My Testimony

 

It was almost time.  Thirty minutes before I was to go on stage, we did a sound check.  The AV person made sure the volume levels on my wireless microphone were perfect, and then let me know how far I could pace to stay in camera range.  Since I move around a lot when I’m on stage, I carefully made a mental note of that information.  

Twenty minutes before I was to go on stage, I was escorted into a small room with a chair in the middle. At first glance, it reminded me of a place someone would take you to extract a confession.  But it was far from that. I sat down, the door closed and about 10 people surrounded me, put their hands on me, and one by one prayed for me.  I’ve never had that done to me before. It felt well, amazing. 

My time finally came. I took two steps up, and just like that I was on stage again, staring into the bright lights, while several hundred people waited. I began to speak.  However, unlike all the other times, laughter wasn’t the goal. Because on this particular evening I wasn’t a stand up comedian at a gig; instead, I was the parent of a child who’s an addict - and this was my testimony.  I was talking at a Celebrate Recovery service. 

CR is a recovery program for people with habits, hurts, and hang ups.  It’s

based on the12 steps of AA with a liberal dose of Christian principles mixed in. Although many people think it’s exclusively for alcohol and drug addiction, it is not. Depression, divorce, mourning, anger, and codependency are among the many things the program effectively addresses. 

And now I was speaking at one of their services.  The whole experience seemed surreal.  As I spoke, my words seemed to hang in the air.  I began my story, talking about how my son began his path to addiction in a textbook manner - marijuana. Over time it progressed to opiates, meth, and everything in between.  I described how he went down a road to hell despite the efforts of so many people who tried to stop him. I spoke of how his addiction ripped apart the fabric of our family through stealing, lying, deflecting blame, and playing one person against the other.  I talked openly about the anger, the frustration, the sadness, and the feeling that we had been violated. Then I paused, took a deep breath, and told the audience how it all nearly came to an end after my son robbed two pharmacies of their narcotics.  Soon after, he cheated certain death when he was shot point blank by someone who broke in his home to take the drugs and kill him. 

I wasn’t used to silence on stage, but in this case, it was to be expected.  This was serious, sobering, painful stuff I was sharing. I pressed onward, and began to discuss how God let me know He was in control.  I recounted  several miraculous incidents during my son’s trial and imprisonment where the Almighty directly intervened.  He had even put events in place to help us before my son’s troubles began. Instead of heckles and catcalls you may hear at a comedy club, people were saying,”Yes, Lord, Praise God, Amen.”  I had the distinct feeling that I was not alone on the stage that night.  I noted the irony - all this coming from a person who once was unsure there even was a God. 

I came off the stage to smiles, hugs, and genuine gratitude for giving a parent’s perspective on their child’s addiction.  I believe addicts need to hear how their behavior affects their families. It’s difficult. I silently prayed that my story was heard by someone who needed to hear it. 

I know my ability to speak in public is a gift.  For years I’ve used it to make people laugh. Now I’ve been shown another use for my skills.  It’s to help people who need to hear my story - my testimony.  They need to know they are not alone, that there’s still hope, and despite the outcome, God is in control.  And maybe that’s why God gave me this talent over 30 years ago.  After all, He sees the big picture. 

Of course, one thing has changed in my speaking career. Now, if it’s a comedy club or a church, I’m always ready for my next gig. 

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Find more of Joe’s stories on his blog: https://mylifeasahobby.blogspot.com/?m=1. Also, follow him on Facebook at: Joe Hobby Comedian- Writer.  He needs followers because he’s insecure.