On November 29th, 2023 I found myself at the Northern Regional Jail. By December 1st, I was in the medical ward being treated for alcohol withdrawal and experiencing hallucinations.
Some of my earliest childhood memories are my trips to the refrigerator to get my dad’s beer. I would sip as much as possible on my way to the living room. I once shared that memory with my older sister and she told me that when I was 2 years old I would sit behind my dad’s chair waiting for him to sit down so I could sneak a drink. Needless to say, alcohol has always been a huge part of my life from very early on.
At the age of 16, my mother discovered that I was smoking weed and sent me to a rehab that based recovery on a 12-step program. That seemed to work great until I turned 21 and was of legal drinking age. I then became as society calls it a “functioning alcoholic.” I was married for 18 years, had children, and maintained a great career. I can’t tell you much about last year, but I can tell you that when 2023 started, I had a good job, and owned a furnished 4-bedroom house, a truck, and a motorcycle.
By the end of 2023, I sat in jail and all of those things were gone. After a few weeks in medical, as my mind started to come back, I picked up a Bible and started reading it knowing that I needed something in my life to change. On February 21st, my attorney shared with me about Family Care Ministries and how it was a 6-month program. Knowing that my charges would be dismissed in a mere 3 weeks, my attorney assumed I would not want to enter the program. But, I told him “Absolutely!” From that moment on, I knew my life was going to change.
A few weeks later, the Family Care Ministries van was there to pick me up from jail and take me to the Freedom Home. I can tell you today that was the best and most sound decision I had made in many years. At Family Care, they taught me what I was looking for when I opened the Bible while sitting in jail; they taught me how to have a personal relationship with God. They helped me to learn who I am. I am grateful for this ministry and to God for all of the opportunities that my future holds.