He would come up to me after his HA meetings on Monday's to shake my hand and give me a hug. He was a joy to talk to and seemed well on his way to beating addiction. And then he was gone to an overdose.
That was Alfredo, and then there was Warren. We had watched the Dawgs together win a National Championship, he was dressed in the jersey of his favorite player and we laughed, cheered and shouted as they went on to victory. A week later he was gone, another overdose. He had a heart condition and was told another episode might kill him. He didn't listen. Then there was Katie, an absolute beauty who was quiet, but seemed so kind. Another overdose and she was gone. In the Big Book of AA it speaks at how addiction is cunning and baffling. These are just three examples, and so many of you who read this have had personal tragedies as well that are similar. In 2023 there were a reported 112,000 overdose deaths in the U.S. Let's put that in perspective for a moment. In the Revolutionary War about 6800 Americans died in combat, another 10,000 by disease from war related situations. In Korea 35K soldiers died, In Viet Nam 58K were killed and in Iraq 4,000 as well as 2500 in Afghanistan. In summation almost as many died by overdose in one year than in 5 Wars of many years. We say war is hell, but how about this war we are fighting internally here in America now on addiction? And the drugs killing us are coming mostly in from other countries, so where is the real war? At ATB, other similar organizations as well as sober living facilities and 12 Step meeting places, we are all soldiers fighting to save lives in a war many want to keep silent about while other war protesters abound. Be aware, teach your children, love on your spouses and friends to make connections that keep us accountable to each other and most importantly connect with the Lord who can dramatically save lives. This is a war we can win, but only with His help and guidance!
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I am so thankful God chose to love all of us while we were "still sinners". Can you imagine how perfection anguished over some of the things we did? For me personally the early parts of my adult life were dominated by my selfish out of control desire to do more and more wrong.
Now that I am on the other side of it, that understanding of just how lost a person can be has helped me to love others so much better, including myself. But the challenge always remains to love those unlovable that only a God with unconditional love can understand. We try, but impatience can get in our way. But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you , what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. Luke 6:32-36 It's tough to love those who hurt you, take advantage of you, who disrespect you, who seemingly disregard any level of manners or even our own children who turn their back on us. It is, but if we read the New Testament we see all these examples and how love may not always change them but it changes us drastically on the inside. I read something this morning that compelled me to write this blog. In Luke 16:14 it says The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. I thought that even the incredible Jesus was mocked, hated and hung on a cross, but loved anyway. How should I be? I have been in the category of a pure sinner and a saved sinner, and I still have problems loving "everybody". Only by humbling myself, looking at the example of Jesus and forgetting about the cares of my life that change my moods can I truly love the unlovable. Not an easy thing to do, but one he challenges us to master. |
Glenn YankowskiGlenn is an ex-Marine Viet Nam vet who is also a recovering alcoholic, clean and sober for 30 years. He has been involved in start up and ongoing recovery ministry at North Atlanta Church and Campus for the last two decades. He has a passion for outreach and to spread the message that the answer to lasting and fulfilling recovery from addiction is in a relationship with Jesus Christ. He and the ATB team are available to assist in your questions or needs on an individual basis and will do so maintaining complete confidentiality. You may e-mail him at sgtski@bellsouth.net. Archives
May 2024
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