And really just you're here to share your testimony how God has warred against the evil or the dark side in your life and go ahead and share with us, you know, what God's done in your life.

Wow.

Where do I begin?

So.

Well, he saved my life.

We'll start there.

I was in a nasty spiraling down drug addiction that I had been battling for close to 15 years at this point.

And I got to a point where, where I didn't want to continue that path.

And I also didn't know any other way to live.

That that was the, the driving forces.

I truly believed that I couldn't live like the, the rest of the world or the normal person and have that 9 to 5 and have the family and have the kids and the house.

And I'd never had that.

And so I just, I struggled with the smallest things.

You know, keeping a job or waking up on time or whatever it was.

I just struggled always.

And I couldn't figure out why.

And I didn't want to live that way.

But then when drugs were introduced, it just got out of control.

So fast forward to almost six years ago and I got to a place where I had already tried treatment over 20 times.

Inpatient, outpatient, IOP, residential.

I did all the things, all the ways.

I tried to the psych wards, I tried meds, I tried no meds.

I tried different drugs.

I did everything that I could to try and do it my way.

And that ultimately brought me to the end of, of that run, which for me there was only.

There was only two options in my brain, which was to kill myself or to die of a drug overdose, which was also suicide.

Right, right.

In my mind that it was the same thing regardless of how.

And, and so I, I finally attempted.

And I know you guys have heard this from the, the testimony at Thrive, but I had, I had lived at My mom's house while I was here in Arizona.

And.

And I called my mom and I said, hey, I need.

I need to stop doing this, you know?

I know.

I just.

I could feel what now I know is conviction, right?

Yeah.

Or the Holy Spirit just trying to direct me, but I was like, I know that I'm going to die soon if I don't change something in my life, or if not everything in my life.

And so I called my mother and she, man, this is.

This is.

Keep in mind, after me putting her through hell for 15 years, she answered the phone and she said, yeah, I'll.

We'll fly you out here.

You can stay with us.

We're in a little tiny town.

There's a.

We can get you a job at this factory and, and, and you can give it a shot.

I said, okay.

So I flew out there and.

And that lasted a little while.

You know, I made it a couple months.

And then I found drugs.

I found drugs again from my supervisor at work, actually.

And so.

And so that, you know, it's.

It's kind of a joke, but it's.

It's also exactly what was true for me in the moment is, is I remember telling my mom because I. I had been high for so many days and up for so many days that I'm like, mom, we got to get in the attic because the FBI is up there and they're after me, and we got to find out where they are and what they want, you know, And.

And she's like, michael, you can't stay here anymore.

You got it?

You gotta go.

Yeah.

And so they lived on 25 acres.

And so I got in my car and I drove two acres away and I parked my car, I moved out.

And then they found me.

You know, they saw me.

I see you.

Yeah, yeah.

And.

And they said, you can't stay here either.

You know, you gotta go.

And.

And I'm sure, man, I. I look back now and I can't imagine being my mom in that situation and having to tell me to leave, but I was out of control.

So I left.

Fast forward maybe like another year, and I've.

I'm in this.

I'm in this trailer.

I had picked up a guy hitchhiking because I was just driving around aimlessly and I had picked this guy up, and I said, where are you headed to?

And he said, I'm going to the liquor store.

And I'm like, you're my guy.

My dude.

Get in, man.

I got you.

And I took him to the liquor store.

And then he said, well, do you want to come back and help me drink this?

I'm like, yeah, of course.

So I need a place to sit down for a minute.

That's what I was thinking.

And so he invited me to stay there.

He said, oh, you don't have, you know, we got to talk and you don't have anywhere to stay.

And I'm like, no.

Kind of told him, you know, I do drugs.

And I just told him the truth.

And he said, oh, well, I know a guy that can hook you up, you know, and I have this trailer out front of my house.

He was a logger and owned 150 acres or something, and it was just in the middle of nowhere.

So I'll go back to my original where I was when I had that thought of I can't live and I can't die as I was in that trailer.

And, man, I just, I just finally committed, right?

I was like, I'm done.

I don't, I don't want to do this anymore.

Well, no matter what it is, you know, I don't even.

Somebody could have dropped a million dollars in my pocket right then, and.

And I still would have been, I don't want it.

I'm just, I'm just done with life.

And.

And so I, I had a gun, but I couldn't find it.

But I had some.357 shells and I put around in my mouth.

And I got my pocket knife and I tried to hit the primer because I was just, you know, I didn't, I didn't care how it happened.

I just wanted to be kind of desperate.

Yeah, very desperate.

And I, I kept hitting it, and I remember, like, stabbing myself and cutting my cheek open.

And.

