Not all heroes wear capes!
And just like that, it’s been five years since I had a sip of beer. A drop of alcohol. A shot of dope. I never thought I’d be able to say that. I never thought I’d be able to live a sober life. But I also knew I wasn’t going to keep getting trashed. I just thought I was going to die. And to be honest, a little over five years ago, I WANTED to die. I tried more than once. I prayed to God repeatedly, begging him to kill me. To just end my suffering. To stop me. Because I couldn’t stop myself. On October 4th of 2019, I finally surrendered myself to a program of recovery. And that was all it took. I embraced 12 step work as if my life depended on it, because it quite literally did. The tragic part was that I didn’t have to suffer like I did. That solution was there waiting for me the entire time - I just wasn’t willing to actually work it. Recovery has given me the life you see me leading today. It gave me my family back, my businesses back, my self esteem and sense of worth back. Recovery has pushed me far outside my comfort zone, because I came to realize that without PURPOSE, I would never be able to maintain my sobriety. And in my 12th step, I found that purpose. Service to my fellow man or woman. Loving my neighbor. Meeting needs. Standing in the gap for those still sick and suffering. Every single thing you see me do - no matter how altruistic it seems and no matter how philanthropic it is - I do because it’s what I HAVE to do to stay sober that day. I’m a junkie, I may have put down the crack, but I kept the crackhead energy - and today I pour that into committing good deeds in bad places. The greatest part of the entire journey has nothing to do with the material gain, and EVERYTHING to do with human connection. It’s the relationships and the people that this journey has put into my life…including YOU. Every single person that has come alongside us, shared our content, prayed for us, spread the word, donated to the cause - you’re just as important as those who get in the trenches and bleed with us. I couldn’t have done this without YOU. My challenge to anyone - addict or alcoholic or not - is to go pour yourself into something greater than you. Do things for somebody who can never ever repay you. BE good in a world obsessed with FEELING good. Be light in dark places. You’ll become the greatest version of yourself and quite possibly discover why our Creator put you on this earth. Guys - I’m just a drunk from South Memphis - in five years I’ve helped save lives on five continents, provided aid and security to thousands, stood up missions that are making measurable dents in veteran homelessness, human and narco trafficking, and the fentanyl epidemic, responded to multiple natural disasters and more. If a junkie like me can do it, imagine what YOU could do. The worst thing that will happen is you’ll live a life worth remembering…and the best thing? Well…we might just change the world together!