A Celebrate Recovery Story

In this heartfelt episode, Jimmy sits down with Uncle Chaz to explore a redemptive journey that began in the wreckage of addiction, family dysfunction, and brokenness. Chaz reflects on a chaotic youth marked by barroom upbringing, fights, car crashes, and run-ins with the law—years fueled by fear, shame, and insecurity. But his story takes a turn when, at 23 and on the brink of despair, he cries out to God for help. What follows is a powerful testimony of grace: a journey through recovery, redemption, and rebuilding a life on faith and accountability.

Today, Chaz lives as a devoted husband, father, and grandfather—proof that even the most fractured stories can be rewritten by God’s mercy. Through honest reflection and humor, Jimmy and Chaz reveal how healing takes root when we face our pain, seek help, and allow Christ to repair what’s been broken. Their shared past becomes a story of hope for anyone trapped by shame, addiction, or generational wounds—a reminder that God specializes in turning our lowest moments into legacies of love and restoration.

Chapters:

(01:17) Introduction

(03:29) The Plymouth Duster Miracle

(07:49) Childhood Shame & Insecurities

(10:34) The Boy Growing Up in a Bar

(12:59) A Childhood With No Structure

(14:36) Fists, Fears, and a Troubled Youth

(16:52) Little League Coaches and Weed

(18:07) Arrested and Released

(22:37) A Defining Moment

(31:09) Fighting for Those Who Can't Fight

(33:49) The Road to Recovery

(40:34) Fatherhood and Adoption

(47:46) Repairers of the Breach

(52:12) How to Get Help

Get Jimmy's book "God Uses Broken People" here:https://www.amazon.com/God-Uses-Broken-People-Unqualified-ebook/dp/B0DK43JMCG/

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#RecoveryJourney #AddictionRecovery #Sobriety #SoberLiving #RecoveryCommunity #OneDayAtATime #CleanAndSober #NarcoticsAnonymous #AlcoholicsAnonymous #NARecovery #AACommunity #12StepRecovery #SoberLife #HealingJourney #FreedomFromAddiction #CelebrateRecovery

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This episode takes you courtside with Kobie and Regi, who served in Heubach, Germany, this past summer. For eight years, Breakaway’s camp there had focused on baseball—but this summer, basketball was added for the first time, and the impact was beyond what anyone imagined. Through a unique collaboration with local schools, over 250 students—including several Ukrainian refugee youth—heard the Gospel and experienced the love of Christ through sport.

Join us as we sit down with Regi and Kobie, two missional leaders whose stories embody the heart of Breakaway Outreach. Regi has spent nearly 30 years using basketball to reach youth in juvenile centers, schools, and communities across the U.S.—and this summer marked his first overseas mission. Kobie’s journey began as a 9-year-old Breakaway camper when both his parents were incarcerated; today, he’s a young leader helping others find hope through sports.

Together, they share what God did in Germany, what it means to see sports become a global tool for evangelism, sports camps as a Gospel refuge, and how redemption and purpose can emerge from troubled pasts.

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Pastor Corey Brooks is a businessman, philanthropist, mentor and visionary leader. He is the founder and Senior Pastor of New Beginnings Church in Chicago and the CEO of Project H.O.O.D., an organization committed to eradicating violence and transforming lives in Chicago's South Side.

Pastor Brooks’ academic journey took him through Ball State University, University of Florida, Dallas Theological Seminary, and Grace Theological Seminary. He joins us on this episode of the Breakaway Talk podcast to discuss visionary leadership, the importance of mentoring relationships with young people, his own journey from rebellious kid to becoming a pastor, and reaching youth on Chicago's South Side.

Chapters
(00:41) Visionary Leadership
(02:25) Project H.O.O.D.
(04:45) Rooftop Revelations
(08:54) Essential Tools for Visionary Leaders
(13:42) A Rebellious Kid's Journey to Pastor
(18:27) The Impact of Mentors
(26:54) How Can I Make a Difference in my Community?
(29:43) The Gospel and Why it Matters

Get Jimmy's book "God Uses Broken People" here: https://www.amazon.com/God-Uses-Broken-People-Unqualified-ebook/dp/B0DK43JMCG/

►Visit BREAKAWAY online: https://www.breakawayoutreach.com/
►View all BREAKAWAY subscriptions: https://linktr.ee/breakawayoutreach
►Like BREAKAWAY on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/breakawayout
►Follow BREAKAWAY on Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/breakawayOUT
►Follow BREAKAWAY on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breakawayoutreach/
►Follow BREAKAWAY on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@breakawayoutreach
►Email BREAKAWAY: info@breakawayoutreach.com

#leadership #leadershipdevelopment #pastor #coreybrooks #chicago #project #hood #vision #visionary #visionaryleaders #mentors #mentoring #mentoringmatters #instagood #podcast #worship #church #nonprofit #nonprofitleadership #interview #makeadifference #testimony #christian #faith #instagram

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