Wake Up With Marci

The voice of God speak to me and says, “Hey, I want you to dedicate your life to help others.” And Danny says, “Marcy, one day you’re going to be over this whole organization.” I’m like, “Man, I don’t I don’t you must got the wrong guy.” So, I’m like, that blew me away because I have never even thought about that. I tucked it away. What I heard it was to me it was like a prophecy. So, I tucked it away and I said, “I’ll just that’s something that he has to make happen.” So, I finished the uh program. Um there was a lot of legal stuff waiting for me when I got out. So, I had to go face the music on some stuff. Uh a lot of fines to be paid. And the Lord put some dear people in my life that were financially able and they were able to help me out with a lot of messes that I made. Help me. Incredible. Yes. Yes.

This is Wake Up with Marcy, a space for honest conversations about healing, recovery, and women’s wellness. I’m Marcy Hopkins. Take a breath. You’re safe here. Let’s begin.

Addiction doesn’t just take something from your life. It can take everything. Your identity, your relationships, your sense of purpose. But what happens when someone reaches their lowest point and chooses something different? Today’s conversation is about redemption, transformation, and discovering purpose after addiction. Welcome everyone to Wake Up with Marcy. I’m your host, Marcy Hopkins. I’m an author, TV host, motivational speaker, and mental health advocate. And on this show, we have honest conversations about healing, recovery, mental health, relationships, and what it really takes to rebuild your life. And if today’s conversation resonates with you, please make sure to hit that like button, comment, and share this episode with someone who may need to hear it because these conversations are conversations that help people feel less alone.

My guest today is Anthony Samuels, president of Lighthouse Gospel Mission and senior pastor of Lighthouse Freedom Center in Tampa, Florida. His ministry includes an 18-month recovery and disciplehip program called The Faith Home, helping men and women break free from addiction and rebuild their lives. But what makes Anony’s story so powerful is that he once sat on the other side of that journey, struggling with addiction, crime, and ultimately incarceration until one moment changed everything. Anthony, welcome to Wake Up with Marcy. Thank you, Marcy, for having me.

So, you have quite a story, Anthony, and I remember us speaking before we jumped on the interview and you sharing with me and I was just blown away. Like, it just shows you no matter what where you are in addiction or mental health or in this disease that you don’t have to stay stuck in that. and there is the possibility to be able to recover and and find the light and and that your story is truly about being in the darkness and finding that light and then now helping so many others through it. So, can you take us back to Well, I know you were incarcerated, but where really did your journey into addiction start?

Yeah. So, um to get to that point, I’ve had a lot of time to really think about that. Um, it started probably when I was 13 years old and I was asking myself what triggered that event. And um, my I when I was brought up, my mother and my father had a rough relationship and then there was a point in my childhood [snorts] where my mother just it was just too much and she ended up leaving u me and my brother. And um I think that was the door that opened it up cuz I I perceived it as a rejection even though you know I’m just a kid. And I think that’s when I started exploring other things and that door was open for other influences to begin to come into my life. And I remember uh initially um going to a park and there was these guys hanging out and they were smoking marijuana. And um I remember they called me over and said, “Do you want to try some?” And um I tried that was my first time trying drugs. And um I remember walking home and feeling this weird feeling. And um but that was the that was actually the trigger point in the first time that I actually um got involved with um illegal drugs.

So you you did you say you were 13? Yes. Yeah. And so did you feel like like a sense of like release, right? like you didn’t have to feel all the emotions that you had been feeling and kind of like almost like a freedom a freedom of your life.

Exactly. And I think that that is the trap. It’s a it’s a false freedom. So yeah, it made me stop having to feel the pain um the knowing pain in my heart of my mother not being there and um now you know, of course it wears off eventually. So now you’re forced to go back to it and now that’s how you get trapped in this cycle of addiction. And of course you start with one drug and eventually you’re going to want to go to stronger drugs. And that’s exactly what happened. It went from um marijuana to uh alcohol, um drinking, um skipping school, getting drunk, and um then from there I started moving into more hardcore drugs like cocaine and uh crack, cooking up cocaine, mixing it with weed and tobacco. So, but that was the starting point and it you’re right, it’s it created this false sense of freedom for me. That was a lie.

