Tuesday, March 11, 2008

My Story - Part 11

I am sorry for the extended break. Me and the boys were sick and could not get over it. I am back on track now and ready to finish strong :)

So I am 21 and have surrendered my life to Christ. WOO-HOO!

In the meantime back home my mom is smoking cocaine and her addiction is out of control. She is hiding it from Kenny, which is somewhat easy since he was on the road quite a bit.

I am trying to quit using and though I make it days at a time...my effort is not enough. I had far too much shame to go to church. I started keeping journals with pages and pages of letters to God.

I ended up losing my apartment and my car. I wound up staying with all sorts of random people in Dallas that I met thru stripping and clubbing. I was like a nomad roaming around. I had no permanent residence. I would stay with someone and they would realize how messed up I was and kick me out. I also was taking such poor care of myself. I was going days each week with little food and sleep because of the drugs I was doing. I was now smoking meth. I would get high and talk to people about God. Not the best way to do it, I know :) My spirit was willing but my flesh was EXTREMELY weak.

I remember that Christmas my mom had Kenny try to come find me at some of the strip clubs in Dallas. I would call her when I was high and talk gibberish and she knew I was not doing good. That Christmas she ended up getting ahold of me and I spent the holidays in bed because I was so sick. When I got well I was right back at it.

I got word during that time that Vicky had overdosed. (Vicky is an older lady I do coke with and she would talk to me about God that I mentioned in a previous post.) This really made me realize what games I was playing with God.

The closest thing I had to a christian friend during that time was a girl I danced with who's dad use to be a preacher. I had no fellowship. I just had my bible and my journal. I still was not broken enough. The difference now that I was saved was that there was an extreme conviction. A longing for the things of God and a great sorrow that I was missing the mark by so much.

Kenny found out that my mom was doing drugs and told her to go to rehab or he was divorcing her. She wouldn't go. She stayed with her dealer for awhile and Kenny took Steven to my mammaw's to live. Kenny had nothing to do with Steven for years and years after that. Kenny divorced my mom. My mom finally came to Texas to live. My mom, Steven and me lived together for a short time in Fort Worth. My poor brother. He was 13 and suddenly had his normal life stripped from him and he was living with his strung out mom and sister!

My mom and I did not do well living together. I felt like I was a burden to her. We fought more wildly than ever. She had so much pent up anger. My emotional growth was stunted from all of the drugs. I was flat lined when I was using and all over the place when I wasn't. We clashed in the worst way....

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am so awed by your strength to write all of this out, Shanna!

Love you so much!!

~Sara

Bobbi West said...

I'm so glad to see that you are back! Your story is so glorifying to Him! Kind of makes me want to jot down my own story...but I'm not that brave yet! Thank you for your sweet and scary honesty!

Jenny-K said...

I've missed reading the last few days! I'm glad you're back. And I agree with the previous comment. I know it has taken a lot to write all of this, and I admire you for it. I haven't gotten there yet.

Shellie said...

Shanna,
I am so glad you and the boys are are feeling better and I am glad you are back to your story. I know it is hard re-living all this and I have to thank you. God has used your story in such a way that I will be forever grateful. I'm quite sure I am not alone in feeling this way.
God bless you my friend!

Chick4Christ said...

i'm so glad to read another post!!
love you

Natalie Witcher said...

Glad you are feeling better

Unknown said...

The spirit is willing but the flesh is so weak! I think we can all agree with that in many different areas of our lives. Praise the Lord for the maturity you now have!!!

deleise said...

Whew, glad your back, I was having withdrawals. Do you still have all your journals? I bet that is amazing to look through!

Mimi said...

Your story is such a living testimony to the grace of God. You should have self-destructed many times, but His hand was holding on to you. Job 14:5 tells us that our months are determined by Him and NO man can change that. Thank you for opening up to us the reality of His sovereign grace and abiding love that saved your life. Isa 45:3 is a verse a friend shared with me today about our situation, but I believe it applies to yours, as well. "I will give you treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that I, the LORD, Who call you by your name, AM the God of Israel."

Robin Meadows said...

Glad you're all feeling better.

Time for coffee again soon! Met with Stef this morning--a good time.