And then I pulled it out, and there's just dents around the primer.

And I'm like, first of all, I'm in shock because, yeah, what kind of skill does it take to do that?

Right?

And then I'm frustrated more because I, I, you know, and so I found an extension cord and I tied it around a tree, climbed the tree, tied it, and I jumped off.

And when I jumped off, the branch broke and hit me in the head.

God has a sense of humor, man.

He sure does.

And I'm like, I just remember laying there with this thing around my neck and, you know, still the branches attached to me through this cord.

And I, like, looked over at it and I'm like, I'm broken, man.

I'm so broken at this point that I cannot.

There's nothing but anger and frustration and, and my heart is just broke and I'm, I'm screaming and crying at the top of my lungs.

It, I'm laying in the Snow, it's negative 15 degrees.

And I remember having that, that, you know, that next thought, like, well, if I just laid here for long enough, right, that would also do the trick, so to speak.

So.

And I'm just crying and I remember being like, just shaking because I was so, so frustrated with.

I couldn't, I couldn't accomplish anything, right?

Even that, which is so sad.

But I, but that's all I could feel.

And I, and, and I knew I had this thought and I will never forget this for the rest of my life.

I don't know how to live.

I can't live, right?

Like, like I said, like normal people.

And now I can't die.

I'm stuck.

Like I'm stuck in this God awful purgatory of just like, when does it end and how, because I can't stay here, you know, I can't stay in this space in my life.

And I went back to the trailer and I went to sleep and I woke up the next morning and this is where God enters.

I woke up and, and I, I had made some coffee and taken a shower.

And that was unlike me, right?

The first thing drug addicts do when they wake up is do drugs.

That's, that's the truth of it.

And that is the first thing that goes off in your mind and that's the first thing that you do.

And I noticed that it had been an hour before.

You know, I'm like, wait a second, shouldn't I be getting high?

And right, right when I had that thought, I heard a voice loud and it said, get your stuff, son, and let's go.

And I.

First I thought I was still high, right?

Because I'm like, man, now I'm hearing voices.

This is getting worse.

What's happening?

And then he repeated himself, you know, I was like, well, I don't know what that was.

So I sat down and he said, son, get your stuff.

Let's go.

In like a nice peaceful voice this time.

And I'm go where?

You know, so now I'm talking back because I'm like, I don't know who this is.

He said, just get your stuff, let's go.

Okay.

So I got my backpack and put my Carhartt overalls on and my jacket and I told, I told the guy that I was staying with, I'm leaving.

And he's like, good, you know, Please make your way that way.

That's the exit.

And he said, all right, man, you know, have a good day.

And I walked away.

Are you looking to apply God's truth in a practical way to your everyday life?

Stay in the Fight is a weekday devotional written by Sasso Mendez.

This short 3 minute read looks at a verse of scripture and applies it to life in a very real and transparent way.

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Visit stayinthefight.online and subscribe to get notified by email when it releases each weekday.

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And I remember it was, I think it was 11 or 12 miles from his house to a town of 600 people.

And I started walking down this road and I was putting my.

Putting my thumb up, right?

I had walked a couple miles and now I'm freezing and I'm like, I still got 10 miles to go.

I'm not going to make it.

And then I had the thought, wait, so you're telling me you want to be alive now, you know, And I'm like, oh, my gosh.

Like there was just that little tiny spark of life, right?

And.

And so I'm putting up my thumb, putting up my thumb and.

And these cars are just blowing snow on me.

I just like, all right, in that same voice, go in there.

It's warm.

And I look and I see the smoke, like behind the tree line.

And so I get closer and I look again and it's a little.

This little wooden church, right?

And I'm like, oh, it's Sunday morning.

They're in service.

I'm like, I can't go in there.

You know, I'm a mess.

I'm dirty.

I'm not presentable.

I just, you know, I'm a drug addict.

I'm doing all these things.

And he said, go in there.

It's warm.

And I'm like, I'm not going in there, you know?

And so I kept walking and I walked maybe another mile and I had my thumb up again.

A couple cars passed me.

I finally was like, nobody's gonna pick me up.

I put my thumb down and skrt this Toyota Tundra pulls up, stops.

And he's like, hey, man, we just left that church back there.

Do you need a ride?

And I'm like, sure.

So I get in the truck and they're like, where are you going?

I said, oh, so now I'm looking to that voice to answer the question for me, right?

Because I'm like, I don't know anything.

I really don't know anything at this point.

And my default was, well, I'll go to the hospital.

At least I'm safe, right?

I'm out of the cold.

And this is just.

I just say that to give you reference to where I'm at in life.

I don't have anybody to call.

I don't have a vehicle anymore.

