The Joint Redemption – Christi Burdeshaw

By age 24, Christi Burdeshaw had been arrested for shoplifting, possession of a controlled substance, probation violations, and even car theft. She used and sold drugs, oxycodone and methamphetamine. She lost custody of her three children. Christi remembers seeing her reflection in the glass of a sheriff’s car window. She remembers thinking how awful she looked, how unlike herself she seemed.

Christi never used drugs as a kid. She was a cheerleader in high school, graduated in 2001, and had her first child at age 18. She attended Troy University for two years, and had two more children with her first husband. When she and her husband divorced, Christi found herself alone, with three children, all under the age of six. “I felt like I had to be super mom,” Christi says. But she couldn’t keep up. “Everything just spiraled after the divorce.”

Christi first appeared in The Joint seven years ago. Though her family and friends were embarrassed and disappointed, Christi says, “I was too numb from doing drugs. I just didn’t care for a long time.”

Like many non-violent drug offenders in Muscogee County, Christi was able to go to Drug Court, which, according to the website, “is a multi-agency post adjudication program” involving the cooperation of county and nonprofit organizations. Rather than ship nonviolent offenders to prison, the Drug Court finds effective substance abuse treatment for them.

At first, Christi resisted Drug Court. She faked urine tests. “When you get that far down, it’s hard to get back up,” she says. Still, Drug Court worked. Through the program, Christi prepared to transfer to The Golden Rule, a women’s health clinic in Taylor County, Ga.. And something else happened. While in jail before The Golden Rule, Christi read a poem, “The Woman in the Glass.” For Christi, the message was that, “I can fool everyone else, but not myself.” Looking at herself in the glass of that sheriff’s car, barely able to recognize the tired face in the reflection, Christi realized that she had to change.

Treatment at The Golden Rule was good for Christi. The nine-month program has women work five days a week cleaning a local elementary school. The women attend technical college three days per week, and have regular group therapy and 12-step meetings. For Christi, though, it was the women running the program who made the most difference. The Golden Rule is run by former addicts, who “have the lived experience and are very supportive.”

“As broken as I was,” Christi says, “they taught me how to love myself again. Just an overwhelming support of people who understood.”

Christi also had the support of her mother and stepfather, Robin and Gary Norris, and father and stepmother, Mike and Donna Moss. With the support of The Golden Rule staff and her family, Christi began to heal.

After the nine-month program at The Golden Rule, Christi transferred to New Horizons in Columbus, where the staff helped her find women’s transitional housing. Christi found a job at a local restaurant, and for a year walked to and from work. She met John Burdeshaw, who was also in a treatment program. They began walking together every evening, after which Christi would read to John from Sarah Young’s devotional, “Jesus Calling.” Having first met Nov. 11, 2014, they were married Nov. 11, 2015.

Christi and John are active in their church, The Fort. They saved and purchased their first car in October of 2015. Last year, Christi regained custody of her daughter, her son moved back in with her this summer, and a third son “who loves his grandparents, doesn’t want to leave them right now,” Christi explains. Christi became a certified peer specialist, meaning she has completed training and testing to serve as a role model and support person to other recovering addicts, and is set to begin a new career doing just that in the coming months.

By Tom Ingram

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Full disclosure: Christi is a friend of mine. She shares her story because she wants people to know that, as she says, “you don’t have to live that way, and there are people who will help.”

To find help for yourself or a loved one, you can call the National Helpline any time, day or night, at 1-800-622-HELP.