THE DEVIL CAME DOWN TO HOUSTON LOOKING FOR A SOUL TO STEAL AND IT WAS MINE!!!My personal addiction recovery story continues...

MY THOGHTS: Hello world.....Im back again. I appreciate all of your comments very much.Please feel free to comment here or if you want to be private email me at danielisatruesoldier@aol.com.
 This blog seems to be reaching people that I would have never even imagined it would reach and for that I am inspired to keep posting! Thank you again for reading and I hope you continue to be inspired. Today Im going to share a paper that I just wrote for school. This paper explains a lot of what i have already learned in class about helping others overcome addiction. I feel strongly that you will also benefit from reading it. Remember that God is your Father in Heaven and he loves us all very much. That is who you are. YOU ARE A CHILD OF THE MOST HIGH....EVEN GOD! NEVER FORGET THAT YOU ARE A UNIQUE CHILD OF GOD...THERE WILL NEVER BE ANOTHER EXACTLY LIKE YOU. LIFE IS A MIRACLE IN AND OF ITSELF.. BE YOU AND.LOVE LIFE!!!  Here is my paper......

“A Few Things I’ve learned Since Mid-Term”

By: Daniel Blankenship

I have learned so many things in this class since mid-term that I have decided to write

about many of these lessons. I will also start off by saying that I have been in recovery

for almost 3 years now, and I went through a six-month treatment facility and I have

learned more here in this class than my entire time in treatment. I do realize that this is

the right time for me to hear it. I feel very strongly that God has put you were you are,

and that I am meant to be in this class at this time. I am a firm believer that God truly is

involved in the very details of our lives. I appreciate very much the passion and

enthusiasm that you have for helping others. Your impact in this world for good is very

powerful. Mr. Lewis, “You are doing good”!!!

The “is a handicap a curse or a blessing?” lecture hit home for me. I mentioned in class

that I have a nephew (Travis) that has a traumatic brain injury, and I deal with him on a

daily basis. He was in a car accident when he was eleven, and has had to learn to do

everything over again. He will be 24 this month. He was in a coma and couldn’t eat, or

walk. Through lots of therapy, hard work and determination he can now do all of those

things. Although his speech never returned and he can’t use his right arm functionally, he

has an unusual gift to communicate. Through your lecture you helped me realize just how

much of a blessing he has been and continues to be in my life. He is such a blessing in

my life, and in all those who are around him. He stays upbeat and positive most of the

time. I realized that I will someday soon be able to give this same lecture to clients and

use Travis as an example. Much like you used your friend that was in the motorcycle

wreck and became a victim instead of a victor. I have been watching you and listening to

you very closely. In this lecture I learned how to help clients make the connection

between others with handicaps and in the handicap of addiction. I have learned haw to

help them make the connection between someone with a physical handicap and in

themselves as they strive to overcome addiction. I have learned how to help them realize

that you can either become better or bitter. I have learned from you how to help clients

realize that they can actually use the adversity in their lives as stepping stones to reach

their full potential. I have learned how to help others see drug addiction in a different

light with a different perspective.

Again I just can’t stress enough how much I have learned in your class. It’s as if I was

brought into this class by divine intervention. Well, its not “as if” it is real. You made a

comment that “there are hundreds of people depending on you to become an educated

counselor to help them through their problems”. That comment hit me in the heart

because I can feel that it’s true. I have learned from you that if I can create the right

relationship and environment that the client will be the expert. It is my job to help them

stumble upon their own truths. The counselor that is the quietest is the best counselor. I

will be a “Fisher of Men”! I will be friendly to the clients, but not their friend. My mind

has been opened by you to become as educated as I possibly can on ALL theories of

psychology and in counseling others. I have realized the power in teaching clients many

diffirent theories and topics and allowing them to think for them selves. I will never just

shove one theory down their throat and expect them to embrace the theory that I am most

passionate about. I will help them find their own path.

I have learned that the family as a whole will play a large role in recovery. I have learned

that a dysfunctional family will work against a member trying to change for the better. I

have learned that a person will often do really well in treatment because they are pulled

out of the current or “whirlpool” that a family naturally creates. And many times once

they are released if not separated from the family they will be trying to swim upstream so

to speak. A lot of times its just better to separate until necessary adjustments are made.

As counselors we need to help clients realize that as adults we need to learn to meet our

own needs. I have learned that as professional counselors we need to help clients pay

attention to their thoughts and focus on the positive thoughts. We need to find out what is

really going on in their minds. I have learned that it is good to be dramatic when working

with clients in a group setting and to get them involved and excited about their recovery.

Now I know why Dr. Phill says “I want you to get excited about your life” before every

show!

