Before Jesus Changed My Life

My addiction to alcohol was the only way I would deal with any issues that would come up. I have relied on it to deal with all my problems for over twenty years, and it would mask the problems for the time being, but it never fixed them, and they were always there when it wore off and usually worse because of it. I sometimes prayed just for Him to fix a situation, and then once the problem leveled off, I would return to my old ways. Always feeling empty, terrible, and hurting the people I love the most along the way. Usually waking up more unhappy that I woke up again.

How Jesus Changed My Life

I realized that things in my life were out of control and nothing I was trying to do would help. So I started coming to church with my wife and was just kinda there in the beginning, more for her, but the more I went, the more I was interested. I began to go through the introduction class and the onboarding classes, which for me is a big step, cause I get nervous around groups of people. After that, I made a choice to stop using alcohol 4 months ago by praying to God to give me strength against it and have stayed true to it, and I have not had an urge to drink at all since. Now I am trying to apologize and ask forgiveness from all the people I have hurt along the way. While, in turn, letting go of all the hurt and forgiving those who have wronged me, instead of holding onto it.

Matthew 11:28-30 | This verse reminds me that if I let go of control, He will guide me on the right path and that He is in control. Ecclesiastes 7:9 | This verse has been a reminder to me to keep hate and anger out of my heart and to let things go that easily anger me. Philippians 3:13-14 | This verse helps me continue to focus my gaze on God and what he has planned for me, instead of continuing to focus on my past and all my past transgressions and guilt and sorrow.

This is all made possible through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. That I have hope to live in and for God's glory.

My Life After Jesus Saved Me

I feel like a huge weight has been lifted and just knowing that God is in control of all things reassures me that everything will be fine. I am learning to let go of things that I can't control and put them in God's hands, and he will show me the way. I wake up with a completely different outlook now and am excited to start the day.

Matthew 6:14-15 | This verse has really helped me let go of all the hate and anger in my heart to forgive willingly just as God has done for me. If he can forgive someone like me, then who am I to not forgive just as he has? John 3:16 | This reminds me of what kind of love God must have for a sinner like me that he would give up his only son for an alcoholic with hate in his heart. What kind of love that must be! John 5:24 | I find that this verse gives me comfort in knowing that by reading and believing His Words, the old me has died and I have eternal life to both enjoy now and look forward to as well. John 10:28 | This verse allows my soul to rest at ease knowing that by following Him and He's for me, then who can be against me, and there is nothing to fear.