I don't have a cell phone.

I don't have any money.

I don't have anything.

No, there's no resources.

And I said, I need to go to the hospital.

And he goes, okay, no problem.

And we pull up to the front of the hospital, and he says, hey, man, can we pray for you?

And I'm like, sure, I guess you can do whatever you want, you know, Free world.

Yeah, it's America.

Yeah, you can do whatever you want.

And him and his wife both lay hands on me, and they start praying.

And I remember, like, I closed my eyes for a second, then I open them, and I'm like, what's happening right now?

You know, these strangers, and I look like this.

And he gives me his card.

I'll never forget.

I still have the card in my wallet.

He's this tan, white male.

He's got this big, long brown beard, long brown hair.

And he gives me his card, and it looks like a piece of wood, and he's a carpenter.

And I'm like, okay, well, thanks, man.

You know, I put it in my pocket, and I go in the.

I go in the hospital, and.

I.

Don't know how much time we have, but that.

That same voice, who I now know is the Holy Spirit, directed me from that point.

You know, these.

These events kept happening all the way home.

I get to the hospital, I see, you know, I get up to the counter, and I. I.

All of a sudden, I'm not, like, I'm not able to lie to this lady and tell her, oh, I need this or I need that.

I don't need anything, really.

You know, I'm not in injured or.

I'm not in need of anything other than somebody to save me.

Yeah, right.

Yeah.

And that.

That same voice, call your mom.

My mom doesn't want to hear from me.

Right.

Call your mom.

Like, all right.

I picked up my phone and.

Or there was, like, there was a waiting room, had a phone in the corner, and the waiting room's full of People.

And I am so embarrassed to be around human beings, right?

I've been hiding from the world for as long as I can.

And I look to the left and there's like a little kids playroom, but there's a phone on that little tiny table with the little tiny chairs.

And I'm like, I'm going in there.

So I went in there and I called my mom.

And she's.

She answers the phone like I've never heard.

She said, michael, I've been praying for you for three days.

I don't know what happened, she said, but God kept telling me I needed to pray for you.

I needed to pray for you.

And I'm like, oh, he heard you, you know?

Know?

She said, where are you?

I said, I'm at the hospital.

And she's like, oh, my God, what happened?

I'm like, nothing, actually, you know, I'm okay.

She got me a bus ticket and a hotel room for that night to come back to Arizona.

And she.

So.

So I get.

I get to the hotel, they check me in, and it's this sweet little old lady.

She walks me up, shows me my room, you know, And I get in there, I take a shower, I change my clothes, and then she knocks on the door and I'm like, oh, God, I'm in trouble already.

42 Minutes.

And I. I opened the door and she said, hi, son.

She said, would you like to have dinner with us?

I'm like, dinner with who?

You know?

And she said, oh, well, it's a family that owns this.

This hotel, and we eat dinner together every night.

She said, but you gotta help us clean up, you know?

And I'm like, wow.

So I eat dinner with these people.

They pray for me again.

I'm like, why are these strangers being so nice to me?

It didn't.

It didn't make sense to me.

So.

I tried to sell that bus ticket in the morning to get high.

That was the next.

That little.

That other little voice, right, Was like, man, you haven't been high for a whole day.

You know, this is.

This is bad.

And I tried to sell it so for so long that I. I watched the bus driveway.

Oh, wow.

And I'm like, so of course I called Greyhound and told them that it was their fault.

They left me on the corner and they gave me a bus ticket for the next day.

And I didn't have anywhere to go again, right?

So I went back to that hotel.

And in the Midwest, they have like a mud room.

So I sat in that mudroom for a While.

And then once the sun went down kind of, and I felt like I had been there too long, I went outside and sat on the wall and I'm sitting there watching the traffic and tap, tap, tap on my shoulder and that little old lady hands me a key card and she's like, hey, we made your room up for you.

You know, feel free to stay here another night.

I'm like, okay, yes, ma'.

Am.

You know, I'll take you up on that.

And then I got on the bus the next morning.

It was supposed to be a 33 hour ride from where I was to Phoenix, Arizona to downtown.

And it took us seven days, right?

The bus broke down, flat tire.

The other bus leaked water.

The roads were closed because of snow.

We stayed in all these different hotels along the way.

So when I get home, I'm 10 days sober, right?

And I'm like, I haven't been 10 days sober in over 10 years probably.

And.

And I got to the Greyhound station.

Meanwhile, I'm cultivating and creating this relationship with that voice the whole way.

Like I had nobody else.

It was just me, you know, and I'm going through physical withdrawals and all these other things are happening along the way.

And so I just became dependent on that voice, right?

And that voice when I got to the Greyhound station, call your mom again.

