As a surviving son of a monther who was an alcoholic and drug addict (and predeceased my grandparents who raised me), I know a bit about overcoming adversity and the dangers of substance abuse.
Growing up my mother was either in a bar getting drunk, jail for inappropriate behavior, a mental ward for examination, or at a rehab to treat her substance abuse.
Sadly for decades she tormented herself and my precious grandparents who tried so desperately to help her.
Ironically, my mother was killed by an 18 year-old drunk driver while she was inebriated and running across an Orlando road in the early morning hours.
In 2008, I myself was hit by a drunk driver (a 61 year-old woman who was arrested on the spot for her 2nd DUI in two years, but not before she tried to flee the scene of the accident and hit a parked car ...which she totaled along with my vehicle). Thankfully, by the grace of God I survived to write and tell about the experience and today speak worldwide on substance abuse prevention and warn people of all ages about the dangers of drunk driving.
This week as I wrote my younger brother (half brother from my stepmother), who is currently in jail (again) for another stupid act he committed while drunk, I was brought to remembrance something his Russian girlfriend in Ukraine once said.
While my brother Franklin was criticizing me and my faith in God to his Russian girlfriend (during a vacation in which I took him to Ukraine over Christmas holidays to get away from his depressing surroundings), Katya responded by saying: "But he has a system that works for him."
A SYSTEM - yes, indeed. We all live by belief systems, whether we be atheists, recovering alcoholics, or stubburn alcoholics living in denial.
Thankfully, my mother and brother's behavior (and excessive pain caused me and my family) has been enough to deter me from any alcohol and drugs whatsoever. I even avoid drugs when prescribed by doctors for medical reasons, opting for nutritional supplements instead.
Yet the matter of systems, personal systems by which we live and internally are wired -- that I'd like to address. Incidentally, Katya is the only young lady Franklin tells me he ever truly loved (as he adored her beauty and intellect).
In love, in hopes of jarring and waking my brother (who has spent over 10 years in and out of jail due to alcohol related misdemeanors) up out of his stupor to hate alcohol and its affects on the brain, mind and emotions as I do (so he can turn his life around, as he really is a wonderful and intelligent young man when he is sober), I wrote the following to him on a post card (as the jail in Tavares, Lake County, FL now forbid letters to be sent / written to inmates deeming them "contraband" and now only permits postcards).
'What is your SYSTEM?'
A - always dependent
L - losing continually, never increasing
C - can't do without it
O - out of control
H - helplessly addicted
O - octopus like entanglements
L - legally bound behind bars
'I love and believe in you, but NOT your SYSTEM.'
Now, I know to some of you reading this, you will think that post card message was a bit harsh. Well, after two pages and over 10 years of alcohol and drug induced criminal behavior that has tortured himself and our family, I think what is more cruel is for a human being to not forsake his wicked ways and live right for his own betterment and those who love him.
As I watched the movie 'The Fighter' about two brothers who overcame poverty and substance abuse to win the championship in boxing, I felt compassion and righteous indignation to try again to speak / write to my brother.
He is a talented young man and could have had a baseball scholarship to any university in the country. Yet because of substance abuse, his grades went down, he got sassy with teachers, expelled from school, and had to earn a GED rather than graduate with his classmates.
Hence gifts are given by God, but they also must be guarded and guided. Franklin also was intelligent, a spelling bee winner, and scored higher on his SATs than me. Yet unlike me (as I'm more disciplined and he more talented) he has never graduated from college or university.
My deceased mother was no less talented and beautiful, she being a cheerleader on homecoming court in high school and an honor graduate who graduated from UCF (back in the day it was FIT). Yet because of bad friends, she got caught up and swept away in the experimental drug use Woodstock era and couldn't break the grip of substances over her life.
Thanks be to God the power of Jesus Christ, His love, forgiveness, cleansing blood, and empowering Holy Spirit I know newness of life.
You can too if you fall to your knees and ask Christ to forgive you of your sins and come live big in you with the same resurrection power that rose Him from the dead. Ask Jesus to fill you to overflowing with the blessed Holy Spirit and to burn away the chaff in your life today!
When you do, I'd love thereafter to hear from you!
http://www.Facebook.com/speakers4inspiration
http://www.Twitter.com/PaulFDavis.com
http://www.PaulFDavis.com/supernatural-power
http://www.PaulFDavis.com/substance-abuse-prevention-speaker
Read my books for further strengthening beginning with 'Update Your Identity' and invite me to speak in your city and liberate addicts from bondage and hurts & pain within (as inner feelings and emotions are the true root of the problem often driving addicts).
God can liberate the most bound individual, save to the uttermost, revolutionize their life, fill them with the Holy Spirit, make them a new person, and empower them to live a meaningful and purposeful life.
