Email Johnny at johnmunoz@rocketmail.com.
Johnny attends Metro Tab church.
He is very involved with Transformations Project in Chattanooga and also with AllsHim, a halfway house ministry in Chattanooga.
Engage in a daily bible study on the topic of Addiction
Look up every verse that mentions Freedom or Hope or Restoration
Johnny’s story:
I can say by the time I was 18 I was addicted to drugs. I was already involved in Gang activity. I’ve done a lot of crimes in my time. I’ve done everything from collect money for the dope man, to armed robbery, to throwing guided missiles with the intent to kill. I’ve done home invasions. I was very, very bad person at one time. I put myself through a lot of heartache and misery, and my family along with it.
About a year and a half ago, when I was sitting in Hamilton County jail, I gave my life to the Lord. It started off with the preacher man came between the two, you know, pods. I found myself getting closer and closer to the preacher man who was between the bars. And before you know it, I was crying out to the Lord. I surrendured that day. I totally bowed down and surrendured that day. From that point on, that’s when I started my relationship with God.
I had to walk 11 hours to get to my brother’s house, because that’s the only place I knew where to go. I though I’d get some sort of sypathy, you know. When I got there—my brother, he works out of town, and he happened to be out of town. His ex mother-in-law was watching house and she looked down on me and said, “What are you doing here?” Because as far as she knew, my brother didn’t want nothing to do with me. And I’m like, “Man, I’m tired, I’m hungry, I’m cold. I’m sore.” You know. “Can I come in?” and she’s like “I don’t know. I’m gonna have to call your brother.” And I’m like, “Shoot, c’mon man, this is my brother’s house. So finally she gives in and let’s me come in. This was like 6:00 oclock in the morning. I got out at 7 oclock the night before and it took me til 6:00 in the mornign to get to my brother’s house.
I can tell you that, since I’ve made changes in my life, having that personal relationship with God, I can tell you that he’s restored my whole family, basically. After seven adn a half years, me and my wife are back together, and we get along better than we ever have. After my kids, my brothers and sisters, my mother. Like I said, they all disowned me. But today there’s resoration. Believe it or not, they look up to me for the changes I’ve made.
I’ve got a job today, where the only thing I knew to do back in the day was rob people. Literally, just take from them. Today I got my own vehicle, drivers license, insurance, all the little things that, you know, make a world of difference, because, you know, I’m trying to be a productive member of society today. And I want to be able to give back, where as I use to take from. Where there was hate and rage and anger, you know, I try to give back by showing love, and kindness and compassion. I try to by example today for my family. Since I’ve been saved, I’ve been able to lead my mother to the Lord, my wife, my son, and my daughter. I mean, we’re all at different levels, but we’re all trying to turn our lives around. And the Lord’s using me, and I was at one time, you know, I was worthless. But I know the Lord says I AM worth something, otherwise he wouldn’t have died on the cross for me.
