If you would have told me 15 years ago that I would walk alongside people dealing with addiction and self-worth struggles, I would have chuckled and inwardly thought, ‘not happening.’

You see, I was so busy dealing with the destruction that my own addiction to pornography had wreaked, I could not conceive of an outwardly focused life giving to others.  The truth is, real victory and growth only occurred when I moved from the cyclical trap of mirror, memory, guilt, shame and work to earn forgiveness.  Real victory came when the man in the mirror chose to see the beauty in the brokenness that was all around me.  Real victory came when the addicted narcissist decided to be the experienced hope agent that God had crafted me to be.  Roman’s 8:35-39.

I am in no way suggesting that the trauma that has resulted in where most of us are today be ignored.  Not at all.  But I will suggest that choosing to empower our life by turning the inwardly crippling trauma to outward hope for those dealing with similar life issues is oh so empowering.  

What I have found is allowing a vision of a future to replace the memory of past defeat creates in us purpose and purpose is the fuel that drives us forward into the plans that our Creator has for each of us.  I have seen lifetime addictions left on the trash heap of the past when changed from defeat to experience and experience freely shared to the community around us.

So today, practice the thought that you are made for purpose.  Then acknowledge the value of every human that crosses your path.  When you see the person equal to you, in front of you, a world of beauty and a heart of joy emerges.  You cannot discount what you place value upon.  Be a value builder today.

Let’s go.