Craig Graham is an acknowledged recovering alcoholic. Craig represents thousands of people in our respective communities who, by some circumstance, become depressed or just don't know how to say no to peer pressure. Often feeling hopeless, the quick escape choice to kill the "pain" easily morphs into entrapment. Many become hopelessly hooked "closet addicts" not yet desperate enough to seek help. Too often it takes a shocking jolt such as a near death experience, a broken relationship or incarceration to reach the teachable moment of truth and the first step toward recovery---the commitment to change and find the support people and place to do it.

This author has personally learned much from Craig, through his recovery over the past five years, about addicts and addiction along with some of what it takes to be set free from its bondage. Most addicts live in their "closet world" afraid or unwilling to admit they have subtly become slaves to their addiction. Many will tell you, in denial, that they are victims of circumstance not of their making. Others live in their addiction in silent desperation. These addictions take many forms: alcohol, drugs, gambling, smoking, pornography, prescription drugs, eating disorders and illicit sex. They choose the "fix" but not the consequences of their choice.

Hopelessness, emptiness or just plain feeling lost and lonely, whatever the cause, addiction is no respecter of persons whether they be rich or poor, colorful or colorless, male or female, young or old. In the futile attempt to kill the pain, fill the void or find their identity, addicts abuse themselves and others including those that love them most. The price of prevention and intervention is high, but the price of neglect is unquestionably much greater.

You can be sure that there is an at-risk person that needs you in your workplace, club, neighborhood, school or place of worship. When was the last time you can remember being asked by a caring person, "What is the most pressing thing on your mind that preoccupies your thoughts that I can pray with you about?" Yes, it is an uncommon question but one that could save a life, a family and a future. Your question or inquiry could be the turning point. Most addicts will tell you, "who cares enough to ask or inquire." Maybe the greatest risk is not to risk asking.

We must be the change we want to see in our communities if there is to be redemption and restoration. Another question Craig taught me to ask is, "When was your last substance abuse?" Where are the caring people that will ask the tough questions we need to be asked that will help us grow and set us free from our bondage to be all that God made us to be? Those questions should not be limited to addicts, they should be asked of anyone we care about.

After meeting Craig, a hopeless alcoholic of 20 years, at his newly found home of hope, I sent him an email message, "You can be a new creation. You are not your own, you have been bought with a price to free you from your bondage."

Like opening a floodgate, that simple statement prompted Craig to respond with a return email. "I can really relate to that message. After my ex-wife left me over her drug habit 18 years ago, I was in real pain and deeply hurt. I had a nice paying job, a 3 year old son and a 9 month old daughter, a new car and was in the process of purchasing our first home. I lost all that mattered most in my life---my family including my son and a daughter.

I felt totally hopeless and thought I was cheated out of my family. Instead of turning to God, I turned to the bottle. At that time, it seemed like that was the only thing that would cure my pain. Boy, was I wrong! All it did was make things much worse. I lost jobs, friends, and family. I was dying a slow death. An injury caused by my addiction left me permanently partially paralyzed. I was desperate and finally looking for a way out."

Craig found the help he desperately needed in a faith-based clean and sober living home. There he could bathe, eat nutritious meals and have Bible studies 3 times a week and an accepting 24/7 fellowship. For the first time in 20 years he had a caring environment with accountability. He kept sober and liked it. He also recognized his need for a Savior and accepted the Lord into his life as his higher power. It was like a miracle transformation. He had a new outlook and view of God, himself and others---and 20 lost years of catching up to do.

A caring businessman, Dick Guiton, came to his house of hope and helped take Craig to places that always made him feel good. Craig acknowledges that people like himself, with permanent disabilities, don't usually feel good about themselves. Dick was like the "hound of heaven", a curso de milagros  persuader to guide Craig, with much perseverance, to discover that God and people cared about him. He became a part of a weekly discipleship group and learned more about what it means to get to know and love God and others. He learned about why God made him and has a purpose and plan for his life. The friendships, prayers and accountability helped Craig to grow into a new person. He became more involved in helping others and less focused on his own needs.

Craig now has his own place, his own peace and a new found freedom. You will find him most any day as a roving good will Ambassador running all over town in his motorized wheel chair or walker encouraging nearly everyone he encounters.Craig has reconnected with his daughter and son Joe. He is investing time in his four year old grandson, Dylan, to see him grow into a fine young person. His daughter, Heather, now 21, prayed faithfully for her dad during his lost years. Prayer does change things.

Craig completed his Business Administration and Entrepreneur Certificate at a local college. He receives between 3-6 phone calls a week from people he met in his early recovery who still care enough to invest time with him. These volunteer mentors continue to walk with Craig in his brave new world of redemption.

Craig now triumphantly declares, "I now am a free man. Once I was hopelessly filled with spirits (alcohol) and now I am hope filled with God's indwelling Holy Spirit. I now have a future with a certainty of hope. The deceit of addiction, the bitterness, anger and guilt that held me in bondage are no more. Forgetting and forgiving myself are the hard things for me to do... I can forgive, but forgetting is hard. A good reminder for me is God's forgiveness and saving grace. I need to let go of the past just as He has forgiven my past. I also need to forgive myself. I have an awesome Savior who redeemed me and freed me to see all this come true in my life and I like it. I am no longer a victim concerned about how people judge me. I know who I am in Christ. I know that I am a new creation and that I am loved by my Savior. Because of God's Amazing Grace I am, Craig Graham."