Join us as we sit side by side with Barry Lyons, a man whose story of triumph, downfall, and redemption is nothing short of a grand slam. Barry takes us through his journey from the diamond lights of major league baseball with the New York Mets to the dark nights of addiction. His candid recount of the high life that spiraled into substance abuse following his retirement and the wake of Hurricane Katrina is as humbling as it is powerful. His is a tale of a Christmas morning that marked rock bottom and the subsequent climb to recovery, fueled by renewed faith and a second chance at life.
Thanks for Listening, and subscribe to hear a new episode each week!
Join us as we sit side by side with Barry Lyons, a man whose story of triumph, downfall, and redemption is nothing short of a grand slam. Barry takes us through his journey from the diamond lights of major league baseball with the New York Mets to the dark nights of addiction. His candid recount of the high life that spiraled into substance abuse following his retirement and the wake of Hurricane Katrina is as humbling as it is powerful. His is a tale of a Christmas morning that marked rock bottom and the subsequent climb to recovery, fueled by renewed faith and a second chance at life.
Thanks for Listening, and subscribe to hear a new episode each week!
It's time now to get the hell out of your life. A weekly broadcast with real people sharing real struggles and offering real hope. Today's show will encourage, inspire and empower you to face life's challenges with a bold confidence and renewed hope. Now let's join our host, ron Myers. The promoter.
Speaker 3:Hello, my friends, it is so good to be with you. The second weekend in January 2024 is going to be a great year for you and I, when we just fix our eyes on Jesus. Today's story is from a friend of mine, barry Lyons. Now, barry Lyons is from Biloxi and when he grew up, he had a dream to be a professional baseball player. Well, he achieved that goal. He's going to share his story. He would think oh wow, living a childhood dream. Everything just was hunky dory and everybody lived happily ever after. Well, like all stories, no, there are some flaws, some mistakes and some errors. But let's take a listen to Barry Lyons' story.
Speaker 2:God bless me with the talent and the determination and the visual that I wanted to become a big league baseball player and by the grace of God and all kinds of things happening in my favor and blessings go over and just the love and passion for the great game of the baseball.
Speaker 3:Tell us what happened in baseball.
Speaker 2:that kind of messed up your life and put some hell in your life, yes, well, I began drinking alcohol on the weekend my last couple of years in high school and the party atmosphere and the culture that I grew up in it was pretty common. And then when I got to college, I was blessed to play front copy man named Dave Booth-Farris at Delta State University and the party continued and picked up and drinking more and more. And then I was introduced to marijuana my second year of college and initially didn't care for it. But eventually.
Speaker 2:I got to where. It was something that I looked over to after the ball game or after practice. One thing led to another into the minor league. Great successes on the field our teams did exceptionally well. Part of championships was most valuable players, several different times through college and then the minor leagues. But that lifestyle of partying. The game ended, the party was on.
Speaker 4:I'd lose or draw.
Speaker 2:It was just a lifestyle and a culture that I got caught up in and I made the choices to do it. But thankfully, fortunately, I made it to the major league in 1986, my seventh season in the major league, with the New York Mets primarily, but three other teams. But the nightlife with the partying team and just the distractions and the temptations that were available to you as a member of the New York Mets the world championship team, probably the highest ranking team in baseball for the era that I was there. We had superstars you mentioned Darryl Strawberry, dwight Gooden, keith Fernandez and Gary Carter were four marquee named players. But we had great team all the way across the board and we won the World Series. My rookie year in 1986, but unfortunately I suffered a broken forearm in August of that year, so I was not in uniform or on the active roster but was certainly a part of that team. Anyway, the culture of our team was you know what we had to do and kick butt on the field, but the post game was a pretty wild and crazy time in the mid and late-80s and most of my teammates certainly not all, but most of us participated in that nightlife and the party scene and all the things that go with it and eventually that party lifestyle eventually caught up to me throughout my career and then after my career, you know, when the games were over and I managed in the minor leagues a little bit.
Speaker 2:I've been teaching and working in baseball in various capacities ever since, but the addiction stayed there. Ultimately it became an addiction. It was fun for a season but ultimately it became an addiction. It just bestowed it through and I struggled with it for many, many years. And in 2002 I moved back home to Biloxi with some big goals in mind.
Speaker 2:And in 2005 Hurricane Katrina came ashore and hell broke loose and I succumbed to the enemy in so many ways. My addiction spiraled out of control. I had lost devastation and all kinds of forms and realities and my family was affected horribly in so many ways. And when I needed God the most I did return to Him. My faith in God and my trust in Him carried me through all those years to get me to achieve my childhood dreams.
