What's Behind Addiction?

We at Healthy Minds for Better Lives, Inc. are trying to bring awareness and education about addictions, and publicly talking about it as we feel that it is the elephant in the room that no one seems to want to talk about. I've yet to meet anyone who disagreed with me that addictions are not good, and that many lives are destroyed from it. There are terribly sad stories all around us, and maybe you know of some, in which it has robbed someone of their lives, maybe not in death but in quality of life. More and more comes into our communities, and it seems to be a socially acceptable thing to harm oneself, and pay good money to do it!

Here is the real question, tho, that really haunts us: Why do we keep going back to things that we know are not good for us? Why can't we just say no?

I've been exploring this, and trying to understand it better. While our focus is on addictions that impair the mind, and cause poor judgment and thus poor choices that have real consequences, drugs, alcohol and pornography are not the only addictions that exist. I can make the argument that obesity is an addiction for some. I struggle with my weight, and have been keeping a diary to reflect honestly what I'm feeling along this path. My hope is I will find myself on the other side, and be able to help others with my wisdom I have learned, techniques that have helped to overcome, and to also be able to look back and remember how bad I felt so I can rejoice even more when I have won the victory. You can be sure I will document the good feelings I am having once I cross the victory line!

Why am I so sure about it? Because I have done it before. In 2018, I lost 40 pounds in 5 months with Nutrisystem, and kept it off for a year without even trying. I had successfully lost that weight! Gradually most of it has come back, and I understand there are things like insulin resistance and things in our body that fight against us. I know that while I am eating healthy food, it is accompanied by not so healthy food too. I went back and bought Nutrisystem again, and this time failed. My labs have gotten worse. I hate how I look, and it's no fun to dress up because I don't feel good about the way I look. I don't even feel good. I know that I need to "get under my body" so to speak, to be in control, and I understand the benefits of doing so. Being hungry or not hungry has little to do with my eating. Has anyone else felt the same way?

I got to thinking what is behind this? Well, to be honest, I eat because I WANT to eat. It is the lust of the flesh. I need to eat to survive, but that's not how I look at eating. There is a lust that is present. The lust of the eyes comes into play, as food appeals to me. I see the ads, I see the food, and I desire to have it. The pride of life even comes to mind, because in painfully honest assessment of myself, I really don't want anyone telling me what to do, what I can or cannot have, how to eat (as everyone's tastes are different), and I don't want to submit to any particular diet plan. I also don't want anyone shaming me or making me feel guilty, as I do that just fine by myself! 

This reminds me of the verse in 1 John 2:16: "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." The next verse says, "And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever."

The Apostle Paul wrote something in Romans 7 that I would say rings true for all of us:

"For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: but I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God: but with the flesh the law of sin." Vs. 14-25.

In other words, there is a war going on between what we know is right, and even wanting to do what is right, and what our sinful flesh wants to do. It is vital to come to know Jesus Christ as master of our lives, and have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to help us through these battles. There is no other way to successfully overcome sin. But I do know the Lord as my personal Savior! So did Paul! So even more when we are Christians, we have this battle because we care, we want to please the Lord with our lives, and yet we still have the sinful flesh trying to be the winner. 

We don't have to do this alone. Whatever the addiction, the first step is to see it for what it is, and to be honest with ourselves about our weakness. The heart of addiction is SIN. Beyond that, it is weakness to do the right thing that we know is good for us, and even for those we love. We know if we can overcome this, we will feel good about ourselves, and hey - even save money! We may restore relationships that our addictions threatened or harmed. We may live a longer life! We may not need to take meds.

Paul had a thorn in the flesh, and he prayed for victory from it. Jesus said to him in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10: "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness." Then Paul responded, "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."

I don't know about you, but my issue isn't lack of knowledge. It's not for lack of praying. It's not for lack of desire. I start my day right on the right foot. It is when I come to the moment of temptation that I make a conscious choice. I own that! It is all on me. No one makes me make the choices I make except me. At that moment, yes or no comes up and that is the battle line. The war rages, and temptation is staring us in the face, and we have to choose.

