Newbie in need of prayer

[stevious]

Greetings, all! I was Googling around and found this forum. I think it's an answer to prayer.

If I could ask a favor from you folks, please pray for me and my wife.

Here's my story, at least the part that pertains to tonight ...

Yesterday I resigned (before I could be fired), as the direct result of my alcoholism, my third job in the last 18 months. I've lost others to it indirectly ... I'm also going to court in about an hour for my first DUI.

My wife of 16 1/2 years has stood by me through everything. But I'm not sure she has one more go-round left in her -- especially with these two developments coming so close together.

I really believe, though, that this is an answer to prayers that I can't even begin to understand. I know it sounds crazy, but when I went forward in church Sunday to specifically ask for prayer from my church staff for deliverance from alcoholism, I felt God lifting a burden from me. I have a determination to remain sober that I've never felt before and have rejoined my AA group(s) and am looking for a Celebrate Recovery group.

Deep in my spirit, though, I believe God ALSO lifted the burden of a relatively low-paying, dead-end job off of me. I've never had this feeling before, either. The incident that directly led to my resignation occurred last Friday, before I surrendered and asked for prayer.
Like I said, I resigned yesterday and have no idea what my family and I are going to do. But I have a better feeling about this job loss than any other, as long as I get to work at looking to work, stay sober, keep my focus on Him and work my program.

I haven't told my wife yet. I didn't want her to have anything but court on her mind tonight, and she had an important, all-day meeting at her work. I'll have to tell her afterwards.

She's been a walk-by-faith-not-by-sight person for quite a while (probably because she has to be because she's married to an alcoholic), but I have been reluctant to let God direct my recovery in His way instead of mine.

Please pray that there will be something in the way she hears and sees me tonight to realize I'm not just blowing smoke, as I've been known to do a time or two.

Thanks. I'll keep you all posted and share more in the coming days.

In Him,
Stevious

[Rarly Harley]

Originally Posted by stevious

As long as I get to work at looking to work, stay sober, keep my focus on Him and work my program and let God direct my recovery in His way instead of mine. Stvious

Welcome Stevious: One drunk helping another. That's what goes on here. When we share our burdens, others can see the solution more clearly. I suggest that your answer is in your own words, that I took the liberty of editing. I will be sending up prayers for you and your wife, that you are both led to God's will. Please stick around and share your journey with us.

[toad]

Originally Posted by stevious

Greetings, all! I was Googling around and found this forum. I think it's an answer to prayer.

I felt God lifting a burden from me. I have a determination to remain sober that I've never felt before and have rejoined my AA group(s) and am looking for a Celebrate Recovery group.



Thanks. I'll keep you all posted and share more in the coming days.

In Him,
Stevious

Welcome to the forum Stevious.......checking in here has been a part of my daily program of recovery for several months now. As we share here on this forum we develope relationships and support groups just as in regular meetings. It is good that you are going back to your AA meetings. Get a sponsor if you don't have one, read the book, go to meetings and don't take the first drink, and watch how God blesses and prospers you. The Promises (page 83-84 Big Book of AA) do materialize if we work for them.....We are praying for you......toad

[best]

Stevious

Welcome home. I know another who went to the alter of the Lord and in doing so, he gave over his addiction to coke.
Ask and it will be given.

Your wife is a woman of faith. You are standing in a place at this very moment that you can show her God's glory by being a man of action and letting her see that prayers do get answered.

I have no DUIs but I have stood in your place many a time of needing to tell my wife yet again... I need look for a job.
With the changes the Lord brought in me, I remained at my dead end job for over 9 years...and was happy to be there. I found that the job was a job and I was the one who was my own burden.
Jesus changes lives...we just need seek and ask.
Welcome home and welcome to a sober life through Christ.

[stevious]

Man, I can't sleep, but for a good reason ...

After court, which was just the initial arraignment and not legal brain surgery, I told my wife the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth on my job loss, framing it pretty much the way I framed it in my first post.

