On Episode 7 of Keep Pointing Up, host Matt Corley sits down with Neel Heaberlin Jr. and Johnny Carriere from The Refinery Mission to talk about faith, recovery, brotherhood, second chances, and the importance of having people willing to walk with you through the hard seasons of life.

The Refinery Mission has been serving men in Opelousas since 1988. They work with men coming out of jails, prisons, rehabs, hospitals, behavioral health facilities, and homelessness, helping provide the support and structure they need to start rebuilding their lives.

Their work goes far beyond simply providing a place to stay. The Refinery offers emergency and transitional housing, work readiness, prison reentry support, spiritual growth, wellness resources, and a Christ-centered community for men who are ready to take the next step forward.

Johnny Carriere, Executive Director of The Refinery Mission, shares more about the work happening every day and what it looks like to meet men where they are while still challenging them to move forward.

Neel Heaberlin Jr. has a unique connection to both ministries through his work with The Refinery and his role as Director of Operations and a member of the Board of Directors for Keep Pointing Up. He shares why walking alongside other men has become such an important part of his life and ministry.

Throughout the conversation, Matt, Neel, and Johnny keep coming back to something both KPU and The Refinery believe strongly: men need other men in their corner.

We need people who will encourage us, hold us accountable, pray with us, and stick around when things get difficult.

This episode is a great conversation about second chances, community, recovery, and the way God can use people and places like The Refinery to help someone begin again.

No matter where you’ve been, your story isn’t finished.

Keep Pointing Up. ☝️

🏠 LEARN MORE ABOUT THE REFINERY MISSION

The Refinery Mission exists to serve men in transition and help them move toward stability, purpose, and freedom through a Christ-centered approach.

If you or someone you know needs help, or if you would like to support the work they are doing through giving, volunteering, prayer, or donations, visit:

🌐 http://refinerymission.org/

The Refinery Mission
704 W. South Street
Opelousas, Louisiana 70570

Ways to support The Refinery include one-time or monthly giving, volunteering, prayer, in-kind donations, and vehicle donations.

📖 GET KERRY SIMON’S BOOK

Want to learn more about the story behind Keep Pointing Up?

Check out Keep Pointing Up: From Rock Bottom to Redemption by KPU Founder Kerry Simon.

In the book, Kerry shares his story of addiction, brokenness, a life-saving liver transplant, surrender, redemption, and how God used some of the hardest parts of his life to eventually help other men.

Learn more and get a copy here:

🌐 https://www.keeppointingup.org/kpubook

☝️ STAY CONNECTED WITH KEEP POINTING UP

If you enjoyed this episode, like, subscribe, comment, and share it with someone who may need to hear this conversation.

Follow Keep Pointing Up for upcoming Men’s Nights, KPU Crews, events, outreach opportunities, prayer, and other ways to get involved.

KPU is about bringing men together, building real relationships, and continuing to point people toward Jesus.

Real men. Real struggles. Real brotherhood.

Keep Pointing Up. ☝️

#KeepPointingUp #TheRefineryMission #ChristianPodcast #MensMinistry #Brotherhood #Recovery #AddictionRecovery #SecondChances #Faith #Opelousas #Louisiana

http://linktree.com/kpulafayette

On Episode 6 of Keep Pointing Up, host Matt Corley sits down with Pastor Daniel “DK” Kelly for a powerful conversation about God, purpose, brotherhood, second chances, and what can happen when you allow Christ to completely change the direction of your life.

Pastor DK leads Harvest Community Church in Lafayette, a ministry focused on reaching people, building lives, serving the community, and helping others grow in Christ. His work extends far beyond the walls of the church through outreach programs that serve families, young people, and those who may otherwise feel forgotten.

His own story is a reminder that God can use every part of your past.

DK grew up around some of the toughest circumstances in Lafayette and found himself involved in street life at a young age. Golf unexpectedly became one of the things God used to begin changing the course of his life. What started with a second chance eventually became a passion for ministry, community outreach, and giving young people opportunities he never had himself.

Today, he even uses the game through DK Golf Academy to introduce kids in Lafayette’s inner city to golf while providing mentorship, encouragement, and a positive environment.

But this episode is about much more than golf.

Matt and Pastor DK talk about faith, finding your purpose, the importance of the men you surround yourself with, and why none of us were designed to walk through life alone.

