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Power to Choose Updates
We are grateful
for such wonderful men of God, who faithfully volunteer to
provide classes and Bible studies each week for our male
students. We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all
our volunteer teachers. If you are interested in learning more
about how to get involved, please contact our Chaplain, Rev. Joe
Atkinson.
About Power to Choose
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For men who are ready to
choose a new path in life, a life lived for Christ, a
5-phase program is ready to help them. The recovery
program is for men who have made unwise decision, leading
life down rough paths. When they are ready, Panama
City Rescue Mission provides a supportive environment
where students grow in integrity, responsibility, and
commitment.
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Power to Choose Recovery Dorm
rooms each have two to six beds for a total capacity of 29
men, including 8 beds in the first evaluation stage.
There are also 11 beds at "Crossroads" for men
in transition (last phase of the recovery program). The
program is task-oriented, rather than time-oriented.
So each man will complete the program at different paces,
often though, it will take nearly a year.
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Plans are being made to build
onto the campus. Additions would include energy
efficient homes for program and transitional housing,
remodeled current facility for emergency shelter, an
expanded cafeteria and multi-purpose room, an
administrative office building, and expanded Homeless Day
Resource Center. For more information, contact Billy
Fox at 769-0783.
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Power to Choose includes: |
Evaluation Phase:
45 days, determining the probability of completing the program.
- Lodging
- Three Meals a Day
- Personal needs met
Phase 1: Evangelism and Stabilization
- Alcohol and Drug Treatment
- Joining a church in the community
- Individual and group counseling
- 12-step Christian Centered Program (steps 1-5), "Power to
Choose" and other texts
- Recreation and work out area
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Phase 2: Education and Work Therapy
Phase 3: Experience
Phase 4: Employment and Crossroads
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Darrell
Graduates to Internship within Thrift Stores
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Darrell
had a job, but was without a place to live, so he
entered the Mission's Jobs program, which provides
low-cost transitional housing for up to 3 months.
Darrell shared, "When the case manager asked me
whether I had a drug problem, I lied and said 'no'.
As I laid in bed that night, the Lord started working on
me. I knew that I needed to be honest with myself and
begin to get real with God."
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So he went
back and confessed to the case manager who let him enter
the addiction recovery program. Darrell promoted
from the recovery program to become an intern and is now
helping lead newer men in the program through his
position at the Mission's 11th Street Production Center.
Congratulations
Darrell!
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Joe Learned
About God's Love |
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My
name is Joseph Paul Sibley.
I was a 25-year drug addict.
I say “was” because though the Mission’s
12-step recovery program, Jesus Christ my Lord and
Savior, delivered me from my drug addiction.
I learned through this program that God loves me.
He only wants good things for me.
I know now, my life has purpose and meaning.
It’s not about me anymore; it’s about helping
my brothers and sisters in Christ, and trying to lead
other addicts and unsaved people to the Lord.
I’m not perfect, never will be perfect.
But I am a new creature in God’s family.
When
I came to the mission, I was the least, the last, and
the lost, now I’m considered by Christ to be one of
the many, one of the first, and one of the saved.
I am grateful God saved me from myself.
All the honor and glory goes to God.
When
I came to nothing, was when I came to something.
Thank
you God, I love you.
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Mel
Finds Strength to Live |
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I am the
father of 5 beautiful girls. But each time I came into a problem
that I didn’t know how to deal with, I turned to drugs and
alcohol. I kicked the habit in 1998 and was clean for 9 years,
until 2007.
That’s when I went back to crack and the streets,
and hit bottom. I went to jail.
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When
I got out, I was suicidal. I didn’t want to live anymore
because I was tired of hurting family.
I was tired of hurting. But honestly, I was afraid to
die, too. I went to
a mental hospital, but they would not keep me. So, I went to the
emergency room, which decided I needed some treatment.
When the psychiatric center determined I was stable
enough to leave, they wanted to put me back out on the streets.
I refused to leave.
They
found Panama City Rescue Mission, who agreed to let me come here
June 13th 2008.
Since being here, I learned to keep Jesus first.
I
know that the Lord has a purpose for me.
That was the reason He kept me alive through my
addictions. One purpose for me is to be a better father to my
children. Another
reason is to focus my life on Jesus.
I owe it all to the Mission. I got boundaries now. I am a
new creature. I love living!
When
I was small, my father would always say something that I never
understood, until now. He would say, “Thank you sweet
Jesus.” The Lord is good! You don’t have to have a reason to
thank Him, just wake up thanking Him.
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Brian Overcomes
Depression |
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I started
drinking and doing drugs when I was 13.
Wonderful opportunities came my way and I always seemed
to take advantage of them, do really well, then shoot myself in
the foot. I always
had fantastic
jobs, friendships, a wife, a daughter, and a home. I gave
everything that God could bless a person with away-- for alcohol.
I tried suicide 3 times but, unlike my father I was
unsuccessful.
Eight alcohol
and drug treatment centers, 5 or 6 mental wards, and 1 year in
prison later, I was diagnosed with late stage chronic alcoholism and
major clinical depression.
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Above, left to Right: Rev. Billy Fox,
Mission Executive Director; Brian Davisson, men's program
graduate; Rev. Joe Atkinson, Mission Chaplain. |
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In June of 2008 feeling suicidal and drinking myself to
death, I ended up in a mental hospital.
I really thought this was it.
I was going to a state hospital for good.
I kept hearing voices one in particular that said
over and over “You’ve tried everything else now try me.”
The lady at
the mental hospital gave me the information to the Panama City Rescue
Mission. When I got here I was truly broken. But God got to work
real quick. In two weeks time I was off ALL medications.
No depression! I was just thankful and able to enjoy
everything. When I
arrived here I was asked what I wanted of this program. All I
could think of was, I just want the old Brian back. But God had
different plans. Instead
of getting the old Brian, I was shown the way to become the
person that God created me to be. God wants me to help others
and it is a joyful blessing to be able to do so!
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29-year-old
War Vet Finds Help at the Mission
When Matt Hickman
came back from the Middle East, he was battling pride, the
terrible memories of war, and a lack of structure
in his life.
As a Sergeant,
Matt would, “hide the pain that I felt so that I could be
strong for my men.”
But when Matt came
back to civilian life, “I felt like I needed to catch up to
the fun my friends were having while I was away fighting a war.”
He got into college and soon found himself drinking and taking
prescription pills daily. Drugs controlled his life. |
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Thankfully in
2008, Matt entered Panama City Rescue Mission’s Pathways
Recovery Program. Just after starting, “the
Army told me that they needed me back or I would have to resign.”
Even though he wanted to serve, Matt knew he would be no help to
the Army until he went through recovery.
So, he requested
to resign and got an honorable discharge. While
in our program, God changed his life. He graduated from the
program in May 2009 and became an intern in the Mission’s
enterprise program. “It is such a blessing to be able to work
every day with my mentor and to be a mentor to other hurting men
just like me.”
Matt now has
greater responsibilities as one of our store managers in
training. “I love being a mouthpiece for the Mission, letting
the customers and donors know how much we appreciate them…and
that they are giving to the right cause.”
He teaches classes
to the men still in recovery, and loves being able to share his
testimony to them, sharing where he once was. Matt said he woke
up in the middle of the night and walked into the living room of
the apartment he shares with two other Mission interns/program
graduates, “and there my roommate was, reading the Bible. That’s
the kind of people I want in my life now.”
“I’m so happy
that we serve a God of restoration,” he said and explained,
“I got a phone call from the Army asking me if I wanted to
come back…Now I am in the Army reserves where I can continue
to serve our country one weekend a month.”
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