Out of Control

I went to the Y to work out today--the whole time praying about what to say in my blog. One thing kept coming to my heart. I hope it speaks to someone. It's been huge in my life.

I teach high school Sunday school girls. We started talking about drugs and alcohol the other week. They were telling me how many of their friends are beginning to drink and do drugs. This hit home. We have drug and alcohol addictions in my family. It's the kind of thing that people don't usually talk about. But if it's going on in your life or in someone's life you love, you probably think about it 24/7.

It's tricky. If you love an addict or an alcoholic, so many times you to try and fix or change the other person. I spent years trying to do this--I'd spy, or write long letters, or get mad. Finally, a good friend told me I needed to get help. I argued with her and told her I wasn't the one with the problems. But really, she was SO right. My life was out of control and I needed help.

That friend took me to my first Al-Anon meeting. Al-Anon is for anyone who has a friend or family member who is an alcholic. They also have Al-ATeen for teens. AA meetings are for the alcoholic. NA is for those addicted to narcotics.

The first truth I learned was, "I am powerless over ___________." I filled in the blank with the people's names I love. The alcholic discovers he or she is powerless over alchohol. To realize that it's not my job to fix people blew my mind!!

The program is based on Christian principles. It's free. There are meetings in most cities. It's confidential. Nobody talks about what's said there.

Maybe this doesn't speak to you. Maybe you can't relate. I hope it doesn't. But if you've been hurt by alcohol, I understand. There's help.

Much love♥♥
Julie