Jim Downs of Big Jim's Walk joins us today on The SHAIR Podcast.
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Big Jim’s Walk, Inc is a non-profit organization bringing awareness to the world of the addiction epidemic. Through this foundation, Big Jim’s Walk has plans to build an addiction recovery center, Camp Redemption, with the help from its’ donors and other community members.
Join us as Jim takes us through here battle with Drugs and Alcohol, the wreckage it caused in her life, when he hit rock bottom and his amazing journey into recovery up until today.
Listen to Jim’s story now!
Clean Date: October 13, 2015
Jim Downs, was born in Fallbrook, California, which is in San Diego County, on January 22, 1969. He was adopted by a very loving family at the age of 3 months. His father passed away when he was three years old. His mother passed away in 2012 from a battle with Alzheimer’s. After the death of his mother, he totally lost it and attempted suicide, including trying to drive his truck into the Arkansas River.
Jim was around 12 years old when he first became involved with drugs and alcohol. Anything he could get his hands on, including beer, wine, pills, pot, cigarettes. When he was 15, he was introduced to meth, which became his drug of choice. Jim’s teenage years were filled with lots of partying, music, and building cars, specifically VW Bugs, or any type of hot rod. After high school, Jim attended Southwestern Junior College, where he was studying jazz, but dropped out. He even attempted the military and joined the Army. Three days later, he was booted out for failing a drug test. He started Haney Technical School’s welding program and dropped out as well. Jim had been building a pattern of not finishing anything, and didn’t realize it at the time.
Jim has never had a high opinion of himself. His self-destruction through drugs and alcohol has not permitted him to know what true happiness. He truly feels that he has wasted most of his life. His biggest fear as an adult is that his children will follow in his footsteps. Life before sobriety made him a mean, twisted, bully.
About a year ago, Jim entered a program of recovery at Panama City Rescue Mission. In July of 2015, he states, “God started knocking at my door”! Every day the knock grew louder and louder. In the month of September, it was so loud that he went to a small community church near his house. That day, he dedicated his life to God. The next day he was back at the bar. A month later, to the exact day, he drank all day in the bar, consumed meth, pills, and smoked weed. He had his first blackout. He didn’t know where he was, who he was, or what he was doing. He was told the next day that he took a baseball bat after his girlfriend and her daughter. He has no recollection. He thanks God that no one was hurt and that he didn’t end up in jail. He immediately admitted himself into a detox program. After five days in detox, he went to the Panama City Rescue Mission and joined the Men’s Long Term Addiction Recovery Program.
Jim is currently on a journey like no other in his life. He is sober and has a mission in life to help others battling addiction. He states, “Jesus saved me, and now HE is my everything, my entire being”. “I am leading by example and know that regardless of the fact that I am a sinner, I will go to Heaven, praise, the Lord, and will continue to be God’s servant”!
The WALK isn’t a story about Big Jim, this is a story of a man, who was saved from addiction, by the healing power of Jesus Christ. Jim is preparing for a spiritual journey, a WALK, sanctioned by God, while bringing a message of HOPE, to all of those affected by addiction. There is LIFE after addiction, there is LIFE after recovery. Please join Big Jim for the WALK.
