Higher Stakes Testimony: Jeff

As I start to write my testimony, I have to first and foremost, give all praise and thanks to the Great Lord Jesus Christ. For it is only through Christ that I am where I am today, not by anything I have done, outside of believing in him and following him.
I was introduced to gambling at the young age of 13, at the time I didn't think much of it nor did the people around me, however, the devil was beginning to set a strong hold that would cause me much pain in the later years of my life. It started with a game that my friends and I called Quarters, essentially, two people have a quarter and they flip them, concealing them from each other and one calls odd or even. If the person calling is correct he gets the other guys quarter, if he is wrong he loses it to he counter part. We played this non stop for several months, at the buss stop, in gym class, between classes, on the buss, and even after school. And like all gambling, I had my ups and downs.
This game took a back seat for several years, however, the seed was planted. By the time I was 21 I longed to go to a casino and play the games. Odd thing is, I remember even saying back then I could never live in Vegas because you wouldn't be able to get me out of the Casinos. The devil had me, even before I started, it all looked so glamorous and excited, never did I realize the pain and destruction it could cause.
I did get involved in the Church when I was around 13 as well, I "Got Saved" and was very active. My best friends all through high school were from the church, I even worked as a part time janitor at the church all through high school. But upon graduation as people moved on to different things, I did the same, I found myself with new friends and they were introducing me to Drinking for the first time in my life. I quickly fell in love with Drinking, By the time I was 21 I was drinking regularly, and as soon as I turned 21 I was drinking more than regularly. I made my first trip to the casino (in Kansas City) when I was 21, and i was right, I loved it. Lots of Liquor and the gaming was a blast so I thought.
Anyway, I slipped along like any addict for several years, never thinking I had a problem or thinking of the destruction that was taking place in my life.
To shorten this story up, by 2011 I had sucked my wonderful wife into gambling and was destroying my marriage, I had a wonderful job that I was destroying, my faith was mostly non-existant, our house was in foreclosure, I owed $20K worth of personal loans I had burrowed from friends, owed the IRS $25K, and was diagnosed with Chrones disease and in the hospital. I couldn't escape the Casino, I live in Tulsa, Oklahoma and we have at least 10 Casinos with in 45 minutes of my house, 3 very large attractive ones with in 15 minutes of my house. I was lying, stealing, and doing anything I could to stay in the Casino and in the bottle. I felt there was no way out.
I September of 2011 I checked myself into an Outpatient Chemical Dependency Program for alcohol dependency. It was a great program and helped me a lot, I was Sober for 55 days and felt good about it, however, Gambling was still my little secret, and I wasn't willing to let go or admit I had a problem there.
At the beginning of November I decided I was strong enough to have a couple drinks, stupid, yes I know this now. My wife was out of town, she had advised me she wanted to separate, and thought I needed to go to my parents or somewhere else before she got home on Sunday. This is due to the fact that I was continuing to lie to her about gambling and our entire Financially word was completely destroyed.
Thank evening when I decided to have a few beers, I went to the Casino as well. I went to two grocery stores and made small purchases (beer) and wrote checks off our account that my wife was handling, and received cash back. In short I went to the casino that night with approximately $70 total, hoping for a miracle, and foolishly expecting God to provide me with one.
The $70 lasted me about 3 beers and 30 minutes. I promptly left and headed home, with the full intent of drinking more, since I had purchased an 18 pack of beer previously to get cash.
As I was headed home I got pulled over because the "Tag Light" was out on my wifes car, which I was driving. I got arrested and went to Jail for DUI.
God allowed me to finally break down, as I set there in Jail, it was almost biblical, my life changed. I felt God telling me I had to quit trying to do it my way and let him have control.
I gave it all to him that night, and praise God, he took it. There have been some struggles, however, with the grace and comfort of Christ, they are nothing like I anticipated them being.
I have stayed active daily in this course, I pray constantly, attend church, attend a Celebrate Recovery Program Weekly, play my guitar and sing praises to Jesus Daily. I long for Jesus' living water. Jesus has set me free, I am such a new person through his grace. I have confessed my sins down to every last wrong doing I can think of, I have left the darkness and walk in the light with Jesus'. I am daily, refreshed and reminded of Gods love for me. I constantly seek humility, and the opportunity to live like Jesus and reflect him.
Today I am 78 days free from Drinking and Gambling, I feel wonderful, again, God has broken the Chains and I am so very excited to see what work he has in store form me. To God be all the Glory, I didn't accomplish this by any means of my own, only through the grace, forgiveness, and Love of Jesus Christ, have a been givin a second chance to live for him, like him, and about him. Thank you Jesus!