Speaker 2:But when I became a Major Leagueer and got caught up in the lifestyle traffic that go with it, I turned from God and I drifted into the world and that stronghold of addiction that the enemy had on me. He held me longer than I ever dreamed I would be held. He cost me more than I could ever pay and he kept me longer than I would ever imagine being kept. So it was a very difficult time after Hurricane Katrina and my life really inspired out of control, with alcohol primarily, but also marijuana and other drugs as well. But the alcohol and the marijuana was something that had a hold on me for many, many years and thankfully I made the half years plus going strong, born again. Christian and God has redeemed my life and redeemed me in every way and I'm just so thankful for that.
Speaker 3:What was it that caused you to hit bottom and cry out for help?
Speaker 2:Well, there were several times throughout my addiction in those latter years where I knew I needed help. I knew I needed to change, but I tried at times they tried to conform. I tried to do things to change, but it's not possible without Jesus. And finally, Christmas morning, 2011, I woke up empty house on the couch no Christmas tree, no Christmas presents, no family, nobody, nothing except a bottle of Jack Daniels and a bag of marijuana on the coffee table. And it was in that misery, in that moment, when I cried out to the Lord. But the devil had such a strong hold on me that I struggled and battled and chickened out again about another week.
Speaker 2:But things happened January 2nd 2012, that really set the wheels in motion.
Speaker 2:I cried out to my then girlfriend, who had left me, to come help me and she got me entered into a detox program. And she came, even though she didn't have to, and by the grace of God, that detox program. Really I felt myself starting to change and the poisons and toxins that I put into my body and into my mind for so long was slowly being removed and I felt different pretty much right away. But once I completed the process of detoxification, I chose because my wife, Julie, today encouraged me to go to the home of grace, a 90 day Christian addiction recovery program here in Bancleet, Mississippi, and that was the turning point for me. And the third day in the program I heard a sermon at our chapel service where the preacher preached on the parable of the prodigal son, and it just illuminated in my mind that I could see myself in that parable, in that story, in that man running to the Father when he had the altar call. I literally ran to the altar and accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord Savior and my life was radically transformed.
Speaker 3:So did you get excited about God igniting that destiny to pursue your destiny?
Speaker 2:Absolutely, ron. You know there were many years where I rarely went a day without getting high or getting drunk or indulging in alcohol or drugs of some sort for many years. But the minute I surrendered my life, I had been about two weeks clean at that point from the detox and the time in between getting admitted into the home of grace in that process. So I already felt better and I already knew I was doing the right thing. But it really was a spiritual transformation that that occurred that night when I went to the altar. It wasn't almost as if it was an out-of-body experience. The supernatural power of Jesus Christ overwhelmed me and lifted me out of that chair, literally. I mean, I'm not, you know, for all that I've done in my life. I expressed myself through my baseball. I was somewhat shy, somewhat reserved and in some ways still am, but when it came to baseball, my life went on and everything was awesome. Well, baseball, as it turns out just as a platform for me to share how awesome Jesus Christ is and what he did for me and how he took a guy that was broken in every way and just, you know, at rock bottom, lifted me out of the bud and the bottom and put me on solid rock. And that night at the chapel in Holm, at the Holm Grace, began the transformation.
Speaker 2:Not still had 87 days in the program, but the word of God became real to me, became alive to me. I read the Bible. I knew a lot of scripture, I knew a lot of the stories and the teachings of the Bible, but it didn't really manifest in me until after that night and then through the course of the program. I couldn't get enough. I literally would, just couldn't wait for chapel service at night and to hear those wonderful spiritual guides and teachers there just dissecting the Bible for us and really comprehending and really understanding what Jesus was telling me through the word of God. It became something that it's hard to describe.
Speaker 2:But I've been thankful not only for myself to have been redeemed and born again, but I've led countless others to the Holm Grace. I've led others to Jesus Christ through my sharing, my testimony, and there's no greater feeling than you know, having your testimony help someone to turn to Jesus and certainly that is the most amazing thing. I e powerful thing that I can do as a Christian is to share and to encourage others to seek Jesus Christ and open their hearts and their minds to Him, because he's there with all of us at all times. But unfortunately, so many people in this world don't know that or don't realize that or don't understand that. And you know, the ego gets involved, which it did for me, and Edging got out. This one way I've heard, or one description of the word ego you know over the years, but there's so many amazing things that have happened since.
Speaker 3:I believe right now there's somebody out there that's listening and saying you know, that's that might be for Barry and Ron and all his other guests he's had, but that's not for me, because I don't even think Jesus likes me, because I've done so many crazy, crappy things in my life. What would you tell that person?
