I wrote the following a few years ago, and I believe someone out there needs to hear it again.
Yesterday morning, I was sitting on our porch, absorbing the beauty around me.
Lori is an artist, and the backdrop for her work is not limited to watercolor paper. During this time of year, she uses the dirt as her canvas as she leverages her incredible artistic gift by bringing our gardens to life with the perfect mix of colorful flowers and vibrant plants.
While reflecting on the focus of this writing, I ran across the quote from Mark Batterson. Batterson is the lead pastor at National Community Church in Washington, D.C., where our oldest son’s family attends. Batterson is a great Christian leader.
The quote took me way back…
Over three decades earlier, I unknowingly was beginning what would be my final relapse with drugs and alcohol. I had relapsed several times before.
Of course, a person with a substance use disorder can stop anytime, but staying stopped is another story.
With each relapse, I fell deeper into my dark emotional dungeon.
My final relapse tried to get me to lose hope in ever figuring out how to stay sober as it slowly and insidiously worked to convince me I would be better off dead than alive.
Then, approximately two months into the relapse, I made a change that would forever change the course of my history, my family’s history, and the history of others whom I’ve been blessed to help with their various addictions along the way.
I decided I wanted to get sober and stay sober and made a decision–with Lori’s foot up my backside)–to seek professional help for my problem.
That one change changed everything.
You may be wondering why I started this writing the way I did.
Whenever I can see the beauty around me, I am reminded of the “forgotten” years of my life when I was living in darkness and couldn’t see beauty if it was standing right before me.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for delivering me from my addiction and opening my eyes to appreciate the beauty around me.
What change do you need to make to have a completely different life?
What change do you need to make to become a better version of yourself?
What beautiful pictures and moments are you missing out on because you won’t change?
There is no better time to change than today, and there are only two steps to making a change: start and continue.
Psalm 51:10, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”
P.E.A.C.E.
Jay@EagleLaunch.com