Turns out my fears, though very real at the time, were unfounded, thanks to your prayers. That's not to say tears weren't shed. They were, by both of us. She doesn't really know how to react right now, which is completely understandable. I wouldn't either. But she didn't tell me to move out, even though I offered to do so to let her decompress and whatnot.

Thanks to a power outage that occurred just seconds after I told her, we got to go to my in-laws for a couple of hours and I told them everything, too. They took it even better than she did and have pledged to help us out financially if need be.

I think right now people are just confused. So am I. I haven't felt, said, or acted this way with any kind of conviction before. But it's a good confusion, and I'll thank God for it, even though I've got so many thoughts and ideas racing through my mind I can't sleep.

I'm gonna crash for now, but will keep in touch.

Thanks again!

Because He lives,
Stevious

[rayofsunshine]

I'm praying for you and your wife. You do sound determined with a strong will to to work your recovery and make a better life for yourself. Praying for your success.

[blazen84]

I will pray for you and your family as I pray for all those that need God's love and mercy. I just ask that you all out there pray for me and my family that God will be done in my life and that He helps my family.

[getn2gether]

God Bless... I will keep you in my prayers. You have made a wise decision. I am a newbie to AA... 7 days sober... True believer God places us where we need to be once we surrender. Please keep us posted.

Kimberly

[1Marty]

Stevious, thanks for sharing. I'll send prayers too. Its pretty cool that through all the stuff going on, you are able to look beyond the mess, and see how God's larger plan could be unfolding for you. God is good, all the time!

[stevious]

Thanks to all of you who have responded and prayed for me and my family. Believe me, your prayers are being answered each and every day. Today is Day 17 of my new sobriety and every day gets a little bit easier as long as I keep my focus on Who is important.

To update you all and ask for your continued prayers ...

Family life is great. There were a couple of days of not knowing how to feel, but gradually everyone here came around and now believes as I do. My wife said she'd rather have me unemployed and sober than working and drunk. My son (12) remarked the other night when we went out to eat how nice it was to all go out as a family again. And my daughter (8) said she was proud that I didn't seem bothered when the hostess seated us near the bar at the restaurant. (I wasn't bothered, either ... much.)

I mentioned to a friend of mine last Friday that I was between jobs again and he mentioned they were hiring at his place and to send my resume. I didn't really think much would come of it, but I sent it yesterday. He showed me around his office yesterday, I had one interview before I left, another today and an hour later got a job offer. It's nearly twice what I made at my old job with better benefits. God is good (understatement of the millenium).

It's not a done deal until my background check comes back, though. So please pray that previous employers (I have a pretty um, "squirrely" employment history in recent years) will not volunteer information other than dates of employment. The credit check and criminal record search won't be a problem.

I know that any worries I have right now are not of God and just the enemy trying to get in my head and plant seeds of doubt and unbelief. That makes me feel better, but I'm still gonna be pretty nervous for the next day or two until the report comes in.

Thanks again for all your prayers. I thank God for all of you and pray that He will meet all your needs above and beyond anything you could imagine. Let me know if I can do anything for you.

I'll keep you up-to-date as events warrant.

In Him,

Stevious

[ayla zaire]

welcome, i'm glad you found us.....





hugs
ayla

[best]

Originally Posted by stevious

... everyone here came around and now believes as I do.

Good seeing things going so well.

The above stopped me and has me thinking though.

In our men's group we are doing a study of what is a man (per the bible and God's opinion) As a group, we have found much growth. As an individual, I have found growth through the study as well.

Back when I was drinking it would not have been a good idea for others to be thinking or believe as I was. What I have found in life as well as through the group study... Our wife is a helpmate and there are so many times we would be wise to listen to what they say as they offer suggestions and support.
As others start to believe as we do, we need be sure that what we believe is correct.
Your family seems to be very supportive. Sober, you can be the same for them. Way to Go Steve.
One married man to another... These are some words I have found work so well in my mariage....

A happy wife equals a happy life.

Continue the great things you are doing towards your finding solutions.
Congratulations on the collected days.
Prayers continue for you and your family.

