Five Lessons I Learned on My Way to Sobriety

“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. ” Romans 8:38 (NLT)

In thinking about my post, I looked back over others I’d written, and I discovered a strange coincidence. For the past three years, I’ve written about my sobriety in the month of April. it’s too remarkable to not be orchestrated by God for reasons totally beyond my understanding!

But, as I read these posts, what I began to see is what I learned wasn’t limited to my being an alcoholic. And, so, I share them with you today:

Five lessons I learned on my way to sobriety:

1. God can meet us where we are. I didn’t know that meant He would plow His way through the alcohol and beer I drank. Ultimately, He showed me that consuming His love would lead to a peace that didn’t require drinking.
2.  Paul was spot on. Nothing can separate us from God’s love. My raging, my rejection, my stubbornness? Gnats in a      hurricane. God is so much bigger.
3.  God can use weakness to demonstrate His strength. I had my last drink  July  3, 1987. And by His grace and goodness, I’ve not had one since.
4.  We all have strongholds, areas in our lives that prevent us from having a full  relationship with God. Alcohol, gambling, food, drugs, shopping, pornography,  power, gossip, status, anger, self-pity. Until we unclench our hands and let them go to grab onto God, these strongholds will control us.
5.  We’re not the boss of God. Negotiate? Compromise? Downsize? Bargain? None of the above. Just because we can’t   see His plan doesn’t mean it’s non-existent.

Photo credit: ChristianPhotos.Net – Free High Resolution Photos for Christian Publications

Christa Allan

A true Southern woman who knows any cook worth her gumbo starts with a roux and who never wears white after Labor Day, Christa writes "not-your-usual Christian Fiction. Her debut novel, Walking on Broken Glass in 2010 was followed by The Edge of Grace, which released in August of 2011. Love Finds You in New Orleans will be available in early 2012. Christa is the mother of five children, grandmother of three, and teacher of high school English. She and her husband Ken live in Louisiana, where they enjoy their time between dodging hurricanes and anticipating retirement.

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