HOW GOD CHANGED MY LIFE AFTER BEING A DRUG ADDICT FOR 18 YEARS. IT FIRST STARTED WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER.I STARTED SMOKING POT WHICH GOT ME IN THAT CROWD OF PEOPLE,OF COURSE BY CHOICE.THEN I STARTED SNORTING PILLS ,DOING COCAINE,METH AND THEN TO SHOOTING UP,TRYING TO FIND THE NEXT BEST HIGH.LET ME TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT.I HAD LIVED MY LIFE FOR SATAN FOR 18 YEARS.I WAS AWAY FROM THIS COUNTY FOR 14 YEARS,THEN MOVED BACK TO NICHOLAS COUNTY FOR A WHILE.I GOT IN TROUBLE WITH THE LEGAL SYSTEM THERE.SHORTLY AFTER,MY HUSBAND AND I MOVED TO MORGANTOWN.THEN I FOUND OUT I WAS PREGANT,BUT STILL FACING THE CHARGES IN NICHOLAS COUNTY.WHEN MY SON WAS SIX MONTHS OLD, I WAS INCARCERATED AT CERTRAL REGIONAL JAIL FOR A PERIOD OF 30 DAYS AND PLACED ON PROBATION FOR FIVE YEARS. OF COURSE, THAT STILL DID NOT CHANGE MY LIFE, I WAS STILL LIVING MY LIFE FOR SATAN. AFTER TWO AND ONE HALF YEARS OF PROBATION AND NEVER HAVING TO TAKEN A DRUG TEST FOR THAT PERIOD OF PROBATION, I FAILED A DRUG TEST AND WAS SENT BACK TO C.R.J. FOR FOUR MONTHS AND ONE MONTH AT LAKIN, A PRISON FOR WOMEN. DURING THESE 18 YEARS OF DRUG ADDICTION, I WAS IN REHABALITATION CENTERS MANY TIMES, WHICH DIDN'T HELP, AND COMMITED TWICE. AFTER I GOT OUT OF JAIL,MY ADDICTION GOT WORSE. I DIDN'T EVEN CARE ABOUT MY FAMILY, ALL I CARED ABOUT WAS THE DRUG. EVEN THOUGH GOD HAD BLESSED ME WITH A VERY SPECIAL SON, WHICH I WAS TOLD I WOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO HAVE, IT STILL DID NOT CHANGE MY LIFE STYLE. IN NOVEMBER OF 2006, I ATTENDED TEEN CHALLENGE AT EMMANUEL ASSEMBLY CHURCH OF GOD. IT WAS ONE MONTH LATER WHEN I BECAME CLEAN THAT I HAD A MIRACLE HAPPEN IN MY LIFE AND IT WAS ALL FROM GOD. I HAD BEEN STRUNG OUT ON DRUGS FOR 12 DAYS, UP ON METH AND WHATEVER ELSE I COULD FIND WHEN GOD SHOWED ME A VISION IN THE SKY OF ANGELS AND GOD'S FACE. AT THAT POINT IN MY LIFE I WAS TIRED OF LIVING WITH THIS DRUG ADDICTION. I BENT DOWN ON MY KNEES AND ASKED GOD TO TAKE ME OR SET ME FREE. SHORTLY AFTER DOING THIS, I WENT TO SLEEP. WHEN I AWOKE THE NEXT DAY, THE DESIRE I HAD FOR DRUGS WAS GONE AND I HAVE BEEN DRUG FREE EVER SINCE. THAT HAS BEEN EIGHT AND ONE-HALF MONTHS AGO. I GIVE GOD ALL THE GLORY. I HAVE CONTINUED TO WALK IN LIFE WITH GOD AND STILL ATTEND THE EMMANUEL ASSEMBLY CHURCH OF GOD WHERE TEEN CHALLENGE HELPED CHANGE MY LIFE.THEY PLANTED THAT SEED,ALL I HAD TO DO WAS WATER IT AND STILL DO.IT'S NOT EASY, BUT WHEN YOU LIVE YOUR LIFE FOR GOD,NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE.GOD TAKES ALL YOUR CARES AND WORRIES,I JUST LIVE MY LIFE FOR HIM.GOD DIED ON THE CROSS FOR ALL OF US.HE JUST WANTS US TO LOVE HIM LIKE HE LOVES US,UNCONDITIONALLY.GOD HAS BLESSED ME WITH A A GOOD SUPPORT SYSTEM AT THE CHURCH I ATTEND AND ALSO WITH SOME SPECIAL PEOPLE IN MY LIFE.I PRAISE GOD FOR THAT EVERY DAY AND THE TEACHING I SET UNDER AT THIS CHURCH.MARTY AND ALIDA COWGER ARE REALLY EXCELLENT PASTORS.GOD HAS REALLY DONE GOOD WORK WITH THEM.I AM NOT WHERE I WANT TO BE,BUT THANK GOD I AM NOT WHERE I USED TO BE,EVERYTHING WE DO WITH GOD AND FOR GOD AND THROUGH GOD HAS TO BE DONE BY FAITH OR IT IS OF NO VALUE.THE BIBLE SAYS WE CAN'T PLEASE GOD WITHOUT FAITH.GOD WANTS TO IMPACT OUR LIVES,BUT WE NEED TO LET GO OF OUR OWN WAYS TO ALLOW HIM (GOD) TO DO SO.I COULD NOT DO IT WITHOUT GOD.I ALSO LEARNED THAT ONE MUST LOSE ONE'S SELF AND SURRENDER EVERYTHINGTO GOD.THAT MEANS GIVE EVERYTHING TO HIM(GOD),HOLDING ANYTHING BACK WILL ONLY HURT YOU AND CAUSE YOU NOT TO BE IN THE CENTER OF GOD'S WILL.YOU SEE,WE AS CHRISTIANS SHOULD BE IN THE CENTER OF GOD'S WILL AND NOT OUR OWN ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WILL CAUSE US NOT TO BE IS TO PUT OUR NEEDS BEFORE GOD'S I AM GLAD THAT GOD DID NOT GIVE UP ON ME.HE WAS THERE THE WHOLE TIME JUST WAITING FOR ME TO SEE THAT I NEEDED HIM.HE GIVES EACH OF US A FREE WILL AND DOES NOT MAKE US DO ANYTHING.IT IS UP TO US TO MAKE UP OUR MINDAND DECIDE IF WE ARE GOING TO SERVE HIM OR THE WORLD.THANK YOU GOD FOR NOT GIVING UP ON ME AND I LOVE YOU.I CANNOT WAIT UNTIL THE DAY WHEN I CAN SEE YOU FACE TO FACE MAY GOD BLESS YOU LISA ADDINGTON HAMRICK
