Care for a "Refreshment" anyone?

I'm scared. Scared that my message will get lost. I've shared a lot of who I am, where I've come from and what I've done. And I have a lot more to share. But I don't want the ultimate message to get lost. So here is the "refresher": The message is that I'm a recovering sex addict who's a new creation in Christ. He is helping me and it needs to get talked about. I feel this is the message he has given me to spread. That with him all things are possible. After many prayerful nights, I firmly believe that God is using my life for His purpose through not just this blog, but through reaching out to others who are suffering from sex addiction. I am a recovering sex addict with an active addiction of over 31 years.

God kept talking to me as my 2nd marriage collapsed and my life in general collapsed around me. I refused to listen and just did not want to do what he was calling me to do. His calling to me was to help others with this addiction to sex. After my life before me disappeared, due to my own choices, I finally decided to start a Sex Addicts Anonymous group. I set out and tried to find a meeting place. Guess what happened then? C'mon, guess? Yes! I was stereotyped "the dirty bookshop child molester". I ran into resistance with Churches, community organizations, as well as insurance companies when trying to get a Liability certificate to hold a meeting. Even the public library didn't want us to be in their building (which is ironic- they didn't want a group for those seeking recovery from this illness, however, they will allow ANYONE to visit ANY website, including illegal porn sites. But they were more worried about having a group seeking recovery. Funny). Fools, don't they know they were dealing with the God of the universe. When He has a purpose in mind, God is unstoppable by Liability certificates and stereotypes; His Will Be Done. This was and is, His group. Finally, one person said "we (the community) need this" and provided me space. To that man I say, "thank you".

Yes, we do need an open forum for this disease, whether be in person or on the Internet like this. This addiction needs to be talked about openly. It sits in offices, living rooms, bedrooms, computers, motel rooms all around the world, slowly and effectively destroying souls. There is an elephant in the room. And it needs to be named for what it is; sexual addiction. It is present and needs talked about. That is why I am doing this. I am trying to encourage others to have the courage to get better.

The national average, just among christian men alone, is about 1 in 3 suffer from some sort of sexual addiction and 1 out of 5 christian women suffer from the same. That is just the Christian community. Agnostics, Catholics, Jews, Buddhists, Scientologists, Atheists, and those with any other religious affiliation suffer from this disease. We need to have an open dialogue on this.

I have revealed extra marital affairs, masturbation, porn shops, strip clubs, prostitutes, same sex sex, and Internet addiction as all being a problem. For years, I believed there was no hope. Others I have met express the same hopelessness. But hope is here now in a God that loves and forgives us. Hope is here in a living God that is forever faithful even when we are not. Seek out Hope, seek His mercy, His love and His forgiveness. Together, we can claim healing and victory over this devastating disease.

It is my hope to spread the word of Jesus Christ and give him the credit and the glory for all that comes out of this. He has given me the gift of a second chance to do my marriage right, and with his words, hopefully inspire recovery in others So to the Lord Jesus I say, "Jesus thank you for providing me with the opportunity to speak about this and an opportunity to find hope and healing in this journey of recovery. I pray others will find you and hope in your grace to heal their wounds from the destruction of this disease, having the courage to begin their own journey of recovery."

I have been there, to the dangerous levels this disease can take you to and obviously came out alive and able to tell the tale. This is why I write this. I pray for you to get better, truly better. Jesus loves us and wishes nothing but the best for us. And as he said in In Matthew 9:37-38 "It is not the healthy that need doctors, but the sick. But go and learn what this means. I desire Mercy not sacrifice. For I have come to call the sinners not the righteous." He will be there for you in the night or wherever you are at. Remember help is a prayer away.