Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. ~Matthew 7:14
God knew what he was doing when he made my divine appointment with the Home of Grace. I was court-ordered there, so I went into this recovery center open-minded. Worst case scenario, I thought to myself, I could always go back to drugs. But since the judge said I had to be there, I had no choice. I gave up fighting demons when I walked through the doors. What happened while I was there was nothing short of miraculous, and I still use what I learned while I was there daily.
We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope. ~Romans 5:3
At first, I thought it would be pretty straightforward: DON’T USE. Do not do drugs. Simple, right? As the years have passed, I’ve learned that there would be different types of struggles to face. I’d be presented with various kinds of mountains to climb. I’d have to navigate through this unfamiliar territory sober-minded. What I’ve learned is that your brain on drugs and your brain sober are two different creatures. Some of my biggest struggles have been dealing with feelings/emotions (because I spent the majority of my life numbing myself), dealing with people who should be in therapy, and letting my spiritual muscles get weak.
With the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. ~Corinthians 10:13
As the years have gone by, it’s gotten easier. The thoughts of using eventually fell to the wayside, and thanks to the tools I learned while I was there, I can identify triggers, see behavior in myself that could lead to my using, and set boundaries.
Eight years later, I’m grateful for recovery; it wouldn’t have been possible without starting at Home of Grace. What I thought was a punishment turned out to be the greatest gift: the gift of recovery. The last eight years haven’t been a cakewalk. But I’ve savored every minute of it.
💋NR (follow me on Facebook & Instagram)
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