Patrick Kelley

I was able to start kindergarten at that time. I had a great childhood. A normal childhood, like. Pretty much what anybody had. I was very active kid loved to be outdoors, and I love sports. And, from the very early age I got right into doing those things. Found surfing at a very young age. And to this day I still do it. And I'm glad that I found that that was an outlet that I knew that, um, I truly needed throughout my life. And it really connected me with the.

With the outer world and I, and I just love that aspect of my life. Um, My parents divorced when I was probably around 11 or 12. It really shaped my childhood. It just. I was lost for a little while. You know, like my walls came tumbling down. I'd so to speak. So I'm back and forth every other weekend with my mother and my father. The father was kind of striked I'll I'll say this. Uh, my dad's side of the family, my dad's dad was a, an Episcopal priest.

In fact, he was the Episcopal priest here at St. Peter's church. For a number of years. He retired. When I was 15. So. I grew up in the church. I had a, a God of my understanding. I had a spiritual life. Um, And I'll explain to this later, but I just didn't feel super connected, especially after he retired. So my dad had a very structured life and when I was with my mom on the other weekends, so she kind of gave me a little more freedom. So I had this. This kind of double. Double childhood life.

It was pretty cool. But, I graduated high school. in 1991. And, uh, that was the year the Ritz Carlton opened up here on Amelia island. And I tried college. I tried to go to school to be a fireman. I did complete that, but as I got out, I had a couple of friends get killed in a car accident. And I thought, maybe this isn't really the job for me. Um, I started with the Ritz Carlton in 1993. I was 20 years old. And. That job shaped me to be the man I am today.

Um, I was very thankful the way I was raised, but like, yo yes, sir. No, sir. Yes. Ma'am no, ma'am I was able to, I was really able to fall in to that. To that role, you know, wear black socks. You know, tuck your shirt in, wear a belt, you know, comb your hair. All those things came into play. And as I got older, I was very thankful to be raised like that. Um, I worked through its culture for a few years, and then I transferred out west. I moved out to California. Um, when I was around 22.

lived out there for a few years, just living the free life surfer life worked at a really nice Ritz Carlton out there called Laguna Niguel. And a very, very nice part of California. I was about an hour south of LA and about an hour north of San Diego. So I'm lived out there for a few years. I had a great time. Um, but then, you know, home just tends to drive somebody back and it drove me back home. Um, stayed with the Ritz I'm back in Florida. About 25, I think at the time.

And, um, things are just going great. You know, I'm just living this free life. Just. You know, making good money at the Ritz. basically doing anything that I wanted to do, I'd say a few years go by and I, I make this quick because I'm. Probably around. 29 or 30 now. I'm your typical? I was never like a hard partier. In high school or anything. And. And I love to have a good time and I could manage my drinking or anything I was doing. Oh, outside of that.

But around 29 or 30, I, uh, somehow got wrapped up in pharmaceutical painkillers. Um, and I hate to be very direct, but I just feel like I need to say that. And I had never been really riddled with addiction until then. I never had anything grab a hold of me that just. Like basically the partying was done after a few years. So probably in my early thirties, I would say around 2006, I tried to get off of myself and I did for a very short period of time. Um, but I wasn't very successful.

Um, let's back on him again. And then 2007, I went to my very first detox center in Miami. I was there for about 10 days. And when I came back, I'd like to say that I got sober, but it only lasted about another five or six months. Back on him again, 2008, I went to my second treatment facility. I went to a Willingway hospital, which is in Statesboro, Georgia in 2008. Um, stayed there for 30 days. And within two months of being back. I was using again.

2009. Unfortunately, I lost my job at the Ritz-Carlton due to my use drug use. they let me go. I felt like I was under the influence. They took me out. They drug tested me and I failed and I lost that job. Losing everything very quickly due to this drug addiction. Um, I moved in with my mom after about a year. She'd had enough. I mean, I moved out. Basically on the street.

I moved in with a friend for a very short period of time and that didn't work out and I was on the street and in 2010, I got arrested. they caught me squatting in a condo here in the island. And when I got arrested, I was facing seven felony charges. Uh, things I'll really want go into, but obviously theft. Uh, fraudulent use of a credit card, forged check. Um, Just if it was crazy now, let me say this.

I had never been arrested in my life and the first time I got arrested, I got sentenced to a year in the county jail. but during that, my family was able to work out a deal with the state that I, after I got done doing a year in their county jail, that I would be able to go to a six month treatment facility because they wanted to let these notice. These, these. Actions would not have happened. Had he not been a drug addict and they were okay with that.