My suggestion for all of us, and I will write updates on how I am doing with this, is to acknowledge first of all that our addiction is rooted in sin: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. We have a raging battle, and we need to do what we can in our lives to keep temptation away from us. With food, it is placing in front of us the right kind of food and setting limits. With alcohol or drugs, it may be parting ways with certain friends, avoiding certain places, and keeping the wrong substances out of the house (that works with food, too!). With pornography, it is perhaps getting rid of your computer all together or blocking certain websites. We need to set ourselves up for success because as long as we are here on earth, temptation will come. I tried telling my nurse practitioner that I'll try harder once all the picnics and family events are over. She quickly disagreed with me because she said there will ALWAYS be events coming up. We can't use that as an excuse. not to start now to do the right thing.

As a community, we can discourage the presence of alcohol at family fairs and festivals, and encourage restaurants not to serve alcohol and stores not to sell it. We can give our business to places that take a stand for what is right. We can create and open stores and restaurants and even hang outs that are safe spaces to keep those temptations away.

We often have positive associations with the things that addict us. It is instant gratification. We want it badly, and giving in makes us feel better right now! But does it last? Is there regret? See, things that are good for us will not give us that feeling of regret afterwards. We may associate drinking alcohol, for example, with the good feeling of being with family or friends, or being outdoors, or playing games with fun friends. We may associate the good feeling of vacation with having a beer, or mowing the lawn and rewarding self with a cold beer afterwards. But what was really nice was the time spent with those we enjoy being around, being off from work and going to a beautiful place! Having something cold to soothe us and rehydrate us after physical exertion. Sipping something comfortably while sitting and talking with a friend. Getting fresh air in the beautiful mountains! These things are the good things! Eating or drinking things that are healthy for us and not harming us can be done, and will even keep us from forgetting the fun times we had if having had alcohol that causes forgetfulness. No regrets! You will find that you still had a great time! You learned how to socialize and have a good time without drugging yourself.

Honesty with ourselves and our circumstances is essential to having the victory. We will have a battle, and we must win it - the rational good side, not the sinful flesh. May God bless you as you start each new day looking to Jesus and His Holy Spirit for strength and guidance. Stop when you get to that crossroad, and pray at that moment for strength. REPLACE the thing you crave so much with something you also like that is a better choice. And you know - I've learned our microbiome in our gut craves certain things! As we put good things in us, hopefully we will crave good things and crowd out the bad bacteria!

Choices

 

We love our free will.  This is a gift from God. Yet we don't always choose wisely, do we.  I would say we all have made bad choices we regret somewhere in our past.  We cannot let those failures defeat our future. We can learn from mistakes of the past, entangled sins, and messes we've made, and build on that.  God our Heavenly Father also has a way of making beauty out of our ashes.  He can make a symphony out of our clanging cymbals. 

Jesus is the Hope of the world. Why? Because He made a way for our sins to be truly forgiven by God, so that we can be reconciled with our Heavenly Father, be freed from the chains of darkness and evil, and be liberated to live the life we were meant to live.  That is a life of fulfillment, joy, and peace - spiritual peace in our souls, which is a very REAL peace.  Nothing can match it, and nothing can take it away unless you give it away.  Salvation is eternal, but sin can hurt your relationship with God, not to mention people you love.

Here is the truth - people will sell you something that will make them money that they think you will buy.  Supply and demand...the more the demand, the more the supply, and then the more the profit for the seller.  Marketing will manipulate you and entice you to buy their product, making promises and telling you what you want to hear.  It's a business transaction.  If you choose to buy it, and you are harmed as a result, they will justify it's not their fault.  They didn't addict you.  You made your own choices; it's on you if you implode because of it. 

Why do people turn to addictive substances when they're pretty sure they are playing with fire? Pride is probably at the root of it. Wanting to be popular with their peers, wanting instant gratification, wanting to look good, feel good, fit in. They may view it as a medical remedy, or a means to an end such as sleep.  Alcohol and drugs mock you, because they fool you into thinking they are helpful when in fact they are poisonous, open doorways for demonic oppression, and have a very strong addictive property that will keep you coming back for more, even when you know in the end it's making things worse.

