With 20 years of addiction, D.U.I’s, and incarceration, find out how one man found freedom from the bondage of addiction.
I was raised in a middle class family in Oaks, PA with an older brother and sister. My mother was raised in a Mennonite family on a farm in Spring City. My father was raised on a farm like setting in McCoysville, PA. My mother was raised in a God-fearing family. My father was not.
We would go to church every Sunday at Green Tree Church of the Brethren. My father worked as a supervisor at the Norristown State Hospital laundry facility. My mother was a home maker most of her life, taking care small jobs here and there. My parents raised me with good intention, good morals, good work ethics, and a respect for elders. I know they loved me and my siblings, but they weren’t very verbal about it. But I know they loved us. There was no abuse but we did get punished for doing wrong. All in all a pretty normal upbringing.
My addictions probably started around 15-16 years old. I started smoking pot. I would go out with my brother and his friends because I could not drive yet. I would get high with them many times. I thought I was pretty cool, hanging out with older guys and partying with them.
When I started driving I did not need him any more because I had my own way around. I had a car, insurance, a good job, and money. What more could a teenager need? I would drive my buddies to school every day and we would get high just about every time. I did not drink hardly anything until I turned 21.
When I turned 21, I took to drinking like a fish to water. I guess it came naturally to me because my father drank also, a shot and beer man. He drank pretty much every day- after work, at the firehouse on Saturday. He would take me or one of my siblings with him to work on Saturday and then take us in to the bars with him during lunch or afterward on the way home. So I guess I could say I knew my way around the bar by the time I could go on my own. Along with drinking I used cocaine, some speed, and prescription pills.
Through my 20 years of drinking I have gotten into a lot of trouble. Multiple D.U.I. ‘s landed me into incarceration for 18 months total. The last time I went to prison is when I realized that I was on a path to destruction. I turned 40 years old in prison and it was not a happy birthday.
Finding Hope
While I was in prison I was able to come home on the weekends on furlough. Since I realized I was on the destructive path I decided to go back to church. So each Sunday I was home on furlough, I went to church. Praise the Lord my mother had been going to Valley Forge Baptist. Little did I know this was all in God’s plan to bring me to know Him.
Something was different about Valley Forge Baptist. The pastor preached right from the Bible and for the first time I was captivated by the Word of God. It seemed like every sermon was about me and my life, even though I was a stranger to the church and pastors. Ever week I came my heart became softer and softer.
Getting saved was the most important decision in my life hands down! Through my years, I have made some very bad decisions, but to come forward during the invitation prayer was the best decision I had every made. Before, during each sermon my heart would soften. When the invitation prayer would be prayed, I would sit there with tears in my eyes, knowing what I needed to do but Satan would just keep me from simply raising my hand letting the pastor know I needed to pray that prayer. This went on for a few weeks, and then I finally raised my hand and prayed with Pastor Wendal. I went forward in front of the church and proclaimed my faith in and love for my Savior Jesus Christ.
I am happy to say, praise the Lord, I have been sober for three years. Part of my sobriety has to do with my probation. I am on probation until 2011, if I violate it, I could go to state prison for a one to five year sentence. But I have faith that Jesus Christ will help me from those demon days.
Christ’s impact on my life was to make me realize the real truth about life and how He wants me to live the life He has given me. When I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior it not only answered my mother’s prayer of over 20 years, but it gave me a promise of eternal life with Him. Just knowing that, has a great impact on the way I want to live my life from now on.
Since coming to VFBT, I have grown a lot. From the first day of not knowing a soul, until today, knowing and fellowshipping with many of the church family, I have gotten involved with some ministries of the church and I try to help out wherever I can. Getting involved with this church is like getting adopted into another loving family. Praise the Lord for Valley Forge Baptist!
The church has a program called Reformers Unanimous. This program has helped me grow and is giving me some tools for staying sober. The fellowship is also awesome. I have gotten close with a few of the ones attending and I am finding myself developing some very close and intimate relationships. This is essential to me because I want to go back to the old friends I used to party with in my days before coming to Christ. In all RU means a new start and a lasting source of sobriety.
There are so many things to praise God for but I suppose if I had to pick one I would praise God for His longsuffering. Thank You, Lord, for being so patient with me. There so many times that I could have died or been killed. But the Lord had patience and waited for me. Thank You Lord!!
Humbly In Christ,
Glenn Parson
Glenn volunteers on Sunday mornings as a parking lot attendant. He has been a faithful member of RU since the chapter started in January ’08.