So that was the first time that I went to a long-term treatment facility. I went to a place called the bridges of hope and Chauncey, Georgia. And I was in there for about six months. And I got released in February of 2012. Um, Parents are being very supportive, still. Dad gave me a job. He had his own pest control company here on Amelia island and he gave me a job. But by April of that year, I was already using again. I've been away for 17 months. And I just treated, I didn't treat treatment.

It was the first time I ever got introduced to the big book of alcoholics anonymous, but I still think I was using it as like I was just buying time. If you don't mind me interrupting. I just curious. Cause I think people might. have the same question when you get out of a treatment center and you've been claimed for awhile. What is the thought process that you go through to get. Where you start using again? What does that. Look like. Just no connection.

You know, trying to find your way, you know, I would go, I'm just going to AA the first time. That I went to AA was 2007 and I would just be in and out of the rooms. Um, I don't know at th it's just, it's it kind of be welders me a little bit that. You just want the pain to go away, I guess. Um, I wouldn't say I ever was like very depressed or anything, but a lot of times you just get lonely. And, um, you just want to change the way you feel. Okay. There it is.

Yeah. I just wanted to change the way I felt. And I'll get to that later. so here we are 2012, They're struggling with addiction again all summer long. And then by that fall, my dad had had enough of me and, and, um, He fired me. When your own dad fires you. That's that's tough. I'm looking for job again, I ended up working for a really nice, uh, formal restaurant here in the Melia island no, you got to understand I was on probation at this time. And I was.

Uh, Joe basically rolling the dice every month that I went in, um, my parents were drug testing me that summer and I was failing their tests, but I was passing the probation test. Um, I don't know what they were testing for at probation, but I was rolling the dice and if I had violated my probation, it would not have been good. So here I am working for a formal restaurant here on the island, and I worked for them for that. The next. five to six years. Um, And all this time.

I'm just deep in addiction. I'm living with my mom. I just really not doing it right. If you know what I mean. and I hate to say this, but from 2007 to 2018, I picked up a methamphetamine addiction. Which dot was probably the worst of the worst than the darkest had ever got. June 25th, 2018, I suffered a near death overdose. Um, It's kind of hard to talk about today. but. When the paramedics got there, I was taking one breath, every 15 seconds.

And they, I was told they used four times the legal dose of Narcan. Um, had my stepbrother not been there. Who was providing me CPR phone. I found out later, um, I probably would not have made it. Um, so I'll wake up in a hospital. Not knowing how I got there. I got my aunt on one side and my mom on the other, and they told me I had suffered a near death overdose. Uh, No money at this time, obviously. Um, so I didn't have any way any means to get into a treatment facility. So I try to.

Uh, I went out to this Christian. Uh, tr rehab out here off of 17, I think it's called set free by the sea. Um, and I ended up staying there just a week. 'cause I get there. There's no big book. There's no steps. The only way they tell me to get well from my disease. Of drug addiction is. Jesus Christ. And I just, to be honest with you, I just wasn't having it at the time. I didn't want to go that route. So in the middle of the night, I stuck out. Two suitcases and a duffle bag.

And I walked 12 miles all the way back to the island. Ended back in it, on my mom's back forge. She gets up the next morning and. She's just so disgusted with me and she's like, I can't do this anymore. So I was basically on the street for a very short period of time. Again. Um, it's strictly hot out in the summer, you know, here. So I checked myself into a hotel off of airport road. And the only person that was talking to me at the time was my stepmother.

And I begged and pleaded her that I needed help. And. So I was supposed to get into this one facility and I was struggling with my insurance and there was a lot of little. Things that weren't working out. And so the day that she met up with me, she had happened to call the bridges of hope, which is only two hours away. She basically just said, you know, get your butt in the car with one of the bridges of hope. Now as I go there, I'm still thinking about my mind.

Well, I'm just going to, it's a six month facility, but I'm only going to stay two months. I still was in. In charge. Do you know? I just wanted to get the heat off my back and get back to work. Um, At the two month mark, my stepmother had come to pick me up. And cause, you know, obviously she's not going to pay any more, but the, the guy running the facility allowed me to stay basically scholarship to me and. God doing for me, what I couldn't do for myself, I'll get back to this.