And I'm like, how's my mom going to help me now?

You know, she's in Minnesota, now I'm in Arizona.

And.

And she answered.

I mean, it didn't even ring a full ring.

And she answered and she said, I just talked to your sister's friend.

She's going to come get you.

She's already got a room made up for you, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

And then she showed up and, and found me this place called Purpose Healing Center.

If I can shout them out, that place is amazing.

It's a treatment center.

And I went through their program and that was.

And that was.

That was that first day on the bus, right?

Oh, wow.

Okay.

And so.

So you didn't go back from that point?

No.

Wow.

Never?

No.

So.

But God removed that from me.

Like, it doesn't mean that I knew what I was doing.

Just God took that desire right out of my heart to get high, to be intoxicated to anybody, replaced it with that voice.

I noticed that like maybe a couple years ago, I'm like, that's.

You added.

You took and you added at the same time, which blew my mind.

So.

So when you ask what God's done in my life.

That is.

That is.

That's where it starts.

Right.

And then let's say follow me and everything else should be added into you.

You know, put me first.

And.

And I think I'm.

Honestly, I feel so blessed.

But I'm also extremely stubborn, which is why I think he literally had to verbally tell me to do things, because I wouldn't have listened any other way.

Go ahead.

So growing up, I think I remember at Thrive, you talked about you.

You actually, you were.

You kind of went to church when you were young.

I did.

And so you were introduced to the Lord at an early age.

Very early.

Yeah.

So what.

So what, when would you say, like, your day of salvation?

When is it.

You were pretty young.

And.

And you.

You trusted the Lord.

And maybe later on, as, you know, Holy Spirit's working later on in your life, I mean, you fell back, obviously.

Fell back into, you know, you.

You strayed, obviously.

But, but, but.

But the spirit was still there.

100%.

Yeah.

And I can look back now and see the spirit was moving even when I wasn't.

Yeah.

Listening.

Yeah.

I grew up in a Christian household.

We went to church.

I went to vacation Bible school, I went to Bible studies.

I knew the.

I knew the book, but I never knew the author.

Right, okay.

Never knew the author.

I never.

I never had a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Never.

But I could quote scripture to you all day.

If you told me you had a problem, I could point you to where.

Where your solution was.

Yeah, but I didn't know.

It never resonated with me.

Right.

I never really received.

Which I know sounds wild to say, but I. I could read the Bible all day and just didn't hit until I had that encounter.

Right.

Until.

And.

And that's why I love the lost sheep, because he goes and he gets him and he brings him home.

And that's how I felt.

I felt like that sheep.

He.

He came to me.

I didn't seek him.

You know, you hear that a lot.

So I'll seek the Lord.

You're having a problem.

Seek the Lord.

The Bible says you don't.

You don't, though.

Like.

Right.

Nobody seeks after him.

Right.

And so I'm just like, my, My story's not that.

You know, my story is that he came and rescued me from death.

Amen.

From death in.

In multiple different ways.

Right?

Yeah.

So.

Well, and I remember.

I think you said something, too.

I can't remember what point in your story, but, I mean, I'm sure there's there's probably countless times where you can look back and see that Lord was protecting you and.

And guiding you.

But I think you.

You had talked about a.

A car accident, I think.

Yeah.

So.

Excuse me.

When I was.

I think I was 21, 21 or 22, I had.

I was in the car business, right?

I had started selling cars.

I made some friends and.

And I met this guy that was a finance producer and his name was Doug.

And he.

It was his 26th birthday, I think.

And I bought a new car, new 350Z, and we went out to a couple different parties and.

And then we were driving home and I don't know if you remember this or not.

I lived on like, 118th Avenue in Happy Valley.

And Happy Valley was where the 303 stopped at that time.

And so we're cruising on the.

The 303, and he said.

He's like, man, should I open it up?

And I'm like, yeah, dude, do it.

Go as fast as you can, you know?

And I remember looking down and it said like 166 miles an hour on that little digital readout.

And.

And then I looked up and I saw the stop sign, and I'm like, dougie, you gotta stop, dude.

And he's like, oh.

And I remember him let off.

And then by the time he even let off the gas, you know, we had already seen the stop sign.

And he slammed on the brakes and we went through Happy Valley into a concrete ravine.

And then we flew, I don't know, 60 or 80 yards and then landed and then rolled nine times.

And that car was just a ball.

And I remember.

I remember I had my.

I had my cell phone in my hand when we crashed, and I. I didn't know where it went.

I woke up once we.

You know, we stopped rolling and I looked over at Doug and he was.

He was bleeding it from his head.

And I'm like, dougie, where's your phone?

And he's like, he, He.

