The Raw Truth: Addicted and Redeemed

By David K. Kern

IS THERE HOPE? CAN A PERSON STRUGGLING WITH ADDICTIONS REALLY OVERCOME? 

Addiction is an ever-increasing dilemma in societies across the world. 

The Raw Truth takes you on a journey into the life of an addict to the redeeming work completed through Jesus Christ.

 

Oftentimes an addictio

• Language: English
• Publisher: Stratton Press
• Release date: Sep 30, 2022
• ISBN: 9798887641782

David K. Kern

David Kern is the lead pastor of Vitality Church, serving Lake County, Ohio. In addition, David is the director of Rock Community Outreach, a faith-based life-coaching outreach. David has a bachelor of science in psychology Christian counseling from the School of Behavioral Sciences, Liberty University. David and his wife Ronda enjoy spending time with their children and being active in bringing hope to the hopeless.

Book preview

Preface

The purpose of the book is to bring Truth to light in the reader and to restore hope for the hopeless. My purpose is to lead you the reader to a personal understanding of recovery, victory, redemption, hope, new life while bringing glory to God.

My understanding is that if just one comes to a personal saving relationship with Jesus Christ a new life that is in Him, then the Raw Truth: Addicted and Redeemed is a success.

Acknowledgments

Thanks to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to my beautiful wife and our children, who soldier with me to carry the message of Jesus Christ’s redemptive work to the broken, the lost.

I thank God for my mother, who is always beside me on this faith journey for His steadfast and faithful rebuilding of our relationship.

I thank God for everyone who the Lord has called to come alongside of me in this work.

I thank God for the readers of this work and pray that the raw truth shared in this book will usher many into the promise and hope that is in Jesus Christ.

Contents

Introduction

Part 1

My Story, God’s Glory

Chapter 1 A Look Inside

Chapter 2 Spiritual Conditioning

Chapter 3 A Broken Home

Chapter 4 Shattered

Chapter 5 The Other Side

Chapter 6 Misguided Principles

Chapter 7 Darkness

Chapter 8 Living on the Edge

Chapter 9 A Caring Experience

Chapter 10 Torn

Chapter 11 Resentment

Chapter 12 Masking the Addiction

Chapter 13 Full Circle

Chapter 14 Insanity

Chapter 15 The End of the Road

Chapter 16 Captive

Chapter 17 A Glimpse of the Light

Chapter 18 Transformation

Chapter 19 Unmovable

Chapter 20 Soaring on Wings of Eagles

Chapter 21 The Potter

Chapter 22 His Will

Chapter 23 Rays of Light

Chapter 24 Only Jesus

Part 2

The Raw Truth Thirty-Day Devotional

Day 1 A Greater Provision

Day 2 Running for Shelter

Day 3 Echo of Faith

Day 4 Faithful Prayer

Day 5 Divide and Conquer

Day 6 Foundation

Day 7 A Song of Strength

Day 8 The Joy of Change

Day 9 Darkness and Light

Day 10 He Is Watching

Day 11 How Great Thy Portion Be

Day 12 Celebrate

Day 13 Rise and Shine

Day 14 Lighthouse

Day 15 Snakebite

Day 16 Illumination

Day 17 Extreme Direction

Day 18 Message of Truth

Day 19 My Helper

Day 20 Fear

Day 21 Trust in the Midst of Sorrow

Day 22 On Top of the Mountain

Day 23 What Must I Lose?

Day 24 Pride

Day 25 Generational Sin

Day 26 Unforgiving

Day 27 Transparency

Day 28 I will Praise Him

Day 29 Overwhelmed

Day 30 Carry On

Bibliography

Introduction

It is said addiction is the surface effect of a deeper issue that at times begins early in childhood most often. At times, the parents are to blame for the generational decay of society today. Is it too much discipline, not enough discipline, or is it the lack of values that have infiltrated this world today?

A scripture of much value concerning this issue, which is often viewed as an enthusiastic approach to the Christian tradition, is written in Proverbs 22:6: "Start a child off in the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it." What is often overlooked is the conviction of this scripture that what children are being taught is void of godly principles and morals.

Families today are in pursuit of vapors, treasures of the world that rust and moths destroy. There are divine treasures, and when we pursue these divine treasures, they are kept safe in heaven, and cannot be destroyed (Matt. 6:20) This scripture becomes trivial when the search ends in finding God’s will and is held captive by self-infatuations. The promises that God has stored up for us are revealed in the pursuit of God’s promises.

This is the journey of recovery. When we stop pursuing God, people get lost; they lose direction. Yet the constant pursuit of God reveals His love, His mercies, His purpose.

I never imagined that I would ever write a book. I am humbled that God granted me this opportunity to share His treasures of wisdom and knowledge with all who read this book.