They age you, cause you to act like a fool, or like a criminal, and can even make you abusive to those you love.  They will shorten your life, destroy your mind, and in the end, lose confidence in yourself and lose popularity.  It may cause you to lose a good job, a good relationship, and even a good future. 

If you are considering taking this poison, please don't.  Seek counseling, get to a good church, and talk to someone you trust and respect to work out your problems.  There is likely something underlying that is drawing you to start taking drugs or alcohol as a beverage.  Carry yourself with confidence that you are an individual who thinks for herself or himself, that chooses to do right and to make the world a better place, rather than being a menace to society.  Others will follow if you set the example, but even if you stand alone, you are never really alone when you have a relationship with Jesus Christ.  When you keep yourself healthy, you will be there to help others rather than being a burden. 

If you have already become an addict, take one step in the right direction.  The way to a goal is to start with one single step.  There are many resources.  Please reach out to us if you need help finding them.  Remember that your sins have been paid for by Jesus.  Salvation is a repentance and change of heart from who you were to who you can become - a new creature with a new master in your life: Jesus Christ.  I assure you He is a good master, and loves you and cares for you because He gave His life for you.  That is a true friend, a brother, an advocate.  And He conquered death and the grave - I want to be on His team!

You can make choices - please choose wisely.

Merry Christmas from Healthy Minds for Better Lives, Inc.!

This is such a special time of year! I love all the festivities, community involvement, church programs, caroling, decorations, and yes, even the gift giving and feasting! It's a lot of fun. People seem a little more cheerful this time of year. We are a little more likely to smile at someone or do something generous. 

I love our community here in Blairsville, GA and Murphy, NC! People have a great spirit, and from those I've come in contact with, it seems that most love Jesus here in the mountains.  We have learned that the great outdoors, fresh air, and the beautiful mountains are something to not take for granted. They are gifts from the Lord. 

However, this time of year can be very sad for some, and another reason to disappoint the ones they love the most. It may be due to not being able to afford presents, having to live on a very tight budget, health concerns, addictions, or depression, perhaps from losing loved ones to death or illness.

We at Healthy Minds for Better Lives, Inc. have a passion for preventing addictions that impair the mind. Alcohol as a beverage and illicit drugs, as well as fantasy games, pornography, gambling, etc., destroy lives and families. We have pondered on a few questions this year, and perhaps you can mull them around in your mind as well, and help us come up with some great community, family and personal solutions.

1. What makes someone go back to a habit that they know harms them and the ones they love? 

2. Why do so many released from jail go back into a life of crime and end up back in prison?

3. What solutions are there for those who drink due to loneliness and depression?

4. How can someone have the fortitude to resist temptation and make healthy choices, even during peer pressure?

I'd like to answer these to the best of my knowledge so far.

1. Alcohol and drugs and addictive habits have a physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual pull that is hard to resist. I believe that the Holy Spirit can help people through this, as well as doctors, family, loved ones, support systems, but it will ALWAYS be there, and will require a daily dying to self, a transformation, not a reformation, of the soul. This can only be done with a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, humbling one self and repenting of sin, and asking Jesus to save him/her. Each day will require saying the Lord's Prayer and putting on the spiritual armor, knowing that a doorway has been created for Satan by participating in these things, and while the doorway can be shut, it can also open again. An open doorway gives Satan legal ground into your life, to destroy you and those you love. That's why you have to be vigilant and sober (1 Peter 5:8). You can't sleep on the job. None of us can! We have to live life intentionally, purposeful, not laying down our guard for a minute.

2. People go back to what they know, what makes them comfortable, or what they think they need to do to survive. Many have good intentions, but get in the wrong crowds, listening to their peers. Some may lack true skills, and turn to what they were "good" at. They know drugs and alcohol will make their pain and malaise better, for at least a little while, and help them to just live life normally. Unfortunately, these substances impair the mind of good judgement and inhibitions, making them more likely to do something they know they shouldn't. They become more and more dependent on it, and it destroys the architecture of sleep, making them more irritable, and hurting their liver. It damages the brain. Of course Satan would use these substances to control someone, and to ultimately destroy someone! 

