Addictions - The Road To Healing

Today was an awesome time at church. It was our ordinate sunday and a time to look back at what god has done in 2007 and to look ahead to 2008. Praise and worship was great as always and I felt like no one else was there today but me and god. I love those moments. Pastor was summing up the year we had and taking in new members to the church. I always cry when I see new people join and make NVMC their church home. At the end of the service they did water baptism for new converts as well as new beginnings. I was especially connected to this one because my former boyfriend who you all have seen me write about was baptized today and spoke of how a sexual addiction had gotten a deep hold on his life. I was happy to see him finally come clean about it and to move past it. He didn't mention my name out of respect for me, but anyone who goes to church there probably knows it was me. I told him he could share what ever he thought necessary. This wasn't about me it was about him and the addiction that had such a stronghold on his life. I spent 6 years with him and even though I loved him it was hell. I was constantly battling things that I didn't understand that was taking place and once I did know what I was battling then it was how do you get rid of it. I still really don't understand to the extent his addiction was and why it come about and maybe I never will, but I do know that I was proud of him for starting to make the changes necessary for him to get healing. It still doesn't change my mind about our relationship because that door has closed, but I still want to see him set free totally. I don't know what its like to have an addiction to something so its hard for me to understand. I know we all have our things we battle, but addiction of any kind wasn't one I ever dealt with. I do know that whatever it is your addicted to its take ahold of your life and turns your world upside down. It doesn't just affect you it affects everyone around. I am no expert on that but if you find yourself wrestling with an addiction seek help from a pastor, counselor, or someone who will tell you like it is. Then get down on your knees and seek god and ask him to help you through it. He doesn't always take the addiction away instantly sometimes you have to walk a tough road of healing. It can be painful for you and the people around you, but god will give you strength through it all. No matter how deep the valley is always know that he went there before you and walked it, He will be right there with you through it, and he will be there on the other side when you come out. He will never leave you alone. There will be moments where you will feel as if he has left you for dead, but he hasn't. God will never put anymore on you than you can handle. It seems like if someone put a feather on us we would crack from all the pressure of the situation, but god is our rock and our refuge. Trust in him and he will see you through it. Please keep Andrew in prayer because he still has a long road ahead of him. He has tried many times before to be free and he needs all the support he can get from his church family. This is a new beginning for him and with the support of friends, family, and his church family he can be set totally free and step into what god has planned for his life.