Merry Christmas form Tami, Kai, & Mark

We have had a busy year filled with growth, change, blessings, and fun.

Kai is a sophomore this year and now has her Learners Permit. She has been driving the SUV with Tami and the convertible with me. So far so good, on city streets and in the neighborhoods; parking lots and heavy traffic are a challenge at this point but we are working on it! She traveled to Seattle a couple of times to see her Uncle Rick. She loves Seattle and got to see the University of Washington campus, where her cousin Caitlin is attending. Her plans are to attend the university and somehow she has secured a room at her Uncle Rick’s home for her college career! Go U DUB! She is taking honors classes this year and some classes carry college credits that will transfer. She continues to volunteer with me on many of my outreach and homeless projects. It seems to me that she is growing up way too fast but Tami and I are very proud of our Honors Student and the young woman she is becoming.

Tami continues to run many projects and activities. Kai and I can hardly keep up with her! Along with being by my side for Family Promise, she continues to volunteer at our church coordinating weddings, funerals and most events along with leading most of the seasonal, special, and holiday decorating projects. The surprise for Tami and all of us was the rapid growth and popularity of our nonprofit Furniture Bank. www.furniturebank.us We figured we would be helping maybe one family a month. We celebrated the Furniture Bank’s first anniversary in November, and as of today 57 families have been assisted with furniture and furnishings! We were blessed with great supporters early on. Sheila with Connecting to Serve and Ahwatukee Homeless Coalition Leaders Pat and Rochelle Impiccini partnered with us and gained us favorable media attention from the newspapers and television. http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/region_phoenix_metro/ahwatukee/tami-jackson-helps-homeless-get-back-on-their-feet In addition to helping Family Promise and Save the Family, this brought us excellent helping opportunities and new friendships with Catholic Charities, Knights of Columbus, and many state and local helping agencies. We are blessed to have volunteers helping us as we help others. This is God’s project; we are just helping it grow!

This year I celebrated 22 years of sobriety and have had many blessings. I am finally a college graduate! I earned my Bachelors in Business Administration from Strayer University on December 21. I begin MBA School in January. I am in my final year of Ordination training to become a Pastor. It’s an honor to be able to serve at our church. Our Care & Support Ministries grew and thrived seeing more folks step into leadership roles alongside me to help many others to find their way through struggles and challenges that we encounter in this world. We participated as a church in local outreach programs of Family Promise and Feed My Starving Children packing events. Our CASS HOPE for the Homeless meal and 12 Step meeting continues to thrive under our leader Tim B. Pastor Natividad Mendoza and his From Gangs to Jobs ministry was featured on a local TV news station for all the good he is doing and changes he brings. He also received a National Epoch Award this year for his innovative program that helps young adult find their way. The other Local Outreach projects of Salvation Army, Angel Tree, Food Pantry and others have enjoyed blessed support and energetic participation this year.

I enjoyed another productive year with my employer Verizon Wireless. I continued working with the West Area Operations and Data Support team and got to participate in many projects as our ever changing industry embraces new technology.

On a sad and reflective note, we experienced the losses on all sides of our family this year; Grandma Lora on the Jackson side, Aunt Marcella, Aunt Clara Mae, and Cousin Bruce on my mother’s side of the family. While our loved ones are walking with Jesus in Heaven, they are missed in our hearts and our homes.

As 2013 closes, Tami, Kai, and I want to thank you for being in our lives and wish you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and blessed 2014!

I can't...HE can(and does!)... I think I will let HIM



22 years ago today I finally took the first 3 steps that saved my life…I finally admitted that …I can’t,… He can, (AND DOES!)… Thanks God for letting me! 22 years of blessed sobriety. “You will lose the old life to find one much better.” Big Book pg 120 “everything connected with that old way of life has to go. And then take on an entirely new way of life a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you.” Ephesians 4:-24 Thank you God, Alcoholics Anonymous, and Salvation Army for showing me a new freedom and way of living based upon a spiritual tool kit freely given.



22 years ago I was a broken man, addicted to methamphetamines and hopelessly alcoholic. In jail again for my 12th DUI I was to be sent to prison. I was 30 years old and had estranged everyone from me in my life. As I stared into the piece of tin that serves as a jail house mirror I suddenly realized that I no longer knew this person staring back at me. I got on my knees, and said the only prayer I could at the time, “God help me.”



Things began to change immediately. My cellmate kept inviting me to the AA meetings and until that day I never wanted to attend. The meeting started with a very short man who was not in jail jumping up on a table and shouting, “If you guys keep on doing what you are doing, you will keep getting what you are getting!” It was the shortest AA meeting I have ever attended because that was all I heard. I began reading the AA Big Book, and attending the meetings along with the Christian Overcomers Outreach program.



After a few weeks, I went for my prison sentencing, but my Public Defender did not show up. 2 weeks later I went again to be sentenced and the Prosecutor did not show up. It would be 6 more weeks in the jail before I would be sentenced to prison. I stayed active in AA and in the Christian fellowship Overcomers Outreach. When I finally went to court to be sentenced, there was a different judge on the bench and he shared a letter that was written on my behalf by an anonymous member of AA telling him I was changing and asking him to give me a chance at a rehab program instead of prison. The judge stopped the sentencing and asked me if I would like to spend 6 months at the Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center in Sacramento. I knew that God had heard my cry for help and that I needed to keep following Him!



I willingly went to the Salvation Army. They loved me until I could learn to love myself. I threw myself into learning about God and became active in AA and in serving the homeless and addicted. I entered their Adjutant Program and earned my Pastoral certificate. I was awarded a scholarship to go back to college and got my Human Services as well as my CADC counseling certificates for drugs and alcohol. I began running the Phase 1 recovery programs for Salvation Army and helped to manage the homeless shelter.



Through my quest for lasting sobriety in AA I met my beautiful angel Tami, who allowed this strange man with a pony tail who worked at the homeless shelter and rode a bicycle to fall in love with her and eventually marry her. God gave us His gift in Kai 15 years ago. We have traveled this journey together now for 19 years and have had ups and downs like we all do, but NO MATTER WHAT we have loved God and one another without a drink or a drug.



For the past 22 years I have lived one day at a time looking to serve and help. God saved me from alcoholism and addiction and taught me to be free through serving others.



I believe in and truly try to live what the Bible promises that it is through giving to others that we receive. God has given me more than I ever deserved. The Big Book has taught me that Faith without works is dead. The least I can do is to try daily to pay Him back through serving others. Thanks to Mountain Park Community Church, I get the opportunity continue to grow and deepen my faith in Jesus as I help others daily! Thank you Jesus for saving me! Thank God for the Salvation Army and Alcoholics Anonymous!

Final Paper and coursework submitted for my last class as a Senior! Hello Strayer University Bachelors of Business Administration! Thank you Tami, Kai, friends, and family for your support, encouragement, and understanding of the long hours needed to complete this! Thank you to my employer for making my education possible, and thank you Jesus for seeing me through this journey!  MBA school starts in January!!