God has "called [us] out of darkness into His marvelous light" (1 Peter 2:9) that we may be "children of light" (Eph. 5:8).
Today, I am certain that you will all be blessed with our guest post today. It is an incredible story of God's love and His mighty power working to save us. When I first read this (for editing), I cried a million tears as I personally know Tudor. But I never thought he went through this as he was growing up. He admits he made bad choices--- really bad choices--- that set him out on a life of drug hell. Now, I am praising God with him for what He did, showing us that He is able to save. Oh, how He loves each of us so much. And He aches to bring us home with Him, despite of our brokenness. For He alone can forgive sins and can heal broken lives. I'm not going to say more. Let Tudor tell you of what God did.
By the way, this is the second part. If you haven't read the first part, please click over here From Drug Hell into God's Hands (Part 1). Be blessed!
More Bad Choices
Sometimes I would stay with my friends for a week. That was when my parents noticed my grades and the subjects that I failed. They started asking me about my whereabouts, who my friends were and why, almost every time, there is a different car that would pick me up and bring me home.
By then, my friends and I were drinking and using drugs everyday. The quantity of drugs I used kept increasing as time went on, until I totally stopped attending school. I would directly go to the place of my friend, whose father heads a drug syndicate, and I helped them pack some drugs.
Some time later, my friend and I decided that it would be best if we had our own business, so we moved to a place of our own. We had it for almost three months when a group of NBI agents raided our place.
It was strange because those guys just went straight to the packing room took my friends who were inside the room, handcuffed them, but just looked at us who were not in that room. Later, they told us that if we will continue the business they will for certain come back.
I found out the following day that it was another friend who demanded for a raid. I decided not to go back again.
Trying But Weak
Sometime after, a friend overdosed and was sick. His parents placed him in a private rehabilitation center. Some of my friends also stopped school and was sent to a rehab center. I continued using drugs until my father also decided to place me in a rehab center. I was cooperative as I was tired of all that I was doing and wanted to stop.
We went to a rehab with my father’s best friend who is a pastor. The pastor was against the plan. On the way to the center, he kept convincing my father to just let me stay home.
We got to the center. My father saw the situation of the other occupants and he cried. He could not leave me there. So we head back home, planning to do a self-rehabilitation.
There was a daily schedule for me: exercise, bible reading and helping out in our family business to keep me busy. But I was never allowed to get out of the compound. I cooperated, but almost every night I got chills and experienced intense headache.
My body was looking for drugs.
I did all I could to get out and have drugs again, which I managed to do. I stayed with a friend for almost a week, but another friend told me to go home or he would call my parents. I did not listen to him, so he called my father and he came with his friend, who is a retired policeman.
My father almost cried when he saw me. I was moved and felt so sorry for what I did to him. I went home with him, but a few days later, against my desire to change, I ran again to another place. But every time I wiuld go home, my parents welcomed me but were just quiet. They would always prepare food and set it before me to eat. It would always break my heart. I wanted to stop but I couldn’t.
Hopeless
Suddenly, I got scared. I ran to my grandfather’s house, which was just near ours, and told him what I did. He asked my cousin to call my mother.
Unbeknownst to us, my mother already knew what happened because she saw the bottles on my bed. She came and called my father and my other cousin, who is a nurse, on what to do. They got me to drink a glass of water with salt. Then, they rushed me to the hospital.
I was very weak and could not do anything but close my eyes. My uncle was driving. My aunt and mom were with me and they kept talking to me, all the time telling me not to sleep. With my eyes closed, I kept saying silently, “I am sorry, Lord. I am sorry.”
The next thing I knew, I was lying in the emergency room with a tube in my mouth. And the next time I woke up, I was in a regular hospital room already. I was confined for two days. When I got home, they let me rest. But a week after, I was craving to go out. And I did. I was back to my old ways again.
One Good Choice
Then one day, my sister asked me if I wanted to join a missionary program. I told her that I don’t know anything about missionary work. I mean, I don’t even read the Bible and go about my days without praying. But she convinced me. When I finally said "Yes", she and my mother cried.
We immediately flew to 1000MM campus. It's a training program for young people who are willing to be missionaries. Most of the time, young people come with flighty attitude, not really knowing what they're getting themselves into. But as time passes, they gain discipline, new habits, new friendships and the best part, a closer relationship with God.
I was late for the training for a week, but they still accepted me.
At first, I got culture shock with all the activities that we had to do there. We woke up at 3:30 am for personal meditation and at 4:00, we jog. Then, we had devotional. After that, we had a morning class and an afternoon class. Right afterwards, we do some manual work. Then, we had our evening devotional before we go to sleep.
I began to enjoy our routine. I became close with one of the trainees, who was a former drug addict, and others who had different struggles in life. I finished the three months training and when it was time to make our commitment to the Lord and His work, I had the most emotional moment of my life.
We were in the Prayer Garden for the ceremony. Right there, I remembered the life I lived before I joined the missionary training. I cried so hard. I couldn't help the joy that overflowed inside me. I was glad that I made one good choice over the many bad choices I have made! I vowed to serve the One who saved me. I will serve Him for the rest of my life. God has brought hope and meaning to my life again, when I thought I might as well be dead.
I was dispatched to a mission field in the province of Mindanao, Philippines. The area was on a mountain. There, I learned many things. And that was where I read the book Steps to Christ by Ellen White. I had a wonderful time in my mission field and I finished my term successfully with God's help.
When it was time for us to go back to our “normal” lives, I asked my partner to go ahead of me. I stayed on the mountain alone for a week with my God--- thanking and praising Him for what He has done. I am not the same, but I was partly scared of what would happen to me after all this.
I asked God that if ever I would be tempted again to use drugs, that He would allow me to meet an accident before I reach down the mountain. I don't ever want to be dependent on anything again. I am totally dependent on Him. I prayed and vowed that I would dedicate my life as a missionary, no matter what. I would want to die in a mission field, serving my Master forever.
Be merciful to those who doubt;
save others by snatching them from the fire;
to others show mercy,
mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.
To him who is able to keep you from stumbling
and to present you before his glorious presence
without fault and with great joy—
To the only God our Savior
be glory, majesty, power and authority,
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
before all ages, now and forevermore!
Amen.
(Jude 1:22~25)
Tudor hails from Cebu City, Philippines. He is currently working with God in a Christian publishing and support ministry, where he, together with a team, actively organizes Youth Revival and other Spiritual events to bring the Bible truth to people and for them to know God personally and His saving power.
You may also like to read...
No comments:
Post a Comment