[rayofsunshine]

Stevious, Congratulations on 17 days sober. Continued prayers for you
and your family. Keep praying about the job. If it's God's will for you,
it will work out.

[sugarssweetpea]

Stevious,
I had tears in reading your above posts. I absolutley love to see God working in the lives of others. Especially when the people whose lives He is working in sees it!! (As you do!!). I am very proud of you & am sending prayers for you & your family.

[stevious]

More thanks for your prayers. And thanks to God for answering them!

The background check came out OK. I start Monday. It's a 70 percent raise from what I was making at my last job, and already the best-paying job I've ever had.

This new job is in a completely different field from the one I've been in, but I really feel it's where God wants me right now. Besides, I wasn't really happy after 13 years in the newspaper business anyway.

I really feel God has already given me the abilities I'll need to succeed, so just like He told me almost three weeks ago, all I need to do is keep my focus on Him, let Him continue working in my life and give Him the glory. The rest will take care of itself.

Quite frankly, I'm still blown away by all of this. There's still a part of me that can't believe it's worked out just like God told me it would, and less than a month after being forced out of my last job. In fact, one month ago tonight, I was passed out in a jail cell after getting picked up for DUI. I was pretty broke, busted and disgusted then. Talk about a quick turnaround!

Thank you, Lord!

[TryingisDying]

Praying for your recovery

[TIREDOFENABLING]

Stevious,
CONGRATS to you my brother in the Lord. I am on my 2nd sobrity since I have found the Lord, 3 years ago. The 1st time....Litterly losing EVERYTHING, All that we had left was the clothes on our back and an old Ford Bronco and moved 5 States away from family and friends and ACCESS to DRUGS, we hit BOTTOM heading to a homeless shelter.
My first time to become "drug free" was at a Methadone Clinic and my counselor asked me to go to her Church,I kept saying sure and never went, Well one day she asked me again and I said yes well she took off work and brought me RIGHT then and introduced me to her pastor .... Well thats all she wrote heh I that next week dedicate my life to serving Our Father God, received the Holy Spirit ON FIRE WITH GOD PRAISE GOD!!! ( I was raised VERY STRONG Catholic, I NEVER talked with God I went the a priest, So being able to TALK TO God was like AWESOME putting that mildly heh.
Due to a "difference" with my pastors daughter, my husband and I thought it be better to leave our Church? Alot of personal issues that "It was best to leave vs. causing myself any more grief we had become very very close with our church family" sooo there she wrote it, feeling abandoned by my "Church family" I went back to the OLD LINDA in a way, No longer stealing nor drugs but feeling resentment and on and on still not the ON FIRE WITH GOD that I had found, But NEVER ONCE have I given up ON God for I know he does not give up on me, I am a PROUD Christian who serves God open hearted, Being a baby in Christ I am so blessed to still be so in love with God and know without a doubt that He is there for me just as strong today as ever I do not go a day with out reading my Bible and learning as much as I can about God I do live the BEST that I can following Gods word, For I know that ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN THE GLORY OF GOD.
Things are rough for me and my family right now we went thru Katrina lost 7 lives due to Katrina and less than a year later my sons Father died and then afew months later my oldest son was in a head on wreck and then one week later their fathers, Mother died, We are seeking my 2 grandsons that we lost in the system Thanks to Katrina BUT THRU ALL OF THIS WE FOLLOW GODS WORD, AND WITHOUT A DOUBT WE KNOW THAT GOD IS TAKING CARE OF US AND HE LOVES US.
So I can say to you my brother thru God :
NEVER GIVE UP AND BELIEVE THAT THOSE STRANGE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING ARE THE HOLY SPIRIT WORKING ON YOU, GOD IS THERE STRONGER EACH TIME WE FALL FOR WE ARE HIS BABIES AND HE LOVES US UNCONDITIONAL.
I am going over a hump in the road but I can say " Thank you God for I am not where I want to be but I am not where I use to be".

Your sister thru God,
Linda