Speaker 2:Well, Jesus is the only way, is the way, the truth in my life, and only through Him and one gets to the Father. You know a lot of people don't believe, don't see or know Jesus in a close, personal way. He has heard of Jesus, or most everyone, but not everyone has surrendered their life to Him and really believed and understood who he really is. He is the Son of God. He came to earth and lived a perfect life, a sinless life, and he taught many, many people and share the truth to the people of that day. And his words were documented and written and that is what the word is the Bible.
Speaker 2:The devil is a liar, first and foremost. He is a liar in his way of attacking most people. If you're on his team, if you're doing his work, if you're living out of the being of a Christian, if you're living that life of bondage and that life of addiction and that life of sin, then you don't know the devil really won't mess with you. He'll just kind of encourage you to stay the course. But once you surrender your life to Jesus and you become a Christian and you have that transformation, he's going to attack you even more. And his favorite way, most prominent way of attacking you is through your mind. He will feed you full of lies, feed you full of things that you're not worthy, you're not good enough, you can't change and Jesus is not real, and so many other lies that he will try to inflict upon you.
Speaker 2:And that's where the word of God comes in, that's where the trust in Jesus comes in and that's where the supernatural power of being a born again Christian comes in. You can fight off those lines, you can stop those fiery darts, you can put that armor of God on every day. Amen, fight the enemy and that's what's most important to stay in the word, to trust the Lord, to put the armor of God on every day. I'm still a work in progress, as we all are, but once we have been touched by that supernatural power that only comes to our Lord and Savior, jesus Christ, things change radically and my mind has been transformed in a way that I look at life totally different than I used to. I trust in the Lord, I trust in His plan.
Speaker 3:Well, Barry, one thing I ask all my guests how do you get the hell out of your life?
Speaker 2:Turn to Jesus. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Him. And then another scripture verse that I really love is Romans 8, 28,. All we know, all things work together for good for those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose. Everyone has a purpose, and the good Lord is there waiting to hear from you. Open your heart to Him, just to just to send Him. If you will, or just open that heart door just a little bit and invite Jesus in, you will be eternally grateful and I promise you. I promise you, jesus is the end.
Speaker 1:You're listening to Get the Hell Out of your Life with your host, Ron Myers. Real stories, real struggles and real hope.
Speaker 5:Does God speak to us today? If so, what does he sound like? Thundering roars, crashing waves, a booming megaphone? Maybe, sometimes, but maybe it's not quite as Hollywood, dramatic as all that. Maybe it's a little more simple. John 10, 27 says my sheep hear my voice, I know them and they follow me. In the midst of all the noise and questions, god is speaking and we can hear His voice. We just need to learn to recognize it. So what does he sound like? He sounds like love, like reconciliation, like kindness, wisdom, hope, truth. Do you know those sounds Then? Maybe you hear His voice more often than you think. Maybe you're being led by Him more than you realize. Maybe God is speaking to you and you actually are listening. You just didn't know it.
Speaker 3:Yes, I am a believer. Are you a believer? And if you aren't a believer, what's stopping you? I mean, is it because what you've been told about Jesus here's one of the problems that I have discovered about being a Christian To accept God's grace, his love and forgiveness and erase all of our sins, past, present and futures? It really is hard to comprehend, because think about this we live in a world that is all merit-based. I mean, if you want to get a promotion at work, you work hard and hopefully you'll climb the ladder to the top in the company. You know, if you work hard in school, you'll get a B or an A and maybe you'll be on the president's list or the honor roll. It's all performance-based. So now you come to Jesus and you've had all this training all your life about performance-based recognition. So a lot of times that just comes into your personal relationship with Jesus. You have to do something, you have to perform because God is going to love a future version of who you are. You're growing, you're going to be good one day and God's going to check the box. But that is not Christianity, that's religion, and Jesus is not in love with the future version of us. When we come to Him, he jumps in our heart, he cleans house, gives us new desires, new thoughts and a new path in life, and it's all free. It's all because of grace and faith in Jesus. It's not performance-based. You are saved from day one, and when you are faithless, he is faithful, you are His, you are one with Christ. And that is a very hard thing in a merit-based world for Christians to believe.
Speaker 3:I hear often people will have some kind of tragedy in their life and they say this is God getting even with me. He's punishing me because I looked at the wrong thing. I said the wrong thing. No, who in the world would serve a God that would be constantly throwing landmines in front of the path we're walking on? No, he has this beautiful plan. You know, the other day I was watching, I recorded the New Orleans Saints in the Atlanta Falcon game and I knew the Saints won, but I still wanted to watch the game. So I was watching it and it came to me. Do you know that God can see our replay? He sees our whole life. He knows the day we were born, the middle of our life and the day we leave, but we only see the present. But if we could just do an instant replay of our life and we had the vision to see what God has, we would see that on this journey, his plans for us are good. They're wonderful New ideas, walking in freedom and grace, and it's a beautiful life.
