We would love to hear from you if IBE Ministries, Inc. has
somehow touched your life or someone you know. Just email John
Michael Weber at the contact page.


From the Helping Up Mission Newsletter:

Our Most Effective Ministry   


1/11/2010  
In my work at Helping Up Mission, I continue to be in awe of God’s love for us,
and His power to turn the ugly into the beautiful. And it happened again a few
days ago… But first, a little background…

In his best-selling book The Purpose Driven Life, Pastor Rick Warren writes
that we’re created for five specific purposes. And one - Purpose #4 – can be
particularly relevant for the person in recovery. Purpose #4 is titled “You Were
Shaped for Serving God”. I won’t re-state the details of the purpose, but what
has stuck with me is that “…your most effective ministry will come out of your
deepest hurts.

However, this can happen ONLY when we make ourselves available to God’s
guidance and direction, so that HE can fulfill the promise of Romans 8:28.

I share this because I was reminded of this purpose over the weekend when I
visited Grace Community Church in Columbia to attend the monthly Men’s
Breakfast . I was asked to represent Helping Up Mission, and talk about our
volunteer mentor program. In the opening of the session, Mike Weber, a church
member, gave a short version of his testimony – that 8 years ago he addicted to
alcohol – and homeless as a result of his addiction. Somehow, Mike found his
way to Helping Up Mission as a guest of our Emergency Overnight Services,
and spent some nights with us. He witnessed to God’s infinite love and healing
power, and his own faith and recovery journeys.

I don’t know if Mike has read Pastor Rick’s book, but in the years since he was
at Helping Up Mission, he has lived the professional and personal life of
pursuing his God-led personal ministry out of his deepest hurts. Mike has
gained training and experience as a Drug and Alcohol Prevention Technician,
and currently works for a Substance Abuse and Addiction Counseling company
in Howard County. More than his new vocation, Mike has co-founded a
ministry called In The Blink Of An Eye Ministries. In this ministry, Mike
partners with churches and other organizations bring critically needed ministry
and counseling for those in active addiction – and their family members.

Mike’s story is truly an inspiration and authentic testimony to God’s power to
redeem our human, sinful nature for His infinite purpose! And I was thankful
for the positive response of the men at the breakfast who want to connect with
our current clients at Helping Up Mission!

With that, I’ll keep coming back…

Kris Sharrar

Director of Development



I met Mike Weber through a local newspaper article reporting on Mike’s life
and ministry. I emailed him promptly because I had a troubled teen. Mike
emailed me back within an hour and we started meeting at Grace Community
Church. Since then, many parents have joined us and we’ve formed a group
appropriately titled “Yes, My Kid”. We give each other support and ideas on
how to reach our teens and young adults. Mike has educated me on the reasons
why my kid abused substances and how to help him out of a life of drugs and
addiction. Through our group I have found help and friendship I never thought
was possible. I’ve learned that God has a purpose for each of us, including my
kid. My well being and positive attitude is necessary for my son’s recovery. “Yes,
My Kid” and IBE Ministries is providing the wisdom and insight needed for me
to be the parent my son needs. After 2 long years, my son is clean and sober and
on the right path to adulthood. I will always be grateful to Mike and IBE
Ministries.



L.M.




Blink of an Eye Ministry Experience.

I got a call from my sister saying her son was due to get out of jail and they did
not want him to come back to the same neighborhood so he could get into drugs
and the problems that put him in jail again.

I called Mike Weber and he came right over to my house to talk to me about it.
My plan was to invite my 23 yr old nephew to come and live with us for a while
to get him away from temptations and to begin a new life. Mike cautioned me
not to do that because sooner or later an addict that had not gone through a
program and changed inside would find drugs in any area. Mike said he saw
plenty of things around my house that he could sell to get them and being his
uncle and trying to help him would not stop him.

Mike got back to me with a Christ based live-in program less than an hour away
and gave me the contact information. The program seemed very good and they
thought that my nephew would benefit from it. I put my sister and my nephew
in touch with the place and he seemed like he really wanted to change and
would go to the program.

As it turned out my nephew pleaded with his mother to get one more chance to
live there and they took him back another time in a long string of disappointing
outcomes. He did well for a month or two and really tried hard to do what he
promised, but then as always happened, he got involved with another addict
and started missing curfews and then was picked up by police while he was
high  and sent back to jail for a longer term and to a hard time state prison this
time not a county jail.

Mike knows about the problems of addiction from experience and he knows the
effect of putting Christ between the person and the drugs. It is the only effective
way  that I have seen to resist the lure and the pull that the drugs have on the
person. They say they can do it alone, they want to do it alone, but they can't.

I thank God for the advise Mike gave me and the advise he gives when he speaks
and when he writes. He is like a guide in an unknown land for those of us who
have never been an addict.

Peter Moulton


My Testimony:

About a year ago, a friend encouraged me to attend the support group that IBE
Ministries has for parents of kids who are abusing drugs and alcohol.  Up until
then, I had no one who really understood my frustrations, anger and pain of
watching my son destroy his life.  IBE Ministries provided an opportunity not
only to share my feelings with others who understood, but to also learn from
them and be encouraged.  It is especially helpful to me to hear Mike speak from
the addict's side.  He has helped me understand what my son might be going
through and  often reminds me that the horrible things my son says and does to
me and our family are not coming from him, but from his addiction.  I am very
grateful to Mike and his ministry.

Alice Lilly
IBE Ministries, Inc.Testimonials
In the Blink of an Eye Ministries, Inc.
Providing families care, comfort and solutions...

1001 West H Street, Suite B
La Porte, TX 77571
Texas: 281.515.6673
Maryland: 301.237.4086