He was out of it.

And so I grabbed his phone out of his pocket and I went.

I couldn't call 911 because I was so discombobulated, but I kept pressing 61 1.

And she's like, hi, how can I help you?

You know?

Yeah, I'm like, oh, wrong lady, you know?

Anyway, somebody.

Somebody had seen the lights that was driving down hi Valley had seen the lights flipping, and they called the cops and they.

They arovaced us to, I think it was John C. Lincoln and put us both in ICU And.

And I woke up the next day in icu, and.

And I said, where's.

Where's Doug?

You know, where's my friend?

And they're like, oh, he's.

He's a couple rooms down.

I'm looking at myself, and I'm like, what's wrong with me?

You know?

And they said, nothing.

We can't figure out, you know, there's nothing wrong with you.

You don't have any scratches on.

You have any broken bones.

We don't.

We don't.

We don't think anything.

I'm like, well, can I go see my friend then?

She said.

She said, yeah, you can.

You can walk down there.

And I went down to see him and found out that he was paralyzed from the neck down.

And that was, like.

That was a big deal.

You know, there's no words, really, just like, man, you okay?

And he's like, no, man.

He's like, I can't move.

And I was like, oh, you know, I didn't.

But.

But I remember the doctor came in, and he.

He just was like, you don't hurt anywhere.

And I'm like, no.

And, you know, they.

The doctors are scientific, right?

So they're like, oh, you had enough alcohol in your system to be limber enough to maybe sustain this, blah, blah, blah.

And.

And I'm like, man, that's not it.

That's not it.

You know, So I walked away from that, which also started me on the pain pills because my back did start hurting a little bit after that, which I used as an excuse, and.

And moved forward with that, but that was just.

Just one of the.

So my.

My sponsor, when I got sober, told me.

We started talking about, you know, how we shouldn't.

We shouldn't be here on a math scale, right?

How many times you've been in this situation and how many times you should have died or should have gotten hurt or.

And I wrote down, like, I don't know, 27 times that, you know, I've been shot and I've been stabbed and I've been in rollover car accidents and motorcycle accidents and all these things that should have.

And I'm still.

I'm okay, you know, And I just see it as.

Man, God really called me out of those situations because he had a different.

Different purpose for me, which I never would have said those words before.

You know, it.

People think it's.

I've told people, man, I'm so grateful for that night in the trailer.

I'm so grateful for that, because if it wasn't for that night, I wouldn't know Christ.

And I wouldn't be so grateful for being alive, being here with you guys, driving here, you know, I'm like, I gotta go do a podcast.

This is incredible.

Why me?

You know, I still don't understand fully, but I do believe that when it says he has a plan and a purpose for your life, I know that's true now.

You know, so now when I read the Bible, it hits.

It hits hard.

Those words jump off of those pages at me and I'm like, oh, I get it, I get it, I get it.

You know, so once.

Once the Holy Spirit opens your eyes, man, it's.

It's impossible.

When you ask, you never went back and it.

I see it as impossible.

Even if I wanted to, I don't think the Lord would allow it.

You know, he's like, no, now you're mine.

And now here's what we do, you know?

So I'm just following him around, man, and see where it takes.

That's the verse we say right there.

For Fenny, man, be in Christ.

He is a new creature.

Old things are passed away.

Behold, all things have become new.

That's right.

And it's a new outlook.

And the cool thing is, as God has done this in your life, I mean, we're going to have a connection to somebody that we know.

And Ben got to know you last week that you gave him his first Bible.

And it's just how.

That's how God started to really work in his life with that Bible.

And then he used other people to.

I mean, that's what Paul says, right?

Some water, some.

Some plants.

But God gives the increase and how God has worked in his life.

But.

And really, you talk about divine intervention not happen, you know, happenstance or, oh, I don't know.

We can't explain it because, yeah, they're not willing to admit God.

True.

And then he orchestrated all that in your life.

And then this young.

This young man, I call him young because he is young.

But compared.

Compared to us all, guys.

Yeah, compared to us.

And how God just started working in his heart with the Bible you gave him, and he started reading it and then he became interested.

And I think, I don't want to go into the story too much, but he watched a.

A YouTube video of how some doctor explained the eye and he said there has to be something more out there and than what I know.

And it's just amazing how God can use one person.

That's that one sheep.

Right.

And he really orchestrates that and he talks about the.

The woman that lost, you know, the, the coin or.

And she'll sweep the whole house and look for it.

And that's what he is.

He doesn't.

He may have the 99 in the fold, but the one that's missing, he goes out and seeks, which is all of us.

Yeah.

And the Bible tells us God draws us.

Right.

Unless he draws us, we.

We.