God was always had his hand in this. I ended up staying nine months, Jesse. Had I not stayed that long. And this is where I really got into the big book of alcoholics anonymous. Um, I tell a funny story. Uh, denied. I struck out from that Christian rehab, I'm walking over the bridge, the shade bridge onto the Amelia island. And I remember telling God, listen, God. I've got no problem with you. I just need to understand what is wrong with me. I've been struggling for years with this.

What is wrong with me? And when I was at the bridges of hope, you know, you get into the big book of alcoholics anonymous and they teach you that you have a physical allergy fall by a phenomena, crabbing, mental obsession, but more importantly, A spiritual malady. Um, I'm a spiritually sick. Um, I get out of the bridges of hope of may of 2019. And I'm on fire for recovery. Like I'm loving it. I'm going to AA. I'm doing it. I'm doing everything that's asked of me.

Um, I even started sponsoring guys. Um, I was just doing everything I felt that was right. Uh, I found a guy that I really admired. I worked the steps through him. But, you know, there's steps are to designed to provide you an awakening. And I think really all it did for me at that time was just boost my ego. Now I've done this four step that nobody's done. Uh, you know, I just, I just, I, I just don't. I just think it got me to a place where I, I couldn't learn anymore.

And I'll get to that later. Um, So I'm doing okay. I'm doing great. I'm on fire. Um, I stay with my mom for a very short period of time just to get money back in my pocket. And then. February of 2020, I move out of my mom's house and I get my own apartment here on the island. And three weeks later, COVID hits. And I'm like, God really. Like I get sober and now this hits, I mean, we're not working and anybody knows COVID. I don't like the whole world shut down. And I'll be honest with you.

It was a little fear in there. Um, But I was able to get through that summer. And early fall. And by that fall, I thought, you know what? Maybe I've ever thought this thing. I'm off the drugs. I'm doing great. Uh, my mind goes back to when was I happiest? It was in my late twenties when I was just doing a little drinking. And enjoying life. So I decided to pick up drink and I start drinking within a few months, I realized that drink was taking me to the same place that the drugs did.

Um, you're 2021. I go to multiple detox facilities of my alcoholism. I go to detox four times in five months. That summer. Now during the summer, it gets really bad for me. Um, may of 2021. Um, I lost my stepbrother. He had gotten arrested and they had put him in Duvall county jail and they had to separate him from general population. Cause I guess they had what they call Marceau And in the course of him being by himself and I'm sure he was detoxing off, um, heavy drugs. He took his own life.

In the jail cell. You would think that would wake me up? Um, and how fortunate I was. Um, but it did not. Um, the drinking continued. And three months later, I got a knock at the door. I had three friends show up on my doorstep. And they had, let me know that my dad had died of COVID. My dad had got hospitalized. About a month before. And so September 9th, I get a knock at the door. Saying that my dad had passed due to COVID. Uh, My world just came tumbling down.

It does something to a man when he loses his father. I just really does. Um, me and my dad weren't super close. Um, Growing up, but he was always a major part of my life. And I really admire that man, more than he will ever know. Drinking continues. You would think that would wake up. And I. Lose another job downtown that I was working at a restaurant. Um, I started another job where they immediately know that I'm drinking and I struggled for the next two years. Jessie.

On and off drinking on and off detox, detox, drink and drinking. Um, finally in. September of 2023. I had a dear friend that was able to come by. I was, I was rock bottom with my drinking. Um, There's a funny story. He got so bad that I was basically just. buying cheap Barrett the Jiffy and buying those cheap fireballs at, at the counter. And if you really look at the, the cover, those, uh, fireballs. Um, it has the devil on it.

So, let me backtrack a little bit before I get into this before I really dive into what I really want to talk about. I had came out of detox in 2022 with a good friend of mine. He had come and picked me up and I immediately realized that I do have a bad problem. So let me go to AA. So. 22. C 22 going into 23. I'm trying to go to AA and I'm just like, I'm just not really finding my place in it. And I feel like there was something more that I was missing.

There's a friend of mine that I was riding e-bikes with. I have an electric bike and we were riding the bikes and I came to his house. And he lived around the corner. He lives around the corner from me and, um, He's like, what do you want to watch? So he puts on YouTube. Now. This is really crazy. He puts on. Billy Graham. 1971, Chicago. Who is Jesus Christ. Now I'd always thought Christ was cool. You know, I always admired him. I thought everything was great.

Um, I'm already watching this show called the chosen. I don't know if anybody had seen that. I had, I had started watching that during COVID in 2020, just upon seasons, but I was just looking at it and just. Checking it out. But I was really getting into this show. And it was like for the first time in my life, I had eyes to see and ears to hear. It really chokes me off a little bit.

