Greg’s Story

While Jen and I were looking for a home in Lafayette, God led us to
meet a man who not only would sell us a great home, but who also was to
join us as one of our first ministry partners. We still can’t believe the
amazing ways God is working to bring us together with people who love him
and are eager to share his love with others. I have asked Greg to share
just a little of what God has been doing in his life. Here’s his
story.

My name is Greg and I am a recovering drug addict and a Christian. At
this writing I have 485 days clean from drugs and alcohol. I can honestly
say that with the help of Narcotics Anonymous and God’s grace that the
obsession and compulsion to use drugs has been lifted from me.

I used to see the world very differently. Today I have had a
spiritual awakening as a result of working the 12 steps and developing a
relationship with God. I feel a great calling to give back what I have
received, unconditional love, understanding, fellowship, and serenity. I
look forward to the opportunity to serve God and my fellow man. I don’t
see coincidences anymore, I see God at work in my life.

My life has been a series of chaotic events up until these last 16
months. My Father abused me both physically and emotionally from as early
as I can remember. My parents divorced at age 5 and my Mother re-married
at age 6. My Stepfather was in the restaurant industry and we moved 13
times from ages 6-14. I continued to be sent to my Father’s home during
this time where he would abuse me, and then threaten me so that I
wouldn’t tell my Mother. At age 14 our relationship ended because he
was convicted of molesting my stepsister. At age 15 I tried drugs for the
first time. At age 16 I dropped out of high school. Ages 16-32 were a
haze of drugs, jobs, and bouts with depression, rage and
resentment.

At age 25 I got involved in a church in East Lansing Michigan. My
Wife and I were baptized and were married there. I caught a glimpse of a
spiritual life. But, 1 month before my Wife and I were to be married we
moved in together. An elder of the church found out and came to me with
these words, “I will not stand by and allow you to sully the name of
Jesus Christ!” My Wife stayed with a girlfriend until we were married,
but I let a resentment grow. We were married in that church, and I never
set foot in it again. It wasn’t very long until I picked up where I had
left off before going to that church, and I felt even further away from
God than I ever had before.

Finally, on June 10th 2004, my dear Wife confronted me with
paraphernalia and bank statements, and the long days of lying, stealing,
cheating, and self-destruction were over. I experienced this overwhelming
feeling of relief that I didn’t have to lie anymore.

You see, my Wife never knew. I kept my drug use a secret, an
extremely terrible secret. I thank God every day that she found
out.

I found recovery in Narcotic Anonymous. A spiritual, not religious,
program. After I surrendered to this program, the miracles began to
happen almost immediately. 2 days after I got clean I got a promotion at
work that allowed me to earn more money than I thought possible. 2 weeks
after I got clean, we found out that we were pregnant with our second
child. After I had worked my 6th step I got a call out of nowhere from my
Father after 19 years. I was able to forgive him, and find peace in
closure. 6 months to the day I got clean my family and I moved into a
brand new home. And there have been many more miracles in my life, big
and small. I know now that God doesn’t give me anything until I am
ready to handle it.

No one put a gun to my head and forced me to use drugs. I made that
choice all on my own. Lots of people have crumby childhoods and don’t
use drugs. I felt a sense of entitlement, like I was special, like I had
the right to commit suicide on the time payment plan. I hated myself, and
had a distorted view of the world. I’ve described my state during
active addiction like a hole, a hole in my soul that I was trying to
fill. Whether it was with drugs, sex, rock and roll, cheeseburgers, self-
pity, or video games, I was trying to fill that hole. It wasn’t until I
developed a relationship with God that I felt that hole fill. It filled
with God’s love.

Then, one day recently, I met the Mikels family. Jeff Mikels told me
a little about his vision for a new church in Lafayette, Indiana. I
became curious enough to check out his web site. I liked what I read. I
felt God’s hand guiding me toward being a part of this new church. I
prayed and meditated about it, and began to feel a call to service. I
would like to be able to counsel the still suffering addict through a
Christian based 12-step program. I called Jeff and told him a little
about what I felt called to do. Jeff encouraged me to write my story so
that he could post it on his web site. If I only help 1 person by sharing
this story, then it was what God intended.

Thank you for letting me share.