The Past Year in Review

My home for the past year

No, this isn't a late new year post. This is what's been going on over the past 12 months. Some of you remember, I posted about my journey at the Atlanta City Baptist Rescue Mission. Well this stubborn mule didn't learn enough. So I ended up in Georgia Works. The building was  a former youth jail. Yes I slept in a former jail cell. The establishment is primarily for those with drug and alcohol addictions, though I had none of these issues. I did however have plenty of other issues. My own pride and arrogance got in the way and it took some seriously strict rules to pound that out of me. The idea I was not in control was far more of a problem than I ever wanted to admit. So I had to follow a program that had night time curfews, regular drug tests, mandatory meetings and staff that were well known for being unwilling and incapable of listening. It was either their way or I'd get put out and end up sleeping on the concrete.  I went through several jobs there, unable to maintain a single one for long. I had to be broken. I came within an inch of being put out before I decided my way was not the best. In a further smack down, I got a job at the Airport. So every day, this Constitutionalist has to go through security (though different from the TSA), get wanded, and submit to that before I can clock in and do my job. With a manager who is the wife of a military man who you do not even blink the wrong way if I knew what was good for me.

A typical dinner after work

daily lunch sacks

Look at that. I grew up eating well, having a good life, I was even the son of a pastor. And I ended up living on sack lunches and simple, basic dinners. What went wrong? I did. Pride and arrogance which is nothing short of the mind of Satan, stole years from me because I let it. He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. (Proverbs 28:13). I certainly did not prosper. I spent four years going from place to place, from shelter to shelter, running from myself. Or trying to. Did I succeed? Of course not. Had I done so, it would have meant the Word of God was inaccurate. We used to have a flyer we'd pass out in church, with the heading 'Thy Word is Truth'. And true it is. I had ignored my very purpose for existing. To Honor and glorify God. Not myself. In order to combat that, I had to be put in a bad situation. Most residents of Georgia Works had criminal records, many were felons. The kind of people we see on TV and shake our heads and behave like we're grateful we don't have to associate with them.

So, I moved out of Georgia Works yesterday (1/8/19). I actually miss those sack lunches. I miss the simple things provided. When I moved, I had to buy everything I needed - like normal people do. It's actually strange. I'm not used to this. I'm not used to living like a normal, civilised American. But I must. I must take personal responsibility for my actions, my past and ensure by the help of the Holy Spirit that I continue to recover from years of utter folly and stupidity.

I'll end with this. Don't be dumb. Don't be like me. Don't run away from obedience to God. He'll judge you as He judged me and I don't want anybody to go through all that.