So I'm like, you know, the old me would have looked like, man, out of all the things we're going to watch on YouTube, we're going to watch Billy Graham. And it's about 40 to 44 minutes long. And I ended up watching the whole thing with him. And this is, and I ended up going home that night laying in bed and I watch it again. Like it was just so into my heart. It was like, something was speaking to me. And this is what Billy Graham, this is how he starts out that sermon.

He says for the next hour. It's going to be an hour to decision-making. Some of you will accept Christ. And some of you are rejecting. And even if you walk away today, You will never be the same. And I've listened to that sermon so many times. I thought I knew who Jesus Christ was. But boy was I wrong? So I'm listening to Billy Graham classics every night. Now. Um, watching the chosen.

I had found this other pasture that goes on these college campuses that debates these college kids about who God is his name's cliff. I think pastor cliff nettle, if I can pronounce Nectaly or something like that. So I'm just soaking it up. Jesse, I'm just thirsty for knowledge of who this. Jesus Christ, you know? So everything's going great. I'm still not drinking. I'm doing good. And I turned 50 years old last year. My birthday landed on April. I mean, uh, April 9th, which happened to be.

Easter Sunday, I turned 50 years old. You think God had a plan? Um, so I have this cool birthday party. Um, I knew it was kind of supposed to be a surprise, but I knew I was having it, but I didn't know who was attending. And in attendance, there was a good friend of mine that I've known my whole life, him and his wife show up. And, um, he pulls me off to the side. And he asked me immediately, where am I at? I knew exactly what he's talking about.

And so I kind of filled him in briefly and he said, pat, I got a guy for you to listen to. And. He tells me it's his name is pastor Joby Martin church, 1122. And I said, man, you're the third guy that's told me about this numbers church. So I take his word and I immediately go home. I get the app and I start watching pastor Joby Martin. And man, I'm going to tell you what something came alive inside of me. I had never heard a guy. Preach like this.

Just the way that he would deliver the word of God, he'd make it so funny. He'd make it so relatable. And I'm I was on fire and he three weeks later, He takes me to see Joby Martin at the church. We go to this big church. Now I walk in and I'm going to be honest with you. I'm not a big fan of these. Big huge mega church as they call them. I used to always turn my back on that like, oh God, here comes the money aspect, you know? Um, But I walked in there.

He has a seat, him and his, him and his wife, how he had their little area, they sat and I sit down and then the music. Uh, the music starts the worship music. Um, I stand up and everybody's singing. I look around and this church holds 3000 people. Plus one. So 3001, there's always the one more, right. And, um, I look around and I'm having this talk with myself. And I'm seeing all these people saying, and I'm thinking. Oh, this is for real. This is a thing. Like. I could feel the power.

In that building. And I was like, wow. And then of course Joby comes out. And to me, he, at this time he was like a rock star. I just loved to listen to him. Preach. And I'll get back. But in this sermon he says something that I'll get back to you later. Um, So everything's going great. I'm on fire. So in the course of that, Billy Graham. Chosen now it's Joby now. Ah, I see this movie called Jesus revolution.

And in there, the only reason I saw it as the guy that plays, uh, Jonathan Rumi, who plays Jesus Christ in their chosen. Now I was playing Lonnie Frisbee in this, in this movie, which I learned later. So I was like, oh, I'm definitely in, you know, well, in the course of that movie, they're doing they're baptizing people, like kind of like an inlet over on the west coast of California. I remember sitting in the chair, in the theater going. I want to be baptized like that.

Because Billy Graham was already telling him, me and my heart that I have to proclaim my faith publicly. That was very important. And I knew that now. And I was always apprehensive to truly crossover, you know, And I was like, if I'm going to do it, I'm doing it like that. Now I was going to get baptized with a church 1122, but they had. It had a huge group to do it. And I was like, ah, I don't want to get lost in the mix.

So I did it here with the local church and I got baptized at main beach where I have served my whole life. Um, the big joke is I had a friend of mine and was able to baptize me and his name's John too. So my day joke was I got baptized by a guy named John too. You. Um, And right after I got baptized. Now I'm on fire. I just thought, man, I'm going to get baptized. And my life just gunna, just. Just take off. All right after my Baptist and I had several people tell me.

