Jesus saved a drunk: My Story....

Going to Hell in a Handbasket

As a young child I was not able to concentrate in school very well because of my unhappy home life. I had several abusive "teachers" in school, and my general experience was disappointing. I did however occasionally have a teacher who would take a special interest in me and in those classes I did Extremely well. I accepted Jesus Christ into my life at the age of 6. Although my stepfather denied the existence of God, and hated the Church, he allowed my sisters and I to attend Church with the neighbourhood kids as he felt it certainly couldn't do any harm. Although my stepfather was an abusive, angry drunk, he did the best he knew how. My mother did the best she could to protect us.

Along with a very unhappy home life, I had the additional responsibility of caring for my three younger sisters a great deal of the time while my parents were out. For my sisters, I made formulas, changed diapers, cooked dinners, put them to bed and was responsible for their safety, and care, all starting at the age of eight years old. I can remember my dad's idea of taking us out was to park the car across from the Arlington Hotel and provide my sisters and me with chips and pop to keep us amused while he drank and left us in the car. Finally after several separations, my mother left my father and I was called upon to be the man of the house, my mother finally went on her own and I was granted legal custody of my sister. During these tumultuous years I drifted away from the Lord and went in the opposite direction from that which I had been taught in Church.

After my sister went out on her own I just kind of drifted. I worked as a bartender, door to door salesman, logging equipment operator, sawmill worker, truck driver, autobodyman, painter, and computer technician. I stole, sold guns and "hot goods", sold drugs, cheated, and lied, and also managed to obtain a lengthy criminal record spanning three decades. As my criminal record became longer I just gave up, and thought, "What's the use-it's too late, I'll never get anywhere now!" This negative thinking took me deeper and deeper into a life of drinking, drugs, and criminal companions as well as a string of bad relationships, many of which only lasted for 6 months to a couple years. The only heroes I looked up to were the Bonny and Clydes, and other outlaws. I felt I could relate to them. This lifestyle basically continued until 1979. At his point I had been in jail almost constantly since 1972. I was sick of it. I made a new commitment to Jesus, and for two years I walked in The Light. Things went well while I lived my life for Jesus. I made an error in my walk with Christ that almost cost me my life. A young couple had been plagued by evil spirits. In the name of Christ, my wife and I went to their home and cast out the evil spirits. I had not prepared myself in the correct manner or taken proper precautions by having several other believers with me. The spirits were cast out and the young couple accepted Christ as their Lord and Saviour , but the forces of Satan then turned all their power against my wife and I, and once again, I fell by the wayside and succumbed to the bright lights, easy money, lust, and the all the other idols this world offers.

Where did this lead me?
I started to realize that I was going nowhere but what could I do? I felt a hopelessness, a despair, that I couldn't do anything about. Finally, in January 1991, I was arrested for robbing a bank while I was drinking. I won't get into the details but the judge after hearing about my background, and with support from the community, decided to take a chance and sent me for treatment. During this time I met a man, who was the Chaplain in the Owen Sound Jail, and who had made a major impression in my life. He had gone through much abuse as a child and was able to show me how to apply self-help principles in dealing with my own problems. He was very significant in this way and also in me returning to the God of my childhood when I went to Sunday school with the other neighbourhood kids. The next major influence in my life was a man named TC Varkey, my counsellor in Guelph jail, who helped me learn to accept life, to set goals for myself, to overcome my feelings of being useless, and to feel that I am a worthwhile person. My problem was not so much alcohol and drugs but the deeper resentments, fears, anger, and feelings of failure and inadequacy that I carried around with me all those years. I had never grown up!! After being paroled in November 1991, I went to Owen Sound to the G&B Recovery home, and attended the Addiction Day Treatment Program. Since then, I attended three 28 day treatment programs for substance abuse, and the 90 day "Brentwood" program . I became active in Church, but I still couldn't get it right. I would stay sober for 3 months, 6 months, one time even for 15 months. Then, to top it all off, I found out in 1996 I had advanced chronic Hepatitis C and advanced Cirrhosis. The Doctor told me I would be DEAD in two years. I knew if I died that night I would go Straight to Hell . I just didn't seem to care.

What happened, and why is it different now?

Last summer I was at my wits end. I no longer cared if I lived or died . When the liquor store opened at 9:30am, I was the first in line. If it was too early when I woke up to hit the liquor store, I would often get a bottle of Listerine mouthwash to tide me over until 9:30. I had no hope or no desire to do anything but drink whatever I could get my hands on everyday from sunrise to sunset. It was a Saturday morning, I was passed out on a park bench down at the waterfront. All of a sudden I awoke to the sound of singing and music. There were several people standing around singing, and clapping their hands about 100 feet away from me. I wandered over to enquire what was going on and they told me, "We are having a March for Jesus". They asked me if I would like to walk with them, and I said "No. I've been on a drunk for two weeks." Several of them walked over to me, placed their hands on me, and prayed. The Power of God came over me and I fell to the ground. When I got up, I walked in that March for Jesus. Many of my drinking friends saw me and could not believe their eyes! There was Billy, the "Town Drunk", marching down the street with all those "Jesus Freaks".

Since then, I have been completely healed of my alcoholism and drug addiction.

A recent ultra-sound showed NO TRACE of Cirrhosis in the liver. My life now belongs to Jesus. He has made me a new person. He has set me free from my addictions. He has healed my body and my spirit. Jesus has done so much for me I want to share it with you. Christ will shine on you too, if you let Him.. The Path to Heaven is narrow and few find it, but the road to hell is a wide and easy road to follow. Don't let Satan deceive you any longer. Hell is real , and it's not just this life on earth as Satan would have you believe. Jesus said, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock." Do yourself a favour, Open the door , let him in. You will be saved.