The Journey: How Addiction Inspired My Purpose

By Jamie Mays

Amen! My prayer is that you were blessed and encouraged by the contents of my book. There is a way out of addiction, and it all comes from being honest, open, and willing to surrender for the chance to live. Always remember that life is not a cake walk. You have to be bold, and committed to bettering you and your family's life. You simply have to be tired of the way you are living, begin the process of trusting God, and believe in yourself! You are amazing, and I promise if you fight for your life as hard as you fought for the drug, God will show up and show you the way! Blessings!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Mar 16, 2022
• ISBN: 9781639035960

Book preview

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The Journey

How Addiction Inspired My Purpose

Jamie Mays

ISBN 978-1-63903-597-7 (hardcover)

ISBN 978-1-63903-596-0 (digital)

Copyright © 2021 by Jamie Mays

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Dedicated to those who are still in the struggle of addiction!

And to those on the verge of a breakthrough…

You got this!

And to the addict who lost the battle…we remember and we love you!

About the Author

My name is Jamie Mays, and I am a delivered addict from a crack cocaine addiction of eleven years.

My journey has not been easy by any means; however, I am grateful today for a life free from addiction for eleven years. I have two beautiful children, Gabriella and Mark, and one adorable granddaughter, Vivvie, whom I live to inspire today. Through the growth of addiction and my recovery journey, I have become a licensed chemical dependency counselor. I have had the pleasure in working with addicts from prison settings and medication maintenance for opioid addiction and am currently working with veteran’s in a residential facility. It has always been my dream to share and express my spirituality to others because my Jesus was with me the whole time. I am alive today because of His grace toward me, and I want to inspire others to keep Him first for ultimate success in recovery. Be encouraged!

Mama and Daddy, thank you for loving and believing in me!

Gabby and Markie Mark, I can never make up for the pain; however, I pray I have set a great example today! I love you both so much!

Sweet Vivvie, you are forever our joy. Nannie will see you soon!

Introduction

It’s been a wild ride! I did not wake up one day and decide, I think I’ll be a drug addict. However, that is what happened to me. My story is one of strength and courage. I did not know how strong I was until I finally came out of my addiction to crack cocaine. If it were not for the hand of the Lord being over my life with an ultimate plan for me, I know I would be dead today. So as I attempt to shed light on just what went wrong, I pray that this story reaches the hearts of those who have struggled and who are still struggling with this demon of addiction. I know the hopelessness, the anger, and the frustration of feeling like nothing will ever change when all you really want is the inside hurt and pain to go away!

As you read this memoir, please remember that there is a way out—a way to deep change and inner growth. It starts with Jesus. He and only He can change the life of someone so desperate to live. God is able, people! Do not underestimate the love He has for you. No matter the wrong you have done, the things we do in our addictions, the people we hurt, the ultimate pain we have caused, Jesus will forgive us, and He wants to forgive us simply because He loves us so very much. We are His children, and his arms are open wide to us for deliverance. So be encouraged most of all.

Sending my love to you all,

Jamie

Remember, we deserve to be free from drug addiction, and we have the right to stand in our new beginnings with pride.

Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, we will not walk in it. (Jeremiah 6:16, NIV)

We have a choice today… Choose to live!

P.S. Enjoy your journaling! I left room for your own personal thoughts to grow!

Butterflies and Rainbows!

From being broken to being healed.

From being ashamed to being guilt free.

From being absent mothers to being present.

From being the worst daughter to being the favorite (wink).

From being insecure to being empowered.

From being hopeless to being hopeful.

From being a crackhead to being a college graduate.

From being afraid to being fearless.

From being useless to being useful to God.

From being a burden to being a blessing.

From being a failure to being victorious.

Preface

I was thinking about how many mistakes I have made in my deliverance. Bad habits are hard to break. You will soon find out that it is not always about the drug, but in fact, it is about the behaviors that surround the drug. You drug addicts are crafty people; we truly can make a way out of no way. We are some of the most creative people there is. Well heck, we gotta get the drug, right? So we come up with all these amazing spectacular ways to get the drug. We play on people’s emotions, we cry at the drop of a hat, we scam for gas monies, we make up the sincerest stories of need, we steal from our families, and the list goes on and on because we gotta get the drug.

I made it my mission to make people pay for my drug addictions for years. My best scam was the gas hustle. I would put clothes in the back of my car, pile up my kids, and we’d ride all around the city, hitting spots and pretending that we were homeless to get gas monies from people. My son became my best asset. He, sad to say, became a pro in the gas hustle. He was cute, young, and looking out for his mom. I would drop a few tears, and he would ask for the money, and we would rack up. I could buy my drugs, my kids could eat for the day, I could pay our hotel fees, and all was good. I mean, dropping a tear was not that hard for me because my life was so sad. I was so caught up in my addiction and need for the drug that all I had to do was think about my pathetic life, and the tears just started streaming down my face.

I have also had terrible abusive relationships in my addiction. In fact, every relationship I have been in since the age of fifteen years old has been abusive in one way or another. However, honestly, most of them have been physical abuse mixed with mental and emotional abuse. Even saying that out loud to myself in this moment just saddens me more. Imagine being a woman who has never had a healthy relationship and then pile the abuse of drug addiction with that in a relationship. It is by God’s grace that I am even alive today. I carry all my scars boldly because I understand that God has walked