Post by Deleted on Mar 16, 2014 15:11:12 GMT
Hi Everyone,
My name is David, 32, born in Wales but currently living in Liverpool.
My story starts at 14. I got in with the wrong crowd at a young age and started drinking. At first it was just a way to gain street credibility. In time it turned in to an addiction, by the age of 16 I was a full blown alcoholic. I drank every chance I could get. My parents could see I was on a downward spiral and tried to help, but to no avail. They tried all sorts to get me to come around but I just didn't care. In the end they threatened to kick me out of the house and that is when I decided I had to do something with my life. All I had ever known what to do was travel with my Dad in the armed forces. So I applied to join the Royal Air Force. At the age of nearly 17 I was signed up and in the real mans world. I still acted like a kid and always thought I knew best, but they soon showed me. I eventually passed out at basic and trade training and received my first posting to RAF Leuchars in Fife, Scotland. I had lots of money and many new friends. So I went out, a lot. I got my drinking legs back and went mad. I was getting over £1200 a month after tax, accommodation etc. and just went wild.
After about a year I met a woman, I say woman because she was 9 years my senior. We got engaged after 2 years and one day out of the blue she broke my heart. This tipped me over the edge and was the start of my renewed alcoholism. I drank for about 6 years while serving and on a few occasions was caught out and told I had drinking issues. I didn't care. I just wanted to drown all the hurt and pain from my broken relationship and failing RAF career.
I exited the forces in 2006 and never looked back. I missed the money but nothing else. My drinking had isolated me from all my friends and family. I was the laughing stock in work and at home. I went home to my parents surprise and just lazed about for a year where I learned they had become Christians. I happened upon a few jobs but nothing concrete. By this point I had moved out and was house sharing with strangers. I was always borrowing money and not paying it back, stealing food and alcohol to keep myself going. My life was a complete mess. My parents could see I was heading for an early grave and offered a solution. Attend a Christian rehabilitation centre called Teen Challenge. Christian? I wasn't interested in God and he wasn't interested in me. I hated God! He had taken my family away from me! I had no other options, I had quit my job and couldn't pay my rent so decided to go through with it. I only went to get free of alcohol, but God had other plans.
I got there and could immediately see that there were other people like me but worse who were changed some how. I investigated and found to my surprise that God had changed these men. Some of these guys were the vilest men you could ever of met but God had changed them in to the nicest men you would ever want to meet. It was a real fairy story. After only being there 3 days I gave my heart to God on 15/10/2010.
I went through the program continually learning about God and his word and graduated both the program and a school of ministry. From there I felt a real call to Liverpool, UK. God was pulling on my heart and I eventually went. It took me long enough to decide but I just had to be sure it was God's will for my life.
I am now part of a marvellous Christian family in Liverpool and haven't looked back since. Sure its been tough at times but life is tough when you follow God. He never said it was going to be easy. I'm currently studying Theology in University and hope to one day work in a church full time. I also volunteer at a Foodbank and also with Teen Challenge Liverpool. God is so gracious, he wants to use me to help spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ around the Liverpool area.
All Glory to God!!! Thanks for reading. I pray this blesses you and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask.
God Bless.
My name is David, 32, born in Wales but currently living in Liverpool.
My story starts at 14. I got in with the wrong crowd at a young age and started drinking. At first it was just a way to gain street credibility. In time it turned in to an addiction, by the age of 16 I was a full blown alcoholic. I drank every chance I could get. My parents could see I was on a downward spiral and tried to help, but to no avail. They tried all sorts to get me to come around but I just didn't care. In the end they threatened to kick me out of the house and that is when I decided I had to do something with my life. All I had ever known what to do was travel with my Dad in the armed forces. So I applied to join the Royal Air Force. At the age of nearly 17 I was signed up and in the real mans world. I still acted like a kid and always thought I knew best, but they soon showed me. I eventually passed out at basic and trade training and received my first posting to RAF Leuchars in Fife, Scotland. I had lots of money and many new friends. So I went out, a lot. I got my drinking legs back and went mad. I was getting over £1200 a month after tax, accommodation etc. and just went wild.
After about a year I met a woman, I say woman because she was 9 years my senior. We got engaged after 2 years and one day out of the blue she broke my heart. This tipped me over the edge and was the start of my renewed alcoholism. I drank for about 6 years while serving and on a few occasions was caught out and told I had drinking issues. I didn't care. I just wanted to drown all the hurt and pain from my broken relationship and failing RAF career.
I exited the forces in 2006 and never looked back. I missed the money but nothing else. My drinking had isolated me from all my friends and family. I was the laughing stock in work and at home. I went home to my parents surprise and just lazed about for a year where I learned they had become Christians. I happened upon a few jobs but nothing concrete. By this point I had moved out and was house sharing with strangers. I was always borrowing money and not paying it back, stealing food and alcohol to keep myself going. My life was a complete mess. My parents could see I was heading for an early grave and offered a solution. Attend a Christian rehabilitation centre called Teen Challenge. Christian? I wasn't interested in God and he wasn't interested in me. I hated God! He had taken my family away from me! I had no other options, I had quit my job and couldn't pay my rent so decided to go through with it. I only went to get free of alcohol, but God had other plans.
I got there and could immediately see that there were other people like me but worse who were changed some how. I investigated and found to my surprise that God had changed these men. Some of these guys were the vilest men you could ever of met but God had changed them in to the nicest men you would ever want to meet. It was a real fairy story. After only being there 3 days I gave my heart to God on 15/10/2010.
I went through the program continually learning about God and his word and graduated both the program and a school of ministry. From there I felt a real call to Liverpool, UK. God was pulling on my heart and I eventually went. It took me long enough to decide but I just had to be sure it was God's will for my life.
I am now part of a marvellous Christian family in Liverpool and haven't looked back since. Sure its been tough at times but life is tough when you follow God. He never said it was going to be easy. I'm currently studying Theology in University and hope to one day work in a church full time. I also volunteer at a Foodbank and also with Teen Challenge Liverpool. God is so gracious, he wants to use me to help spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ around the Liverpool area.
All Glory to God!!! Thanks for reading. I pray this blesses you and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask.
God Bless.