Speaker 3:God's not going to cause sickness in your life because you did something wrong, because the whole world is a little bit messed up. We're human beings, and hasn't somebody told you we are going to make mistakes before Jesus and after Jesus. It is His beautiful grace, his unending love, that propels us through the difficult times in life and we can rest assured that no matter how we feel, no matter what people tell us that Jesus will not leave us. He will not forsake us. When we are faithless, he is faithful.
Speaker 3:I think sometimes the hardest thing in life is just accepting the fact that he loves us just as we are and that life with Jesus it's a lifetime of growing, of learning, of understanding. Doesn't the Bible say something to the effect that my sheep will know my voice and I will know their voice? And one of the most healing things that we can do as Christians is spend time with Jesus and we pour out our heart and we become transparent. There's a healing in that we tell him what's on our mind, what is hurting us, what is our aspirations in life, what we're concerned about, and then we can get into the gospel, into the New Testament, go into the Old Testament under the law of Moses, get into the New Testament of his grace, where Paul said that when we come to Christ, we are complete. We lack nothing. He's just waiting to download new ideas, to give you the GPS that will take you on the path to what he created you to become and friends.
Speaker 3:You may be older and say, well, that just won't work for me. Well, think about this. God has a purpose for you Now. Maybe it's not the same thing that you would have done if you would have looked for that purpose at age 19. Maybe you're in your 50s now, maybe in your 60s, but what he does is he modifies that plan based on your age and experience and you are still living those dreams. It just is a different way than if you would have started earlier. But what this does? It gives you that sense of fulfillment, of purpose, of being needed in this world.
Speaker 3:Because you are needed and sometimes the best thing you can do quit listening to some of these negative naysayers out there, because I want to encourage you that, no matter what you think, no matter what you feel, no matter what other people have said, you are redeemable. You are loved. There is nothing you can do in your life. You're not saved by your behavior. You can't lose salvation because of your behavior. You are saved because of what Jesus Christ did at the cross. Think about the thief on the cross. He never had any time to go to Bible study or church or be baptized. Jesus said tonight you will be with me in paradise. And then the beautiful last words of Jesus it is finished. Friends, quit trying so hard to please Jesus. He's pleased with you. Just rest in the finished works of Jesus and you will find out that life is good, you're smiling again and you feel the purpose that God is putting you.
Speaker 1:You're listening to Get the Hell Out of your Life with your host, Ron Myers. Real stories, real struggles and real hope.
Speaker 4:We would like to express our gratitude to Coffee News for their support of this program. Are you tired of scrolling through the same old news feeds every morning? Then switch things up with Coffee News. Our publication is filled with interesting stories, brain teasers and uplifting quotes that are sure to brighten your day. And now you can access Coffee News anytime, anywhere, by visiting our website. So, whether you're sipping your morning coffee at your favorite cafe or browsing online from your desk, we've got you covered. Get your day off right with Coffee News at ReadCoffeeNewsOnlinecom.
Speaker 4:Ron will be back in a minute to close out today's show. We want to remind you today of the last words of Jesus it is finished. What is finished? The finished work of Jesus refers to the complete and final accomplishment of salvation through His death and resurrection. It means that Jesus has done everything necessary for our forgiveness, redemption and reconciliation with God. Through His sacrifice on the cross, jesus paid the price for our sins once and for all, providing total forgiveness and cleansing. This finished work of Jesus means that we no longer need to strive or work to earn God's favor or forgiveness. We can rest in the assurance that our salvation is secure and that we are fully accepted by God because of what Jesus has done for us. Now back to Ron.
Speaker 3:Well, friends, my time is up. I will be praying for you this week. It's going to be a great week. Fix your eyes on Jesus, think positive and remember this I love you, jesus loves you, and when you give Jesus your heart, he gives you your destiny. Check out my website, thepromoterorg. I have some great information on there to encourage you on your walk with Jesus. Give the hell out. Give the hell out.
Speaker 1:Give the hell out of your life. Today's show was produced by Ron Meyers Ministries, a listener supported ministry. For a copy of today's broadcast, please visit our website, thepromoterorg, and would you prayerfully consider making a tax deductible donation so that we may continue to share stories of God's amazing grace with the world. And join us next week for another broadcast of Get the Hell Out of your Life, sharing real struggles and offering real hope.