Gordie Peyton

The Days before Teen Challenge

Where does a person start?

I’ve known Gordie for about 5 years

Tried to get him in before Covid but the time just wasn’t right.

I want to fast forward to 2022. In the spring of 2022, Gordie came to LifePoint looking for help. Hope of anything good in life was gone.

Every week for a few months Gordie would pop in, we’d talk and pray, but there was a blockage to him finding freedom: Too many temptations, the draw of a quick fix.

In September Gordie told me that he was getting evicted from his place, there wasn’t any where to go.

Teen challenge is still in the conversation but Gordie still hadn’t hit rock bottom.

September 26, Teen Challenge came to LPC, Randy said to Gordie, “I see death in your eyes. You need help.”

October 8th, Gordie had an appointment at the Doctor’s office, but I couldn’t find him and he didn’t show up. Not impressed to say the least. He pulling back was my thought.

Who shows up to church, Thanksgiving Sunday but Gordie, so I call him on it.

Here’s the response: Sorry Pastor Dave, I was getting my stomach pumped in Humboldt.

Then we had a heart to heart. My heart was breaking as this wasn’t Gordie’s first attempt during the year. During our conversation Gordie said, “Pastor Dave, could you give me a night in the Lagana hotel so I can clean up?”

My response, “What good is one night, what are you going to do tomorrow night?”

I had faith for one week, so we put him up for a week.

I had never done this before: Criminal record checks, no ID, TB tests, court...

It looked like it was going to be in the new year, but I wasn’t sure we had that long.

God provided.

We got the process started on the 13th of October. We filled the forms out, had an interview with intake, started the process of getting ID, Gordie turning himself in to the RCMP. Criminal record would take at least six weeks after ID, until the Crown prosecutor told us we could pick it up when Gordie went to court.

November 8th, Gordie and I went ot court in Saskatoon. The judge deals with the warrant, then I asked for the Criminal record check.

You can get that from the RCMP.

I was told that we could get it from the crown prosecutor. You can but not today.

That day I stood before the judge and told him that the only thing holding me back from helping a man with his addictions was his criminal record check.

The judge gave instruction to the crown prosecutor to get it ready for us so that we could leave with it.

Two more steps: Social detox and Intake at TC in Allan.

I sent the Criminal record check to LOndon, and got a call the next morning. Intake was set for November 23rd, so Gordie entered Social detox on November 16th, 2022.

The man that you see tonight is not the man I brought to Teen Challenge a year ago. I rejoice in this.

Just a couple verses of Scripture for Gordie

Proverbs 3:5–6 NIV

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

It’s my privilege to introduce to you my brother in Christ, Gordie Peyton.