And so it escalated and you were using more and more and you were using harder drugs and now you’re you’re getting through high school, skipping school. What happened after high school?

So I actually Marcy, believe it or not, I actually dropped out of high school um in the 11th grade. And um it was a matter of because I was skipping school so much, there was no way I was going to graduate. Um so I just decided to drop out of school and um and then now I got more time to do more drugs and um my life just really started escalating out of control even more. And then one day my um grandmother asked me could I go with my grandfather to um my uncle’s house in Connecticut to watch over my grandfather while he visited with him. And um I I was like, “Okay, I just thought it would be a weekend deal.” I had no idea that it was going to be actually um one of the pieces that was going to eventually help me um to get my life back on track even though that season was bad. So anyways, what happened was I ended up going to Connecticut um staying with my uncle and then I met a family, a Christian family that he worked for um that was very uh wealthy and um their kids were around my age. So me and one of their sons really kicked it off and um I share with them what I was going through and my life is going nowhere. you know, I dropped out of school and um so they started suggesting maybe you should move to Connecticut, you know, from Massachusetts to Connecticut and and and start a new life. So I I thought about it, you know, and even though, you know, I’m dealing with addiction, I knew that was not sustainable. Eventually, you know, I I was going to get, you know, in trouble and, you know, get out of control with my life. So I was looking for an opportunity. So I I took him up on it and um so but at the same time I still had that addiction. Yeah. So I was changing locations, going to another state but bringing my baggage with me. [laughter] So I always I always say yeah I I I kept moving um and I kept changing people, places and things but the the common denominator was me. So the chaos always followed. Yes. [laughter] Yes. Yes. So beautiful family let me in their house. I mean I felt like the fresh prince of Bair, you know, I’m living in a fluent neighborhood in Connecticut but still dealing with addiction and um went to the high school um was able to finish my last year of high school. Um very just barely made it because I was partying after school, you know, and I just barely made it um by the grace of God. So, um I finished uh high school and um at that time I was I started working a job and um a dead-end job. It was really going nowhere. And there was a girl that I I was dating and uh she used to go to college in Florida and um she would come home and tell me about Florida and uh she finally finished school and said she was going to make the decision to move to Tampa, Florida. She said, “Would you come with me?” And I said, “I don’t really know anybody in Florida. I have a aunt that lives in Orlando, but almost like the same situation that happened from Connecticut to to connect Massachusetts to Connecticut. I was like, “You know what? Connecticut’s going nowhere. Maybe I need to go to another state, right? I get it. I get it.” Yeah. So, she’s like, “Listen, I’m moving with you or without you.” So, I said, “Okay.” I came down in February, which is very cold up in Connecticut, and sunshine, palm trees. I said, “I’m staying here. I like this. [laughter] Yeah, Florida. Absolutely. Same thing. I’m I’m coming down here, but now I got year round good weather. Um beaches, [laughter] bars, I mean the whole nine. It was just a a disaster.

How old were you at that time when you moved? I was about in my early 20s, probably like 23. Yeah, about 23 years old. Um so I loved it. So, I got a job immediately, but then started hanging out with the wrong crowd, learned my way around. Um, actually started um graduated and started hanging out in strip bars. So, I was like alcohol, cocaine, and now I’m hanging out because Tampa’s known for for strip clubs. So, so now I got this new thing that I’m adding to my portfolio. [laughter] And I’m just like, man, this is I’m thinking it’s great, but at the same time, it’s really destroying my life and um destroying my relationship with my um my my girlfriend that moved out here. It was really I made life really rough for her. Yeah. So, she thought life was going to um change for me. End up, you know, doing the same thing. I remember I got my first DUI down here. Um got pulled over. Was actually looking for a I was actually looking for a drug spot that night. Somebody told me go on Hillsboro app in Tampa and there’s drugs there. I went to the wrong end of Hillsboro and end up doing a Uturn, you know, too fast and you know there’s a sheriff there. I didn’t I didn’t even see him and he pulled me over. I was intoxicated but I got pulled over all the time up north and always got away with it. But I guess down in Florida with the Mothers Against Drunk Drivers, that was really big during that time. And um he gave me a sobriety test and says, “Man, I got to arrest you.” I’m like, “What? arrest me for what? Oh my god. I’m just going home and uh end up getting arrested. I stayed in jail for the whole weekend and then I remember she picked me up. She said, “Man, Tony, man, are we are we going to do the same thing that we were doing in Connecticut?” And I was like, “Nah, th this is gonna make me right. I think I learned my lesson.” And um it didn’t it just continued to escalate and just getting involved in drugs and jobs and just this vicious cycle once again. Yeah.

