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Living, or dying, in active drug addiction, I find myself
hopeless on the streets of Ft. Lauderdale. Unemployable, and having robbed
everyone I could get close enough to I am finally desperate enough to
seek help. Remembering my father and brother were both alumni residents
of a place, The Mission, which helps hopeless, helpless people I called
my dad. “Dad, I am done. I have been smoking crack, and I need help.”
He says, “Meet me at the Mission in the morning.”
I meet him there and they accepted me. I mean me the crack
head. Nobody wanted me, yet The Mission says they not only will let me
live there, but they can help me. Getting a spark of hope I am on my way.
The gentleman at the desk, John “Pops” Adams, brings me to
the chapel, and he says, “Just go about ½ ways down toward
the altar, and listen.” Shaking, I stumbled down the corridor leaning
on the pews. I stopped; all of the emptiness inside of me was filled.
Knowing I was in the right place, yet scared to feel that good, I walked
out of the chapel. Never thinking I would believe how good I felt in there,
Pops asked me, “What do you think?” With tears welled up I
said, “I think I am going to be ok.”
I began my new life. Holding on to a few old ideas I relapsed
twice, but it was only 20 days from that first trip into the chapel until
I surrendered completely.
The Mission and its staff helped me find a relationship
with God. I learned of a loving, caring, God. Helping me to see how God
was always there for me, and where I had made decisions against His will.
How my self seeking motives needed to die away and be replaced with God’s
direction. Teaching me to serve rather than to be served, and to know
that I may not get what I want, yet what I need has always been provided.
I needed The Mission to be there for me, and He provided.
Now The Mission needs us to be there for them, and I know if it His will
consider it done.
Sincerely,
Richard S.
P.s. I still attend 12 step meetings there, and you are
welcome to come too. I have not found it necessary to pick up a drink
or a drug since 06/30/99, and I owe my thanks to God, and The Mission.
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My name is not important,
but what I have to say should be: I am a middle-aged recovering/drug user
male whose life was mixed up. Like a lot of others
out there I ended up in jail from my crazy life style because I did not
have a relationship with God. I guess you can say I turned my back on
Him, I would have to say knowing what I know now, that I was given something
that I did not know how to handle, that is free will, and that was one
of the things Jesus died for on the cross.
Life can be hard at times when you have no guidance
with the support from God and encouragement that I receive here at The
Mission, I am starting to put God first and look to him for answers. I
have found comfort in Him.
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