Good News of New Beginnings

February 2010

P.O. Box 472

Piketon, Ohio 45661

www.newbeginningsoutreach.net

740-289-4317

Piketon, Ohio- Last night had an opportunity to watch the movie “Blind Side” and I so moved in my spirit about how many people just need some help to reach their potential. I realized how blessed that I am that I get the opportunity to invest in men and women daily that have greatness inside of them and all they truly need is someone to help them, guide them, invest in them as well as show them the goodness of Jesus Christ.

            When you give your money, time and resources to Freedom Hall I want to assure you that you are truly changing lives. Your giving allows us to guide, invest and truly change lives in the Name of Jesus. I often say that many of the people that we help just need a hand up out of the pit in order to reach the potential and plan that Christ has for them. Investments truly go up and down you win some and you lose some, but I promise that you will never go wrong investing in broken lives and seeing them restored.

            I truly thank each and every one of you that give to this ministry. Even through these tough economic times the Lord has truly met every need. As we see the economy begin to make an upswing it is our prayer to expand our facilities and add labors to assist in this endeavor. At this present time we have 42 men and 20 women on the waiting list, yesterday one female on our waiting list died that makes 2 in the last 90 days that have passed away while waiting to get help. People call daily begging for help and we have to turn them away because we just do not have the room or resources; this is one of the hardest burdens that we have to bare. Please pray for us in this area.

            At this present time our finances are getting low, please pray about what God would have you to do. We are also in need of another van as we have had one broken down for almost two months.

            Many are still asking about how to purchase Angie’s book. You can find it at Praise’s in Portsmouth and Chillicothe, Ohio Candle in Piketon, Hope Works in Portsmouth as well as www.newbeginnigsoutreach.net.

My name is Anthony Jones.  I am 23 years old and was born in Portsmouth Ohio on September 1^st 1986.  For as long as I can remember I’ve had a lot fears. And 7 years old and I started building major resentments around them.  Not only was the separation of my parents not enough I found my biological father. Needless to say it caused a few problems for me at that time and later in life. Eventually my parents got back together 2 yrs later. But it never really did feel the same anymore. I acted as a child and it carried onto my teenage years. About the time my 8^th grade year started my dad went to prison. All the old thoughts and feelings I had came back into the light. I started drinking shortly after he went to jail. We had grown close because I realized the love he had for me, to step up and take care of me when he didn’t have to. So losing him hurt a lot. So the drinking came on pretty strong. I would drink until I blacked out or it made me sick. I used to think it was for enjoyment. It was only to numb the pain I felt. Being the oldest son I felt a lot of pressure and it seemed as if I had to step up and be the man of the house. It hurt to see my mom and brother cry. So that only fueled the drinking. It started off as drinking on the weekends to drinking whenever I could. My father got out a year later, but it never did stop me from drinking. By that time I was 15 years old and just starting high school. Meeting all the older guys and hanging out with them eventually led me to smoking pot and drinking on a regular basis. At this time I loved the taste of alcohol mixed with weed, it really set me off. After the start of my sophomore year I ended up trying small pain pills. Perk 5’s and 10’s, tab 5’s and 10’s; I must say it was a whole new high. I felt so good and felt like I could drink forever if I mixed pills with alcohol. So my use took off at a fast pace. Six months after I got my license I ended up wrecking car and getting a DUI. Which led to many problems. After getting off of house arrest for 7 months, I was back to my old ways. The problem kept growing throughout my junior and senior years. I started to meet all kinds of new people and I was in the party scene. I ended up trying cocaine for the first time after I graduated. I just got a job with the carpenters union; so feeding my habit was easier at this time. After 8 months of working to get high, I got tired and decided to try entering the National Guard. I ended up failing a drug test for marijuana. When I came back home I discovered oxy’s . It was a whole new ride. At first it was so much fun. I could use a smaller amount and feel like I never have felt before. Then it got to the point where I was stealing from my parents. I would steal their debit card and go to the bank late at night. I would steal personal items and anything I could. This was not like me. It seemed as if I were possessed and had no self control. My parents ended up finding out, and telling me I had no choice but to stay at their house. My parents also decided to take my car keys and shut off my cell phone. This went on for about 2 months in which I had no intentions of quitting drugs or alcohol.  It only made me want to use even more. I got off lockdown and met my girlfriend. Thankfully she does not use drugs or alcohol. After dating for about 7 months we found out she was pregnant. On October 20^th 2009 she had our baby girl, Alexis. At this point my addiction had progressed and all I could think of was ending my miserable life; not my new born baby. Shortly after the birth I decided to come to New Beginnings. The next day on November 4^th I gave my life to God. He brought me out of the dark and into the light. Since that day God has blessed me in so many ways I can’t praise him enough. He has put new friends in my life who love me. He has showed me better places to hang out. I’m fixing broken relationships and continuing to grow in Christ daily. He saved my life and my soul the day I arrived at New Beginnings. I hope this testimony touches lives and inspires the lost to seek our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.       

