At 13 years old I experienced the Holy Spirit. By 14 I was playing music in the bars. The two constants in my life were my praying mother, and the music I would eventually turn into a successful career. I wrote songs for Loretta Lynn's publishing company, and had songs recorded by Pam Tillis, Mark Chestnutt, Loretta, and others. I had the respect of my peers in Nashville and by all outward appearances I had a great life; yet there was always an emptiness, a void I could not fill. Not that I didn't try with booze, drugs and short term relationships . When things would get to bad I always had mom; a short phone call, a few encouraging words, mom's love could always get me through. But then she died my life went into a out of control tailspin that eventually ended to my being incarcerated.

   Once again the Holy Spirit dealt with me, and I began working in the Ministry doing music for an Author/Minister named Steve Box. The first Ministry trip: a conference called Addicts Victorious. I remember what an impression Rev. Jenkins and all the testimonies made on me. A year later, though having worked steadily in the ministry as a musician, but lacking certain truths, I fell again to alcohol. One year of clean living couldn't do battle with 25 years of twisted thinking. I rarely hang on to pamphlets and papers I would get from churches and recovery programs while traveling on the road. But in a heavy state of depression, guilt, and the spirit of suicide on me like a heavy wet blanket, something (the Holy Spirit) prompted me to open the piano bench my mother had given me before her death. There among some music books was the AV pamphlet from a year before.

  With a phone call to Tammy Bevis at AV, soon, with my wife Jamie at my side for support, I found myself in Quincy Illinois attending the 5-Day Biblical Counseling Program. I'm now a man set free, not recovering, but delivered completely from addiction, and more importantly the twisted thinking that led to my addictions. I am now armed with the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so God helped me, through Addicts Victorious. Thank you Jesus.

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