Although a prophet (myself) may not be accepted among his own family (brother specifically), I trust this message will touch, empower, and liberate you.... and in the fullness of time Franklin too will experience the touch of God and by repentant humility connect with his Creator to experience a breakthrough! (Job 42:10; John 11:40)
Growing up my mother was either in a bar getting drunk, jail for inappropriate behavior, a mental ward for examination, or at a rehab to treat her substance abuse.
Sadly for decades she tormented herself and my precious grandparents who tried so desperately to help her.
Ironically, my mother was killed by an 18 year-old drunk driver while she was inebriated and running across an Orlando road in the early morning hours.
In 2008, I myself was hit by a drunk driver (a 61 year-old woman who was arrested on the spot for her 2nd DUI in two years, but not before she tried to flee the scene of the accident and hit a parked car ...which she totaled along with my vehicle). Thankfully, by the grace of God I survived to write and tell about the experience and today speak worldwide on substance abuse prevention and warn people of all ages about the dangers of drunk driving.
This week as I wrote my younger brother (half brother from my stepmother), who is currently in jail (again) for another stupid act he committed while drunk, I was brought to remembrance something his Russian girlfriend in Ukraine once said.
While my brother Franklin was criticizing me and my faith in God to his Russian girlfriend (during a vacation in which I took him to Ukraine over Christmas holidays to get away from his depressing surroundings), Katya responded by saying: "But he has a system that works for him."
A SYSTEM - yes, indeed. We all live by belief systems, whether we be atheists, recovering alcoholics, or stubburn alcoholics living in denial.
Thankfully, my mother and brother's behavior (and excessive pain caused me and my family) has been enough to deter me from any alcohol and drugs whatsoever. I even avoid drugs when prescribed by doctors for medical reasons, opting for nutritional supplements instead.
Yet the matter of systems, personal systems by which we live and internally are wired -- that I'd like to address. Incidentally, Katya is the only young lady Franklin tells me he ever truly loved (as he adored her beauty and intellect).
In love, in hopes of jarring and waking my brother (who has spent over 10 years in and out of jail due to alcohol related misdemeanors) up out of his stupor to hate alcohol and its affects on the brain, mind and emotions as I do (so he can turn his life around, as he really is a wonderful and intelligent young man when he is sober), I wrote the following to him on a post card (as the jail in Tavares, Lake County, FL now forbid letters to be sent / written to inmates deeming them "contraband" and now only permits postcards).
'What is your SYSTEM?'
A - always dependent
L - losing continually, never increasing
C - can't do without it
O - out of control
H - helplessly addicted
O - octopus like entanglements
L - legally bound behind bars
'I love and believe in you, but NOT your SYSTEM.'
Now, I know to some of you reading this, you will think that post card message was a bit harsh. Well, after two pages and over 10 years of alcohol and drug induced criminal behavior that has tortured himself and our family, I think what is more cruel is for a human being to not forsake his wicked ways and live right for his own betterment and those who love him.
As I watched the movie 'The Fighter' about two brothers who overcame poverty and substance abuse to win the championship in boxing, I felt compassion and righteous indignation to try again to speak / write to my brother.
He is a talented young man and could have had a baseball scholarship to any university in the country. Yet because of substance abuse, his grades went down, he got sassy with teachers, expelled from school, and had to earn a GED rather than graduate with his classmates.
Hence gifts are given by God, but they also must be guarded and guided. Franklin also was intelligent, a spelling bee winner, and scored higher on his SATs than me. Yet unlike me (as I'm more disciplined and he more talented) he has never graduated from college or university.
My deceased mother was no less talented and beautiful, she being a cheerleader on homecoming court in high school and an honor graduate who graduated from UCF (back in the day it was FIT). Yet because of bad friends, she got caught up and swept away in the experimental drug use Woodstock era and couldn't break the grip of substances over her life.
Thanks be to God the power of Jesus Christ, His love, forgiveness, cleansing blood, and empowering Holy Spirit I know newness of life.
You can too if you fall to your knees and ask Christ to forgive you of your sins and come live big in you with the same resurrection power that rose Him from the dead. Ask Jesus to fill you to overflowing with the blessed Holy Spirit and to burn away the chaff in your life today!
When you do, I'd love thereafter to hear from you!
http://www.Facebook.com/speakers4inspiration
http://www.Twitter.com/PaulFDavis.com
http://www.PaulFDavis.com/supernatural-power
http://www.PaulFDavis.com/substance-abuse-prevention-speaker
Read my books for further strengthening beginning with 'Update Your Identity' and invite me to speak in your city and liberate addicts from bondage and hurts & pain within (as inner feelings and emotions are the true root of the problem often driving addicts).
God can liberate the most bound individual, save to the uttermost, revolutionize their life, fill them with the Holy Spirit, make them a new person, and empower them to live a meaningful and purposeful life.
Although a prophet (myself) may not be accepted among his own family (brother specifically), I trust this message will touch, empower, and liberate you.... and in the fullness of time Franklin too will experience the touch of God and by repentant humility connect with his Creator to experience a breakthrough! (Job 42:10; John 11:40)
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