3. I think the idea of bars is a great one! There are many who do not have a family around, including a church family (which I highly recommend!), or they don't have family they like, and look to go somewhere to hang out. They can't very well continually bother their friend or neighbor, as they will wear out their welcome, especially if their friend has a family. So they either go to a bar, where people voluntarily come and expect to hang out with others, or they drink their sorrows away alone at home. They don't feel like getting involved in a sport or family-oriented community event. They just want someone cool they can trust to talk to, without it being a formal counseling session, something that may or may not be expensive. They want to watch the game with some guys, or play trivia, but be able to leave whenever they want. They want to horse around with other people, just for fun, and forget about their troubles for a while,  or they may want to sit alone somewhere that is not home with all the troubles. A bar offers this. Think of the days when guys hunted together, and women quilted together on the front porch. We were made for true friendship, not gossip parties, but loving people who will be a true friend and make memories with.

I wish people would stop serving alcohol, but have bars that sell nonalcoholic beverages! Alcohol is a temporary fix that takes something from you, more than it gives (kind of like a loan shark). Drugs do the same, and may seem to offer a good feeling for a while, and may help you connect with others who are doing the same, giving you that feeling of belonging, but these are not the right kind of friends, who will give or sell you something so harmful to you and your family. I'm not just talking physically, but spiritually, emotionally, intellectually and psychologically as well.

4. Some people think that those who get drunk ruin it for those who feel they can just tamper with drinking for social relaxation and fun. No one, as far as I know, intentionally tries to become a drunk. Most people are comfortable "playing with fire" and feel they are in control.  They can drink a few drinks, and then leave it alone for long periods of time. The truth is, it may take 2 years or 20 years, but it will addict you. It's like playing with a viper. You may seem to be doing all right, but it will bite you eventually in some way. And if you are fortunate enough to keep it under control, those in your family may look to you as an example, and drink themselves, and may not have the same outcome as you did. In one night someone can do something they will regret forever, and may not even remember doing it while under the influence. 

People have to get to the point that they are going to choose wisely, regardless of what others think or in spite of pressures to conform, and be their own selves, realizing the value and worth they have in God's sight. This is true worth that no one can take away. One almost has to get the attitude, "Hey, do what you want, but I'm not touching the stuff! Talk to the hand! I can find pleasure in sipping coffee or hot chocolate, or drinking a smoothie. I know my worth in Christ, Whose I am, and this is not for me. I have my eye on my future, even the next 5 yrs., and alcohol is not in that picture. I intend to bring my troubles to Someone who can actually do something about it - God - and pour my heart out to Him daily. I will put on my armor daily to fight the temptation and spiritual battles, and because I am not alone, the victory is mine and I claim it!" Or something like that - you get what I mean!

How did I do? I'd love to hear your ideas and thoughts as well. Let's get the discussion started!

Last thing: we have a tree in the Tour of Trees in Blairsville. Please come check it out! Here are some pictures, and the ornaments I made to help with our mission of educating and bringing awareness about avoiding substances and habits that impair the mind. God bless you and Merry Christmas!

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

 

 

On November 4, Healthy Minds for Better Lives, Inc. launched with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 92 Ox Bow Lane in Blairsville. Members from the community, including the Blairsville Chamber of Commerce and its Ambassadors, joined in the celebration. 

 

Greg and Dawn Elliott want to help our community by bringing education and awareness of the harms of alcohol, drugs, Rx abuse, and habits such as pornography, which impair the mind. 

 

Dawn’s stepfather was an alcoholic, and one day he squatted down as she sat in a chair as a young lady, and looked her face to face, and said gently, “When you drink [alcohol], you hurt the people you love the most.” He was right! He quit cold turkey, and started drinking sweet tea instead from that day forward. He had been a harsh drunk, would black out, would go out of his way to punch someone out when he was drunk. One morning he had to walk around town because he couldn’t remember where he left his bike the night before when drunk. 

 

He came to know Jesus personally as his Savior, who doesn’t reform a person, but transforms people by the renewing of their minds, by forgiving their sins (Jesus is the only One who can!), and reconciling them to God the Father. There is HOPE! It’s not through trying to be a better person. It is through transformation by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is through understanding the deceptiveness of these types of poisons that impair the mind and hurt the body, destroy restful sleep, and negatively impact relationships. Alcohol truly is a mocker, as Proverbs 20:1 says. It lies when it promises happiness, and when it makes you think it is all you need to feel better. We need skills, we need strategies, we need a plan to make our lives better, and that will take a healthy mind to accomplish. It will take relationships with good people to help along the journey.