So, what ultimately made the difference for you? What what what made you want to change and get sober?

So, what happened, Mercy, was um I was getting in some really dark um places. I was like getting involved in running fraudulent checks, uh, credit cards, and met these guys, uh, actually from Connecticut, and we were running scams like back and forth. And I was just, I didn’t realize I was digging a a real bad pit for my life. And um there was actually one night where I was uh got in an altercation with a guy and um so this guy ran to his car and pulled out a gun and um started chasing me, me and the individual I was with and I was able to get away from it. He went back and shot my car up and then they went to my apartment looking for me and um actually destroyed my apartment. Thank God I wasn’t there because I I believe if I was there, I wouldn’t be here talking to you right now. So, um I started realizing so I’m like really getting closely like, man, I’m really trending to either go to prison for a long time or I’m going to get killed, you know, in Tampa. And I remember I I was thinking that, but at the same time, I still had that that street thinking. And um I [clears throat] remember I was upset with those guys that did that to my car. And I went into Tampa in Nebraska and there was some people I used to meet with and cop drugs off of. And I I asked them I said, “Can you get me a gun?” And I was going to go get revenge on those guys. And um that night, Marcy, I was driving and I had been up for about three days. Oh my goodness. Full of drugs drinking Bardi 151. I used to have a bottle a fifth of it right in between my laps while I while I drove the streets of Tampa. Wow. And my body finally just shut down. It just while I’m driving and my car goes out of the lane into the oncoming traffic and I have a head-on collision with a wrecker and my head bust through the uh windshield, but I couldn’t even feel it. I was so high with drugs and alcohol and I had drugs on me. So I jumped out the car and ran down the street and um because I knew if the cops came, I was going to get arrested and get a drug charge. But believe it or not, I remember walking down the street and I I said to myself, “I’m tired. I I can’t do this no more. I I have to do something.” I went to a phone booth and I called the police on myself. So they they connected. They said, “Do you own a told me the car that was in?” I said, “Yeah, that’s my car. It was me, sir.” And he said, “Well, you’re under arrest.” I said I said, “Thank you. [laughter] I just need it.” And and and believe it or not, Mercy, jail became a sanctuary. It it became a place where I was there was no drugs there. And I I was able to start thinking uh clearly about my life and assess my life about where I was at at the age I was at and and what I have done with my life. And I and I realized I have to do something. And I remember getting on my knees and and calling out um to Jesus and I said, “I need help. I need I heard about you. People used to tell me about you, but I have destroyed the life you have given me and I need you to help me. And um I don’t want to say anything appeared in the jail cell, but something Marcy came in and changed me. And all of a sudden, I lost the desire to live that life. I lost the desire to want to do drugs. All of a sudden, I wanted to live a righteous life. And um I found um uh that I didn’t even want I I started I knew I was shamed because I would go back into the jail community and they would be swearing and cursing and all of a sudden that started bothering me. So I knew I said man that used to never bother me. So [laughter] what’s happening? So I remember that was the time I started changing. I couldn’t put the Bible down. I kept reading it every single day.

Amazing. Amazing. Uh, you know, Anthony, I too am um I’m almost 11 years sober and awesome. It was it was when I got down on my knees and prayed to Jesus and asked him to take me in his arms and that he would be my shepherd and I would be his lamb that everything started to change for me. And it is true like I I still have always had to do the work and it’s very important to me. I stay spiritually connected but the desire for uh alcohol completely changed completely changed and um and and the way I wanted to live my life changed and it has changed significantly and and I live a beautiful life today. So, you know, we both have that that Jesus story and I always say he’s just waiting waiting for you to ask and and you know there’s not forcing anything. He’s just waiting for you to ask. That’s right. He’s always he’s not forcing. Right. Yeah. Yeah. So, so once that happened for you, how long were you uh incarcerated and and what happened after?

