He was arrested that day, went to the Montgomery County Jail and took to his knees. It was around this time that he said that God gave him the vision to create Whole Truth Ministries.
Credit: Bryant Billing
Credit: Bryant Billing
That vision became a reality less than three years later, and then 10 months after that the nonprofit opened the doors to its first recovery home. Now it offers 44 beds in 5 recovery homes serving men in Montgomery and Warren counties.
“I love seeing guys living life on purpose for a purpose,” said Shaw, who is both the founder and executive director of the organization.
Whole Truth Ministries also offers the men a weekly Bible study and partners with others to provide jobs and workforce development skills. Between the residents and the ministry’s outreach to the homeless, Shaw estimates that around 1,000 people have been impacted by Whole Truth.
Success can look different for each man who walks through the door. Some arrive to save their marriage or get their vehicle and license back, he said. Others want to get a job. Still others have successfully started their own business or become a first-time homeowner.
With grace, mercy and forgiveness, the men tend to flourish, said Shaw, 41, of Miamisburg.
“We do tend to have good success rates, because we treat people as people,” he said.
The work that Whole Truth does often comes full circle, as people the ministry once helped stay on and get a job there, said Mandi Stahl, who nominated Shaw as a Dayton Daily News Community Gem.
Stahl, who works with Whole Truth weekly in her role as a peer support supervisor, commended Shaw for turning his struggles and experiences into an organization that helps others.
“They will give anyone a chance no matter what their history is, no matter what their mental health is,” said Stahl, of New Carlisle.
Shaw began smoking marijuana at age 10 and by the time he was 15 “had tried pretty much every drug there was besides crack and heroin,” he said.
He was diagnosed with skull cancer when he was 18 and underwent chemotherapy and radiation. As he continued to deal with the side effects, he turned to cocaine. Later, heroin became his chosen drug. He spent time behind bars and in treatment.
That day in 2013 was significant. He prayed, but it wasn’t like before.
“This time it was different. It was sincere,” he said. “It was from my heart, and I wanted to make sure God knew that.”
He hasn’t smoked a cigarette, drank alcohol or done any drugs since that day, he said, and Shaw wants others to know that they too can overcome addiction.
While leading Whole Truth Ministries is a challenge, it is a position that he finds both rewarding and fulfilling.
“It’s not a job,” he said. “It’s a calling.”
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