It amazes me what God does in a group of people from all walks of life that come together with a common problem.       
This week, like I’ve done for the past 25+ years, I conducted classes for those convicted of driving while intoxicated. The classes are held on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights, once a month. On the first night they really aren’t excited to be there.  
I open the sessions telling everyone that I’m glad they got caught. Before they have a chance to react, I tell them the reason is that only God could put together a diverse group of people in one room with all different character defects.
I then explain that I will run the meetings in a casual manner, giving everyone a chance to participate. I also ask them not to tell the district attorney or the judges what we do because they may not let me continue.
This week, we had 19 people in the class. They first must stand up and give their names and state why they are there. I briefly tell of my past alcohol abuse and ask questions, such as:
Are you a positive or negative person?  
What do you like most about yourself?  
What would you like to change about yourself?  
If you had a wish, what would it be?  
What’s your greatest fear?  
Do you have any resentments?
One young man said that his greatest fear was getting shot? “Is anyone after you?” I asked. “No, but two of my cousins got shot and were killed,” he answered.  
When asked what they would like to change, one pretty young lady said, “I’m too loyal in my relationships, and most people aren’t, which causes a lot of pain.”  
One man said, “I have prostate cancer, and I wish I could be cured.” We immediately prayed for him to be healed.
When it came to harboring resentments, one middle-aged man said,
“I resent my mother.” You could
feel the hatred he had for her. He then explained that she left them when he was only 3 years old. “I’ll never forget that,” he said, and then added, “When I finally looked her
up and introduced myself, she wanted to know who I was.” Talking about it made him angry. He was
a perfect example that a man’s venom poisons him more than his victim.    
I told him that he had to forgive her, but he interrupted and said, “I can’t.” I then said, “Try to keep in mind that she carried you for nine months and gave you the gift of life when abortion could have been an option. Try to picture her as the godly woman God intended her to be, and last of all, pray for her.”   
At that point, I said, “Let’s pray now for this troubled man and
his mother.” His wife, who didn’t have to be there, drove him to the meetings and sat next to him all three nights. She agreed with my advice.
At the end of the third session, the attitude of everyone had changed. I asked them if they noticed that we didn’t concentrate on alcohol abuse but on much deeper rooted issues that needed to be dealt with.  
    
If you have any questions or comments, please write to Get High on Life, P.O. Drawer U, Reserve, LA 70084, call 985-652-8477, or email hkeller@comcast.net.