In high school I did not drink or use drugs, and I swore to myself I would never drink and drive. In college I drank, occasionally smoked marijuana, and on one particular occasion drove drunk. Alcohol took hold of my life and led me to many low points and many close calls. I would drink three to four nights a week. I had no self-control, in fact most nights I would drink until there was nothing left or until I would pass out. One of the worst nights, I got extremely drunk, grabbed a bag of marijuana and drove to a friend's house. I smoked the weed there, and walked out of the house. I saw a friend and handed him my keys. I guess I assumed he was sober, but he was drunk and high as well. Driving home, we crashed into a turn-around. I wasn't wearing a seatbelt and so my head slammed into the dash. Miraculously, I didn't have a cut or bump or anything; but it did sober me up. I realized the situation – my friend and I were extremely intoxicated with both alcohol and marijuana, we just crashed into a turn-around, and we had a bag of weed in the car. I immediately started praying. I prayed for mercy, for forgiveness, and that God would get me home safely without getting arrested. I switched seats and drove all the way home down a busy road, going 10mph, with a bent rim on the front left tire. God got me home safely without getting pulled over. That night I opened my bible, and here is the exact verse I opened to:
"Even now," declares the LORD, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning." Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. Who knows? He may turn and have pity and leave behind a blessing…" (Joel 2:12-14).
I returned to God, but not for long. With no foundation, I ended up struggling with drunkenness over and over again.
There is another night that led me back to Jesus. We had a party at my house and like most nights, I got completely out-of-control drunk. My friends brought me to my room, and there I sat listening to music and reflecting. I was disappointed with the life I was living, and recognized the danger in the lifestyle. As I sat alone in my room, the song "Daniel" by Elton John started to play. It is the song that played at my cousin Danny's funeral. Danny struggled with alcohol and drugs to a much more dangerous extent. He tried to free himself from the addictions, but they ultimately led to his death. When the song started to play, I felt so shameful. I was hurting my family. I must have cried for two hours. My roommates tried to console me, but nothing could change the thought that I was letting Danny down.
Once again, I quit drinking for a while, but I was surrounding myself with the same crowd, and "bad company corrupts good character."
In the summer of 2007, I spent a good amount of time away from my friends. I spent time in prayer and reading the bible. As the summer progressed, I felt God calling me to California. Within a month, I arranged to stay with my brother in Fallbrook, CA, got accepted into a junior college there, and made arrangements to try out for the baseball team. You see, I thought God was calling me there so that I could play baseball and be successful, but He had other plans. Looking back, it is clear to understand the reason He led me to California. God pulled me aside from everyone and everything that was keeping me in sin, so He could clearly speak to me. I attended church with my brother and his family. The church we attended was a Spirit-filled church. In fact, there were times where the Spirit was moving so strongly that I could not help but confess sins before I continued to worship God. One service, the pastor stopped in the middle of his sermon. He said, "There is something that needs to be heard". Moments later, someone to the left started speaking in tongues, and then another person to my right started translating. The message cut right to my heart, and I knew God was telling me that I must quit drinking. Among other things said, was "Do not go back down that path, for the road is dangerous." That day I put in a prayer request, for people to pray that I would be able to quit.