That the devil was after me. And I'm thinking why. I don't understand you guy gets in the mountain top. Now you want to pull him down. And, um, I'd say within two months, Jesse, my life went to a H E double hockey sticks Went to a hell in a hand basket. I was listening to Joby talk one night. And he said, man, if you were your own worst enemy, how would you come at yourself? And the devil came at me through my addiction. In fact the very first Scripted I ever Memorized. was Luke 22 31 32.

And when he's telling Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded. To sift you all like wheat. But I have prayed for you. At your own faith may not fail. And once you have turned back, you must strengthen your brother. So my addiction takes off again through my alcoholism. I start drinking and within two months it just, it just came falling down. And luckily the same guy that turned me on to Jimmy Martin. Was able to just come into my apartment and asked me, man, what. What are we going to do?

What were you going to do? He said, man, it's obvious these, these small detoxes aren't working, man. And he said, I think I can make a call. And it was a lot of moving parts that got me. And I had a dear friend that I grew up with that runs a treatment facility in Jacksonville. Was able to come scoot me up and, um, And had they not had they not, I wouldn't have made it. I know I wasn't enough. My deep, my disease was taken way over. Um, so here I am.

Um, back in detox and it's a long, so I do a 30 day detox followed by 60 to 90 day treatment facility. So it's tides as the detox beaches, the recovery center. And you want to talk about. Total incomprehensible demoralization. I'm sitting in detox and knowing the big book forwards and backwards, but I can't stay sober. but I thought I had God, I got Jesus. Right. So. I'm in detox, um, um, you know, going through the motions, doing anything and, um, I remember having my last one on one.

Counselor. I'll get to this. He, um, I tell him. That this time I'm not going to let anything. Getting my front of my recovery. And he goes, including you. And I thought. All right. I can take that, you know, has God been sober? You know, he knows what he's doing. So I kinda took he to that. I remember that. I get out. At tides. And luckily, since I knew the guy that ran the facility, he takes me surfing. And we're out surfing and we're talking about, you know, We're catching up basically.

And in the course of a surf and he looks over at me and we're talking and he said, pat, You know, in Bill's story where it says, um, he says this line. Um, if one fails to enlarge and perfect a spiritual life. He will not be able to face the trials and low spots ahead. And I looked at him and I was like, where's that? And he's like, I think it's bill story. And I remember. Resting on that. Jessie, I remember going. That was it. That was it. I did not continue to live in 10, 11 and 12.

I did not do increase my relationship with God. I didn't turn around and go help the next man. I didn't stay there. Um, so now I'm really, really understanding where, where, where kind of what went wrong. Um, I did not enlarging and perfect my spiritual life. So I'm really hanging on to that. So now that I've got my phone back and I'm back in treatment, I'm going and doing a lot of counseling, which I'm very thankful for. I got a lot of good therapy.

And in there, I, um, really push for a, what they call trauma therapy. And I had a very good trauma, um, therapist. Who worked with me. Um, it was about a six to eight week course, but a six week course. And you would meet as in a group setting two days a week, and then she would meet with me. One-on-one. Once a week. And that went great. I really needed that.

It was a lot of things that I needed to mend with my father, you know, um, things that were kind of at the forefront that were blocking me from the sunlight of the spirit. So this is funny. So I've already had this one therapist say this. So when we got done towards the end of my tenure, there. She sat me down with my last one-on-one and she says, Hey Patrick, I got to ask you something. And I was like, what's that? She said, are you texting any girls?

And I said, no, ma'am I can honestly tell you I'm not doing that. And she says, well, you know, there's two sins in the program of alcoholics anonymous. And me being a big book dump. I'm thinking, where does that out? Where. Where's this, you know, So I go and look for it. She said, I'm not going to tell you where it's at. You gotta go look for it so I can look for it. And I can't find it. We'll be holed. It's not in the fourth edition.

It's in the third edition and it's a story it's on page 5 42. And the two sins are the first sin is she tells me is interfering. With someone else's recovery. I've done it. And the second sin was interfering with your own recovery. So I've got two different therapist. That have known me for a very short period of time. Basically telling the same thing about myself. I'm in the way. And I've got to get out of the way, whether it's in my recovery. And whether it's in my spiritual life.

And I joked with her later. I said, all you told on yourself, it's in the third edition. So you've been sober longer than 30 years cause it can. So it's the 2000, cause the fourth edition came out in 2001 anyways, moving along. Um, And the cool thing was, I didn't want to, again, get to say this earlier. When I get to beaches recovery, they take us to church every other weekend. And you know, where they took us to church.