 

Greg and Dawn would love to hear your story, and to encourage you on your journey. They would love to help prevent harm through education. Write to them at healthymindsforbetterlives@yahoo.com. See their blog at https://healthymindsforbetterlives.blogspot.com. See their website at https://healthymindsamerica.wixsite.com/healthy-minds. They can’t afford to put many articles in the paper, so consider this an open invitation! If you would like to support this nonprofit tax exempt organization, please see https://link.clover.com/urlshortener/9rFsTT. God bless you!

Deception Beware!

“Be Sober, Be Vigilant” 1 Peter 5:8

 

As we look at our society, especially as the election is coming up, we can see deceit all around us. I hear so many say they don’t know who to believe. There are those who are trying to confuse our young people into not knowing who or whose they are. We see videos of famous people who then take off the mask and it was just a prop. We know that AI easily deceives us, and I recently saw a commercial that gave this warning, as they too revealed they weren’t who they appeared to be for most of the commercial, as they warned that false information may be given prior to the election about voting locations being shut down, for example. Identities can be stolen fairly easily, it seems. Who do we trust?

 

The Bible says in John 8:44 that the devil “is a liar, and the father of it.” Titus 1:2 says that God “cannot lie.” 1 Peter 5:8 says, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” We are the prey, and the devil is the hunter. Revelation 12:9 says, “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world…”

 

We need to keep our minds clear so we can critically think. “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” What better way for the devil to deceive us than to impair our minds? There are many physical reasons why alcohol as a beverage and abusive, addictive drugs and habits such as pornography hurt us, but many don’t realize there is a spiritual curse that is put upon us if we partake. These are doorways that give Satan legal ground into your life. Not only that, but did you know the Bible says in Habakkuk 2:15, “Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also”? If you are selling it in your stores or restaurants, you are guilty and a woe is upon you by the LORD!

 

We do not need alcohol or abusive drugs to relax or have a good time. There are plenty of other comfort foods and drinks that do not put a curse upon your life, that do not impair your mind or make you an easy prey for the devil. Understanding how he works helps us to not be manipulated or deceived. Stand strong! See your healthcare provider, pastor, rehab center, or a trusted friend for help. Pray to the Lord for help and strength as He will give it if you repent and come humbly before Him. Let’s work hard to be a community that spends our money on things that promote health and safety, not wickedness, deceit, and trouble. Trust me: Satan does not have your best interest at heart. God does.

 

https://healthymindsamerica.wixsite.com/healthy-minds

What Can We Learn From History?

I've been reading a great book called, Alcohol Friend or Foe? by Dr. James Jones, Jr.  I highly recommend the book. The author talks about his hometown of Harriman, TN, a little over 2 hrs. from where I live. Interestingly, the author heard from a long time resident that the man that gave the acreage for their town gave it with the stipulation that they would not sell alcohol. It became known as "the town that temperance built," and was founded by a group of temperance advocates in the late 19th century. This phrase was (and perhaps still is) on a historical marker in front of what used to be the city hall. They even had a university called American Temperance University, which opened in 1893. 

Several years back (around 1992), the city council was voting on whether or not to allow citizens of Harriman to change the city charter to make selling beer in city limits legal. Several pastors of the city formed the Committee For Preservation of the City Charter, to preserve the charter and keep their promise that the town was built upon. However, the city council decided that selling beer would generate a lot of revenue. They felt it would cause many businesses to come into the town because they could sell beer. They assumed people didn't want to build businesses due to the restrictions of temperance. They threatened that taxes would increase and they would lose their city schools if they didn't make this change. So it was passed, and their utility bills went up. They lost their city schools to the county, as they could no longer finance them. The pastor who took a strong stand against it and encouraged the other pastors to form the committee to save the city charter was pressured by the church officers to resign, and he did. Their church covenant read: "...to abstain from the sale of, and use of, intoxicating drinks as a beverage..." At that time there were 28 Baptist churches in Harriman, TN. Why weren't they taking a stronger stand? 

