P.O. Box 33150 | Portland, OR 97292-3150 | (503) 347-9966 | info@freedomhouseministries.net

The Faces of Freedom
Another Testimony of God's Grace

John Schmalz - Hillsboro, OR

Hello, my name is John.  I was born in Portland, Oregon and raised on the west side out in Hillsboro.  My parents moved there when I was very young.  My father is a good man.  He was raised back in the east (Chicago and Boston).  He spent time in the Marine Corp, in Vietnam and upon returning home, moved to Oregon.  When he saw my mother at a house church meeting in Portland one evening, the Lord told him...you're to marry that woman.  They were married shortly thereafter and eventually settled down in Hillsboro.  Both my mother and my father love Jesus deeply, with all their hearts. They were both saved and delivered by God in the 1970's "Jesus Movement."  After giving up drugs and alcohol, they began the task of raising a family that now totals 6 grown children.

I remember God speaking to me at a very young age in our home.  I knew all the Bible stories.  I went to a private Christian school, memorized scripture, applied myself and got straight A's, played sports and had all the coolest kids for my friends.  I was the crown of my mother and the pride of my father.  I felt like I had it all.  I thought I was really somebody.  God's word however, says differently.... "Pride goes before destruction."  (Proverbs 16:18)

In the 8th grade I started acting out, becoming so disruptive that I spent most of that entire year in the principal's office.  Finally, I was thrown out of school altogether for making trouble in all my classes. At home I started running away and did that almost every chance I got.  I would disappear for days at a time, until the police would catch me and return me to my home.  I was gone more than not and was always drinking and doing drugs or stealing to get more money for drugs.  Looking back, I can't imagine just how much grief or trouble I brought to my family, but God is with us through it all.  The hurt that I caused them, I cannot undo but God's grace is sufficient and I thank God for his mercy.

I was arrested in 2003 for stealing to support my methamphetamine (meth) habit.  It took that arrest and time in jail to fully break me. I had finally reached the end of myself.  I was put in isolation because of my dire condition.  Being uncooperative I believe that I suffered a complete mental breakdown which led to his punishment.  It was there, after a few weeks of de-toxing that I began to seriously read my Bible.  During my 56 days in isolation in the Washington County Jail, the Lord Jesus began a work inside my heart.  He began to heal and restore my soul in ways I still do not fully understand.

The Lord is my shepherd; He maketh me to lie down in green pastures;
He restores my soul...Psalm 23

Now, my father knew of another lost young man who had been getting help through the faith-based recovery here in Freedom House.  So here I was just a couple of years after my jail experience, choosing to enter this structured, one-year program.  God was in this insanity and put me somewhere where I would be able to receive his love.  Thank you Jesus.

While we were yet sinners Christ died for us.  Romans 5:8

Freedom House has been a blessing to me. With each passing month my relationship with my parents and the rest of my family has been growing and is being restored. I want to thank the Lord, Freedom House and my family, for helping me deal with the real issues of my past.  So far this discipleship program has been challenging me in areas of commitment and responsibility, while helping me to learn how to build healthy boundaries essential for relationship.  I love the Lord more now than I can remember over much of my past and I have a greater understanding of His will and His ways in my life. Freedom House has lifted a huge burden off of my heart and soul and I have found people here and I can really trust. I am not alone in this fight of faith.  I think it is amazing that I have gone from being filled with a sense of pride to becoming convinced that I was nearly worthless.  And now today, I am grateful that He has given me a sense of hope.  The hope is that His purposes at work in me may help others in some way in the future.

I'm challenged in writing this because I can't really explain how thankful I am to the Lord and to those who have helped Freedom House be available to me. If there was no Freedom House, I might actually be dead or in prison.  Your care has helped to change my life. God bless you.

Growing in His ways, John Schmalz

CONGRATULATIONS TO FREEDOM HOUSE GRADUATE #5

September 21, 2007
Family and friends were on hand to celebrate the graduation of John Schmalz

John is pursuing the Pastoral Ministry Emphasis track
and is attending classes at Oregon College of Ministry (OCM)
at Easthill Church in Gresham, Oregon