Okay. So, for that um uh trouble I got in with the car accident, I was in jail at that time for about two months. And um it was the weirdest thing because um like I said, I I actually would go to work in jail. I didn’t want to just sit around. So, I would go to work and watch work in the kitchen. And then I remember um there was a man that I met in jail and he was um a Christian that he fell and he made some mistake, but he was getting his life right in jail. But he had more experience with me. He served um the Lord outside of uh jail. So he started teaching me about faith and about trusting my life because I was like, “What am I going to do when I get out of here?” He said, “You have to trust your life now in the hands of God because if you really gave your life to him, he’s going to take care of you now.” So I’m like, “Is that is it that easy?” So So then when I found out I was going to be released, I said, “Listen, I don’t feel like I’m strong enough to go back into the streets. I don’t think if somebody if somebody put like some cocaine on the table or some alcohol or there was a a woman that came at me, I think I would give in. I’m just going to be I’m not that strong yet. Is there any place do you know that I can go to get help?” And um he mentioned a place that was in Tampa and I I felt that wasn’t a place. And then he mentioned the Lighthouse Gospel Mission and he says, “The thing you’re going to like about this place, it’s away from Tampa. It’s out in the country. it’s away from it. And when he said it, Marcy, it was like this peace came to my heart and it was almost like God was saying, “That’s where you need to go.” So, I found my my my girlfriend at the time did pick me up and, you know, we said our goodbyes and she bought me out there and um I’m thinking I’m just going to go there, get my life right. You know, eventually I wanted to be a stock broker. So, I said if I can get this whip this drug thing, then I can go back and be a stock broker and live my life happily ever after. Right. That’s what I’m thinking. So, yeah. So, I had no idea. So, the lighthouse is a was a disciplehip training ministry. So, it basically was a ministry that’s designed to deal with guys and and girls now coming out of addiction where they teach you how to live your life according to the Bible to keep away from drugs. So basically I I finished the uh the curriculum, but it was five months into my stay there that I heard the voice of God speak to me and says, “Hey, I want you to dedicate your life to help others.” Like what? Yeah. And then he says, “Marcy, one day you’re going to be over this whole organization.” I’m like, man, I don’t I don’t You must got the wrong guy. Yes. I so wow. So I’m like that blew me away because I have never even thought about that. Anyways, I just I I tucked it away. What I heard it was to me it was like a prophecy. So I tucked it away and I said I’ll just that’s something that he has to make happen. So I finished the uh program. Um there was a lot of legal stuff waiting for me when I got out. So I had to go face the music on some stuff. Uh a lot of fines to be paid. And the Lord put some dear people in my life that were financially able and they were able to help me out with a lot of messes that I made. Help me. Incredible. Yes. Yes. So eventually um I did make it back to the lighthouse. It wasn’t easy because I was living out. I had my own pattern. But the then the Lord reminded me, hey, remember I told you you’re going to dedicate your life. I were going to help you with this. almost like we had a deal going. [laughter] But you were supposed to give your life to help others. So finally I made it back um to the lighthouse in uh 1999 and then the pastor that was there I end up serving him and becoming his right-hand man and served him for about almost 20 years. He Yeah. So basically I learned in that season I learned all about the organization the lighthouse learned ins and out and know how the organization uh operates and now you’re the president of the lighthouse. It came to pass Marcy [laughter] I heard his voice. It came to pass.

