Jon is 41, he comes from a loving and faithful family in Marietta, GA and is the youngest of four. His mother was “the glue” of the family and his father was a carpenter and Jon and his brother spent summers at job sites with their father. One sister recently passed.

 

Jon’s oldest brother had a big problem while there was a financial downturn. His parents gave up everything they had to help him. Jon was about 15. He went to work after the ninth grade, first with his father and then with his older brother, shoveling asphalt. That gave Jon a little bit of money and a nice car.

 

Besides working for his brother, Jon started dealing drugs to coworkers for extra money. Jon talks about the temptations of this world. Now, he puts faith in our Lord Jesus Christ to help him make the right decisions.Jon started selling marijuana but moved on to other drugs. Jon was still productive at work and living at home. There wasn’t enough money in the house. Jon didn’t want his mother or father ever to worry.

 

When methamphetamines hit Atlanta, Jon started making money selling methamphetamines. Jon details his addictions, arrests, incarcerations — once for two years — and relationships, including a brief marriage to a fellow addict.

 

One of the reasons Jon is clean and sober today is the memory of his mother. When Jon’s mother visited him in prison on Christmas, her tears broke his heart. He feels that God wanted him to see that, so he would determine to change his life. Jim affirms that Jon recognizes his choice to become addicted.

 

Jon still didn’t want to hear about God. He went back to using drugs from the street. Pharmaceuticals were starting to move onto the street. Jon talks about losing his father, in 2010, which helped him grow up. He went to a doctor and got Suboxone and Xanax to break his addictions. He stayed on them for years.

 

Jon went to work doing erosion management for a landscaping company. He made himself a valuable employee to keep the job. Jon prayed with his mother every night. For the last two years of her life, Jon took care of her financially and physically. Jon got hurt badly on the job and faced surgery with a year of recovery time and his mother was going in and out of the hospital. He didn’t want to have the surgery. He stopped the Suboxone and went to Pain Management. But he switched back to Suboxone. He stopped working for two years. For two years he paid the mortgage on his workers’ compensation pay. He also paid for home health workers for his mother until she passed.

 

Every night after praying with his mother, Jon went to his room and prayed for her. She was very ill. When his mother passed, Jon became very angry with God for taking her and for his other losses. He started back on methamphetamines, and lost everything at age 39, going back to jail. He was not eating right. He had arthritis and gout. He needed a wheelchair. Getting out, after eight months in County jail, Jon was determined never to use drugs again. He made promises to God. He fell short but he was trying to seek God. He was broken and humble. Gout and his other injuries provided a turning point. Still, he relapsed and was incarcerated twice again.

 

Jon thanks God for the important people in his life who have helped him. Jon talks of losing a good friend. Jon spent time with him at the hospital, praying in the chapel for his friend, reading the Psalms, and trying to bargain with God, all while doing methamphetamines. When his friend died, Jon almost went back to dealing. But he didn’t. He made the choice not to reject God. God had given him so much.

 

After Jon’s last incarceration, he knew there were three ways out of his addiction: death, prison, or treatment. He chose treatment. He is very thankful for the help he received and every day Jon is in the scriptures. Jon finally surrendered to God’s way. Jon says he has to choose the right path by faith. There is no power greater than our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

 

Jon is ready to die for what he believes in. He has come a long way from wanting nothing to do with God. Jon is sustained by feasting on God’s word in the scriptures. Jon talks about the facility where he went for help. Jon talks about being around faith. There is no power greater than God. Jon does not follow a “steps” program. Such programs have failed him. Jim invites listeners to email him through Menbuildmen.com if you want to donate to the facility or encourage Jon. Any listener who needs help with addiction, contact Jim. Put your total dependence upon God. Jon praises God every day. Jon says, if you’re sick, open your heart to God. He will guide you and help you. It’s not cool to be a dealer or an addict. Hard work and clean living are cool. Jon hopes he can touch one person with his message. Jim affirms Jon for acknowledging that God is his sustenance. That is the mark of a man.

 

Call to Action: Find our podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, rate it and subscribe, and tell people about Jon’s story and share it. Help us get this word out!See our Website: MenBuildMen.com

Marks of a Man on Facebook

Jim Nicklas on Instagram