Joe’s family set a boundary get into recovery or don’t bother coming to Christmas.
Joe’s struggle with alcoholism began at a young age. Drinking and partying as a teen was the norm in the neighborhood north of Seattle where he grew up. “All through college, I drank everything. By the time I was 21, I was no longer into heavy drinking, but drugs crept it. I got married at 27 and had a pretty good life. . .” says Joe.
But before long, the cycle of addiction crept in. It tore apart his marriage, leading to a divorce — and pushing Joe toward alcoholism even more. “I turned to alcohol and drugs and ruined my life, lost everything, the house and marriage,” he remembers.
Trapped in addiction
Joe knew he needed help. He’d attempted different recovery programs. “I’ve tried AA, Celebrate Recovery, all the 12-step groups,” says Joe. He would get sober for a time — only to find himself going back to the bottle again and again when the heaviness of life’s problems overwhelmed him.
“I just left and wandered away from everybody who loved me,” Joe explains about his relapse. “I was all on my own. It was a scary feeling.” Joe was ashamed and isolated — trapped in the cycle of addiction and living without hope.
Alone at Christmas
That’s when Joe’s alcoholism spun out of control — and his family set a boundary: get into recovery or don’t bother coming to Christmas.
“It was heart-wrenching not being part of Christmas. I love my family. That was enough for me. I was like ‘Okay, I’m done. I need to change,’” Joe declared.
Joe turned to the Men’s Recovery Program at the Mission — the only place left where he had any hope of finding the lasting change he was looking for. “Coming into the Mission, to me, I know it was holy ground. The minute I walked in, I just felt this sigh of relief,” he says.
His last hope
For the first time in his life, Joe felt peace. He knew he was exactly where he needed to be. He could stop running. He could breathe. He could take the time he needed to find the roots of his addiction, learn tools to identify his emotions, and turn to healthier ways of dealing with his anger and anxiety.
“Now leaving here, I feel like I can be a better family member, a better brother, a better son, a better worker.” Joe experienced restoration and healing in his relationships with God and his family. And this year, he looks forward to celebrating Christmas with the loved ones in his life.
“I’m going to stay the course”
Most of all, Joe knows God’s called him to be an instrument of hope: “I am a piano player, a musician, and I didn’t realize that it’s a gift from God to be used to worship. My plan is to start a music ministry to help young people.”
Joe’s confident that in spite of the pain of his past, God’s writing a beautiful song with the story of his life. “I’m going to stay the course so I can continue on this journey and give back,” Joe promises, “Give back to the Mission what they’ve done for me. What God’s done through me.”