We can't become believers.

But he is the one that goes out and that his house might be full.

And he gives many parables, as you said before we started recording, about the wedding feast and how he calls people in and people have excuses as to why they're not ready or why they weren't there.

There are lamps and things of that nature.

And he said that my house might be full.

And so he just calls everybody.

I think in that point he's talking about the Jews, but that now he's about the Gentiles, which mean gentle.

Right, right, right.

But it's just amazing how he cares about the one.

And he said heaven rejoices over one soul, the sinner that comes home.

And just.

It's amazing.

It's not about.

It's about individualism with God.

And that's what's so amazing, that a holy God creator cares about our one soul.

That's right.

I'm Rebecca Mendez with Lamplight Ministries, where I serve the Lord by loving others through biblical counseling and workshops.

Every day we're reminded of our fallen world through disappointment, grief, fear, despair.

We need a Savior.

And in Jesus Christ we have that Savior.

He came to rescue us, offering his spirit to guide us and his Word to comfort, correct and lead us.

If you're a follower of Christ, eager to grow in Him, I'd be honored to walk this journey with you through one on one biblical counseling.

Together we'll explore God's word, find encouragement, and pursue faithful obedience to our Savior.

Please Visit me at lamplightministries.com to book your appointment today.

Yeah.

What an amazing story, bro.

What.

What is.

What does life look like now?

You know, I know you, so how many years sober now?

I know you said that was December 14th of 20.

So I'm coming up on six years.

Six years.

Wow.

So what is.

What's life, you know, look like now?

Like, what's, what's.

What's going on?

Life is.

Is incredible.

Not only do I. I get to share my testimony, which is probably my most favorite thing.

Yeah.

But the Lord's helped me start.

I call them ministries, people call them businesses.

I have Two businesses.

I'm a gearhead by trade, right.

A mechanic by trade.

And so I own a car dealership and a mechanic shop.

That man, the, the Lord has really used to bless others.

So we are linked up with a program called Alongside Ministries, which is a prison ministry.

And we're able to sell them cars and finance them cars in house to people that normally wouldn't be able to do things like that or put them on payment plans or whatever aside from the money.

It's just we've made all these connections with all the people from the church that I attend or, you know, and it still blows my mind.

I'll look around and like all my employees are having, having conversations with people and people are praying for my employees and I'm like, this is incredible.

Like this.

Do you have like discipleship opportunities with your employees and.

Yeah, things.

They, it's, they don't even have a choice.

I mean it's the true.

That's the truth.

They don't, they don't stand a chance.

You know, it's the people that come into that, that business are leaders in the church.

And my pastor comes and hangs out all the time and just kicks it with us, you know, and it's incredible.

And they say lead by example.

And I'm like, man, I'm just doing the best I can.

All I know is what he teaches me, you know, and that's it.

But.

And then I have another ministry called Elements Sober Living, which is wild because Purpose Healing center now sends us clients to fill the houses, which blows my mind.

The place that I went through.

Yeah, it just.

And we're getting ready to expand that.

And I bought a house, you know, I, it's just, it's wild, man.

I, I'm.

Whatever my plan was for my life was nowhere near what God's done.

And I feel like we're just getting started really.

You know?

Yeah, I think we're just, we're short sighted, right?

We, we look at the trivial things and the materialistic things and, and he's got this greater purpose.

Like he's just causes him an amazing.

Just like you were saying sasso about, you know, I mean, you're giving this kid this Bible that's going to change his life.

Yeah.

Like you're changing a lot.

He's changing lives.

You were thinking, yeah, this is cool, you know, I need to.

Need a job or I need a.

Whatever.

And he's like, no man, I'm gonna change your life.

Like it's.

Yeah, the job has nothing to do with It.

Right.

It has nothing to do with the business.

The businesses.

Right.

I mean, exactly.

Yeah, yeah.

Which is, man, what.

It just.

What a great space to be in all the time.

I really say that when I'm like, lord, you really did separate me from the world, you know?

Like, I. I don't.

I don't technically, and I know this might sound bad, but I don't have to interact with the world if I don't want to.

Right.

Yeah.

I mean, we have.

We have business and we have people that come in off the street or whatever, but 95% of the people I see every day, I know, and they're brothers and sisters in Christ.

And we go out as.

As a.

You remember the core.

Yeah, yeah.

That was a great, great analogy.

Yeah.

And so me and my core, or me and my crew, and we go out as.

As a team, man, and.

And it's like we can go to In N Out Burger and.

And.

And I, like, I go to the bathroom and I come back and they're praying for somebody next to us, and I'm like, this is.

I'm just happy to be a part of it, you know, I just.

