Fear No More <http://www.guideposts.com/story/mysterious-ways-fear-no-more>http://www.guideposts.com/story/mysterious-ways-fear-no-more Would my husband ever be able to stop drinking? By Mary L. January, 2005 I sat at home, numb and devastated. I’d just told my husband to leave. I loved him, but I couldn’t take his drinking anymore. All the broken promises and bitter words. All the failed attempts at change. I’d done everything I thought was within my power to help him. I’d even attended Al-Anon, a 12-step support group for family and friends of alcoholics. But after 20 years, his drinking had finally destroyed our marriage. While he was packing his things, I had to get out of the house. A woman I’d met in Al-Anon, who’d reached out to me as a sponsor, lived only a short walk away. I set off down the street, my hands buried in my coat pockets, my gaze fixed on the pavement. To my relief she was home. She poured me a cup of tea and listened to the all-too-familiar details. Then she said, “I was thinking of you when I was reading my Bible this morning. One passage in particular spoke to me. I don’t know why but it seemed meant for you.” “What was it?” I asked. She opened her Bible and turned to chapter three, verse 14 of Zephaniah, a book in the Old Testament that I hardly knew. Together we read: “Shout for joy, O daughter of Zion! … The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you will fear disaster no more.” Shout for joy? I wondered. When my heart is broken? The following months were the hardest of my life. I went to Al-Anon meetings and spent time with my friend. I heard that my husband was going to AA. He got in touch with me and convinced me that he was dealing with his problem. He’d taken his last drink. The night he moved back home, I prayed for reassurance, some sign that this was a true new beginning, not one more false step. The next day we went to church. We sat together, our hands barely touching. Then the reading was announced, an obscure passage I’d seen only months before. Now I listened in wonder to the words: “Shout for joy, O daughter of Zion! … You will fear no more.” That verse had been my promise. I didn’t have to fear. And in the years since, my husband has never taken another drink. <*}}}>< <http://www.holypostage.com/>Custom Faith-based U.S. Postage <*}}}>< + <*}}}>< <http://astore.amazon.com/halthekin-20>Catholic on Amazon <*}}}>< <*}}}>< <http://www.halfthekingdom.org/on+allposters+today.html>on AllPosters today <*}}}>< + <*}}}>< <http://www.holypostage.com/>Holy Postage <*}}}>< <*}}}><<http://www.halfthekingdom.org/>Half the <http://www.halfthekingdom.org/>Kingdom!<*}}}>< + "A person is a person, no matter how small." Dr. Seuss <*}}}>< <http://www.holypostage.com/>Custom Faith-based U.S. Postage <*}}}>< + <*}}}>< <http://astore.amazon.com/halthekin-20>Catholic on Amazon <*}}}>< <*}}}>< <http://www.halfthekingdom.org/on+allposters+today.html>on AllPosters today <*}}}>< + <*}}}>< <http://www.holypostage.com/>Holy Postage <*}}}>< <*}}}><<http://www.halfthekingdom.org/>Half the <http://www.halfthekingdom.org/>Kingdom!<*}}}>< + "A person is a person, no matter how small." Dr. Seuss --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Please note that I do not send or open attachments sent to this list. You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Catholics on Fire" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Catholics-on-Fire May the blessing of Jesus and our Blessed Mother be with you -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