  My name is Ryan Carmon. I was born on August 21^st 1980 in Ironton Ohio.   My parents are Dallas and Loretta Carmon.  I have two brothers Dallas Carmon Jr. and Robbie Akers.  I grew up in a very loving and caring home.  My family and I were really close.  I didn’t have much as far as material things and I grew up poor, but I was very loved and had Christ in my life.  I was a very happy child, loved to play sports and hunt.  When I turned 12 years old my family was finally able to afford to put me in organized sports ( baseball ).  It was then I realized I was a very gifted athlete.  My abilities as an athlete gave me the opportunity not only to be a professional athlete but to further my education.  I had scholarships to many schools for either football or baseball.  I was living a life all men dream about until a bad relationship brought me to reality. 

                This incident introduced me to what I thought would be my best friend for life.  This best friend would take away all my pain, this best friend would always be there for me, and this best friend would always make me happy.  This best friend I’m talking about is drugs.  What I thought was my best friend ended up being my worst enemy.  It costs me everything:  My family, my friends, my chance to be a father, and my life. 

                My addiction started at 19 years old.  I slowly started losing myself in my addiction.  I was losing my trust and relationship with my family.  I was lying and stealing from my friends.  I was doing things I never dreamed I would do.  I was becoming selfish and heartless.  It left me with nothing but loneliness and heartache.

                I found out the hard way what tough love really was.  My addiction eventually sent me to prison which then only left me scared and alone.  All the people I ran the streets with were getting high and didn’t care about me at all.  They just cared about what they could get from me.  Unfortunately I learned this when I went to prison.  Those people I thought were my friends for life didn’t want anything to do with me.  They didn’t visit me in prison, put money on my books, or accept my phone calls.  All the people that I stole from, threatened to beat up, told I hated and never wanted to see or talk to again, and the people that stayed up all night waiting by the phone, hoping and praying they didn’t get the phone call telling them their son just overdosed and died.  The people I took for granted were the people who cared for me the most; my family, my real friends, the ones who told me a thousand times I was ruining my life.  That’s who prayed for me and made sure I was ok.  Even though I had their support I was still in pain because I was missing the single most important gift in my life, my daughter, Graycie.  She was born on September 24^th, 2005.  She was 11 months old when my addiction and selfishness took her out of my life.  My addiction has left me with few memories of her.  I’ve only fed her 3 times, gave her a bath 2 times, I can count on 1 hand how many times I played with her.  The last time I held her she was 10 months old.  She will be 5 this year.  The last time I saw her she was 2 years old and I was in jail at the time.  That 15 minute visit changed my life forever and for the first time I realized what I was losing.  I never felt so much pain in my life.  There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about that visit.  I remember her walking, talking, eating candy off the dirty jail house floor, and the thing I remember the most about that visit was her trying to give me a kiss and couldn’t because of the glass between us.  I’ve never cried so hard in my life.  This beautiful little girl made the biggest impact on my life and she had no idea.  My motivation to be a father to her and the determination has led me down a path of righteousness; to walk and live for the Lord.  I was saved on July 7^th and baptized on Sept. 20^th, 2009.  From the moment I gave my life to the Lord, life has never been better.  During my addiction I forgot what love was about.  Now I know that God is love.  The Lord has put so many wonderful people in my path that love me for who I am and not what I was.  I’ve never been happier and it’s been a long time since I’ve believed I had a purpose in life and a reason for living.  I thank the Lord everyday for the blessings he has given me.  I know as long as I trust him and stay obedient he will continue to bless me.  Without him in my life I know that none of this would be possible.  I know God will be that friend who never turns his back on me. He was there with me watching over me through the hard times when no one else was. 

Not only has God given me everlasting life, he’s also changing me into the man he wants me to be and the man I want to become.

                Please, for those of you who haven’t given your life to Christ, I encourage you to do so.  He will do things in your life that you could never imagine.  If you are active in your addiction please take a minute to think about what you just read.  I would not wish the pain I’ve been through on anyone.  Addiction will cause you only pain and suffering.  Do not take the loved ones in your life for granted because you never know what you have until it’s gone.  Please listen to what I’m telling you and learn from my mistakes before it’s too late because you never know what tomorrow will bring.     

                Remember, you are not here by chance but by God’s choosing.  His hand formed you and made you the person you are.  He compares you to no one else.  You are one of a kind.  You lack nothing that his grace can’t give you.  He has allowed you to be here at this time to fulfill his special purpose.

                I want to thank the Lord and my family in Christ for helping save my life.  I love each and every one of you.

www.newbeginningsoutreach.net