I'm just happy to be involved in it, period.

So.

Yeah.

That's very cool.

That's awesome, man.

Any.

Anything you else you want to share, man?

Like, you know.

You know, talking to you, like, you know, if you were able to talk to yourself when you were, I don't know, 15, 20, like, whenever, you know, whenever you kind of took that trajectory to go down the, you know, that dark path, you know, what would you tell that person?

Like, what would you say to that person?

Well, I know he wouldn't listen, but.

I would go back and.

And tell him that I loved him.

That's what I would tell him.

I would tell him that he is loved, whether he believes it or not.

Because.

Because I know that now.

Right.

But then I didn't know that.

I didn't know that.

I didn't know that love was a real thing.

That's the truth.

And I'm not talking about parental love or, you know, just, man, that God really does love us.

You know, like you said, it's.

It's easy to, like, get distracted with the things.

Things of the world.

Right?

And.

And I think that's where I went wrong, was, wow, I gotta get that car.

If I.

If I can just get a nice car and a pretty girlfriend and a nice job, I'll be okay, you know, that.

That would be enough.

And those things don't matter at All.

And as soon as I let all those things go, the Lord gave me those same things.

Yeah.

Times 10.

You do have a nice car.

I will say.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I worked hard on that one.

I'm gonna have to go check that out.

Yeah, Yeah.

I just.

Man, I think the parental side of things.

I had a lot of trouble with my dad.

Right.

And my mom, for that matter.

I was not a good kid.

Right.

I like to.

I like to do the opposite of whatever my parents told me.

Yeah.

Rebel.

Right.

A normal kid.

But if, like.

So me and my dad.

I don't know how much time we have, but we're good.

Me and my dad have a relationship now.

We're just beginning a relationship now, right after.

So when my parents divorced, I think I was 16 years old.

And.

And, I mean, I didn't talk to my dad until recently.

Oh, wow.

It had been a long time before.

And one of my friends is actually the one that was.

She was pushing me.

She's like, man, you gotta call your dad.

You know?

And I'm like, yeah, but you don't know him, you know?

Yeah, yeah.

She's like, you should call him.

He's still your father.

We were just.

I had a Bible study on Friday.

Friday with Pastor Chuck, and.

And we were reading that.

Honor your parents.

That's.

There's a lot in those.

Those words.

A lot in those words.

And I. I really felt like.

Like the Holy Spirit was putting it on me, man.

Like, you.

You need to make things right with your dad.

You're the one that knows Jesus.

And so then your call called to be humble and.

And go and make that right.

And I'm like, why are you always right?

You know why?

And so I reached out to him and he.

He still doesn't believe that I am where I am in life.

I don't think he can wrap his head around it because he saw the old me for so long.

That.

That's what he knows is true.

So when he was.

He lives out of state and he flew here, and I said, why don't you stay with me, dad?

You know?

And he's like, oh, okay.

I guess we can do that.

And I'm like, you need a car to drive while you're here.

I'll give you a car to drive, you know?

He's like, okay, you know?

And I wasn't trying to prove a point.

I just wanted him to know that I'm here for him.

Yeah.

So that was just trying to open a door.

And he stayed with me and I asked him, I said, one.

One night, you know, while you're here, you think we could sit down and talk?

And he's like, sure.

And I just sat down and told him the truth about what my experience was like as a child.

And I don't know how often this happens between children.

Children and parents, especially ones that have a giant wall in between them.

But I've never seen my dad cry.

And he was crying.

Wow.

But.

And the cool thing, if he doesn't know.

Gee, I mean, that's a lot.

You're just being a light, bro.

Yeah, it just His.

I just could watch his walls, like, just.

He had no control of them falling down, you know?

And that was a beautiful thing, man.

I was so.

I'm smiling, you know, I'm like, I'm excited to see.

To.

To watch this in the same thing, be.

Just be a part of it, because I can see God's just moving.

Moving in him.

And.

And he's like.

He looked at me and he said.

He's like, michael, I don't think I've ever heard you talk like that.

Me neither.

And so he, you know, we.

That.

But that just.

It just cracked that door open enough to where he's invited me to come to his house.

You know, he wouldn't even give me his address because he's like, I don't want you to just show up, you.

Know, because they don't want to take you in.

Yeah, exactly.

Be part of what you.

He's like, I'm done.

Yeah.

If you're gonna live that life, then go live it, and rightfully so.

But, yeah.

He's like, why don't you come visit me and stay at my house?

You know?

So he's reciprocating that.

That same love, and.

And we'll see where it goes.

But.

But, man, I just.

That's all these things are very.

When I said I still feel new.

Still feels new.

And I've been doing it for years and years, right?

