Joe

Just to let you know I am a 43 male moving from one stage into the next of my life. I am a firm believer that God is my Father and Jesus is my Savior. Becuae of those beliefs along with struggles that I’ve faced the last four years have been spent getting my life right with Jesus while staying away from the Demons of substance abuse that plaqued me for decades which I’m happy to say July 24th with be 4 years since last use of Meth. Then after beginning my quest for a better life it led me to the place that I’ve called home for the better part of two years. Thing is this place is fantastic and everything about it is truly a blessing and it gave me the necessary tools to both be able to fully talk about Jesus as well as spread that message to others and build a relationship with my girlfriend on those concepts. Herein lies the problem because my girlfriend lives with her parents to help them out along with her daughters and I live in a men’s only community there’s really no time to spend together. I’m not talking about moving her in or anything because the relationship is new and we both still need our space, but at the same time if I do want a night with her or even to have her over for dinner (did I mention I’m both a hell of a cook and love to do it as well) or maybe have her and the daughters (an 8th grader and a soon to be Senior so no worries about brats destroying the place even though it wouldn’t happen on my watch) over for a movie night or over for dessert after a night of dinner I currently can’t do that. Don’t get me wrong I love each and everyone one of the guys who live here and there’s a couple you’ll be meeting including my mentor and the guy I’ve known my entire journey of recovery. Also, I’ll be up front and personal right here. If you want me to submit to the check sure, but remember those are only words on a paper read the following account to know my side of things.

Yes on July 24th, 2018 while in a drug induced physcosis and was arrested on multiple charges. To this day I still have no recollection of what happened just that I got into a pretty bad fight with someone. On Oct 16th I was convicted of Aggravated Assualt a Class 6 Felony with conditions. Even though it’s an assualt it was non violent, it was also first time offense, and it was said if conditions of probation were met the charge is subject for reduction. I also did nine months in Maricopa County Jail spending the 2018 holiday season behind bars something I never want to repeat again.

On Jan 16 after serving my time I was released. Given only a bag of clothes, a pair of shoes, and 100 dollars I was dropped off in front of the Phoenix Rescue Mission, at the time I didn’t know I was taking the single most important step at that time, but even then when I didn’t even believe in God he was guiding me. So I entered the transformations program. During my time at PRM as we called it I was able to get my benefits reinstated so I was able to pay my fines, for my classes I had to go to and everything else while attending what I straight up would call Bible boot camp along with a Christian 12 steps. Then shortly before my 41st birthday I moved into the Men’s Community I’m now in. We all know what happened next but even during Covid I always managed to either be working or doing something else then about Dec of 2021 I had been wondering why my probation officer hadn’t been in touch. Oh might I mention the last contact from one was when I was being told I was being dismissed from the DV part of it (turns out the person I fought was my roommate and we had been living together for over six months making it domestic. Thing is during this time I was working as a swing/overnight lead at the Denny’s on 1-17 and Thomas at the time and I always had these two PHXPD that came in on Monday nights to do paperwork, anyways fully knowing if I have a warrent for asconding (jumping probation) I’m going to jail then and there several times over the next couple months until I finally call my old PO and ask what is up. She gives me yet another officer to talk to who when he finds out who it is he not only tells me he’s been trying to contact me for a month and he had news. Turns out the Phoenix Probation Department when they transfered my case they used an old number. He then proceeded to tell me the reason I’ve been off everyone’s radar the last five or six months is because my case was under review for early probation, he then told me he would have the results the next day. When he called I about had a heart attack because after 1 year 2 months an 16 days of struggling to find work that wasn’t infested in vibes of my past life I was both officially off probation, not to mention no longer a felon.

So, yeah I’ll do a background check but that’s the story of what happened after the arrest on July 24th 2018 my last day of being in trouble and last day of use. Now I’m a certified Behavioral Health Tech doing a job I love and just trying to live my life as Jesus wants me too. Oh it’s probaly fair to mention along with the certification I’m also a carrier of a Level 1 Fingerprint Clearence Card which basically means I can work in rehabs, residential treatments like I am now, inpatient facilities of all levels, group homes of all ages and genders, half way/ three quarter homes, batter woman’s shelters, homeless shelters, Hospital Mental Wards, and homeless centers. Basically with the exception of a few those are all experiences of my life and now I want to take those lessons and use them to teach the world.