100

Deed and Truth just helped our 100^th family turn a house into a home. Sam has quite a story.

Our first House2Home transformation took place in February of 2020. This month, three and half years later Sam & Lindsay were the recipients of the 100^th House2Home makeover project!

Sam came from a broken home. He lived with his mother until he couldn’t. She was married four times, a drug addict, and eventually committed suicide. Sam became homeless before his senior year and dropped out of high school. He got involved in drugs and all the dysfunction that goes along with that combination of life choices including jail.

Years and years would pass but a couple things in his life remained the same. One, he would struggle with drugs to ease his pain but they always left him empty and needing more. Two, he had a Christian friend from his high school days who never gave up on him.  

Sam’s friend Matt had a relationship with Jesus and Matt was always there for Sam when he needed a hug or a word of encouragement. No matter how many times Sam relapsed, Matt remained a friend and an important voice in his life.

God brought Sam to his knees of surrender many times but he always went back to his old ways until it finally stuck. Matt and the leadership at his church, Grace Church in Orange, remained committed to helping Sam recover.  

When Sam had finally had enough of the destructive cycle of living in addiction the church leadership took Sam in and put a 24-hour watch around him for six-weeks until Sam could sober up and get into the Orange County Rescue Mission men’s recovery program.  

Here is Sam’s testimony about how God used these people to initiate his incredible transformation.

“Before Christ, I never would have understood why these men would set aside their lives to babysit a drug addict. But now I understood it wasn’t them, it was Christ in them. I have never had any uncontrollable temptation to use or drink since. 

I am about to start a paid pastoral internship at Grace Church of Orange and am enrolled to attend The Masters Seminary in the fall (with a full scholarship). BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY. I am getting married to a very godly woman who shares and supports the same ministry dreams and goals as myself on July 15th. Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.” Ephesians 1:7-10

For His Glory,

Samuel Richard Johnson

NOTE:  Deed & Truth along with volunteers from another church called “Grace”, Grace Church in Laguna Niguel actually transformed Sam’s house the very day he was getting married! How cool for he and his new bride Lindsay, to come back from their honeymoon to see their apartment turned into a home!!