...::::necKMangle::::...
I have to say that my real education comes right out of my experience's. My personal responsibility is to tell everyone up front..."Don't listen to what I say because I'm right, but because I might have more experience at being wrong".
...::::The short version::::...
I pray that you will consider the life that the Lord can give you but first let me tell you of my life, and the mangled mess I was heading into in the 70's.
The 60's and 70's was a time when sex and drugs were the norm and I believed that we were all involved in some kind of spiritual tug of war. I was the smallest os six kids , and because of my small stature I was picked on in grade school so my father enrolled me in a martial arts class that would stem over 17 years. By the time I was in the 7th grade my parents were divorced and I was smoking pot.
I was an accomplished running back on the football team but I lost my scolarship to college because I was caught smoking a cigarette and was kicked off the team. that was my only chance to go to college and I noticed that all of the other athletes were also dabbling in the same things so I did'nt think nothing of it. Actually it was a time when If you did'nt you were considered a social outcast, I wanted desperately to be accepted by my peers. Things only had begun to go downhill for me.
My girlfriend and I had found out she was pregnant and we decided to have the baby and take responsibility for our actions. I was only 16 and an athletic career for me was not ther anymore so I dropped out. I was also juggling a full time job to take care of my girlfriend and daughter. The pressure was getting heavier and heavier. I was lost.
Three years later I was seperated from my girlfriend when I caught her being unfaithful. My job was getting harder to do and I squandered most of my money partying. My training in martial arts and dance got me an audition in professional dancing and things were really looking good. By the 1980's when dancing had become an explosive way to earn thousands of dollars I jumped on the chance.
Three years later I had gotten married to a woman I met in the clubs and had a son, but the entertainment being what it is...my addiction to cocaine drove her away and she left me. So late one night I was crying to God asking Him to take away the addiction to drugs, I fell asleep praying. God knows I've tried everything including numerous trips to rehabs and detoxes. As I layed there with needle holes and bruses all up and down both arms, I slept for the first time in weeks.
In the morning when I awoke, I went into the shower to clean up from weeks of shooting dope and crying my eyes out. I turned on the hottest water I could get and stepped into the shower and breathed a sigh of total relief. and for some reason I felt very calm. As I began to wash my hair I caught a glimps of my arms and was totally amazed at what I saw. I wiped off the soap and took an even longer look and there were no needle marks and all the brusing was gone. I knew at that very second that God had healed me and givin me His peace and calmness for the first time in my life. I collapsed in the shower and started talking to God and thanking Him.
That was me...Please dont let it be you. It all began as a very small thing and I though I could control it, But please don't fool yourselves, Its always when it gets to late that you find yourself no longer in control of anything, and your left with what looks like no options.
Today, I have a totally new family and different life. I have a career in the security field providing security for celebrities and high profile clients.
Most of all I never new what real fun was, I always thought you had to do what everyone else was doing to be acceptable but thats quite the contrary. I have more fun now than I never have before and I can remember it in the morning, not to mention I dont ever have to wonder if my actions were appropriate. I have more real friends then I ever thought was possible and I have their respect and love in return.
I pushed God away from me for over 10 years, I used to ridicule Jesus freaks, and I hated God. But it wasnt God that did things to me, He just loved me enough to let me do my own thing for as long as I wanted...or....could.