Church of 1122. I'm thinking, this is God, God has got his hand all in this thing. So, Anytime I had free time. I'm either watching. The pastor. Debate on college campuses and I'm learning all about the word and the gospel. Uh, you know, all the gospels, Matthew, mark, Luke, and John, and then so forth. Um, I'm watching the Watching the chosen. And I'm constantly, constantly watching Joby Martin and anything else that's related to spirituality and the word of God.

But one night I'm watching the chosen. And Dallas Jenkins. Who's the creator he's talking. And he was talking about the premise of season three. Now what I loved about season three and what I love about Jesus Christ, is it. He didn't come down and hang out with the elite. He came and hung out with the broken and I qualified for that. You know, bad news bears basically. And, um, There was so much joy and pleasure in that.

But what he also was talking about the whole premise of season three was faith. And there's two parts in there that I there's two different, um, episodes that I really liked. There's the one with the, the woman with the issue of blood. Um, and all she's saying is she can just break through the crowd if she could just touch Jesus, this garment. That she, she will be healed. And of course, as you know, she does, she breaks through the crowd and she touches Jesus's garment.

He's like, Hey, who touched me? And you know, he's in a crowd and hell is he is. Disciples are like, everybody's touching to Jesus. What do you mean? But, um, he stops because he said power went out. And he turned around and remember the woman that's laying there on the ground. But what he tells her, it's not that you touched my garment. It was your faith that healed you. So I watched that and there's the other scene where Peter gets out of the boat. And he's walking towards Jesus on the water.

And at first he's man, he's like, like Joby Martin said, he's like Rick flair, like, Ooh, he's walking to Jesus. And all of a sudden he starts to sink. This lack of faith. And it hit me, Jesse, like a ton of bricks. That's what happened to me? I had come to Jesus. But it was my lack of faith. That was failing me. Makes me think of a story. One of the last times that I saw my father, I had lunch with him. And this is when I was on fire for recovery.

And my dad leaned back in his chair and he was just kind of rocking and he looks at me and he goes, Hey, sport. I said, what's up dad. He goes, man, why don't you take it? Once you take an easy on those people in AA. And I was like, what do you mean? What are you talking about? He said, man, cause they're not all seekers. Like you are. And I'm thought who's he been talking to? And as I got. Looking back. I started realizing. He knew exactly who I was. He was my father.

I didn't even know Jesse that I was a seeker. I didn't know that I was thirsty for this thing. I think it's Matthew seven, seven. I love that line, Basically it's ask, seek and knock. So it's asking you will be given to you seek and you will find. Knocking the door will open to you. All this time, I was just seeking. I had knew that my spiritual life had failed. I knew that was what was lacking in my life. Um, I really didn't even know that I was. Really seeking out.

You know, and asking for God. But boy was I knock and man. I was knocking on that door, man. And, uh, there's another line Where it says the seeing eyes and the hearing ears. Basically I had ears. I had ears to hear and eyes to see. I was just thankful for that, you know, did that, cause that says, that's the gift that the Lord gives us. You know what I mean? You know, anything he gives you two of you might want to use anything.

He gives you one of you might want to not use if you know what I mean. But, um, but what I'll say, and I want him to say this so bad was, um, When I was listening to Joby Martin one night, this is really what clicked for me. He gets a place in the sermon and he's like how he talks to his, I was like, Hey man. So what he does too, he's talking. And he said I had to get to a place one day where I wasn't a wrongdoer. And need of a program. I was a sinner in need of a savior.

And I was like, that was me this whole time. Here I am. And I, and I love AA and AA will, I will be forever indebted to it. Because I think that's my platform to help other people. But. This whole time. I always felt like I was a bad person trying to get better. But the whole time, I was just a black hearted rec center. That needed a savior. You know, I used to see ears to hear. that was just where I I'm so thankful that God. Just. Kind of blessed me with that.

So to speak, and I think what was cool was all, this was all coming together. So. That I was able to just, you. I'm buddy was joking the other day. I said, I, I was able to, just to get out of the way, just enough. For that, for that to come in, you know? Um, so I get out of treatment this past January 18th, And, um, I'm just doing everything that's asked to me now, you know, I really, really, um, How do I say this? I just. I just love Jesus Christ.

It just, it gives me this whole new meaning in my life today. Um, It gives me this moral compass, so to speak. most of my friends today are either in recovery or believers are both. I didn't even plan that. It's just the way it's happened. And there's another guy. The guy that actually baptized me. His name is John. I hope you don't mind me saying this, but we meet periodically to. You know, the last three steps in the program box.