You know what I love um and that I can relate to also is that I mean listen when I started getting sober I I mean first of all it was about discovering myself right and and finding that love for myself that the person that I had lost when I was young right little and all the trauma and I I can relate to the abandonment and feeling that and um and feeling not lovable. right? Like if your mom leaves you, your dad leaves you, like you know who wants you, right? The ones that should love you. So there was a lot of that I dealt with also. Um but once I started you know healing and getting clean and had the clarity and finding that love for myself and that connection to my spirituality it’s like that’s when you start hearing like what it is that you’re supposed your purpose you right like that’s it you’re led you truly are led it’s just are you going to listen and are you going to follow through? Yes. So like for me I mean starting starting a talk show like what are you like me you know so like I started this talk show called coffee with Marcy which was a Facebook live show and then moved into a TV show called wake up with Marcy and then writing right two books what what what are you talking about like right like yes I don’t know what you’re talking about but so it’s just crazy And it’s just like answering the calling and and it it’s so true that when when it is meant to be and you are open to it. I mean the right people come into your lives, you know, your life and the doors open and and it not that it’s easy but but it’s available. But it’s available. [clears throat] Yes. Yeah. So I I love I love that. Um and and self-discovery, right? Let’s talk about that a little bit. So, yeah. When it Yeah. You know, go ahead, Marcia. Yeah. No, no. I mean, you know, for for those out there that that are struggling, right, to connecting with themselves and and their purpose or even feeling that they have a purpose? I mean, how how does someone start to start to connect with themselves and and get vulnerable enough to to discover their purpose?

Yeah. I think one of the things um that I had to um um separate was my actions didn’t determine my identity. That, you know, I did it, but that’s not who I was created to be. So once I was able to reconcile that and realize that I was a lot of stuff that happened was I was a product of other people’s decisions and I had no way to nobody to lead me out. And then once you realize and stop believing the lie because in that when you’re in the struggle you start believing the lie I’m less than maybe I’m not going to measure up and you start believing all these things that are false because the the Lord don’t create junk. Every person has a purpose and it’s just the lie of the enemy and you know if they can really get to that point of coming to the light and then when you come to the light you hear that that right voice that’s going to tell you the truth about who you are. So I think once that happens then you’re ready to move into purpose and you’ll find out that wow I wasn’t created to to do the things I was doing that I am called to do something great that’s going to impact humanity and society. I believe every person has a a great call in their lives.

I do too. And and one of the things I love is that we we were walking in fear and today we walk in faith. Right. So if you have faith, then you you don’t walk in fear and and that is something that is is life-changing and and there’s a lot of people out there that go to church or do the things and you know or live in the life and but they live in fear constantly and you can’t you can’t have both. You can’t have both [clears throat] both, right? Yeah. So, let’s talk a little bit about the lighthouse and and the mission and who you’re helping.

Okay. Yeah. Yeah. So, the lighthouse when I I gave you a little history on it was a ministry that was there before me. It started in 1952 as a rescue mission in downtown Tampa reaching out to the alcoholics on Skid Row. Um the founder was a man named uh J. Leonard. He was a street preacher and then an attorney, a Christian man, bought him a building in downtown Tampa and he started Lighthouse Gospel Mission and he basically just got bought guys in, he gave him a shower, he fed them, preached the gospel to them, they spend the night, then they would go back into town. But he noticed there was no transformation and he started asking God, “What am I doing wrong?” And he said, “You have to get them out of this environment.” So the property we’re at in Riverview, he purchased that in the 60s and then he ran both locations simultaneously and guys that were serious, he would bring them out to the Riverview property with the hopes of disciplehip training them. U eventually downtown faded out and then the whole operation is out here now in Riverview. We’re on about five acres and um basically the th the bulk of our ministry is 18month disciplehip training program. Uh initially it was just for men. In 200 no 2005 we started doing women and um these are men and women on the men’s side that come out of addiction, incarceration um any life controlling situ. We even have some people there that that weren’t bound by drugs. They were dealing with maybe you know mental health stuff and just needed a stable environment um to to help them. And then uh we started doing ladies and the ladies we minister to are coming out of addiction, prostitution, um just the whole drug life. Um real hardcore stuff, meth, uh fentanyl, prescription drugs is the big one now, believe it or not. Crack, heroin. Um yeah, so that’s what we’re dealing with. It’s frontline ministry. Um so they come here and it’s 18 months. They stay um on the grounds for the entire 18 months. You know, they get passes and stuff, but the the program is for 18 months. Then after the 18 months, they can either do an internship or they can transition out and we help them get a job. Then they can start banking money up. Um either get their license back, start paying child support, get them a car, then to transition them to get their own place. And then um we have accountability system set up even after the program to get them connected to the church. We also have a local church. If they don’t have a church family to go to, they can connect with our church. And uh we try to plug them in either ushering, greeting. Um some of my ministry team at the ministry are actually graduates. Our whole staff is graduates except probably for my wife. She didn’t graduate from from the ministry. So um so basically that’s the thrust of our ministry. Um it’s there. We also have a food bank. So we are actually able to feed the the ministry um students out of that and then we we’re doing an out each and actually right now where we’re feeding the community have about 130 families uh pull up and we’ll load their car up with food if they need any prayer. We’ll pray with them, you know, invite them to the church if they want to come. We also have a thrift store and um low prices and all the money goes back into the program. Then we have a food truck also and all that money goes back into the program. But our church is actually one of the biggest funding sources of our organization where a lot of the members love what we do and they just want to get back into it because they see. So when a man or woman graduates Mercy, what we do, we dedicate a Sunday service to have a graduation. So I’ll preach a little encouraging message. Then the graduates will get up and they’ll say, “This is how I came. this is what I went through and this is where I’m going to. And they I think that’s what the people that come to church love it because they see the gospel in action. Wow. They’re not just preaching. We’re actually seeing a life that was about that was near death. Now is a mother, a father, an employee, a business owner, now is a pastor or an evangelist. Soing that’s what we’re seeing. We’re sticking with them from addiction into purpose.

