When Amber looked in the mirror, she seemed already dead. She wasn't the same girl anymore. Her once hourglass
figure had become skeletal. Heroin had stolen all her sunshine. It was only a
matter of time before an overdose would permanently stop her agony.
By the grace of God
and a failed robbery, she found herself in drug rehab (again). The first stage
of withdrawal stage (dope sickness), lasted about 3 weeks. Extreme nausea,
headaches, and joint pain nearly killed her.
The
next phase was far worse. Emotional volatility, memory problems, and insomnia
robbed her of any pretense of serenity. Some
privileges returned by following the rules, attending meetings, and doing
everything asked of her. Amber could now leave the grounds and walk around the vicinity
for short periods.
She spotted a pay
phone near a corner store on her first venture out. A little voice tempted her to
get high. “Call a friend” the voice prompted, “Buy some dope, one time won’t
hurt you!”
A sticker on the receiver
read "Drug Abuse Hotline" followed by a phone number urging her to seek
help. Just three little words meant to save her life (again). Amber walked back
to rehab confident that she’d resisted the powerful urge.
The
next day she headed out again, back to the pay phone, and cradled the receiver.
No dial tone. Amber frantically scanned the street for another phone. That
familiar craving had kicked in; nothing mattered more than getting high.
“God!” Amber cried
out, “please protect her!”
Without thinking, the
addict sprinted into traffic. Cars screeched to a halt; drivers honked. The
terrified girl reached for Amber as time stood still.
Everything – the
crowd, the noise, her drug craving dissolved into insignificance. Amber saw herself
in that girl’s eyes - so trusting, so pure - the girl she’d once been before her
addiction. She wanted to be more like that again.
“Let’s go, you’re
OK now,’ she said in a comforting voice and cuddled the child tenderly. They
shared some cookies, milk, and even a few giggles before Mom took her home.
Reflecting on the
past few days, Amber knew that this time, with God’s help, she’d be able to stick
with the program. He’d heard their desperate pleas for help – both hers and the
little girl’s, never giving up on either.
He had plans for both that were good and not evil, plans to give them
hopeful futures. If you keep this attitude of faith, God will always give you
the last laugh.
