Yasin was in and out of jail for decades, but now he’s helping others

Yasin Abdul Adi was born in Detroit, MI but, while still young, his family moved to Knoxville, TN – the places he considers his “hometown” today. Yasin says he always felt a God-connection and tried many things to deepen it – including 25 years practicing Islam. Here’s his story.

Read more at helpingupmission.org/stories/yasin

Yasin

James has stopped running away

“Settling in, I wasn’t scared. I didn’t know what I was getting myself into but I was ready to change, whatever it took – I knew it was better than jail and it was time to get honest with myself.  I felt peace and could walk into a place and not be judged. I could lay my head down and fall asleep.”

Read more at helpingupmission.org/stories/jamesw

James W draft

Anthony is no longer angry and using – his heart is changed

“I don’t have a problem being vulnerable to the Father because I know he is not going to hurt me and has my best interests; my problem is being vulnerable with people… I resist it; I don’t want you to know that I have any vulnerability in me. Sometimes there’s a time to be angry, but I just don’t want to be angry anymore.”

Watch AJ and others in our video Defined: Shame and Pathway to Hope

Read more at helpingupmission.org/stories/aj

Anthony Jones

Mark is in prison – but with a new perspective

“Be yourself, be honest. Have faith… because you have to lean on something beyond yourself. If you put yourself first, and you think it’s all about you, then you’re already lost. Stay clean, stay drug-free. I know it’s cliché to say, but it doesn’t lead anywhere but jail or death. God didn’t give you the blessing of life to waste it and to get trashed every day. You weren’t put on this earth for that. I’m happy to wake up every day, open my eyes and breathe.”

Read more at helpingupmission.org/stories/mark-ramiro

Mark Ramiro

Stories of Restoration

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/playlists/135367082″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]