I love that. Well, what’s the basis of the program? Like, how are you helping others to move through through recovery and healing? And you know, so often it it the basis of addiction is trauma. So, how are you helping them?

So, one of the class that’s a great point, Marcy. Um, there’s a class that we have that everybody goes to. It’s called inner healing and um it’s a powerful class um and what it does we realize that a lot of times people are acting out based on a trauma that happened to them either in their childhood in their relationship and a lot of times they forget about those traumas but the reaction is still there and it’s affecting them in their now. So we take them through that inner healing class and we just take them through there and um a lot of it is based on forgiveness. So you know you have to forgive the person that sex sexually abused you. You have to forgive the parent that left you. You have to forgive the uh dope dealer that that beat you up or the cop that wasn’t fair to you. And then when we get them to that place of forgiveness, then healing can come and freedom can come in that area. Now instead of a protective thing that they have and that they react out of those mechanisms, now they’re free to love again, free to trust again. And it and it carries into their marriage, into their relationship with their children. So that is one of the most important classes um that we take into them to deal with the past because if we don’t deal with that past they can’t move into that future.

Yeah. You can’t move forward and and if you don’t forgive you do stay stuck and you stay stuck in that story and that pain. And I myself I I I talk a lot about forgiveness and it’s, you know, it’s part of my what I speak on. Um because it’s so dire that you that you forgive those that harmed you and forgive yourself. And like my mother, she kept me in an environment where I was sexually abused. And even when she knew, she didn’t take me out of it. And it took me a long time to forgive my mom. But what I what I have learned is is looking at my mother as taking off all the titles and looking at her as a human. And and by doing that, I was it was I was able to separate and see how she was raised and how she was programmed and how she navigated life herself. And it it just forgiveness is not about saying what happened was okay. It’s releasing you from the power that it holds over you. That’s what it’s about. So that is so good. That is so good. Remember that out there, guys. It’s not like saying like it’s okay that you sexually abuse me. No, that’s not okay. But you you have to forgive the act and the power that it holds over you. And so yeah, I’m all about that that forgiveness.

And see what what happens to Marcy like my mom the thing that happened with me and my mom. Yeah. You know I as a man I had understanding. She was in an abusive relationship. So I didn’t have that understanding. Now I had it. Now because I’m able to forgive her now we have a a new relationship together. So now she’s a part of my life. We talk, we communicate, you know. So without forgiveness, I wouldn’t talk to her. But forgiveness is has connected us back together.

