Denny would have told you he loved his wife…and would have meant it. Yet he wasn’t faithful to her! Part of that infidelity scenario was his alcohol addiction.
A year ago, Denny’s wife had enough…and he agreed to leave the house and the family. Separation papers followed. That’s when he began to realize how much he loved his wife and their two kids!
Now alcohol was all he had left…and Denny chased it! By this fall he’d drunk himself into oblivion and family brought him here for our 12-month residential Spiritual Recovery Program.
Denny’s been here three weeks now. In his late 30’s, he doesn’t act like many younger guys who haven’t ruined too much of their lives…or the lives of others, yet. He’s pretty desperate to find some answers for the terrible guilt and shame he’s feeling.
Last weekend his wife visited him here…she brought the divorce papers he has been dreading. He’s sure she still loves him and Denny knows he still loves her, but he understands all that’s happened and signed.
Today he journaled four pages of what and why and how his life got to this place. He told me it helped him start to see and understand some things more clearly.
Now sober almost a month and contemplating some pretty deep things these days, Denny’s beginning to understand exactly where he is and what he’s going to have to do – about himself! Only then can he even begin to think about what he can do about his family.
The wreckage of our past is so difficult to face. But when we do, we can experience some liberation and empowerment to begin addressing our issues.
Denny doesn’t know what’s going happen next…but he is beginning to understand what he’s going to have to do next!
One Day at a Time,
Pastor Gary Byers
Deputy Director