Have you ever heard that when God opens doors, things go just right? As promised I am sharing what I saw, and that was God opening doors and moving fast over the last 3 weeks. I have one sibling, he is younger than me, by 7 years. I have shared with you in my stories many years ago that we had a hard upbringing, dysfunctional is what they call it today! And that is just what it was too, neither my brother nor myself escaped it without our mental and emotional effects that’s for sure. I guess I was the oldest and the stronger of the two of us, I don’t know why, but I was. Somehow, God just always showed up at the right times in my life and I know that, and will be eternally grateful to Him~
My brother, like my husband who was very close in age, was once two peas in a pod. But, had a falling out of sorts years ago, and I tried to keep in contact with my brother until 3 years ago. Because he traveled the world with his job, we did not see him a lot, until he took a job here in Alabama about 8 years ago… But, after our parent’s death he really just turned more and more to drugs and alcohol. It got so bad that I had to stop all correspondence with him, and his ex-wife. No phone contact, no social media contact, no visiting for 3 years with him and that was not easy on either of us! My children loved him, he was like their second daddy since he never had any children of his own, and was fun-loving like a child, before the addiction took total control over him. My children would tell me, Mama, he is not looking well, Mama, he is not doing well. And from time to time I’d get a blocked voice message from him in one of his drunken high binges. I would listen to the message, but it would ALWAYS upset me, to the point of no sleep, or crying myself to sleep.. Or I would just get myself all worked up all the while knowing there was nothing I could do for him, anymore. I’d pray, and I’d cry out to God, never shared it with anyone else, just me and God. Most never knew what had taken place to stop my brother and I from talking and seeing each other, I did not share it, as I said.
Three weeks ago this past Saturday, something in me spoke out, after the day before. I had a conversation with my oldest son about his Uncle and it was not good at all. So, as I said I was feeling such a tug at my heart to ride by now his home and just check it out. I truly believe in my heart that God, was speaking to me, he wanted me to go by my brother’s home that day. You may or may not remember this, but it was the home that belonged to our parents, the very home they both passed away in. He bought it about 5 years ago, and I was so happy to be keeping it in the family. So, Saturday three weeks ago, on my way home from work I just had this uncontrollable urge to drive by the house, knees knocking, and a lump in my throat I did it, and much to my surprise I pulled in the driveway got out of my car, and went up and rang the doorbell!! You have NO idea how hard that was not knowing what I might get if and when that door opened. Would I get cussed out, or told to get lost? I didn’t know, but I followed my gut instinct which for me is almost always God, nudging, and at times He has had to PUSH harder to get my complete attention, but this time He had it for sure.. . No one came to the door, so I went to my car, got my phone, and was about to call my oldest son when the door opened and out walked my brother. He looked 10 years older, stressed out, hung over, leftover, whatever you want to call it, it didn’t look good. He said hello sister, he always called me sister.
I said hello, it’s good to see you, and he started crying, I got out of my car, and put my arms around his dirty, and very thin body, with long hair, and a beard, and I said it’s ok, it’s all going to be ok. He was much thinner than I was used to seeing him. His hair was long and he had a beard, all new for me. I said are you hungry, do you need anything from the store, knowing he didn’t have a car or DL, as my boys had explained it to me.. He said, would you mind taking me to the store, we have food in a cooler- I said cooler what no power? He said yes, but she keeps it in the cooler so I can not get to it unless she allows it.. Yes, that can be the story of an addict that is controlling, and she is, and was. She and I really never saw eye to eye but, I was nice because he loved her. He got in and we started talking, one thing lead to another, and I told him, you can not go on like this, something has to change. She is not good for you, nor you for her, and you need help, help that is beyond me, brother. You know God loves you, He wants better for you, our parents would be heartbroken for you, seeing you this way. So, I am here and I will do all I can one more time for you if you’re willing to accept my help, there were times he refused my help and said he didn’t need help. He said well, they will be sitting me out soon, the home is in foreclosure. My heart sank! He went on to explain that the power will be shut off any day too, the water too, and there has not been gas in the house in a year. I thought how does this even happen? When you have two addicts and one doesn’t have it together, you both just live off the other’s weakness, not strength, sadly. But, how does one go from working for the government in a very high-profile job, all over the world to being dirty, about to be homeless, and face down in the dirt with nothing, and nowhere to go?
