Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Welcome to all our visitors and new members. It's so good to meet all of you. Please write or call anytime. 239 . 851 . 2283.....please leave a voicemail and I will call you back. We have members from all over the world that we are helping and they are helping us stay clean and sober and continue to grow spiritually. I have a meeting tomorrow about starting a new recovery group in Lee County, Fort Myers, Fl. I am very excited about it. Lives will be changed, captives will be set free to live the life they have always wanted without alcohol and drugs. As we would say in the 60"s....that is very COOL.

On Saturday morning, I will be speaking at a church at a ladies breakfast. I will bring them a message of hope and also information about our referral and recovery services. The meeting is also sponsored by a Mom who has two sons in Afghanistan. It's another opportunity to do the Lord's work of restoring lives. I know we all want our prayers answered instantly as we are part of the micro-wave generation. But works in His own time and way and we must learn some patience.

IT is like a big puzzle and sometimes God must wait for one piece of the puzzle until He can add the next one. We tried to buy a home for five years and prayed and waited. I think my wife gave up but I continued to pray and believe and continued to encourage my wife. When the economy fell apart, the exact house we wanted became available because of a job transfer, at an unbelievable price.

We are here 3 years now and moved in my daughter and grandsons as they needed to escape a husband who relapsed and is still running crazy. Yes, I will help him if he ever wants help. That is very unlikely. It is a shame as we were pretty good friends for a season.

Today's Inspiration.......When Opportunity Knocks?

When we were drinking and drugging, we never thought of helping others except to party and get high. We liked to buy drinks or hok up friends, because that made us feel like powerful and confident of who we thought we were. But we only used others for our own pleasure. To really go out and try to help somebody who needed help never occurred to us. That was for the do gooders and preachers. We didn't have time or the concern for helping others. We were too busy with our own insanity. When it came to the God stuff, most of us didn't want Him looking over our shoulder to see how we were living or getting money for dope or booze. But when we came into recovery,all of that began to change and we felt great worth in helping others. And we found out that helping others made us happy and also helped us to stay clean and sober. Now that is an extremely cool thing.

Heart and Soul

I will pray only for strength and that God's will be done. I have pictures of family and recovery slogans all around my computer and little workshop to remind me who I was and where I came from. I will use God's unlimited store of strength for my needs. While there is some distatste for the word " Religion," in some circles, there is also some great Spirituality and networking opportunities and resources. My daughter had a church friend give her a car load of food for free with no expectation of return.

Another time, I went to a men's breakfast and was offered a good paying job after months of unemployement. When I got that job, I helped a family buy windows for their mother's home. It had been condemned by the city until we bought and installed the windows. I was paying it forward in my network of friends. Two weeks ago, I gave away a perfectly good recliner chair to a family of 6. I loved that chair and took many good naps there. Now another family can love it and rock their kiddies to sleep in it. I will seek God's will for me. I will pray and meditate, Step 11 for God's presence. Jesus is the light of the world. I have become a pilgrim, a stranger and an alien to this planet, who needs only marching orders and strength and guidance for this day. This world is not my home but just another duty station. I am loOking forward to heaven and rest at the end of my journey. God continues to take me on new adventures and I stay clean and sober and spiritual in the process.

" AND WHEN I GET TO HEAVEN, ST. PETER I WILL TELL, ANOTHER MARINE REPORTING SIR, I HAVE SERVED MY TIME IN HELL."

Prayer

I pray that I may faithfully serve God and others but be wise enough to rest also and spend time loving my family.

Hey, don't forget your welcome packet for joining our group. Just send your full name and mailing address. All info confiential, never any obligation.

my mailing address is:

Chaplain John Petruska

5781 lee blvd. # 208 - 394

Lehigh, Fl. 33971

Please send me any recovery literature you can spare. Big Books, Step Books, Life Recovery Bibles, or recovery magazines.

hugz and luv to all

pj