I have learned that as a counselor we should realize that the person that is struggling the

most in recovery is the person that needs our help the most. It takes effort and sincere

care and concern to reach these individuals. As a counselor I will treat each individual as

the unique person that they are. I will help them discover the reality and miracle that we

are all unique individuals, and there will never be another exactly like you. I have learned

that each of us is a spiritual being and that on the inside most addicts feel the same,

whether they are successful or not. This is why you may hear someone say “I’m stupid or

I’m ugly”, this is coming from how they feel on the inside. I have learned that if I don’t feel

good on the inside I may constantly look for something on the outside to help me feel

better such as work, food , sex, power, or money. We need to work on how we feel on the

inside, work on feeling good on the inside. As counselors we will help clients change

how they feel on the inside. As a recovering addict it is necessary to change how we feel

on the inside so that we can accept the great things that come from recovery. As children

we are programmable, but as we grow older we are self programmable. We must be very

careful what we tell ourselves. As a counselor I will ask clients to think about the things

they were told as a child and help them change their perception of themselves. I will be

the one that helps get the ball rolling. I have learned the importance of working with

clients on the “feeling level”, and the importance of helping them realize their own hopes

and dreams. Recovery is rediscovery, finding out how you really are. I have learned that

once we develop “core beliefs” we naturally reject information that goes against those

beliefs. We will attract what we believe that we deserve in life. This is why a woman that

has prayed for a good man may reject him once he appears in her life. She rejects him

because of what she feels on the inside. I have learned that the past is unchanging, it is

only our perception of it that changes.

Anger is a big issue for us as human beings. It is necessary to become as educated as

possible in understanding anger. Understanding anger can literally save a person from so

much sorrow and even save them from prison or death. Once we understand that we all

have anger we just need to recognize it, own it, and then discharge it in a positive way we

will be much better off. Since mid-term I have learned so much about helping others and

myself along the road of life. I am a firm believer that we are not just human beings

having a spiritual experience, but we are spiritual beings having a human experience. I

will strive to help my clients realize that they are unique and that they truly have a life

purpose. I have learned from you the value in teaching others by my own experiences. I

will work hard to develop my own unique counseling style that will hopefully impact

others as much as you have impacted me. Thank you again Mr. Lewis for choosing to be

a positive force for good in this world.  I am a much better person because of you, and I

already know that I will use a lot of your teaching style as a professional. Your influence

for good in this world is immeasurable. These are just a few lessons I’ve learned from

you since mid-term.                  

WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT: 

 

SCRIPTURES TO PONDER: JOHN CHAPTER 14


MY PERSONAL ADDICTION RECOVERY STORY CONTINUES......

After a few days, I was finally able to separate from John. I went back to Salt Lake and picked up my vehicle. I went home and packed my bags, gathered what little money I could, and hit the highway! I didn’t know where I was going; I just knew that I was going out of state. I was on the run! I was still strung out on Meth, and very scared. I ended up in Grand Junction, Colorado when I called home, only to be informed that the local news channels were broadcasting my picture, and name as “UTAHS MOST WANTED”!!! They said that I was a murder suspect, and considered to be armed and dangerous! I made arrangements to meet up with my father, and speak with an attorney. We immediately made arrangements for me to turn my self in. The attorney thought it would be best if we gave a statement to the media, so against my better judgment we prepared a statement to give to the K.S.L. news channel. It was all live on television when I turned myself into the Salt Lake City authorities on May 13^th, 2007, Mother’s Day!

I was booked into the Salt Lake City Adult Detention Center charged with several first degree felonies. If convicted each charge carries five years to life in prison! I was charged with Murder, aggravated kidnapping, and aggravated burglary. I served fourteen months there at the Salt Lake City Detention Center.  John told the police that he was with a friend at the time of the murder, and that he bought the gun from me the day after on our way to wendover! John was arrested with the murder weapon on him a short time later. John was arrested as soon as the injured women found the courage to speak up and tell the police that they knew who shot them. As you can imagine, at first they were scared for their lives, so they were not talking. In June of 2008, I agreed to testify against John in the event that the capitol murder case went all the way to trial. I plead guilty to a burglary charge. I also agreed to wait until after the murder trial to be sentenced.  

After fourteen months I was finally released from the Salt Lake City detention center, my brother Davis was there to pick me up. We headed south down Interstate 15 to my sisters beautiful home in Highland, Utah. I was so happy to be free! It was a warm sunny day and most of my immediate family was there to greet me. They were already gathered together celebrating my nephew Dallas’ birthday. It was such a warm and beautiful feeling to be reunited with my family. And you can imagine just how delicious that steak dinner was after eating that jail food for so long. I was so happy to be free!