Now they have Tri-Dog Brewing Company. There are at least three package stores in the town, which I found in a search this morning. They have a Bar and Grille. Wed., Feb. 1, 2023 there is an article on the internet entitled, "The Temperance Town Brewhouse Coming to Harriman." The article reads, "I am pleased and proud to announce to you that something great is coming to Harriman! A 20,000 square foot brewhouse in the former location of Rock Top General Store in beautiful downtown South Harriman! You will also be amazed and proud to have this establishment in our community. Look for Temperance Town Brewhouse to open sometime around late spring to early summer 2023...A love for these kinds of places prompted Tri Dog Brewery Company to join in this effort..." They kept "Temperance Town" in their title.  What a mockery of a town that had promised to never sell alcohol! Notice the word, "proud." 

The residents in Harriman were told that "great revenue comes through the sale of alcohol. The fact is, for every dollar of tax revenue, the tax payer's cost is more than $4.00; actually, it is closer to $5.00. Of course, this takes into consideration, rehabilitation of the drinker, rebuilding of health, property loss due to accidents, added police workers, loss of down time due to absenteeism from drunkenness, workman's compensation from injury due to alcohol, crime, prisons, increase on insurance rates, etc...I have read an article proclaiming that ninety percent of all crimes are alcohol related" (Alcohol Friend or Foe, p. 35). I met with our sheriff here in Blairsville a few weeks ago, and while statistics have not been kept, he did say that "most crimes are [related to alcohol]," or particularly in our area, drugs.

Let's consider Murphy, NC, a little closer to home. They voted in alcohol to be sold within city limits, but didn't include the county, only those living in city limits in 2008. It passed, but many citizens in Murphy speculate that had they allowed the entire county (Murphy is a large area, and the city limits is much smaller) to vote, it would not have passed.

Let's bring it right to home: Blairsville, GA, the next town south of Murphy, NC. Blairsville is part of Union County, and it used to be a dry county. A vote was taken a few years ago on whether or not to allow the sale of alcohol, and they voted no. However, I’m told a second vote was taken when several people were away, and it passed. It is very difficult to take something like that away once it passes. Now we have breweries, distilleries, restaurants that serve alcohol, bars (Grandpappy Mims), Blairsville Social, etc., and even Walmart has a large section of alcohol in it. Across our nation the alcohol industry is booming! Even during COVID, when the government wanted churches closed, bars could stay open. I've been out West for vacation the past two years and I can testify to the large presence of alcohol, and even gambling, across our nation. Even Cracker Barrel is selling alcohol now! And closer to home, Comfort Grub in Murphy, NC.

Alcohol brings with it a curse. It allows legal ground for the devil in your life. And if you sell it, or offer it to someone else, a curse is put on you also. I only recently became aware of this powerful verse: Habakkuk 2:15: "Woe unto him that giveth his neighbor drink, that puttest thy bottle to him..." 

Proverbs 20:1: "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise." James 1:15: "Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." Sin brings death. Oh, how many regret having fallen into its trap.

Drinking alcohol as a beverage works just like sin, which works to deceive the person into thinking they are in control, when really the sin controls the person. It is addictive and has ruined many lives. This is not new; we have seen this countless times, so why are we not learning from history? Why are we not learning from our own mistakes?

The good news is this: Jesus Christ has overcome the world. In John 16:33, Jesus said: "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." He broke the chains of sin and death, and He is the Hope of the world. Trust in Jesus as your Savior, and He will break your chains of sin and darkness. He is the only One who can because of His authority and payment He made with His own blood on the cross, taking your punishment and offering you for free this highly valuable gift of salvation and forgiveness of your sin. With the Holy Spirit indwelling you after you accept Jesus as your Savior, you will then have the power to overcome the addiction of alcohol. 

The best way to not become ensnared in alcohol is to never start drinking it as a beverage. Let's work on PREVENTION!

