I Will Be There...

Week 3 of the church experiment is tomorrow and I rather like going. I haven't felt pressured, awkward or put on the spot. Though I don't necessarily agree with everything I see and hear, I do agree with the basic premise of it all. Any evangelical stuff still wigs me out a bit personally but if that is your choice, so be it. I can accept that...

There sometimes are people who get clean and sober then spend a good  deal of their early sobriety in support groups or clinics and the like working with other newcomers to sobriety. As I've stated time and again, that is where I get my "fuel" as it were to live sober ODAAT.

But after awhile, like me they start to develop a more spiritual oriented life and perhaps they too go to church. I see this a lot, once they get situated in a church congregation, they slowly back away from the areas where you meet newcomers and just hang around with the folks from church. I've heard people actually say that they don't need to work with the newcomers in support groups to stay sober, they have the church...

Whoa, I really try to avoid criticizing ANYONE who is doing their best to stay sober but I really feel like those folks are missing the point all together. yea, maybe you don't need that everyday reminder anymore and yep, the church group does feel safe and secure...but maybe those new folks NEED YOU?! Ever thought about that?

Probably not but I think as people in recovery, we have a higher purpose to share our stories to those who still suffer. My God, I think what if I went to get help and there was nobody there who I could relate too. Just shrinks and church people trying to help. I know, their heart is in the right place and a lot of work those kind of volunteers and organizations do is very worthwhile work. But if that had been what I encountered after I got out of the hospital and was trying to learn how to live a sober and healthy life, I'm pretty sure I would have drank/drugged again so...I'm pretty sure I'd be dead.          

It is my very strong opinion that we cannot turn our backs on those who still suffer   from this disease and let's face it, the majority of them aren't in church. Oh believe me, some are but I think its important that as an addict, I am accessible to anyone who might want help. That's part of the reason that I am in the blog world, though I often wonder if anyone is really reading these posts of mine, lol. But regardless, I'll still continue to share and you'll find that this blog isn't going any where ...

People who sequester themselves in the cocoon of the church and sit and pat themselves on the back for a job well done in getting sober are missing the point. Perhaps they'll drink again because of it, I don't know...I'm pretty sure I would. But that isn't the kind of life I want to live today. Nope, I like being able to give some of my time to somebody else. 

When I needed someone to talk to, to hold my hand through the tough shit that was happening to me, there was always someone there, always...Today that's my desire, I want to be that guy if I can. If you need someone...I will do my best to be that guy. That is my simple prayer tonight, God willing, I will be there when you call....