I hope many who are reading this column will pause for a few moments and pray for you, because God does not want you to be destroyed by alcohol.

Instead, God loves you, and He wants you to be free–free of alcohol’s deadly grip, and free to live for Christ. Jesus promised, “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36). Your life may have been filled with broken promises–but Christ never breaks His promises to us.

That is why I urge you, as the first step in your recovery, to turn your life over to Christ. When He comes into our lives, He not only forgives the past, but He also gives us hope for the future. As I often say, it is far better to face our problems with Christ than to face them alone.

Then ask Him to help you gain everything you can from the treatment program you have started. Don’t dodge your problems, but face them and give them to Christ. In addition, ask God to lead you to a church where Christ is preached and taught. You may even find other people there who’ve wrestled with similar problems and can help you.

One reason I wanted to print your letter is because I hope it will warn others about the danger of delay. No, you can’t change the past–but with Christ you can face the future with hope.