Churches, I know the church covenant is on many of your church walls. It is on ours. Please take a stand in our community if you are not already. We need you. Let's not be like Harriman. Establishments can sell addicting substances, but we don't have to buy them. They will continue to sell when there is a demand, and from a purely business standpoint, who could blame them. The addictive nature of the alcohol keeps you coming for more, which means more profits. The lie is that you have to have alcohol to have a good time. No, Blairsville has known how to have good family fun time without alcohol for years. Let's not be deceived, whether you live in Blairsville or anywhere else on the face of the earth. 

Let's be the city on the hill that stands for righteousness. God will be honored, and we will keep sin at bay.

Temperance Hall

The former American Temperance University, Harriman, TN

What's the Problem with Alcohol?

If you have read my first two blog posts, "Culture Shock" and "Doorways," you will understand why I have decided to step forth out of my comfort zone to speak out against alcohol, among other doorways, in Union County. I guess it shouldn't surprise me that so many people are still promoting alcohol. It's a great money-maker, and it is a way people self-medicate for mental health illness. It also promotes social gatherings. Some like the taste of it, and like how they feel while they are drinking (maybe not so much once it wears off). Some drink a little wine for medicinal purposes. It may be stylish, depending on who you hang around. It shuts down inhibitions, so people sometimes feel they have a better sense of humor while drinking, and loosen up to have more fun. I think also some may feel like they fit in better with their friends when they drink alcohol.

What about the down sides? Have you known anyone whose life has been damaged or destroyed from the effects of alcohol? How many families has it broken? How many jobs have been lost due to this addiction? How many have been killed from drunk drivers? How many wish they could stop drinking but the addiction has them in its clutch? How many have ended up with cirrhosis of the liver? 

When did we think we needed alcoholic beverages to be sociable? Why not drink lemonade, soda, water, coffee, or sweet tea? Have you tried counseling, church, prayer, finding good friends, or a good healthcare provider to help? Have you considered the amount of money you could save if you didn't purchase addictive substances? Have you ever mixed alcohol with your prescription meds and put yourself at risk for an interaction?

Did you know this? "According to a U.S. Surgeon General’s Report, more than twenty million Americans aged twelve or older suffered from an addiction in 2015. That number included millions of teens and young adults. Studies have shown that 40 percent of twelfth-graders, 30 percent of tenth-graders, and 13 percent of eighth-graders have used a drug in the past year.

"Three addictive substances top the list of drugs favored by young abusers: alcohol, marijuana, and opioids. Teens and young adults misuse alcohol more than any other substance.

"Studies also show that in 30 to 50 percent of teen suicide cases, substance abuse is actually a part of the event itself; a large number of teens who take their own lives do so not only while they’re intoxicated but because they’re intoxicated. Intoxicating substances tend to worsen any mental or emotional problems an adolescent may already have. At the same time, they remove any inhibitions that may keep a teen from carrying out his desperate plan. No wonder the result is often tragic." https://www.safamily.co.za/alcohol-and-other-drug-use/

What amazes me is that we know better! Alcohol has been around for a very long time, and we have seen over and over the harm that it does. And yes, people who want to get it will get it, whether legally or illegally. Sin is in the heart of each of us, and that corruption is what is behind wrong choices we make in any area of our lives. This applies to obesity when it's cause is the sin of gluttony, drug addiction, sexual immorality, domestic abuse, crimes against humanity, etc. But if law enforcement, our local government, parents, teachers and principals, churches, and others in authority embrace corruption, then what will be the end result? How far will it go? 

Leaders in authority need to be moral and frown on the use of destructive substances. It should be discouraged, not encouraged. The reason that open carry of alcohol, while shut down this time, will keep coming to the ballot is that evil will never stop trying to overcome good. But we are commanded in Scripture, "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good" (Romans 12:21). What will Blairsville, GA's leadership do to discourage the use of harmful drugs and alcohol? I encourage discussion for ideas to protect the citizens of this town and county, to promote a culture of safety and health. 

I for one am stepping forward to take a stand for our children and our community to place a focus on Healthy Minds for Better Lives. We need clarity of thought to fight evil temptations and promote good in our families and communities. This starts with me. It starts with you. Each of our hearts needs repentance of our sin before a holy God, trust in Jesus Christ to save us from our corruption and sin, and walk in newness of life. Find a good church. Simplify life as much as you can. I am committed to continue to encourage you to stand for what is right.