No, I know. It’s it is beautiful. It is a beautiful thing. And and sometimes you forgive and and you don’t have that person in your life anymore. And that’s okay, too. But I’ve had those, too. Yeah. But you but you let it you release yourself of it. Um now would you say that the the 12step program is is a basis or how like someone does do they continue the work like if they leave the program like what’s the foundation?

So basically it’s application. So and I believe what the what the program did what it did for me it brought a uh a structure into my life and we tell them that said there’s no lasting freedom without structure. So you need a structure. So we we provide a structure, but it would do you no good if you don’t maintain the structure when you leave. So yeah, if they stay in the framework of that structure where they have their devotion time, um they’re not going to the wrong places, they have boundaries around their life, the right relationships, the right friends, you know, staying connected to the right group of people. If they stay in that structure, they’ll maintain their freedom. Those that don’t and violate it are the ones that usually end up relapsing and are coming back. But even in that, it’s easy. Get back up and get back into the structure. Get back into the the blueprint that that you receive for your life.

I love it. I love it. Yeah. I listen, I didn’t go through your program, but I had to change everything about the structure of my life. Yes. And and it truly is about the the people that you surround yourself with. I mean, you you know, I always it’s one of the things I talk about in my book, you know, as far as triggers go. Um the wake up, you’re not broken because those triggers are it’s that muscle memory, right? Because if if you have one cup or one place that you go and that’s where you did your drugs or your drink or whatever, I mean, it’s going to trigger you to to want to do it. And um and and then those people that you drank with or did drugs with or uh broke the law with. I mean, that’s just what you’re going to do if you continue to surround yourself with those people. So, I you know, absolutely. You got to change those people, places, and things. Yes. [laughter] That’s it. It’s so Hey, it sounds so simple, right? Yeah. And and and you know what I mean? It sounds simple, but God, it’s hard to do. But it it’s a simple structure as long as you can follow it and do it right. Stay in [laughter] it because Marcy I’m in the same city that I used to I know exactly where where the dope hole is right now if I want to. [clears throat] Yeah. So I just don’t I don’t go there or if I’m driving there. I’m not entertaining thoughts. Oh, remember the old days? No, there’s no old days. No. No. I don’t want to go back to the old days.

Well, listen. And listen, I listen. I drank. That was my drug of choice. That was my But I have wine in the house. Today I can have it. I in the beginning I took everything out of the house and all but you know it’s it’s I have a very different mindset and I’m just wired very differently and I hold sacred my my recovery and Yes. Got to value it. Yes. Yeah. And the thing is is one one of my I have all these tools that I learned, right? And one of them is that that pop in the tape. So, if you ever like when in the beginning like if you ever like choose like you’re thinking you want to have a drink or it’ll be different like just pop in the tape and play it out, right? Like what is that going to look like? [laughter] That’s it. Yep. Because it it always started off fun. Yeah. But then where it ended was not fun. Yeah. Exactly. So you just play it out before you take that first sip or do that first drug. Right. Exactly. Yeah. So, so tell me today like how many how many people are there today that are are going through the program?

Between the men and women, we have probably about 75 um individuals that we’re responsible for. Um they actually live on the grounds and they’re all in different phases. Some are in the 18month spot. Some are in internships. Then some of them are uh actually out working like today they’re out working and they’ll come back and we set up an account for them in house and then once we feel they’re ready then we get them to open up their own bank account, write them a check, give them you’re teaching them to live life productively, which yes those life skills, right? I mean, we all need to learn them and and just because you’re 35 years old doesn’t mean you know how to that you you have the life skills, right? Exactly. You know, so what about somebody out there that’s dealing they’re they’re in addiction and they’re they’re so fearful. They’re so fearful of living life without alcohol, the unknown, right? Like they’re how can life be good without it? Yeah. Yeah. What would you say to that person that’s stuck who’s fearful?

