But, in the end, alcohol won!
He wound up at Helping Up Mission through a man he met at the VA in Baltimore. A hard-working guy, used to discipline and getting things done, Jonathan’s been a pretty focused member of our 12-month residential Spiritual Recovery Program since arriving last fall.
Among the many commitments he’s made while here was a decision to participate in an elective Therapeutic Creative Writing group. Deciding to write about himself, for the first time in his life, Jonathan sat down and thought back through the years.
It took 25 typed pages for him to get to age 50 and the point when he arrived at HUM. Disciplining himself to write every day, Jonathan was really impacted by all he was remembering.
What’s been most meaningful to him has been the opportunity to look back and see how often God showed up in his life back then — even though he didn’t recognize any of it at the time.
Over and over again, as he was going through difficulties, Jonathan felt alone — even abandoned by God. But now, writing his story today, he couldn’t help but see God’s hand all over his life — going way back.
Jonathan called these situations “God moments.” But he just couldn’t see or feel any of them at the time.
Today it’s all so clear. Even better, these days Jonathan’s learning to recognize God at work in his life as its happening!
The good news is that God always does show up. But it’s even better when we can see it!
One Day at a Time,
Pastor Gary Byers
Deputy Director