When Hope Comes from a Stranger

My last blog post regarding Relapse at Christmas seemed to hit the hearts of many.  My blog hits, hit an all time high yet when I wrote it on that difficult morning I never anticipated that it would bring me Hope from a Stranger.

The email came from a known source telling me someone wanted to talk with me about my article.  The phone number was in the email, I responded saying I would reach out to them in the morning.  I made the call tentatively; cold calls have never been my forte.   The voice on the other end was that of an older male, his voice a bit gruff sounding, yet calming and gentle.

As he shared his story with me I was taken aback.  This man had every right to be held captive in grief and bitterness, yet he offered me Hope.  You see he lost his son to the battle of addiction.  His son’s life snuffed out at the hands of an overdose.

How is it he is now offering me hope?

I have found encouragement from parents whose children are making it down the road to Recovery, and from friends who only know addiction from the distance.  Both have come along side me, to hold me up at times.  Yet this source of Hope blew me away.  As I spoke further with him I discovered what His hope was based on; this man knew the One who brings Hope.  He shared his faith with me, his faith that even though his son was gone, he knew his strength and source of joy comes from God alone.

He went on to tell me about another family member who has made it out of the grasp of addiction, how he had witnessed many who made it past its snare.  He shared story after story and gifted me with a Fresh batch of Hope.  My spirit was lifted by this stranger, whose heart was filled with Hope.   He had every right to be in despair over his loss, over what this Crisis of Epic proportions has done to his immediate family.  Yet he reached out and offered Hope instead.

May I challenge you as we come into this New Year to do the same?  To find ways to look beyond your despair, your loss, and reach out to someone else who may need a new portion of Hope.  I challenged my new friend, now no longer a stranger to keep doing what he was doing.  There are many of us who need his strength and his gift of Hope.

 

 

T’was the Relapse before Christmas…

T’was the relapse before Christmas     

In my son’s corner of the house

Addiction was stirring

He’s acting like a louse

I handed him a drug test as he said I don’t care

I told him to take it if he wanted to remain here

He swung back the covers and climbed out of bed

And pulled his Hoodie up over his head

I told him he knew the rules about hoodies and caps

I watched and wonder what might make him snap

I told him I didn’t have to time for fighting and chatter

I clean drug test to me was all that would matter

On to the bathroom he slinked, not exactly in a flash

I opened the drug test, putting the wrapper in the trash

I had a feeling which lines on the test would not grow

For a clean test you need one line above and one below

It was no surprise when two lines did not appear

His addiction had relapsed it was perfectly clear

Much money he had and it was gone way to quick

He spent all he had because he needed a fix

Out to the porch he went to smoke his butt

I took a minute to remember the line in concrete I had cut

No Drug use, No Stealing, No abuse of any kind

The Simple Boundaries I set all came flooding back in my mind

I joined him on the porch and simply stated my thoughts

I now knew where his money went, all the drugs he had bought

The result had showed both heroin and coke

He said nothing just listened as I went on and spoke

You have till days end to make your choice

No crying or trembling were found in my voice

A Rehab or out, I hope you choose the first

I hate what is happening… Addiction be cursed!

I rose from the porch and touched him on the arm

Heroin and coke you’ve cause our family such harm

Last Christmas my son spent the Holiday in Rehab

Looks like this year we’ll be hit with the same jab.

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