My Road to Recovery

All these years my addictions have been thinking for me. Now, all that is left is the shadow of what had been controlling me. I have been down some rough roads, through hard times and I have made some unhealthy choices and mistakes along the way. I have see that mistakes are for learning, not condemnation so - to err is human - to hold on to your mistakes is a sin.

I have made a conscience choice to not live my life in shame, guilt and sorrow. I have made a choice to take action and change. Overcoming mental blocks has been a period of adjustment for me. Being sober allows me to identify triggers associated with relapse, old mind sets and the darkness that would attack me and keep me down.

I will continue to trust God in everything, not because I need Him to think for me, but because I need Him to teach me how to think for myself. 

I will continue to trust God to help me identify internal warning signs of relapse, not because I need Him to do it for me, but because I need Him to help keep me away from my old mind sets. 

I will trust God, not because I have to, but because I have discovered who I am. 

I will continue to trust God as my choice of intervention, not because I am lazy, but because my flesh is deceitful and weak. 

I will continue to trust God in all my abilities, not because I cannot do it on my own, but because of the love I have for Him, therefore I trust Him.

God will always be my source of intervention, my constructive intervention, my choice of intervention, and God implements my intervention for me.

(Written by Dawn, a participant in the New Life Program at City Union Mission)

Homeless… and Job Hunting

Looking for employment is extremely hard when you are homeless. The reality is that trying to do anything while homeless is difficult, no matter how small the task.

There are a variety of hardships that interfere with the process of job hunting while homeless. Some of these are: the shadow of depression, undeniable anxiety, tunnel vision, not having a car, not having any money, lack of a support system, overwhelming stress, an unstable mind, and no work or interview clothes.

Writing this, I am having flashbacks of pure sadness about the time when this was me. But I have a God who is bigger than my problems and has always provided for my needs. With God on your side, you always have a hope and a future!

(Lakeshia is a participant in the New Life Program at City Union Mission)