Christian Testimony: William"s Peace - I Found My Cross
On April 20, 1984, I was in Southern Pines, North Carolina, in a hospital detoxing from heroin and alcohol abuse. I was reflecting on many things in my life, some which included:
• Just leaving behind my wife of five years with a five-year-old daughter and two-year-old twins (a boy and a girl).
• Leaving my family with no hope of what the future would hold with me or without me.
• A current court case pending.
• My neglected financial responsibilities.
• Concerns whether or not I would be able to maintain any employment.
• Loss of my driver's license.
• Money I owed to drug dealers, loan sharks, relatives and friends.
• My failing liver and health.
I also reflected on how my life just seemed to be on a merry-go-round, on and off of drugs and alcohol, in and out of jail. I would get on the right track periodically, and then before I knew it, I would be going straight back to jail, institutions, and probably some kind of early death.
At the age of twenty-seven I began to realize that this was not the life I wanted to continue to live. It was not only detrimental to me, but also to those around me, those that I loved. So in that hospital room, I went to my knees and said, "If there is a God, God, I am tried of living the way I am living. Help me to live how you would want me to live. I am ready for real change."
At that moment something supernatural came over me that confirmed in my inner-most being that there was a God who heard my prayer.
I knew he was there to help me. I got up from my knees and said, "Thank You, Lord," and went to sleep. I slept all night. This was something that I had not been able to do at the hospital.
The next day I had a sense of peace over me that I had never experienced before. It deepened my belief in this God that heard and answered my prayer. This peace remains even today.
When it was time for me to receive my detox dose of methadone, I told the doctor that I would not be needing that any longer. I told him I had found someone who would help me with this problem. The doctor insisted that I continue the detox program to reduce the heroin withdraws. I gave in and took my dose and immediately became sicker then I had ever been since being there. This was just another confirmation to me to continue to believe in the God that hears.
For the next few days at the hospital, the eyes of my understanding were being opened. I was seeing life differently and was willing to take responsibility for all of my wrongs, and any consequences that lay ahead. Inside of me resided that peace that I had never experienced before. It gave me the confidence that God was with me. I had a new desire to earnestly do what was right.
I left the hospital detox program early against everyone’s recommendations- the doctors, my wife, relatives and friends. I was depending upon the God that had found me and heard me.
After getting home to my wife and kids, I purchased a Bible and started to read it through. I continued my Christian journey with the Lord that heard my cry and saved me from the impending grasp of eternal hell. Along this journey, unfortunately, without being discipled by true, mature, uncompromising Christians of God, I unknowingly took two detours. One was being involved with Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymmous (N-A), where I excelled up to the regional leadership level until the year 1990.
Then I realized, as Jesus said, he was the way, the truth and the life. N-A says its program is the way. As I tell many who are involved in that fellowship, N-A is a way to help stay drug free, but what use is it to go to a burning hell sober? My other detour was involvement in the Word of Faith movement. One problem with this movement is its "health, wealth, and prosperity" teachings. This teaching is a perversion of the gospel of Christ. It centers on self, not others, prosperity, not sacrifice, body religion, not pure religion, entertainment, not true worship, and distorted truth, not the love of truth.
Fortunately, by the grace of Almighty God and the deep desire within me to know and do just his will, I was able to escape the trap set by man-made traditions. Since leaving the Word of Faith movement, I have been even more committed to go into all the world and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. I do this through the grace and mercies of the Lord Jesus Christ.
• Just leaving behind my wife of five years with a five-year-old daughter and two-year-old twins (a boy and a girl).
• Leaving my family with no hope of what the future would hold with me or without me.
• A current court case pending.
• My neglected financial responsibilities.
• Concerns whether or not I would be able to maintain any employment.
• Loss of my driver's license.
• Money I owed to drug dealers, loan sharks, relatives and friends.
• My failing liver and health.
I also reflected on how my life just seemed to be on a merry-go-round, on and off of drugs and alcohol, in and out of jail. I would get on the right track periodically, and then before I knew it, I would be going straight back to jail, institutions, and probably some kind of early death.
Not the Life I Wanted
At the age of twenty-seven I began to realize that this was not the life I wanted to continue to live. It was not only detrimental to me, but also to those around me, those that I loved. So in that hospital room, I went to my knees and said, "If there is a God, God, I am tried of living the way I am living. Help me to live how you would want me to live. I am ready for real change."
At that moment something supernatural came over me that confirmed in my inner-most being that there was a God who heard my prayer.
I knew he was there to help me. I got up from my knees and said, "Thank You, Lord," and went to sleep. I slept all night. This was something that I had not been able to do at the hospital.
A Peace
The next day I had a sense of peace over me that I had never experienced before. It deepened my belief in this God that heard and answered my prayer. This peace remains even today.
When it was time for me to receive my detox dose of methadone, I told the doctor that I would not be needing that any longer. I told him I had found someone who would help me with this problem. The doctor insisted that I continue the detox program to reduce the heroin withdraws. I gave in and took my dose and immediately became sicker then I had ever been since being there. This was just another confirmation to me to continue to believe in the God that hears.
For the next few days at the hospital, the eyes of my understanding were being opened. I was seeing life differently and was willing to take responsibility for all of my wrongs, and any consequences that lay ahead. Inside of me resided that peace that I had never experienced before. It gave me the confidence that God was with me. I had a new desire to earnestly do what was right.
Depending Upon God
I left the hospital detox program early against everyone’s recommendations- the doctors, my wife, relatives and friends. I was depending upon the God that had found me and heard me.
After getting home to my wife and kids, I purchased a Bible and started to read it through. I continued my Christian journey with the Lord that heard my cry and saved me from the impending grasp of eternal hell. Along this journey, unfortunately, without being discipled by true, mature, uncompromising Christians of God, I unknowingly took two detours. One was being involved with Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymmous (N-A), where I excelled up to the regional leadership level until the year 1990.
Then I realized, as Jesus said, he was the way, the truth and the life. N-A says its program is the way. As I tell many who are involved in that fellowship, N-A is a way to help stay drug free, but what use is it to go to a burning hell sober? My other detour was involvement in the Word of Faith movement. One problem with this movement is its "health, wealth, and prosperity" teachings. This teaching is a perversion of the gospel of Christ. It centers on self, not others, prosperity, not sacrifice, body religion, not pure religion, entertainment, not true worship, and distorted truth, not the love of truth.
Fortunately, by the grace of Almighty God and the deep desire within me to know and do just his will, I was able to escape the trap set by man-made traditions. Since leaving the Word of Faith movement, I have been even more committed to go into all the world and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. I do this through the grace and mercies of the Lord Jesus Christ.
