Pubdate: Sun, 08 Jan 2006
Source: Reporter-Times, The (IN)
Website:
http://www.hoosiertimes.com/mv-to-top/index-rt.php3
Address: P.O. Box 1636, Martinsville, IN 46151
Fax: (765)342-1446
Copyright: 2006 The Reporter-Times
Author: Amy Hillenburg
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)
A CHANGE OF HEART
Young Offenders Share Their Resolutions For A Better 06
OWEN COUNTY -- It's one thing to make a New Year's resolution and
keep it. It's quite another task to change your life and stay the course.
Yet that is what's happening to resident juvenile and young adult
offenders at the Indiana Dream Team's housing complex in Owen County.
Director Eric Lashbrook and his wife Donna left the comfort of their
Monrovia home to live in an existing house on 42 acres of forested
property near Gosport. Why? The youth ministers wanted to build a
residence for juvenile and young adult delinquents bound for county lockups.
The Lashbrooks are raising funds to build a home for themselves and
three host homes for residents. They are also training host families
and counselors. They work with those accused of drug offenses and
various other crimes. They say the young people are beginning to
think about helping themselves and others through God and biblical principles.
The residents wanted to offer their own testimonies and resolutions
for the year 2006. A parent, an accountability group member, a mentor
and Donna Lashbrook also paricipated in the exercise.
Answer To A Prayer
For parent Vicki Causey, IDT is the answer to prayer. Her son Chris
was released to the complex nearly five months ago from the
Montgomery County Jail. He had been hopelessly addicted to marijuana
and methamphetamine and began dealing drugs.
Eric Lashbrook said Chris is a hard and willing worker for IDT and
has already been baptized in the White River while on a group campout.
Causey said, "My hopes and prayers for 2006 would be for you (the
Lashbrooks) to get your group home built and up and running so that
you can help other young men like you have been able to help Chris.
And I wish for Chris to continue assisting you with your ministry and
to be able to show young offenders that it is possible to turn their
lives around with the help of God. My son is living proof."
His Pride Was Broken
Chris, a 21-year-old Crawfordsville native, said when he reached age
17, he was strangely unhappy. Although he had held down responsible
jobs and attended church occasionally with his parents, he felt he
was missing out on an exciting life of parties, friends and girls. "I
began to fill the void in my heart by experimenting with pot," Chris
said in a written testimony. "The results were great - I became a lot
more popular. However, what I didn't realize was that all those
people liked me for was what I had, not for who I was."
After one hit of meth, Chris said he was hooked. "Before I knew it, I
was using every day. I was just starting to deal when I was turned in
by my brother. Looking back, I realize he had nothing but good
intentions for me," Chris said.
He stayed clean only a week out of jail and returned to smoking pot.
Soon the craving for meth became too strong for him.
He went back to dealing drugs and even set up his own meth lab. When
he was arrested again, his mother told him about IDT. "I agreed to
go, but only because I wanted out of jail. I went to court with
intentions of being released to IDT, but that's not what God had in
store for me," Chris recalled.
After the court ordered him to serve several more months in jail,
Chris said he found out who really cared for him and he was ready to
change his life. "My family came and visited me regularly. I didn't
see any of my so-called 'friends.'"
Finally, Chris was released to IDT custody. "With everybody showing
me the light, I began to feel the love - not only from my spiritual
family, but also from God. He has done something in my life that I
never thought was possible."
Chris said he's ready to make a resolution for 2006. "I want to put
God first in every aspect of my life and to allow him to use me in
the lives of other people who have problems like I did."
'It Stuck With Me'
Tyler, just released to IDT on Dec. 21, 2005, from Morgan County
Jail, said his first New Year's resolution was like that of many
other people - to get in shape. When he told his mentor Scott about
this wish, Scott said to him, "Is that all you want? What about the
Lord?" "That stuck with me," Tyler said. "I decided I needed to start
praising and glorifying the Lord. He has worked miracles in my life
in such a short period of time. I'm learning more about the sacrifice
he made for me."
Was Once A 'Menace'
Jeramy, 23, has been an IDT host home resident for nine months. He
looks back on his old life with disbelief. "In 2005 my lifestyle
would be known as a menace to society because of the selling and
using of drugs and many other bad decisions I made," Jeramy said.
"Now in 2006, I find myself striving to be like Jesus Christ and
being obedient to his word. I hope and pray for opportunities to give
back to the community that I have taken from for so long. I want to
grow in the ministry to help other fellow youth in their walks with the Lord."
Wants To Reach Out
Heather, 20, is a young woman involved in IDT's accountability group.
She said her New Year's resolutions in the past were usually about
losing weight. She said she felt insecure about herself, but through
God and IDT, her focus has turned to other people.
"For the first time it wasn't entirely about me. I want to grow
closer to God," Heather said. "About seven months ago I rededicated
my life to Christ. I wasn't living for God - only for myself. It took
me a few years and a lot of mistakes to understand what a true
intimate relationship with God was. I now realize that it wasn't
about what he could do for me; it was what I could do for him."
Heather said she's decided not "to go along with the world," but
wants to give her life over to God, to seek him out and to do his will.
"I want to actually put it into use in my life and have it pour over
onto others - to go out in faith and to reach out to people in need."
Her New Year's resolution? "To be an imitator of Christ."
Living Fully Engaged
Scott, an IDT volunteer for two years, said he wants to live with one
purpose in mind - to live each day moving in the direction he wants
his life to go. He doesn't want to drift through his days. "This
means being fully engaged in the moment I'm living and resisting the
entertainment mentality. I'd like to grow in being more deeply
connected to God's heart," Scott said.
"I want my relationship with God to be vibrant and radiant within me
- - I want to be fueled by my relationship with him. Then it will have
a powerful effect on those around me. I need to talk to God, read his
word, read books, listen to his messages and be around people who
spur me on in these directions."
Makes A Daily Resolution
Donna Lashbrook said listening to TV personalities share their New
Year's resolutions with reporters made her think of her own.
"I concluded that I already make a resolution each morning I wake up.
I make a resolution to serve God on this new day," Lashbrook said.
"God gives me free will and a choice to decide whether or not I want
to follow and serve him. I don't know how people make it through a
day without God - well, yes I do. They drink, smoke, take a hit of
something, snort something, get into pornography, compulsive shop,
overeat/undereat, gamble - anything to help stop the hurting."
Lashbrook said it was interesting how the new Harry Potter books were
kept in a vault before the release date so customers couldn't get a
look at them. "Thank goodness the Bible doesn't remain locked and
hidden in a vault, for that is where the power is. And guess what -
it's free for all to receive," Lashbrook said. "My hope for 2006 is
to wake up each new day and share Jesus through love, devotions and
servanthood with as many people as possible. Christ is my standard
role model, and I know what he's done for me. He can also do it for you."
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman