One year

  On the 6th of July I celebrated my independence day. On the 7th I got my coin at my home group. What an awesome experience! 

  There were 3 other birthdays shared that evening. A very close friend of mine had one year. Another friend took his 26 year coin. And yet another friend took 42 years.

  Let me talk about the fellow with the 42. The day after his 42nd birthday his brother died in his arms. He died from alcoholism on June 27th. While going through DT's his body forgot how to swallow and he simply choked to death.

  While I am so happy about my birthday, I was reminded just what I could look forward to if I went back to drinking. His brother had said, "I would rather die than not drink". He did. I would rather live.

  No one can say with 100% certainty I will live my entire life sober. Nobody said I should even try. They told me to do what has to be done today, cover the tasks in prayer, and leave the worrying to God. If I do that everyday, God will grant me a reprieve.

  God has blessed me with over a year sober now. I still  have plenty of wreckage that needs fixin. In someways I wish I could just jump ahead to the time when those things are fixed. In other ways I am aware that if I don't walk through the fixing process and get it all fixed, sometime in my future I may pay for it. I can only grow if I continue walking the path towards God. If I compromise and skip critical items, I will never have complete freedom.

  My desire is complete healing. I want those who love me to know I am a godly man. I don't want to fail them or myself. Only by Gods grace will this be possible. I serve a very gracious God. His Son suffered far more than I ever could.

  Thank you Lord for my year. I never thought I would be given such a gift.