New Wine Testimony: Lori

Eleven years ago, I was diagnosed with an Arnold-Chiari Malformation which is a brain/skull malformation. Due to many neurological problems that I was experiencing because of my malformation, I decided to have surgery. I began taking pain medications after complications from the surgery. Then in the year 2000, I started having kidney stones. At times it would get so bad that I would pass stones every one to two weeks. I became dependent on pain medication as a result of taking them to help control the pain associated with the kidney stones as well as the pain from severe migraine headaches. I soon needed more and more pain medication to help cope with the pain and finally I began to abuse them. I was taking more than the doctor prescribed. Not only was I taking the pain medications for physical pain, but I would take them for emotional pain as well. I wanted to numb the emotional as well as the spiritual hurts, and I would take them to just get me through the day. I often found myself stealing the pills from my family when I ran out of my medication.
In February 2010, after my husbad told me to leave the house, I tried to commit suicide by overdosing on medication. I was in a coma and on a ventilator for three days. My family didn't know if I would live or die. When I awoke from the coma, I couldn't breathe. I was terrified. I knew then that I had hit rock bottom. I had to change.
I began the New Wine course from setting captives free. I still struggled with taking pain medications because of the real physical aliments I have and sometimes I would need the pain medications. But, I discovered I could not trust myself to take them just for the physical pain.
The day this course talked about radical amputation was a big turning point for me. I learned that I could not have any pain medications in my house. Another day in this course, talks about having a battle plan for temptation. This was another turning point.
Today, I am free from the abuse of pain medications by God' s mercy and grace. I get up every morning and the first thing I do is spend time with God. I pray continuously. I pray little prayers throughout the day. Accountability is also huge for me.
One of my favorite verses in the Bible is Jeremiah 29:11 which says, "For I know the plans I have for you says the Lord. They are plans for your good, not to harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope.
Everyday, my relationship with God gets closer. Even when temptation comes, He is right there beside me. The Holy Spirit speaks, and my battle plan begins to remove any and all temptation. "Resist the devil and he will flee from you."
I know that with God all things are possible and that with Him I will continue to experience freedom from my addiction.
I want to tell Rene, my mentor, thank you for being there and for the many prayers and encouraging words you have given me. I have really enjoyed this course and I want to thank setting captives free for putting it together. I will definitely encourage anyone to take the New Wine course.