Summer of ‘86 was over but I had gotten a taste of Chicago’s clubs. I had just turned 17 and everything was so new, House Music was at its best, Techno was rare and right around the corner from going mainstream and there was more cocaine on the streets than ever before. It was SO easy to get an ounce or 2, break it up and sell it, meanwhile, snorting an abundance of it as well. How can I go back to school after a summer filled of partying? I craved more. I desired the nightlife, how boring to go back to school and do homework. So I decided that I wasn’t going to allow school to get in my way of what I wanted to do. The selfish pattern of an addict was beginning. Addicts use terms like “me,” “I,” and “myself.” There is no “us” or “we.” It’s all about satisfying the overwhelming appetite of selfishness and they will satisfy it with whatever it takes. At this point I had gone, in a very short time (2 years) from experimenting and occasionally using to abusing cocaine. I was only a 17 year old boy and I was abusing cocaine as if I was a thirty year veteran. Nevertheless that is the lie that drugs present themselves. You see, satan is very clever. He presents drugs to our youth in a time where their brains are still developing and while they are naive and delicate. He uses their insecurities, their pain, and their suffering against them by presenting a false solution to all their hurts. The still voice in their ears saying, “see, I told you! How good does THAT feel?” Then one may ask, “Where is God through this?” You see, He is right there, addicts also hear that still voice saying, “I love you, please don’t do this, you have a choice to make. You do not need drugs to fill that void, all you need is Me, I’m right here.” I heard that still voice saying, “no, don’t try drugs” but I chose to try anyway due to my insecurities and false ideas.
Senior year was a year filled with one thought, cocaine! I met so many people. I hung out with so many diverse groups of students. I was voted Valentines King that year and at the end of the year I was voted Best Looking. I couldn’t believe it because I remember skipping out of all my classes for a very long time that a letter came home stating I have missed 72 straight days of school! So how can I be so popular with all the students? I was NEVER THERE! But wait! Oh yes, I hung out with different groups of students after school into the evening just partying from house to house. In my immature state of mind I thought I was having such a good time with all the attention I was getting! I was numb to the damage I was doing to myself and to my family though, in the moment I was making so much money between actually working a part time job and selling cocaine. But it was never enough, I was always broke man! I remember a friend saying to me one night after being dropped off at home, “George the nights over man, its 3am! If you’re going home to snort more stuff then you have a problem.” That stuck in my head for the next 13 years. How am I going to graduate High School I thought? I’m never there. I could care less back then.
Our LIFEiLEAD™ Support Groups are volunteer-driven and the group leaders are committed to working with the group members to help guide them along the path of recovery. Many of our group leaders have been through addiction and recovery themselves, and all of them have been through our training and development program. Our goal is to plant multiple LIFEiLEAD™ Support Group Programs in communities, churches, transitional homes, and prisons for those struggling with drugs and alcohol.
While our groups are free for those who attend, there are upfront and ongoing costs to provide the necessary training and materials to effectively plant, lead, and sustain the LSG Programs. Not every location where we plant our program has the finances to fully cover the cost of our Program.
Please consider partnering with us with a monthly or one-time donation for 2015 to help reach our goal of $25,000. Your generous donations will go towards helping communities, churches, transitional homes, and prisons in need of the
LIFEiLEAD™ Support Group Program. This effort to generate support for the LIFEiLEAD™ program will allow us to continue to provide help to individuals and families
With your help, we can continue to play a significant role to ensure the continuation and success of these vital services.
LIFEiLEAD
PO Box 633
Warrington Pa 18976-0633
LIFE@riversideconnect.com
1-877-269-9590