Lisa’s Pursuit of Breakthrough

My beautiful mama, Lisa, decided to trust me while I put my trust in God to lead her to breakthrough with overcoming addiction once and for all.

From the streets of South Philadelphia to Panama City Beach FL, in the first week of 2023, she decided to make a change and relocate her roots so that we can restore our family tree.

The context of the circumstances is where God reveals His purpose for her life…

She was at an ALL time low drowning in depression and living a lifestyle that was ultimately leading to an early death.

After multiple attempts of suicide and seasons of isolation, she finally answered when I decided to try calling her one night, which was our first time having any type of contact in over a year…

She opened up about the depth of her reality which lead me to agree with her unapologetically out of love and truth and informing her that this year was guaranteed to be the worst year yet if she didn’t do something radical at that moment - which she agreed and confessed that she didn’t see herself living another 6 months max…

I informed her that her daily decisions were going to lead to death and destruction and cause a domino effect that wouldn’t only hurt her but also her children and grandchildren.

I asked her what would be the first step to changing her situation…

She quickly responded with “Buddy I NEEEED to get out of here…”

I booked a plane ticket within minutes and picked her up from the Orlando airport within 12 hours.

We had a lot of catching up to do and ground to cover. She informed me that although my sister and I were aware of her addiction, it was extreme and that she was bound to experience severe withdrawal symptoms.

My amazing girlfriend/life partner felt called to be involved and called rehabs in case the situation got worse and she was to need professional medical support. After being notified of outrageous prices and lack of equal value in the facilities she reached out to offered, my desperate and courageous mother decided to tough it with me out with me. Due to “my positivity”, personal breakthroughs, and passion for people, she believed that being in an atmosphere by my side was better and overall more beneficial than any rehab she has ever been to.

Little did we know we were in the eye of the storm…

After a few nights in Gainesville spent praying, planning, and rebuilding our bond, we embarked into the unknown toward where I had just recently decided to call home: Panama City Beach, FL.

At the time I had no stable job aside from online coaching, a savings fund to move into an apartment, and a couch at my friend, Cade’s, to sleep on for a couple of weeks until I found some stability and steady income.

“Haha”

- God

The conviction and confirmation that God was calling me here never wavered but the uncertainty of the order of operations had certainly increased over the following days.

Due to our new home being a tourist town, we booked a beachfront hotel room for 4-5 days at an extremely low rate (~ $55/night).

The first few days she was shocked at how her fear of severe withdrawal symptoms had yet to match the level she was expecting. We scoped out the area, exercised, bonded on the beach, and talked about our biggest aspirations and how we wanted to be catalysts to change for the future generations of our bloodline.

The enemy didn’t like that one bit…

We decided to go to a local coffee shop called “The Pour” which was a part of and on a property that also provided transitional housing as well as a nondenominational Church called “The Ark”.

A dam of divine appointments was broken from that point on - Our new coffee shop friend, Haley, invited us to a Bible study she was hosting that evening and although my mom's energy was rapidly depleting and the effects of her drug void were worsening, we committed to attending since it was within minutes of the hotel.

We met Pastor Rob that evening who showed interest in hearing our story and providing us with direction and resources that may be able to help us overcome the adversity underway.

That breakthrough moment later multiplied and became abundant blessings but it was the calm before the storm and the dark clouds soon followed.

That night in the hotel room, she struggled to eat, sleep, breathe, function, speak, and began to experience physical, mental, and emotional pain that most people can’t imagine, let alone endure.

My baseline of living is usually free of any worry or fear whatsoever… however, that night and the following days were scarier and far more serious than any TV show I’d ever seen.

The intensity and urgency of the situation triggered me to call Pastor Rob and invite him to the pool deck at our hotel while my mom was finally getting some much-needed sleep. We talked about what was happening and the context which lead to him giving me someone’s contact info that ran a rehab facility but most of all ministry that was close by.

I instantly called, and he answered and understood the urgency of the situation, and told me I could tour the property at that moment. I sprinted to my car, drove 15 seconds (literally) down the street, and pulled up to what would soon become a property that would play such a major role in her journey towards freedom and restoration of health and humanity.

I prayed for the Divine: wisdom, guidance, discernment, clarity, and peace with the process of making a decision which God answered beyond comprehension.

I FaceTimed Reagan throughout the tour and meeting and we came to an agreement that this was where we believed God wanted her. Pastor Rob showed immense levels of passion and hospitality and we felt confident and at peace placing her under his leadership while in such a fragile and vulnerable state.

After paying the last of the funds I had access to and hoped to use to get an apartment, I rushed back to our hotel room with excitement to let her know we found a safe place right on the water with everything she needed to get better and begin the road to recovery.

She woke up distraught and refused to go with a defensive attitude.

I attempted to inform her of the opportunities and potential but she denied it until I mentioned the large payment had already been made…

She paused, doubted, and unhappily agreed to give it a chance.

That is when this roller coaster ride started to pick up the pace…

During the first week there she experienced seizures which resulted in multiple trips to the ER, attempted suicide, actions rooted in anger and impulse, and feeling trapped and betrayed due to me telling her I would be there every step of the way then bringing her somewhere that is over 1000 miles away from her where she satisfied her bad habits her whole entire life. She wanted to spend every moment with me but came to terms with the fact that I’ll always be within 5-10 mins of her at all times.

I, John Oslager III, or as my mom would say “MY FIRST BORN SON”, see the endless potential inside of a beautiful, pure-hearted however, lost, and traumatized woman that gave birth to me as a teenager 26 years ago.

Unfortunately, Reagan & I are struggling to afford to take on the task of fully supporting another adult. With that being said, God has continued to provide for us time after time and has never left our side. Somehow, He always makes it happen. Our faith is unwavering that supporting my mom is what God has placed before us and that He will provide to make that happen.

At this time, my mom has been clean for 3 months now! This is a huge accomplishment for her! She also has had a radical shift in her mindset and has accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord & Savior!! An even bigger accomplishment! Throughout this journey, it has been clear that God answers our prayers and can make a way where there seems to be no way.

My commitment:

I will continue to grow as a servant leader and step into God's calling and purpose for my life. I deeply feel as though He’s leading me to be a catalyst for my family to get to know what can happen when faith, forgiveness, family, and community come together in unity for a greater purpose ♾

Your gift - whether prayers, encouragement, or financial donation - not only supports her medical needs, assistance programs, and temporary housing; it also creates a lasting legacy that tells a story of hope, breakthrough, courage, and love through escaping bondage for generations to come. Your gift will be a part of multiple people’s testimonies.

For more details on our story and updates, contact Reagan Couch. She will be creating a private Facebook page to post updates throughout this journey for those who are invested to follow along. You can also speak with Reagan directly if you have any specific questions or encouragement.

https://www.facebook.com/100091937135437/posts/pfbid02BiDDHUNACfhNoTTmByu5EN9exPYZm8BwuTJv4rep55nxEYGUUT98n1QKnQ34FkEel/?mibextid=5zvaxg

Words cannot express my family’s and my appreciation…

Love you all,

- John Oslager

(1st Born Son/Current Caretaker)

- Reagan Couch

(Soon-To-Be Daughter-In-Law)