Trust!…what a word. What does it mean? Merriam Webster defines trust as-the firm belief in the character, strength, or truth of someone or something. Thus, once again, I beg to ask the question, “Where do you put your trust?” As we struggle to break free of the chains that hold us in bondage it is important to examine the people places and things we place our trust in.

In my undergraduate days at St. Thomas University in Miami I won a McVoy Scholarship. In that process I had to listen to a cassette (which gives away my age) themed, ‘Breaking down the walls’. In that lecture there was a story of two men. One pushed a wheel barrow all day long on a tight rope between two mountaintops. Back and forth, back and forth he went; day after day. The other man was amazed. “That’s amazing,” he said to himself after days of observation. The challenge was, that he too wanted to get to the other side of the mountaintop. So one day he went to the skilled wheelbarrow navigator and said to him, “Man you are great! I mean you are the greatest! I have watched you for the last days in amazement going backward and forward with ease.” Well if you think I am the absolute greatest…the best..why don’t you jump in so I can take you over?’ The observer jumped back and said, “Although I said you are the greatest, I do not trust you that much with MY life!”

The moral of this story for us struggling with addiction is, because of a lack of trust in those who have navigated the waters….the tightropes in our lives….. those who have made it to the other side to get to their destination of Recovery. The word ‘trust’ appears 134 times in the bible which alludes to the fact that it has some significance. As Believers, the word trust is littered across our daily landscape, and Yes! We have jumped into the wheelbarrow of life, and conveyed to the other side to find the love, peace, joy, through faith, hope and transformation that we all seek; both addicts and non addicts.

Take a chance, take a risk, trust someone, trust something. We can all agree in our active addiction we trust our DOC…yeah..bigtime…after all, it offers peace…fleeting peace…but peace. Looking for permanent peace? Trust the skilled tightrope navigator…His name is Jesus. Jump into His wheel barrow and see what is the alternative He offers on the other side of your mountaintop. Be reminded, as you cross from mountaintop to mountaintop there is a valley below. A valley that you have experienced in various forms as you tried to get to the mountain top on the other side and failed. A valley of pain, hurt, hang-ups, disappointments, resentments, anguish. You think about it!

Good morning!

Remember, ;nothing changes if nothing changes’, and ‘the same person will always use.’

Have a great day in the Lord. You deserve it!

From the desk of Andy Ansola