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So I was on my 3rd marriage to yet another alcoholic. I grew up with a dad who was an alcoholic with very bad behavior. It was easy for me to be attracted to them, since I knew no other kind of guy. In any case, my then husband was in treatment the 3rd time that year and it was very clear he was only there to appease me and get to come back home. His addictions were drugs/alcohol/gambling. I knew I couldn't have him come home again and divorce was what would later choose. I was attending Al-Anon meetings and working on myself and learning to let the alcoholic work on himself. It was a difficult time financially. Before he went into treatment that time he had drained our bank account for his gambling and I was left with 4 months of debt and lots of shutoff notices and I was waiting to lose my condo.

So, that day I was driving into my driveway after work saying to God, "Where is my next dollar going to come from?" I was really stressed out over this situation as I had 2 children and didn't know where my life was going. I had a 'white light' experience early in my recovery that brought me to God as I understood Him (that story another time). So, I went to the mailbox and there in it was a $1 rebate check! I was amazed at how soon my prayer was answered. I even joked with God and asked Him if I had asked for a winning lottery ticket would He have given it to me? But I settled with the $1 rebate check and the knowledge of His will for me to accept it as His way of telling me He would take care of me if I let Him and if I trust Him. That wasn't all that was in the mailbox. A shutoff notice from the cable company with a bill for $110 and some change was in it. That night my 7 year old daughter and I gathered all the change my husband had been putting in jars all over the house. We sat there at the table counting and when all was said and done we had counted $110 and the change needed, but the thing that astonished me most was the 3 cents left over which said to me, "There will always be enough. Trust Me." So, I said, "OK God." The next night I was going to a meeting. At the meeting during my sharing what had happened and I said I was in fear of losing my condo (so much for my trust!) After the meeting one of the members came up and said, "If you don't mind me asking if I can rent one of your rooms for me and my 1 year old son. We are in a very dangerous situation and I need to leave before something happens." Wow! Another answer to my prayers. So I said to God, "OK God. You got my attention. I TRUST YOU!" But that isn't all! in the next few days I received a check in the mail from a 401K that belonged to my husband. He had been fired from his job after all those treatments and they didn't want him anymore. The check covered all 4 months in bills I was behind in and I had enough left over to give him the rest. I have always trusted God in most situations thereafter.

Oh, and that woman who I rented the room from...well when she moved in we sat down and laid out some boundaries that we always had a hard time with in our lives and decided to practice them on each other. She said she would only be with me for a year until she got on her feet. We worked on those boundaries and had overcome them and she then left. We have both been able to maintain them and have worked them into our lives ever since. No longer am I afraid to communicate without fear when I need to. I am able to Live and Let Live and not control situations that aren't mine to control. There were many other things we learned from each other that I am forever grateful for. I am now on my 4th alcoholic husband (he has been sober 35+years) and we will be celebrating 27 years on October 16th. Amazing Grace!

I hope this story gives you hope. Our experiences bring hope to others.

Blessings,

Carol