Michael "Ox" Lingo has a stronghold on life. It started on the day of his birth when he grabbed the doctor's finger and pulled himself up. "That boy is as strong as an ox," the delivery doctor said. That name stuck.
Now, the professional linebacker lookalike is willing to show his true care and concern while mentoring recovering meth addicts.
Lingo cleaned up years ago. He kicked his meth addiction 12 years ago; marijuana, eight years ago; and smoking, five years ago. Today, he and his former wife, Tabitha, have rekindled their romance and remarried. Together, they have 16 children.
Lingo's home is filled with laughter. His business is thriving. He's helping addicts grab ahold of life. The big, burly guy with a tender heart credits the Lord with everything.
"I had nothing," he said.
Path to recovery
Two years in prison gave Lingo the opportunity to come clean. Before prison, he talked the talk but didn't follow through.
"I was riding the fence. I went to church on Sunday and then didn't do what I was supposed to do."
After his release, he didn't have anything -- no job, no house, no love. He wanted to get his life straightened out the best he could.
It was a fresh start. He kept reading his Bible and a particular verse kept popping up. Three times, in fact.
"Go back to the wife of your youth," says Proverbs 5.
He met with Tabitha, his former wife, and they talked. They both secretly hoped to get back together but didn't express that right away. Had one of them shared what was on their heart a little quicker, it would have been a lot easier, Lingo says, laughing.
They were apart for 11 years. What did Tabitha think about reuniting?
"I was still in love with him," she says, smiling.
Lingo began to re-ignite his passion for life in other areas. A mentor and friend, Mike Ohl, took Lingo under his wing. He taught him everything he needed to know about masonry.
Things were starting to come together. And something powerful continued to move him forward.
Every time he went past the Sims Church, he felt drawn to it.
"God kept calling me to the old building at Sims," he says. "I kept getting pulled to that church. I found out that Monty was just starting a church there."
Lingo first met Monty Muehlebach when they both "partied" quite a bit in their younger days. Now, they became reacquainted. This time, it was inside a church.
The two currently tag team, preaching at the Sims Church and helping others through Soul's Harbor in Rogers, Ark. Lingo feels like he has a lot to contribute when mentoring others.
"The biggest testimony is, they know where I was," Lingo says.
The right direction
Lingo says he went to prison under a false accusation. He was guilty of other misdoings, but was never caught, he says. Ironically, he went to prison for a crime he didn't commit.
His two-year prison term -- one year at Fulton and another at St. Joe -- hit him hard in the face. He got on board with recovery. He continued to study the Bible and get right in all aspects of his life.
"You have to put down deep roots," he says. "You've got to endure, have to water it every day. When the storms come, you can say, 'We're going to get through this.'"
Those who aren't grounded have a difficult time making the cut stick.
"If they don't have deep roots, if they don't have a good support system, when the storms come, they turn back to addiction."
Lingo still fights his addiction. At times, he feels the mental and physical urge. When meth tries to overpower him, Lingo tells himself, "That is not who I am anymore."
The devil still whispers in his ear. Lingo ignores that voice. Instead, he tells himself, "This is the man I am now."
He distracts himself, plays with his children, relies on the 177 Bible verses he's memorized or does something to get his mind off of it.
"It's what you do with this mistake," he says.
Lingo feels he was freed from the shackles of drugs to help others live life to the fullest.
His business, Solid Rock Masonry, serves as a place where men trying to kick meth can find refuge.
"My ministry is my business," he said. "Everything we do, we're doing it for the Lord."
The masonry business, stretching from Joplin to Fayetteville, stays incredibly busy.
His mentor taught him the craft and believed in his skill.
"He taught me everything," he says.
Now, Lingo offers a hand-up to others, employing a crew of men who have kicked meth for a few months, or a year. Lingo serves as both boss and mentor.
During the roller coaster of emotions and physical dependency, the guys can call on him, day or night, for help.
"Within a year and a half (of getting out of prison), I owned my own business," he says. "It fell in my lap. It allowed me to be able to help them with their addictions."
To help others, Lingo and Muehlebach want to eventually help the entire family. They have also considered opening an orphanage for addicts' children.
For those who are still addicted, the children should not be brushed aside.
"Let us take care of the children," he says.
Lingo knows the importance of a strong father figure. His own dad, Terry, was given six months to live. That was eight years ago.
He credits the Lord for his dad's longevity. He says he owes his own life, which is on the upswing, to a much higher power.
"When I was in prison, I dedicated my life to God," he said.
"I put all my trust in Him, and everything fell into place."
General News on 08/29/2019