By Harold Keller / L’Observateur / July 22, 1998

Re-discovering God’s plans for our lives

I met Carl Porter at a treatment center over two years ago and we’ve kept in touch. This is a letter I received from him two weeks ago. With hispermission, I’m sharing his testimony with all of you, being reminded that a changed life is one of God’s greatest miracles.

Atlanta, Georgia Dear Mr. Keller,As you know, I was born in Lutcher, La. I’m 38 years old and truly agrateful recovering addict.

For several years after the death of both of my parents in the early 70’s and the death of my oldest brother in 1980 on my 20th birthday, I thought that my life was ending rapidly. I then took my life into my own hands andwas not going to church, not praying, forgetting that there was a God, but there is a God. No matter what happens in life, everything happens for areason.

So after taking my life into my own hands, I thought that I was in control of my life all by myself and not God, or my higher power, so we call Him in the recovery system (N.A., C.A., and A.A.). I decided to start living in thefast lane, the drinking of alcohol, that lead to reefer (marijuana), which lead to the sniffing of cocaine, which lead to the crack pipe, the needle, or whatever it took to get high to forget the past and how God had taken away my loved ones.

Twenty-three years of living that kind of life, in and out of jail, not advancing in life, people not wanting me around and not trusting me, hurt me a lot, not knowing that it was not the drugs hurting me, it was me hurting me and destroying myself. If I hadn’t picked up those habits, Iwould never have been this way.

Finally, I got sick and tired of being sick and tired. I gave in and said,”Carl, you have a problem,” and I did not want to be like that anymore. Iwanted help.

I was re-baptized at a church in New Orleans. That’s when God startedworking on me.

I entered a treatment center in Atlanta, Ga.. for four months. There I reallystarted seeking God and praying for my life to change so I could become how God wanted me to be and not how I wanted to be.

In the treatment center, I started a 25-member choir and named them, “Voices of Recovery.” We performed at several other treatment centersand halfway houses, sharing our experiences, strength, and hope, along with songs of praise.

After finishing the program, the choir was down to only four members that carried the message throughout Georgia and South Carolina.

Now God has really put me to the test. I met a very nice young lady thatGod has brought into my life. We got together and prayed about ourrelationship. We are now married and have been for three months. (Thismakes me smile.) Now I’m not living in sin. In order to do God’s will, youmust do it at it’s fullest. God has opened a lot of doors for my wife andme.

So, I am saying this to let you know that I am a living witness that there is a life after drugs and hope after dope. I now get high on life and wouldnot trade this life for anything in this world.

People, young and old, wake up, please! This stuff is killing us. You don’thave to believe me. Just pick up your newspaper or turn on your TV. It’sstaring at you everyday. It’s tearing us apart.Moses could not have parted the Red Sea without God’s help and power. Byadmitting that we have a problem with drugs and alcohol, in prayer, God can help us part from any drug addiction.

A truly blessed recovering addict, Carl Porter

Harold Keller is a regular columnist for L’Observateur.

Copyright © 1998, Wick Communications, Inc.

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