Article August 18, 2003 Issue

A downward spiral REVERSED

By Steve Scheiern

I've Learned from experience that no matter where you are in life, in spite of whatever you've done, the love of God is unimpeachable and absolutely unconditional—you're never unworthy of God's redeeming love.

As a child, I went to a Christian Science Sunday School nearly every Sunday and learned a lot about God. When I left home, I moved quickly into a very fast-paced lifestyle, with plenty of money to spend and lots of freedom. I also stopped attending church. Eventually I began drinking—a couple of times a week I drank so much I was absolutely unable to function. I also became addicted to cigarettes and occasionally experimented with drugs.

This lifestyle continued and grew even darker—it seemed to have a tight hold on me. My self-esteem plummeted as my self-restraint weakened. I began using cocaine and other illegal drugs. Eventually, I became unhappy in my marriage and started flirting with other women. Even though I had always abhorred disloyalty to the marriage commitment, I felt drawn into all of this. Pretty soon, any whim of desire ruled my day. "What fun is ahead of me next?" was my motivating force.

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About the author

Steve Scheiern is the western regional manager for a national insurance and financial services company. He also teaches Sunday School. He resides in Thousand Oaks, California, with his wife and three children.

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