We spend about 2 hours talking and believe me when I say God started opening doors I could feel it. We got him something to eat and some drinks to take home, and a few other things he needed at the home. I left him, and said I’ll be back tomorrow, he had no cell phone, so I had to go to the house to even talk with him. When I drove off I got my boys on three-way calling, and said ok, its now or never, we have to pull together one last time and try to get him somewhere that can help him, he is in the worst way. I told them I’d just left him, and it was by divine appointment that I even went to his home that day. I went home and called the only rehab I knew, the one where Mr. Shabby had gone to. They had me jumping through hoops and were not kind at all. I felt put off by them, but it didn’t take me long to get it, story was over with! I got back on the phone and called one of our cousins, that is very close to my brother, and said ok, this is what we have to work with, and he can go to this rehab, Terry went to. But, I am not happy with their attitudes at all and expressed my concerns about their ever-changing tunes. I told him if you know of anything else in the area within 2 hours please let me know. and I have 2000.00 I can put to the cause. My cousin said ok, let me make some calls and I’ll get the rest of the money. so we can get him in.. God opened more doors with that being said. While our cousin was working on that my oldest son called me, and said I have this investor friend that wants to buy the home now Mama, he can pay cash, and he can close on it in one week, God opened more doors. Then he said my brother will also have some cash from the sale to pay off his fines, and have some money here waiting on him when he did return from a rehab facility. I had not yet told no brother I was looking into rehabs, for fear he might shut down on me, he also had n idea about the inverter for the home either. They also had three cars in the driveway, but none ran. One was 2017, 2014, and 1998. Thank you, God, my oldest son had a friend that owns a car lot, and he bought them all on the spot, they did not have the money to fix them, and once they were foreclosed on the cars would not be theirs anyway, God opened more doors. Wow, can you see it all unfolding?
I told my oldest son to pick his Uncle up the next day, on a Monday, take him to your home, let him shower I’ll wash his clothes. Then take him and get power of attorney over him so you can make logical decisions on his behalf, for the better of him and his finances. That was done without a fight, God opened even more doors, for my brother. My cousin calls me back within a day or so, and says, hey I”ve got a place just right for your brother, it’s 225.00 to get in its 12 to 18-month in-house program. He went on to explain we know someone that went through the program, and he has done well. So the next day both my sons and I went over to his home and told him about the home sale, the cars that could be sold, and a place he could go for the much-needed help.. . We have this home sold so you do not lose it, the cars sold so you do not lose them. Much to our surprise, in sober and sound mind, he agreed to it all, GOD, had spoken. The kids left and my brother and I went to get something to eat. That was where He said, ” I had been paying for a miracle sister, for a while now, and the night before you showed up, I prayed for God to help me, help myself” To give me one more chance to try to find Him again and He sent you……
My brother has been in rehab for 4 days now, the home has sold, and they have closed on it. The cars were all three sold and were removed from the home. That helped him pay his legal matters, and as I started earlier money for him to get settled somewhere when he finishes out his rehab! He needs prayers in rehab, please, it’s going to be hard. Getting clean is not hard, staying clean is very hard for almost anyone that has been an addict for many years. So, your prayers for him would be appreciated, by me and my family.
Through it all as hard as it has been over the years with him using, clean then using again, I never gave up praying for him. I want you all to know not to ever give up on a loved one that has addiction issues, any issues for that matter, please.
God, hears you, please know that. He is waiting for it all to line up, in His time and His way. All of this was God, he just kept opening doors for my brother and I am grateful He heard our prayers for my brother. Keep praying, and keep believing in that miracle, for yourself or your loved ones, ok. I have seen miracles lifetime a few times, and it is an awesome wonder that is for sure. God, is Love, and He will work all things for good of those who just believe. Do you believe it? If not, please ask Him into your heart, and give your whole life to Jesus Christ. You will not be sorry but amazed at how much He loves you, even if you do not love yourself.
Love,
Debbie
