HAPPY B-DAY: One Year “Clean”

Although I’ve been in recovery since November 2016, it took me five years of recovery to get one year of consistent sobriety to remain “clean".

To say the least, one year without drugs, was excruciatingly difficult.

Although I admitted powerlessness over mind-altering substances and believed that a power greater than myself could restore myself to sanity, (and even though I made a decision to turn my will and life over to the care of Jesus) I fought His desires for my life; I tried to remain clean on my own reconnaissance but continued to fail until 10/25/2020…

My desires created conflict with His ability. Admission alone did not prove successful!

Since 2017, I’ve surrounded myself in a community of believers that encourages me to admit a thorough and fearless moral inventory, confessing and repenting of shortcomings to God and others; thus repenting and asking God to remove my shortcomings. Regularly practicing genuine repentance moved my heart to reconciliation with The Creator.

The more aligned I was with the heart of God, the less I acted out. Even though my desire may have remained the same, the Lord gave me a spirit of self-control to surrender them.

Like Peter’s mother-in-law, the deaf-mute at Decapolis, the blind at birth, the paralytic blind at Bethsaida, and so many others…although I saw moments of victory and doubted Jesus’s ability to sustain my recovery… He did.

He made miracles happen in hopeless situations.

When I resolved to relapse, He made the availability unaccessible. When I felt like giving up, His people rallied around me. When I thought it was impossible, He delivered me.

One year later, I’m still a work in progress. Drug-free doesn’t mean “problem-free.” However, it sure is a lot easier to address my problems with a sober mind. In all honesty, I wish I had some picture-perfect influencer photo to put with this post…something that conveyed accomplishment, achievement, and success.

However, I will leave you with this….

This photo was taken on a mission trip in Paducah Texas with my recovery paster and sweet friend Michael. I am grateful for him, my wife Kaitlyn, and the countless others who helped me get sober along the way!

In Your Corner,

Joshua 10/25/2012