Last night I went to watch a musical called "The Journey", a dramatic story of an addict's search for freedom, put on by Teen Challenge UK and hosted at the City Temple, Cardiff. I'm not really sure what I expected, but I was absolutely blown away by what I experienced. All of the cast were recovering addicts as were much of the crew. It was so powerful that I, amongst many, was in tears.
It charted one man's decline into drug addiction, with all of it's chaos, fear and pain, and followed his story right through until he had invited the life changing power of Jesus Christ into his life. All of the scene's having well thought out props with amazing music and lyrics to boot. It was a very accurate and true to life script, it didn't over sensationalise addiction, but nor did it pull it's punches either.
It ended with the lead actor, David Cartwright, giving his personal testimony about how Jesus had freed him from his own heroin addiction. He spoke of his life now - happily married, working in a Christian ministry with recovering addicts, with such a complete look of joy and freedom upon his face that his peacefulness shone from him.
Personally, it helped me to reconsider my position in life. Where I had come from, what I had achieved, and where I hoped my life will lead. It re-grounded me in my recovery, and I gratefully thanked the Lord Jesus for also ridding me of my addictions, reiterating my promise to follow his teachings and example in my everyday life.
When I bump into old using friends, a common question from them is "how come you succeeded in quitting drugs this time when you'd failed so many times before. What was different this time?" None of them expect the answer they get, "Becoming a Christian and using Jesus' strength, not just my own". Life still has ups and downs, but now I have a mental and spiritual strength that I didn't have before, and a God that's always there for me.
Check out the trailer on the Teen Challenge website.
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