Sometimes changing your future starts with changing your circle.

And sometimes God takes the very things you thought disqualified you and uses them to reach somebody else.

No matter your past, God isn’t finished with your story.

Keep Pointing Up. ☝️

⛪ CONNECT WITH PASTOR DK

Follow Pastor DK on X:

@PastorDKKelly

Learn more about Harvest Community Church and its work throughout the Lafayette community.

📖 GET KERRY SIMON’S BOOK

Want to hear the story behind Keep Pointing Up?

Pick up Keep Pointing Up: From Rock Bottom to Redemption by KPU Founder Kerry Simon.

Kerry shares his journey through addiction, brokenness, a life-saving liver transplant, surrender, redemption, and how God took what looked like the end of his story and gave it an entirely new purpose.

Grab your copy through Keep Pointing Up.

☝️ STAY CONNECTED WITH KEEP POINTING UP

If this episode spoke to you, help us get it in front of another man who may need to hear it.

👍 LIKE this episode
🔔 SUBSCRIBE to the Keep Pointing Up Podcast
💬 COMMENT and tell us what stood out to you
↗️ SHARE this episode with someone who needs encouragement
📱 FOLLOW Keep Pointing Up on social media

Stay connected for upcoming Men’s Nights, KPU Crews, events, community outreach, prayer, and opportunities to get involved.

Keep Pointing Up exists to point people to Christ, regardless of where they sit on Sunday.

Real men.
Real stories.
Real brotherhood.
One God.

Keep Pointing Up. ☝️

#KeepPointingUp #PastorDK #ChristianPodcast #MensMinistry #Brotherhood #Faith #JesusChrist #LafayetteLouisiana #ChristianMen #Testimony

http://linktree.com/kpulafayette

On this episode of Keep Pointing Up, hosts Matt Corley and KPU Founder Kerry Simon sit down with Derek “Griff” Griffon for a conversation centered on God, faith, leadership, brotherhood, and what it looks like to actually live out what you believe.

Derek serves as the Leadership Development Director and Teaching Pastor at The Bayou Church, where he helps develop leaders and point people toward greater spiritual maturity. He’s also the voice behind The Daily Rebel Devotional, where he challenges believers to get into Scripture, grow deeper in their faith, and live differently because of what Christ has done for them.

This conversation gets back to what Keep Pointing Up is all about: men being willing to have real conversations, encourage one another, grow in their relationship with God, and recognize that following Jesus isn’t something we were meant to do alone.

It’s easy to talk about faith.

It’s another thing to let that faith shape the way we lead, the way we treat people, the way we handle adversity, and the decisions we make when nobody is watching.

Whether you’re already strong in your faith, trying to find your way back, or simply looking for a group of men willing to walk beside you, we hope this conversation encourages you to keep moving forward.

Keep Pointing Up. ☝️

🎙️ FOLLOW DEREK “GRIFF” GRIFFON

Want to hear more from Griff?

Check out The Daily Rebel Devotional with Derek Griffon for Scripture-driven teaching and practical conversations about faith, obedience, spiritual growth, leadership, and living differently because of Jesus.

You can also follow Derek on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/derek.griffon

📖 GET KERRY SIMON’S BOOK

Want to hear more of Kerry’s story?

Pick up Keep Pointing Up: From Rock Bottom to Redemption by Kerry Simon.

Kerry shares his story of brokenness, addiction, a life-saving liver transplant, surrender, redemption, and how God began rebuilding his life with a new purpose.

Grab your copy through Keep Pointing Up and help support the continued mission of KPU.

☝️ HELP US KEEP POINTING UP

If this episode encouraged you, there’s one simple way you can help us reach more men:

👍 LIKE this episode
🔔 SUBSCRIBE to the Keep Pointing Up Podcast
💬 COMMENT and tell us what stood out to you
↗️ SHARE this episode with somebody who needs to hear it
📱 FOLLOW Keep Pointing Up on social media

Every like, comment, share, and subscription helps these conversations reach another person.

Stay connected with Keep Pointing Up for upcoming Men’s Nights, KPU Crews, events, videos, ministry opportunities, prayer, and ways to get involved.

Our goal isn’t complicated.

Build brotherhood. Strengthen men. Point people to Christ.

Keep Pointing Up. ☝️

http://linktree.com/kpulafayette