I grew up in a very strong, solid Christian home.  My Dad was a strong Christian, a hard worker, and a good provider, showing us a lot of love and security.  My Mom taught at the church school. Childhood memories are extremely happy ones.  Our lives revolved around church and school, so I knew only Christians.  Accepting Jesus as my Savior at the age of five, I enjoyed Sunday school, church, Awana, soul-winning, and Christian school throughout my elementary years.

Aware of a “world” out there somewhere, I had no clue what it was all about.  My parents were careful to shelter us from outside influences.  When I was in 8^th grade, my mother quit teaching to home school my brother and me.  As I grew, I felt overly controlled.  Although I was taught to obey and honor my parents, sometimes I didn’t understand all their rules. When I asked “why”, no reasons were given except that that’s what you do to be a good Christian.  During my home-schooled high school years, it became very important to act right, speak right, and look right at all times.  That’s when the games began.

I began “playing” Christianity because it seemed like the easiest solution.  I went to a Christian college where my way of life was reinforced.  By then, apathy had turned to rebellion-I was tired of playing church and just wanted out.  I didn’t know what was out there, but I wanted whatever it was.  Dropping out of Bible College my senior year, I went to bars; but I hated getting drunk and didn’t like all the superficiality I felt there.  I needed substance, and there was a big emptiness inside of me.  That’s all I felt day in and day out. I started searching, reading different philosophies, drawn to free thinkers like Leary, Burroughs, and Thompson.  I sought other people engaged in the same way of thinking. They were, of course, “drug people.”  I started experimenting with hallucinogens that made me even more confused and the big empty hole even hollower.

Then, one day, at a Wide Spread Panic concert, my little brother gave me my first line of coke.  I remember it like it was yesterday, thinking “I finally found what I was looking for; I’m finally home.”  Growing up so sheltered, I did not see how predictably the next ten years would play out-going from $50 to a $1000/week habit.  Selling myself out, stealing, lying, and manipulating everyone I knew, produced guilt and the need for more drugs.  Losing job after job, trying to quit, out of control, hiding my habit, more guilt, more drugs, losing all self-respect, my morals going down the drain, doing whatever I had to do just to get high.

One night, at 4 a.m., after a 3-day, $900 binge, I was flat on my back in a hospital bed.  God gave me a wake-up call.  With my life out of control, I went to a secular outpatient program. It helped me understand how addiction works, but that big gaping hole that was so poorly patched for all these years was back inside my heart.

This led me to RU. I learned that, in spite of everything I knew about the Bible and Christianity, I did not have a growing, personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I cannot do it in my own power.  It’s Christ in me.  And that big empty hole in my heart is being filled with “the peace that passeth all understanding.” I am so thankful for Reformers Unanimous and the RUI Women’s School of Discipleship.

Note:  Do you have a “story of victory” that you would like to share?? Send it to us!  We may even use it to be a blessing to others through our blogs.  Or….do you desire to have a “story of victory”???

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I began RU in April of 2007. I came because I was addicted to prescription narcotics. In 1984, I had the first of eight back surgeries which ended my career as a paramedic, left me disabled, and eventually addicted to narcotics. I was saved in 1974 and was married in 1980 after attending a Christian university.

I don’t know when I first became addicted. All I know is that at some point I began to take medication for more than the physical pain. I grew further and further away from the Lord and my family, taking the meds just to feel normal.

In December of 2006, my family and I went to our cabin for a vacation.  All I am sure of is that I awoke in the middle of the night knowing I had done something terrible. I got up and discovered I had taken my whole week’s supply of drugs – narcotics, muscle relaxers, and anti-depressants.

My wife hid all of my prescriptions from me and told me she would now control my meds. I went into withdrawals because she was giving me far less than I had been taking. I was too ashamed to tell her how many I normally used. I soon discovered her hiding place, and took more. I knew the day of discovery was rapidly approaching when she would discover what I was doing. Finally, having enough of this life, I decided to confess to my Pastor and wife that coming Sunday.

Sunday arrived, and I changed my mind and tried to bluff my way through with my wife. However, God had another plan. During the service, my Pastor said, “If there is something in your life coming between you and your family or between you and God, you need to get rid of it now!” Under tremendous conviction, I went to the altar, confessed to the Lord, and asked Pastor to meet with me and my wife. In his office, I confessed my sin to them. Pastor was glad I had reached the end of myself, but my wife looked skeptical. She asked if I would do whatever it takes to get off the drugs and I said yes, thinking we could just get more pills and I would taper off at home. Two days later, I found myself in the detox unit of the local hospital.

After my release, I attempted to go to NA meetings, but they weren’t for me. There was too much dwelling on my sin and I didn’t believe I had a disease. I didn’t know what to do and that is when I remembered RU. The week I confessed, my Pastor got a letter from RU, telling about the program. I went online and found an RU only twenty miles away.

For weeks I did little in the curriculum. I thought there was no way I could memorize the verses in the Overcomer workbook, because of the effect of the drugs on my memory. Then one week, my leader encouraged me to try to do two challenges. I agreed only to get him off my back. I decided to pray for help and was shocked when God helped me!  I was so excited that I prayed about the next verse, and once again, I could say it. That is when I really took off.  Without God’s help, I don’t think I ever would have gotten that first verse memorized. Over the next year, I passed the Overcomer and the Strongholds Study Course.

I can never thank you enough for this program. My eyes tear up every time I think about all God has done for me AND my family through RU. The joy I feel today is unbelievable. His love is truly boundless! I am looking forward to beginning the next book in the course as I grow to serve Him better.

Note:  Does this story seem similar to yours?? Can you relate to any part of this man’s testimony? The same help is available to you!  Contact us today at 866-REFORMU.

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