Hamas anonymous is 10, 11, 12, and we maintain that relationship within ourself. And then we increase the relationship with God, but we turn around and give to the next alcoholic or suffering addict. Um, the message that it was so freely given to us, I call it the gospel now, because I use my walk with Christ now. And one of the things that I like to do, I call it. The feel felt found. When I'm working with somebody or talking to somebody, I can look at them and go, Hey, I know how you feel.

I felt the same way. And this is what I found. And to me, I'm just so thankful that God is using me. The way I was always tended to be used. You know, I've turned this negative into a positive today. Um, My life has just taken on a whole new meaning. As long as I continue to stay out of the way. And as long as long as I maintain my faith in Jesus, I can't go wrong. So let me ask you something You know, earlier. I had asked, you know, what was the.

Thought process that went through your mind every time you get out of treatment and you'd been. Clean for awhile. And then your. Just decided to start using again. I just wondered what The thought process was And, I think you just. Explained it and it has to do with. Not using your faith. So, can you talk about that? you know, it's funny you say that. Um, I shared this story recently. Uh, Several months ago, I was all fun. From work, which usually is a busy night.

And I didn't know what to do with my time. Um, I had ran some errands that day. Um, I had shopped as much as a man could shop. I had a up until my belly was full. And I went and saw a movie that I really didn't care to see. And I'm coming back onto the island. Over the bridge. It's probably about 10 or 11 o'clock at night. And that thought went through my head. I can still stop at this corner GFE. And as I was coming down the bridge. I say, wait a minute, pat, hold up for a minute.

And it hit me. How could you ever take a drink? After what Christ and dirt for you on the cross. That was the stopping point. That was where the fate came into play. That was where the understanding of what Jesus Christ came for. You know, Joby always taught us this. Uh, not only did Christ die for us, but he died in place of us. And all this started making sense, you know? Um, And I understood now for the first time in my life, you know, I's the C. Ears to hear. I started understanding.

How important my spiritual life was. And now that I had this in place, That was the stopping point. There's a part in the book of alcoholics. Uh, anonymous where it says, uh, there's there's, it's not, if it's when there is going to come a time, that the only thing between you and I drank is God. And I witnessed that firsthand and thank, thank God. Thank you, Jesus. That I had that thought process and I was able to see that.

And placed out in front of that And so I tell people all the time, you know, I try not to, you know, I'm not going to water down my, my spiritual pro spiritual program for anyone. If you're really out there sick and suffering. You've got to find God. You just really do. I mean, that was that. That'll always be my story. You know, so many different places in so many different times where that came into play. And then every time I fell, it was because of my wife where I was spiritually.

Um, and my relationship with God. And, I'm just thankful for the people in my life today. Um, You know, I surround myself. I have a tribe. I always make this joke, you know? It is cooling as bad as Jesus was. He still had 12 disciples, you know? Um, but I, I'm just very thankful and I tell people today all the time that I'm living the life today, that always wanted. Just total freedom, man. I mean, I can't tell you how long I lived in active addiction, where I get up every day. And just.

Oh, God, I just, I would just be in so much pain. I would either be too high or too sick. And I just was not present in the, in the, in the real world. And today I'm just, it's a gift. It's just a gift and, um, I just want to share it with everybody. I just want to tell everybody. Well, that brings me to a dilemma that I've had to deal with for years. So I'm going to ask you something. No. AA had to come up with a generic God. back in the beginning in order to help. Yes, many alcoholics have.

As possible cause. You know, back in the thirties, the church was pretty ignorant about how to handle those, stinky. Unruly centers and, Christian's basically. Either shunned. Alcoholics or solemn as projects, you know, to be saved. And there wasn't really an understanding of alcoholism as a spiritual disease. So, alcoholics got a pretty bad taste in their mouth. Uh, no pun intended. From the, you know, all about church. Didn't one. Hear anything about that? God that the church had put forth.

So the founders had to broaden the concept of God by using the term, God, as we understood him, So each individual could feel safe. coming into AA, working the program. of course that didn't change God, but it did change peoples. Perceptions. And I think that was a good thing. But, knowing what, you know. Now. how do you handle. Talking to people who still have this bad taste in their mouth about. Jesus, How do you handle.

Someone who has that generic garden and they're quite comfortable with it. What are you? What do you say about that? Oh, wow. Um, This is what I have come. This is, this is me. Um, I had a really good sponsor that would always tell me. When I was helping somebody. Now we're talking about the big book first. He would say, pat, let, let the book do the work because it keeps you and I had of it. So now what I do is I pick up the big, big book.

