Categories: uncategorized
Date: 16 December 2007 21:44:45
Today I have been reminded just how little I really know.
A couple of posts ago I mentioned my friend Stu. I first met him about 8 years ago when I went as a lowly social work student to do a placement at a drug treatment agency. It was an amazing experience and I met Stu there as he was an acupuncturist and drug worker. I learnt such a lot from him and he showed me how to be a 'proper' drug worker.
Anyway, Stu was a recovering drug addict and when I met him he had been clean for years (about 15 years I think) but he was a cocky so-and-so and about 18 months after I first met him he started using heroin and crack cocaine again and he was dealing to fund his habit. I stuck with him through that time and just I qualified as a social worker he went off to rehab in Bournemouth. Whilst there he started going to church and became a Christian, but I was always unconvinced that he had properly understood what it was all about. Anyway, he stayed in Bournemouth for a while before returning and home and as a result he relapsed. He was being an absolute pain in the arse and made the decision that for my own sanity I had to step away from him and let him get on with it. Don't get me wrong, it was one of the hardest decisions I made, but I knew it was the right one. I phoned him occasionally, sent him birthday cards and Christmas cards, but didn't hear from him until just after last Christmas when he phoned me as it nothing had happened. I gave him a bollocking. I thought he was dead. After that there was no more contact until August this year when he phoned me to tell me he was clean and going to church and all was great. I was my usual, cynical drug-worker self and he gave the phone to his friend (who I know of through a friend) who told me that what he said was true, he was clean, had been baptised, was going to church and all was great.
So, that brings us up to date when I had to phone him on Friday to ask for his help. He was so gracious and came over and fixed the things I needed fixing and we had a great day, just like it used to be. He asked me to go to a carol service at his church tonight and initially I declined, but after thinking about it I knew he wanted me to go so I went. It was quite unnerving to me introduced to people who consistently said “Oh you're Auntie Doris, I have heard lots about you”. Hmmmm.
Anyway, this long preamble is for a reason. There were times when I had pretty much given up on Stu, but it struck me today that God had so many different plans for him. I feel like I have sat with him through the really tough times, and the people at his church are reaping all the good bits, and yet I am absolutely delighted about it. I know I should trust God to be faithful in all things but sometimes it is just so bloody hard. Stu is a walking, talking reminder of God's faithfulness to his promises. Good innit?