Overwhelmed

I am incredibly overwhelmed by the responses I am getting to the blog. You are sharing your stories with me in emails, comments on the blog and through Facebook and I am just in awe. You never know when you put yourself out there what kind of reactions you will get. It was definitely a leap of faith. Sometimes people don’t respond at all. They don’t know what to say because they had no idea of what has happened in my life or are in shock over you deciding to pull the curtain back and getting real. Yes, it exposes you. But I am confident now that there are enough people that this has resonated with to continue. You won’t win over everyone. Not everyone will understand why you are doing what you are doing. But I am content in not knowing the outcome right now. I know some of you are wondering if my husband approves of what I am doing. The good news is that he more than approves of it…he also would like to write on the blog to give his perspective which I am excited about. It will be awesome I promise! He is an incredibly talented writer. For instance, he occasionally likes to write letters to companies when he is unsatisfied with service etc…and I always get to read them before he sends them. The fact that they always make me cry is both disturbing and inspiring. How can a letter to Health Care Provider make me cry? Well, it’s a gift I guess or maybe I just read it when I was 5 months pregnant and experiencing an extreme hormone surge. Both true.

I just want to take a minute to suggest (more like URGE) that if your are going through this, whether as a family or spouse, please seek professional counseling whether through a church or recovery center recommendation. It’s also really important to get your hands on as much education as possible. There are a few books out there that I really found resourceful: Co-dependent No More by Melody Beattie, Addiction and Grace by Gerald G. May and one that my husband really recommends is Freedom From Addiction by Neil T. Anderson (who has several follow up books that are also wonderfully honest and insightful).

I am obviously not a doctor or counselor but I have read all of these books, had lots of counseling, and been through enough in the last 6 years to know a thing or two. I just try to write from my own perspective and hope that people will see it has helpful. I have a few topics I am looking forward to addressing in future blogs but also welcome any feedback from folks who want to hear about specific concerns or topics that are relevant to them and their circumstance. I will give it my best shot.

Francis Chan said: “Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter”. I am praying that this blog will matter…and if that’s just one person then that’s good enough for me.