There is raw truth that is to be revealed that Jesus Christ came to set the captives free (Luke 4:18), and Truth shall set you free (John 8:32) that in Christ, you will be free indeed (John 8:36). All this is from God whom through Christ reconciles us to Himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18).

The Raw Truth: Addicted and Redeemed introduces hope!

Cause of the Illness

The topic of addiction continues to take center stage, especially in the most recent times there has been an influx of designer drugs and a rebirth of heroin use. It was years ago that substance abuse was identified as a disease.

However, addiction goes much deeper than a medical diagnosis because there has never been a diagnosis that still holds people legally accountable to their actions. This truth will take you on a journey into the deeper realms of addiction.

Historically, one can see there have been laws made to try to deter substance abuse; thus, treatment and acknowledgment of the disease has greatly improved. However, these laws still neglect the root of the individual and families struggling with disorder and the proper care needed.

Whatever the case, there is a level of personal responsibility that goes along with disease of addiction that holds people accountable for their actions. Due to this truth, the disease of addiction leads to the stigma of addictive disorders in society. While even more, society promotes the embrace of legal harmful substances such as alcohol.

The raw truth is that addiction is caused by many external influences that cause an internal need to feel good or sustain a state of euphoria and disconnect from reality. The state of euphoria that substances provide is the explanation of the internal cause of the illness.

External forces can range anywhere from learned behavior, poverty, abuse, and, most of all, sexual abuse.

Childhood sexual abuse is one the most strongly associated dysfunctions with drug or alcohol dependence than with any other psychiatric disorders. In addition, social cultural settings are known to be attributed to the cause of substance abuse disorders. This is supported by my personal testimony and my struggle with addictions described in the following chapters.

Drugs, alcohol, and overconsumption of these substances in my childhood are attributed to my personal experience with addiction. Substances were such a huge part in my sociocultural setting that using them started at a young age and became a learned supported behavior (Comer 2014). Along with the abuse of these substances was a poverty-stricken homelife, physical, mental, emotional, and abuse, in addition to an unsupportive home environment.

In terms of the biochemical causes of substance abuse, this was genetically inherited.

Addiction ravaged both my father’s side and mother’s side of the families. My grandfather and my grandmother died because of liver disease due to this disorder.

My biochemical makeup was fit to inherit substance abuse disorder.

My genetic linkage can be attributed to what researchers term an abnormal form of the D2R or dopamine-2 apart from the biochemical conclusions of the decrease in neurotransmitters that are a result of high levels of sustained substance consumption (Comer 2014). The cause of substance abuse disorder can arguably be attributed to the cognitive behavioral, social cultural, and biological predisposition that leads to the influx of addictions.

Prevention

It is estimated 80 percent of addicts who get off drugs or alcohol in detoxification go back to drugs or alcohol within a year. Only 20 percent achieve a stable abstinence from a given detoxification (Firshein 2010).

Substance abuse disorders are shown in the individual’s pursuit of the completion of three major goals. The first is to reverse the decline of physical and psychological health. This is attained in time-based sobriety. The second goal is the use of all psychoactive substances must cease and the individual is to remain abstinent, remain strong, be strong, and stay active in the recovery process. Thirdly, a life free from substances must be paramount as is giving up old friends and old places. This is what is biblically identified as repentance.

When in discussion about prevention, there must be proper education.

In childhood, any education is suitable, especially when challenging parents who may suffer from addictions.

Children must be educated to recognize substance abuse disorders within their home. Having observed this reality personally and also through observation as a professional treating addicted clients, it is evident that education along with complete abstinence would prove beneficial in the homes that are at risk of addiction.

Overall, prevention from addiction is only effective when enacted upon within the home through education and awareness through risk assessment.

The seriousness of addiction must first be paramount and controlled through the home because home is the most influential place for children, and prevention starts with them.

This monumental task feels impossible to attain, but an increase in education and awareness and the severity of the disorder is center stage. As this method evolves, so will prevention.

At this time, we must stay the course through education but improve upon awareness and risk assessment strategically.

There is also the very critical advancement of Jesus Christ being a need within the home. This, with awareness, is the only effective way to prevent substance abuse disorders. There must be a strong faith life, education, and acceptance of the spiritual damage caused by addictions and the only cure being that of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Treatment

There are basic tasks and responsibilities of a professional to assist in the recovery from substance abuse disorder. These include clinical evaluation; treatment planning; referral; service coordination; client, family, and community education; and group counseling (National Institute on Drug Abuse 1999). The role of the professional primarily is to take an accurate assessment/clinical evaluation (National Institute on Drug Abuse 1999).

Within the framework of the treatment, process comes proper referrals to other professionals such as psychiatrists, who may assist in the mental health of the patient and prescribe proper medications or maintenance prescriptions if needed.

In