Tickets now on sale for third annual fundraiser – Thursday, Oct. 12
Just two blocks from a homeless camp under a south Dallas bridge, 50 men are sitting around tables in a run-down, crowded facility, staying laser-focused on rehabilitation and redemption through an intense program of spiritual growth, clinical counseling, social support and military leadership training. John Miller, executive assistant of The Men of Nehemiah for three years, knows all too well the daily challenges these formerly homeless and addicted men are battling, for he once walked in their shoes.
A 2000 graduate of Highland Park High School who was raised with both privilege and love, Miller certainly doesn’t look the part of those typically seen shooting up drugs in a parking lot or passed out cold by a tent under a bridge. Yet today the 35-year-old man is sure that without the help he received starting in 2013 from The Men of Nehemiah, he could easily still be in one of those places – or worse yet, dead.
Addicted to drugs and alcohol since the age of 17, no amount of expensive rehab was able to help the senior at Southern Methodist University. Miller’s full-throttle plunge into self-destruction left him living in his car until he sold it for drugs during his final semester of college.
“One Sunday morning in 2013, a street friend of mine encouraged me to walk a mile for a hot meal. The message of The Men of Nehemiah’s ‘Bread of Hope’ church service touched my soul to its core. What was I doing? How did I get here? And more importantly, could I get out?” stated Miller, who stutters and has struggled with his weight and a clinical diagnosis of social anxiety disorder. “The next day, I walked back to organization and asked for help.”
Miller worked tirelessly through the regimented program for nine months and graduated working as a plumber for the first time in 2014 – only to find himself relapsing for two drug-fueled weeks. After calling for help and recommitting to the program, he realized the material world’s call for money and power was no longer priority, and dedicated himself to working full-time for The Men of Nehemiah. He is celebrating three years of sobriety this fall while attending school full-time, completing that postponed degree from SMU in December.
On Thursday, Oct. 12, The Men of Nehemiah will host its third annual fundraiser. Miller’s mother, Kay Miller, is chair of the event.
The Men of Nehemiah Concert, featuring Christian recording artists Shane and Shane
A celebration fundraiser opening with The Men of Nehemiah Choir, followed by Shane and Shane, a dynamic praise and worship duo known for their celebrated guitar work and trademark harmonies. www.shaneandshane.com
Thursday, Oct. 12
Gateway Dallas – 12123 Hillcrest Road, Dallas, 75230
- General Admission – $25 per person
- Concert begins at 7 p.m. – doors open at 6:30 p.m. for general admission ticketholders.
- VIP Reception (by invitation only) – 6-6:45 p.m.
- Purchase tickets or sponsorships at https://menofnehemiah2017.auction-bid.org/microsite/.
- For more information, contact Cjones@themenofnehemiah.org or call 214-421-6705.