I think what happens and we deal with it a lot on our end. Some people have a fear of success because they’re so used to getting to a point in life and then having that addiction sabotage it. So in their mind, they don’t believe that they can overcome it. Yeah. So, but I’m a testimony that you can overcome it. You can be free of it. Um, there is life without it. You know, there is victory without it. And you don’t have to be afraid of success if you would just lay it down and come out and try something new. And um it won’t be something um there’s a scripture says the blessing of the Lord makes rich and he adds no sorrow with it. So, this will be a success with no sorrow with it. So they just have to be willing to go into the unknown. You know, I when I came to to the the organization, I I’m to get something I never had, I have to do something I never did. So I knew I said I never did anything like this. So but to get that thing that I want, I have to do something I’ve never done before. And I did it. And I submitted to people that fought the battles I fought, overcame the things I and I I was at that time and still now I’m ready to listen. I’m ready to listen and learn. Teach me. And you got to become teachable. You got to become teachable, right? And you got to break that ego down. And uh that was definitely something that I had to to learn myself.

What’s what’s one truth about addiction? Maybe a lot of people out there don’t know.

It’s false. It’s a false happiness. It’s a false joy. And it’s a it’s a trap um that makes you feel good. And at the same time, you’re having a good time over here, but it’s robbing you over here. It’s destroying your your your health. It’s destroying your relationships. It’s destroying your finances. So, at the same time, while you’re having this good time over here, it’s destroying something over here. And I think I I I I kind of knew that, but then when I really sat down and examined my life and I was like, it’s a miracle I’m still alive because that thing was destroying me and I’m actually putting it in my body while it’s destroying me. Yeah, 100%.

Well, we’re just going to take a quick break. I want to share about my new book that came out, Wake Up You’re Not Broken, a companion for your first 30 days of sobriety. So, we’ll be right back. Are you in the first 30 days of sobriety or wondering if now is your time to start? Hi, I’m Marcy Hopkins and I wrote Wake Up You’re Not Broken just for You. It’s a real raw guide to those first 30 days. What no one tells you, what you will feel, and how to keep going. This isn’t about perfection. It’s about progress. Order your copy now on Amazon. Remember, you’re not alone. You’re not broken. You’re waking up.

Welcome back, everyone. Thank you so much for being here. And Anthony, thank you so much for being a part of Wake Up. Uh you have had such an incredible journey and just what you have experienced and now how you are helping others and listening to your calling and how can people learn more about Lighthouse?

Um we have a a social media um you know we have a website lighthousemission.org or lighthousefreedomcenter.org org is our our website. Um we’re also on Facebook. Um you can follow us there and um on YouTube also you can see graduations or services uh testimonies, real life testimonies. Um so that’s the best way or you can um if you’re in the local area or even beyond. We have a lot of mercy the the organization has expanded. We used to be just solely focused on Tampa, but now we have people coming from all around the country coming to the lighthouse. People from California, um Michigan, the Northeast, Tennessee. So, people find us on social media or on our website, and they they they’re they’re right here, you know, getting help. Wonderful. The best way to find us. Yeah. The word is getting out there. The awareness is getting out there, and people are seeking help. People need help.

So, what would you say to somebody out there right now? They’re they’re ready for a change. They’re ready to surrender, but they don’t know what to do. What’s the first step they can take?

Listen, if it’s if you feel like you’re supposed to come to Lighthouse, pick up the phone. 813-677-5220. Don’t delay. One of the things we get a lot, Mercy, is people call and they’re like, “Okay, we tell them about the program.” and say, “All right, let me think about it.” Don’t think about it. Yeah, change needs to happen immediately because in that thinking about it is usually you go back. So, yeah, if you if you have that desire, act on it immediately. Don’t don’t waste time. Act on that desire because believe me, and I’ve done it, you can convince yourself that you don’t need it and then done it. Yeah. then the consequences really do come and yes and there’s a lot of us out there that uh we even lose our lives over this and and our families I mean it is a family disease and we all need the support and help throughout uh this this recovery journey and um yeah so thank you again Anthony for coming on wake up with Marcy awesome she’s been exciting I’m I feel like fired [laughter] Yeah, that’s wonderful.

And thank you all out there for listening or watching. And if this resonated with you or you know this could help someone, please share, like, comment, and just remember that you are not alone. You are not hopeless. You are not broken. And you are beginning. And I’m so grateful again that you shared this time with us. and I will see you with a new episode next Thursday. Bye.