That’s what Wallace said to himself shortly after arriving here at Helping Up Mission. A bright guy, he’d had good jobs and plenty of stuff while still a twenty-something. But drugs managed to mess it all up! Wallace didn’t really like using, but he just couldn’t stop.
Finally, his family did an intervention and “strongly encouraged” him to join our 12-month Spiritual Recovery Program. But Wallace wasn’t happy about it and refused to appreciate anything happening here. He would not pay attention and would learn nothing! They made him come here, but he wasn’t going to stay, either.
So, when he heard me say in class, “You can go through life either Honest, Open and Willing before God – or kicking and screaming. It’s your choice,” that’s when Wallace said, “That’s just a load of…” to himself.
But he had to keep coming to class and had to keep hearing this spiritual recovery stuff…and, what do you know, it began to grow on him. On Day 46, the day he got off restriction and planned to leave, Wallace decided he should stay. He just knew he would get high as soon as he left and he really didn’t want to do that again.
Since he stayed, Wallace was assigned to be my assistant – and he had to listen to my “Honest, Open and Willing” speech again and again! I don’t know exactly when it happened, but one day he bought into the concept. It changed his heart and that changed his life.
Wallace graduates in two months. We’re not exactly sure what is coming next, but he is comfortable with both the process and the outcome. Recently, I even heard Wallace giving the “Honest, Open and Willing” speech, himself!
One Guy, One Day at a Time,
Pastor Gary Byers
Deputy Director