Praise the Lord!

In high school my best friend was one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. We both loved singing and started a little singing group in school. During high school I also started a relationship with a girl and we dated for almost 5 years.

I started night-clubbing, partying and drinking. I did anything that I could to enjoy myself. I had a well-paying job and I was pretty healthy. I had a car and most of my money went towards partying and drinking. I had also moved out of home and was having fun and seeking my own happiness.

However, all the drunk nights slowly caught up with me. I ended up hurting my best friend and girlfriend and I couldn’t face them again. I got very sick and lost my job and my car and I was over $14,000 in debt. My health was failing and I started to get cluster headaches. I remember at my lowest point, I let go and said a small prayer: “God, I can’t do this by myself anymore. Please help me.” I didn’t know it then, but he was waiting for me to open the door to Him. That same day there was a knock at the door- my parents came to take me home and help me out of the mess I had created. To this day I know that was a miracle.

I healed physically and spiritually. My debt was paid, I was given another car and God gave me things to keep me busy. He took care of my every need.

One day I went to pick my parents up from the CRL prayer service and a young guy asked me if I wanted to help with an upcoming Christmas Choir event that they were doing called “When Love Was Born”. I loved to sing and agreed to join. God knew my heart and exactly how to draw me into a journey with Him. As I started attending the prayer services,

I found that praise and worship, which I had previously thought was unnecessary and crazy, was actually such a freeing experience. I could forget about what the world thought and just praise and thank God for all He was and all He had done for me.

A few years later I met my wife through this experience. Today, we have a beautiful son and our life is at a place that we never could have reached on our own.
In hindsight I can see that God has been so faithful. The world drove me to lean on my strength and find happiness, but the bible tells a different story.

St. Paul says in 2 Corinthians, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Truly His grace is all that I need because in my own human weakness, God’s strength is the most evident.

Today my happiness is truly Him and not the world. He fills my heart with His peace, joy and love.