But it still feels brand new every time, so it's cool, man.

It's cool.

It's very cool.

It's cool to keep that fire for the Lord, man.

Like, sometimes it burns out a little bit.

You get complacent, or you just kind of, you know, it's.

I mean, the gospel never gets old.

I love hearing the gospel, but I think at some point, you almost, like you've just become.

Not numb to it, but just.

You've heard 40 years of marriage, right?

They call it a honeymoon for a reason, right?

And sometimes you have a spiritual honeymoon, and then, yeah, you go to, like, last weekend, right, where you get charged up, and then life comes and punches you and the devil, you know, starts.

And even Jesus went away to the mountaintop to get restored because the people drained life out of him.

And so how was your mom in response to this to see her prayers answered?

And how was that relationship today?

My mom is.

I've always said this.

My mom is.

My mom is the one person, and I mean one out of everybody that I knew that would still pick up the phone when I would call and.

And praise God for that.

Because if she didn't, who knows, right?

Yeah, me and my mom.

My mom's still my best friend.

She works for me.

Oh, really?

Which is wild, right?

So she.

She moved back to Arizona or she did.

She.

So she, I think two years ago, moved back to Arizona.

And.

And.

And she lives in Sun City west now.

And so she's like 10 minutes from me and so.

Cool, bro.

I'll go over there and have dinner.

I'm like, on my way home, and I'm like, man, I don't want to cook.

And I'm like, oh, I can call my mom just like.

Just like when I was a kid.

So I'm like, hey, mom, what's for dinner?

And she's like, oh, you know, I'm making scalloped potatoes or whatever.

I'm like, okay, I'm on my way, you know, which is just so cool for me to.

Just to be that close to.

But, yeah, we hang out all the time.

My Aunt Terry, my mom's sister, we just had breakfast this morning, and.

And I was able to bring one of my.

The guys that works for me, also a brother in Christ for the sober living, you know, God, just like, weird, small things, right?

But God.

God really put it on my heart.

He's like, you should invite Will to that breakfast.

And I'm like, that's.

That's a family breakfast, right?

That's what I thought.

He's like, he is family son, you know?

And I'm like, man, breaking my heart every day.

Breaking my heart, Breaking my heart.

That's what he does.

And I invited Will, and him and my Aunt Terry are just like magnets to each other, you know?

It was the coolest experience.

Just small stuff like that that I'm like, again, I get to sit there and just watch.

Watch and be a part of, and it's.

It's beautiful, man.

I. I don't know what's next, right?

I don't know.

What's next for me in life?

I don't know what.

What tomorrow looks like, man, but I am.

I. I have that.

Fire in my heart, man, that just does.

It won't go away.

And I keep expecting it to, you know, like, when does this die out?

You know, when do I get complacent?

When do I.

And every time I feel my stuff start.

Feel myself start getting there, God's like, oh, here, got a new task for you.

Or God, you know, or we're going to turn you this way, and you're going to go this way and learn something new.

And I'm not going to tell you that any of this has been easy because I have gone through.

I was engaged, I went through a breakup.

I was super close with her kids, you know, one of her.

Her children.

His dad passed away and he didn't know him, and so I filled that role and then we broke up.

And these.

These life things are hard.

Yeah.

Right.

Right.

But I get to go home and I get to hit my knees and I get to lay it at his feet, and I let.

And I give it to him and he takes it.

And I don't mean.

That doesn't mean I. I don't deal with it.

Right.

I don't still have it, but, man, I. I have a place to give it, you know, I have a. I have a place to take it, and that's important for me.

Business, stress, whatever.

Yeah.

Life stuff.

Right.

Every time we want to grow in business or we want to buy more cars or we want to do more things, I'm like, don't stop talking to me now, you know?

I need you.

I need you.

And I.

It is.

It is a necessity for me.

Like, I. I don't see life apart from my relationship with him.

I don't.

I don't see it.

Amen.

Mean.

That's what.

That's how it should be, right?

Yeah, that's how it should be.

I think we'll have seasons where we, you know, maybe stray or maybe we just, you know, have a dry season, maybe, so to speak.

You know, I know I've got a good friend.

In fact, he was up at Thrive and.

And he's, you know, he's going through a divorce and.

And it's hard right now.

He's, you know, he's still communing with the Lord and praying, but it's hard.

Like, it's.

It's painful.

Like he's to.

Going.

Going through the.

He's going through the fire right now, man.

It's Hard.

But you know, we're, we're praying for him and lifting him up and I think, I think thrive was a good thing for him as well.

Just a weekend of just refreshment.

We, you know, laid some hands on him, prayed for him and yeah, we just, we just keep, just keep exhorting him.