And I tell people and I tell myself and tell people, let the book do the work. Because it just keeps you and I had of it. Um, so. What if I think where my service will come in is maybe not in a group setting, like in a, in a meeting, but it's a one-on-one with another alcoholic or addict. Cause I think that's just where I'm at today in my life. And. I just, all I can tell him is what worked for me and what didn't. And the.

This, just the whole storyline of Jesus Christ, what he came for and what he did and what he continues to do. It's for me, it's just undeniable. And I understand that they AA is very roomy when they come in. Because if I would have come in many, many years ago and you told me, Hey, you got to believe in Jesus Christ. I'd been out the door, you know, I wouldn't have stayed. But what I want to tell people, man, is that. Just do the work. And if you don't have a God, well, I'll let you borrow mine.

And then let them come to terms on their own. Let them see the truth for what it is. Um, that's kinda what I wanted to say this earlier. Cause I mean, I could talk for hours on this thing, but you know, when John, where it says I am the way the truth and the lie. So to me, because I'm a truth seeker, Jessie. So for me, Cause I got so. Uh, Enthused in the big book of alcoholics anonymous and what it was doing well now it's just moved on to A higher level.

Now I'm into the truth of the word of God. Because. With him, I can do anything. As long as I stay out of the way. And. And keep the fate, you know, But I guess I answered your question. I hope I did. Yeah. I just. If I could tell anybody anything today. It was just, I would just tell them. Just do your best to stay out of the way. Just stay out of the way, man, because. W, you know, one of the most enlightening words my grandfather told my dad one time, and then my dad told me.

As a. God made a perfect world. But man's been messing it up for years. You know what I mean? And so. I am just a prime example of that. Every time that I got in a way it got worse. Yeah. You know what I mean? And now that I'm out of the way. Things are only getting better. You know, I put him at the forefront. You know, I trust God. I clean house daily. And I turned around and I helped him next second, suffering individual, whatever may it be? Mine happens to be drugs and alcohol today.

But, um, it can, it can manifest in any different ways, you know, that. So, um, That's where I find the joy, my singleness of purpose today. I'm I am living the life that God intended me to live. I truly see that today. And to me, that's just a blessing. You know, I believe in miracles. I am one. All right. Well, we're getting close to the end of our time now, but I just want to ask you. Uh, if you. could just share one bit of wisdom.

I know you've already shared a lot of wisdom, but if there's one major, bit of wisdom that you could share with somebody out there who might be struggling, what would it be? that there is hope. And never give up. Even when, even when you're just down. Just never give up. I had said this earlier, and I'll continue to say this. You got to get out of your own way. You really do. And sometimes we got to put, we've got to listen to others, people that have been there before us.

Um, I'm thankful for that. That's that's a hard thing to do, you know? Um, Uh, that's why I liked the program of alcoholics anonymous, man. They're not telling us what to do. They're telling us what they've done. If there was one bit of wisdom, I guess I'll go to scripture again. It is a. Asking you to receive. C can, you will find. And just knock man. Bang, if you have to, and that. All open. It will, it opened for me and it's going to open for many others and that's the joy in it.

Uh, it's beautiful. It sounds like a good place to end. Um, Would you mind praying for. Our listeners today. I'll be glad to. Heavenly father, we come to you today. I want to, I want to thank you. for this opportunity to spread, not my message, but your message Lord. I want you to. Continue doing this for Jessie. This is a great opportunity and a good platform. For your word. I want you to continue to give. Eyes to see and ears to hear. To the ones that are still out there suffering God.

And if they come to you, Allow them to receive it. Allow you to be found when they seek you. And keep allowing that door to open when they knock. Lord. I want to thank you for this wonderful life that you've given me and countless others. I'm so grateful for your love. I'm so grateful for your patience and your tolerance. More importantly. I'm just so grateful for you, Lord. And I thank you from the bottom of my heart. And everything that you do.

And go out there and grab that one more like you did with may. How you left the 99 and you came and found me. I want you to do that for everyone out there to Lord. And I know you will. I know you will. And Lord. Hi, I asked. That you just. Keep seeking everyone that's out there struggling and suffering from this terrible illness. Especially in this day and age. And it's so terrible. I ask that you just give them your heart. Give him your love. Give him your kindness, just like you did me.

And your name. Jesus Christ. Amen. Hey man.