A Shot of Hope: Recovery Stories

Alison is the mother of Adam Fishman, who graduated from Helping Up Mission years ago and passed away more recently. Jake is Adam's brother. They share Adam's story, but also the story of their grief journeys.

Mother's Day, like any holiday, is joyous for some and bitter or bittersweet for others. This episode goes out to all the mothers and all the family members who don't know where their loved one is today, or who've lost their loved one to addiction. We hope Alison's and Jake's stories and experiences bring you some measure of hope and encouragement in your grief.

Listen as Renee shares her story of healing and recovery from childhood abuse, codependency, and recovery from addiction to alcohol.

Listen as Jeremy shares his story of healing from childhood trauma and abuse, and recovery from addiction to alcohol, heroin, and fentanyl.

Listen as Carlton and Tyrell share their father-and-son story of addiction and recovery, from Tyrell's adoption at a young age to their reunion decades later.

Listen as Jon shares his story of addiction and recovery, including his growth in mental health, spiritual renewal, and plans to through-hike the Appalachian Trail.

"Everything you wanted - it's starting right now." 

Listen as Ramon shares his story of addiction, recovery, and spiritual renewal.

We're relaunching our podcast with a new name! A Shot of Hope: Recovery Stories. 

We invited our men to share: What does recovery look like for you in this moment of COVID-19? What's changed? What’s stayed the same? What encouragement would you have to offer others? 

“When I was in the midst of everything, there were no options. You wake up every day, and your intent has to be get money or be prepared to die. I have choices nowadays.” 

“I am a firm believer that the small things in life make the difference. The big [things] are going to happen to everyone. The little ones are gifts. When someone talks to you and they actually care, it’s something you remember. It can make a huge difference in the rest of your day. It might make a difference in the rest of your life. Care might be the difference between life and death.” 

“I was using drugs for so long that I didn’t know how to live without them.” 

“You can’t do this alone; it’s just impossible.” 

This spring, we had the privilege of welcoming Diane Langberg to our campus for a visit. Dr. Langberg is a practicing psychologist whose clinical expertise includes 45 years of working with trauma survivors and clergy. 

Dr. Langberg shared with our clients some of what she’s learned about healing from shame, sexual abuse, and other kinds of trauma. 

00:01 The many faces of shame (below is the Shame Compass that Dr. Langberg refers to in this section) 

28:05 The trauma of sexual abuse 

36:07 The shape of healing: talk, tears, time

56:13 Q&A

“When I saw my daddy in the hospital, I made a promise I would stop.  I made a promise to him, and I stopped for a while.  But it took a toll when he died… and I couldn’t help it.” 

“Before, I had no desire to really dig.  I was too afraid of what I would find.  Now I know that there is no hope of hope if I don’t do what is uncomfortable.” 

“…That is when things started to go downhill for me, once I deleted God out of my life and pushed him to the side, that is when I started to do some really, really sad things.” 

“Part of me thinks that it was because I was doing so well – maybe I could get away with one… I shot up while driving and I just had an immediate overdose…the last thing I remember was a loud crash. My next conscious memory is three weeks later in Johns Hopkins ICU surrounded by doctors with machines and tubes everywhere. My parents are there and crying, so I started crying.” 

“I had nothing to sell; I had nothing to give; I was just really taking everything… trying to fill the void inside with drugs.” 

Julio knows how it feels to be successful in the world’s eyes, but had to learn to be still and serve in order to succeed in his recovery.

Richard is no longer wandering the streets. Instead, he is spending this Christmas with family!

“I just tried to talk honestly about myself and how God is helping me. I also shared that I don’t really know what God has for me, but am waiting patiently. Afterwards, one guy said to me, ‘God is already doing something in you and through you.’ That helped!”

Yasin Abdul Adi was born in Detroit, MI but, while still young, his family moved to Knoxville, TN – the places he considers his “hometown” today. Yasin says he always felt a God-connection and tried many things to deepen it – including 25 years practicing Islam. Here’s his story.

“Settling in, I wasn’t scared. I didn’t know what I was getting myself into but I was ready to change, whatever it took – I knew it was better than jail and it was time to get honest with myself.  I felt peace and could walk into a place and not be judged. I could lay my head down and fall asleep.”

“I don’t have a problem being vulnerable to the Father because I know he is not going to hurt me and has my best interests; my problem is being vulnerable with people… I resist it; I don’t want you to know that I have any vulnerability in me. Sometimes there’s a time to be angry, but I just don’t want to be angry anymore.”

“Be yourself, be honest. Have faith… because you have to lean on something beyond yourself. If you put yourself first, and you think it’s all about you, then you’re already lost. Stay clean, stay drug-free. I know it’s cliché to say, but it doesn’t lead anywhere but jail or death. God didn’t give you the blessing of life to waste it and to get trashed every day. You weren’t put on this earth for that. I’m happy to wake up every day, open my eyes and breathe.”

“Things have changed – I don’t react to things the way I would in the past. In the past when traumatic things happened, I would have used. Not today.”