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This is a Brother whose only desire is to be used of God......here is his story

 

My name is Bro Bryan. I'm a former addict. I grew up in a middle class neighborhood in what use to be a rural area outside Port Huron, Mich. I grew up in a home with just my parents and my brother. I grew up around alcoholism, which was mostly done on weekends, but not limited to only weekends. I started to drink and smoke cigs around 1972. Parents and friends supplied the need, so getting drunk around our place was the status quo.

If I recall correctly, it was about a year later my parents had a fight, and a friend of mine, I knew had pot and I wanted to try it, because I was bummed. Back in '73, you could not tell me pot was a gateway drug, because I wouldn't have believed it. Now in retrospect, I couldn't be further from the truth. In my estimation everyone that I knew that started on Pot, eventually went to something stronger, and I was no exception. It wasn't long before I was doing PCP, LSD, mescaline, mushrooms, uppers, and downers.

I'm going to abbreviate this a little bit, by telling the reader of this post, that drugs and alcohol, have cost me two marriages, three children, a shortened military commitment, approximately eight arrests, did time in five different jails, and lost everything I possessed materially, except for the clothes on my back. It showed me that drugs will take you further than you wanna go. Man, I thought I was having a good time, but in reality, I was blinded, not seeing I was loseing everything dear to me.

In 1989 my 2nd wife and I were invited to an Apostolic church. I received the Holy Ghost first, and her shortly after, then awhile after that, we were baptized in Jesus name. I will admit, things were looking up, for about six years we were faithful to God and His church, but looking back, I still felt like I was missing something in the world. At this time in my life I was a truck driver, and because my job took me out of town, I was missing church, slacking up on my prayer life, and the things of the world looked mighty appetizing. I want the reader to know, that I denied God's urgings to stay in church. God was constantly dealing with me, but I shut His voice out with alcohol and drugs. Shortly after, about six months later my wife and son backslid.

I'm shortening this post alot for lack of room, cause there's more I could add. We're going to move time up to 1996. It was at this time I found my new drug of choice, methamphetamine, so at the age of forty years old, I stuck my first needle in my arm. Things started getting real bad at this time. We lost our place, and were going from motel to motel, shooting crank and smoking crack. My exwife woke up before I did and her and my son left me. Can't say I didn't deserve it. I think it was 2000, when our divorce was final, and she and my son, still aren't right spiritually. God has been real good to me, giving me several chances to get it right. Fortunately, I used needles for 6 to 8 months, threw them in a dumpster, and never looked back.

I believe its been almost 5 yrs now since I've touched meth, and over 4 yrs since I smoked crack. I can not take credit for just walking away from these things, because there was alot of prayer invested in me, and God gets the credit for my deliverance. I'm still praying for my exwife and son, because I'm partially responsible, for their spiritual downfall.

My Mom died almost two years ago, and I had a shortlived minor setback. Again I want to make the point, many people were praying for me, and for the first time in my life, I have NO DESIRE, for what the world has to offer. I believe when I was praying eight or nine months ago, I did something I don't ever remember doing before, when I was literally shaking in God's presence, I VOWED the rest of my life to HIM. I would like to add servanthood to that mix. He has been so good to me.

Whats really neat about Jesus, He is no respector of persons. What he has done for me, He can do for you. If anyone out there needs someone to talk to or somebody to pray with, I will be more than happy to help in anyway I can. Some of you out there maybe thinking, what does this guy look like? He probably has a nice house and a car, and he's probably got all kinds of suits in his closet, and he probably looks like a preacher. Well you couldn't be further from the truth. I live with my Dad and drive his vehicles, and I don't own one suit. I've got missing teeth from all the meth I use to do, and I got somewhere around 12 to 14 tattoos. I had a double ear pierce in my left ear, don't wear earrings anymore.

What it all boils down too is, Been there, Done that. Getting high on the presence of Jesus, is my choice now. I come to offer hope to the hopeless, and to see the captives set free. I know, some maybe thinking, he's just using God for a crutch, well if your crippled, that aint all bad. I just want folks to know, I want to be there for them, and there is hope. Jesus also offers peace that passes all understanding, and joy unspeakable and full of glory. He is also a friend that sticks closer than a brother. What more can we ask for? Not only that, but when you join his team, your on the winning side.

In the Lord's service, Bro Bryan

"2005"