 I had been praying that I would be able to find employment, and sure enough just a few days later I ran into an old missionary friend that owned and operated his own business. I ended up going to work for him at “Western Paving” through the entire summer. Would you believe that the job even came with golf privileges at a near by golf course? Once again I was living a happy, productive, and sober lifestyle. The job was a seasonal job, so once the winter time came, the job was over. About this same time my parents had decided to move back to Texas to escape the freezing cold winters in Utah. My Dad decided to open a bar-b-q restaurant in N.W. Houston, Texas. When “B.J.’s Brisket & Rib Company” opened for business, my father invited me to come and work for him. I accepted his invitation, and I was so excited to be moving back to Texas. I hit the highway very excited to start life over again back in Texas. I moved back in with Mom and Dad. I tried to work with my Dad, but it turned out to be very difficult for me to work with him. I began to hang around old friends and before long I started the vicious cycle of addiction all over again. I was using meth again!   

I will now share another spiritual experience with you for two reasons. #1 reason:  It is my hope that you will be able to relate to me by reading my experiences, and that your desire to change your own life will grow stronger. #2 reason:  One of the main objectives of this book is to help you to realize that this war between God and Satan is a reality. The experience happened like this…I had been awake for several days high on meth when I found out that my sister, and her family were planning to move back to Texas. They were scheduled to arrive at their new home the following day, and they needed my help to unload. My desire to be there to help them was very sincere, and very strong. I knew I needed to get some rest and show up clear minded. I was at a motel in N.W. Houston hanging out and getting high with an old using buddy of mine. I was just about to leave the motel and return to my parent’s home to get some rest when my buddy offered me $300.00 to give him a ride down the road. I agreed to pick him up at a pre arranged spot. I arrived at the pre arranged spot, and just a few minutes later, he came running up with a stack of one-hundred dollar bills! He had a bad habit of setting up drug deals and running off with the money! The next thing you know we were back at the motel with a large quantity of drugs. After a while I remembered that my sister was coming into town, and that I needed to rest. I was too messed up to drive home, and it was way too loud in the hotel room for me to sleep. We then decided to rent the room next door. I just really wanted to be there to help my sister and her family, and my desire to get some rest was very strong. I some how mustered up the will power, and courage to push the drugs aside and go get some sleep. I retired to my new room alone, locked both doors (there was a jointing door that would allow us to go from one room to the other). I began to think of my sister and her family, and my desire to get some rest grew even stronger. It was at this point when I was alone in that room that I begin to realize that I was going to need help from above if I was going to have any chance at being there on time to help my sister. I decided to take a quick shower, and this is where the spiritual experience began. Realizing that I needed God’s help, after I turned on the shower and the warm water was running, I kneeled down right there in the bath-tub, and began to plead with my Father in Heaven to help me. I was only able to get out two or three short sentences when immediately my tongue was bound so that I could not speak!!! Some strange force and power from the unseen world of spirits took complete control of my entire being! I tried to break the captive powers by jumping out of the tub, but I did not have the strength or power to do so. The water pressure began to change from high to low, and move up and down! At this moment of great fear I begin to see an unearthly like light begin to appear right in front of my face. This light became brighter, and brighter and commanded my attention! It was as if an angel of light was appearing to me. I was still down on my knees with my hands crossed, and I was being forced to raise my bowed head to pay attention to this bright light. For a brief moment I actually had a good feeling come over me, as if this was going to be a positive experience. Then instantaneously the good feeling was gone, and so was the light. This very real and thick black darkness took its place. I could actually see this thick and almost tangible cloud of darkness in front of me. At this moment of great alarm I had this feeling of extreme fear that overcame me. My mind and body was filled with terror, and I instantly knew that Satan was there! I could FEEL his evil presence! The devil came down to Houston looking for a soul to steal, and it was mine!

  I begin to see my life flash right before my eyes. I actually saw in my minds eye my parents standing over me crying and grieving over my dead body. There I was on my knees in this bathtub of a run down cheap motel room with this vision of my own dead body being viewed by my parents. I believe it was that vision, and the terrible feeling inside of me that gave me the strength to finally break the captive powers of the adversary. I could not stand the thought of my parents finding me dead in that motel. I was finally able to jump up and run to unlock the door and seek help. I knew that the devil himself was there with me in that motel room! I was now scared to death to be in this motel room alone with the devil himself. I will never forget that thick darkness or the extreme feeling of fear and terror that came over me. I have learned for myself that evil forces are real. I have also learned that the power of prayer is real. Why else would this evil influence attack me right when I began to pray?     

 

Thank you again for reading....I hope you have been uplifted and encouraged to be better and keep on keeping on down the road of life....Please feel free to leave a comment here or email me privately with any message or comment that you might have. My email is danielisatruesoldier@aol,com.