Couple works together to stay clean and help community
CHILLICOTHE — Easter is the time when many celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus. One local couple could not be any more happy to have been given a second chance in life by Jesus and their church family.
The couple recently started attending Open Door Fellowship in Chillicothe. Before even meeting, the pair had rough childhoods and both ended up battling substance abuse problems which landed them in trouble with the law and in jail for years. Starr said once she started doing drugs they took over her life.
It wasn't until the two met and got married less than a year ago that they started to change their lives for the better. Starr said the day they got their marriage license was the day they both decided to get clean and they have kept that promise ever since. Even though they were homeless they knew they didn't want drugs to interfere with their relationship, as they had seen others lose great people due to addiction.
"When we met each other we were done with the streets," said Jayson. "We wanted better, we want better and we are going to get better."
Together they have supported each other in staying clean. They say having someone with you to support you has been a huge help and makes recovery much easier. While they depend on each other for support they also have their new church family behind them as well.
The couple decided to attend Open Door and quickly fell in love with the church and the people in it. Jayson said the church was amazing as it didn't just have its core values, acceptance, celebration, community and empowerment, on the wall for decoration, the people in the church actually live by them. They know that the church is there to support them as they continue their journey of getting better and learning about Christ.
"We have connected a lot with this church," said Jayson. "On any day at any given moment, we know they will be there for us."
Starr said the church members have not only become people they look up to but extended family members who care about them and their journey.
Through the strength they have gained together as a couple and in their faith, the two have been able to better their lives by continuing their education, getting involved in ministries and starting their own business.
As they learned more about the Lord Jayson said they wanted to give back through the ministries to help spread the word and give back to a community that gave them a new lease on life. The pair has even worked in prison ministries to help spread the word to people who are in the same situation they were once in.
Two years ago the couple never would have thought they would be in the position they are in now. Jayson said previously all he had known was anger but Starr and the church have opened him up to love, peace and happiness he could have never imagined.
"The pastor and these people have given us life, and most of them don't know it," said Jayson. "It's given us a different chance that we never had and freedom we never had."
Shelby Reeves is a reporter for the Chillicothe Gazette. You can email her at SReeves@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter @Shelby_Reeves_
This article originally appeared on Chillicothe Gazette: Church family gives couple "life" and "freedom" they never imagined
