Hank was an addict but then had 15 years clean from drugs and alcohol. He settled into a career, got married, had a daughter and life was good. Then – I hate to say it – Hank quit doing the things that helped him to stop using and that kept him from using those 15 years.
Once back at it, he rapidly spun out of control again. The truth is that after 15 years away from the stuff – once using again – an addict very quickly sinks back to the depths where they left off, even if it took years to get there the first time.
Consequently, Hank’s wife said I love you, but you have to go! He loved her and his daughter and so he did. Sadly, he knew what he needed to do, but just couldn’t get any traction to get started again.
That’s how Hank arrived at Helping Up Mission. He joined our 12-month Spiritual Recovery Program and is back in the saddle again. But there is a lot of guilt and shame that he is having to address. He will also need to work on relationship and trust issues back home.
The good news is that Hank is feeling hope, answers and empowerment in his life again. He knows spiritual recovery works. He also knows how it works and that he will have to practice it one day at a time for the rest of his life.
But that’s how all of us have to do it, too. With God’s supernatural help, it can be done!
Always and Only One Day at a Time,
Pastor Gary Byers
Deputy Director