I am currently 44 years old. Other than my parents, I have two other younger siblings that made up my family. Unfortunately, my mum passed on early in her life due to an accident happened at home when I was in my late twenties.
Many drug abusers have mentioned their initial exposure to drug is due to environment or friends but, my exposure was due to my own curiosity rather than peer pressure from the circle of friends. It was because of that curiosity led to my downfall in life as I was drawn into the world of drugs since my early twenties. This had also caused me to hurt my loved ones that include my wife, my sons, and my two younger siblings and without a doubt, to my dad too.
Because of my addiction, the law caught up with me three times and, not to mention the countless time when I was not caught. Throughout those years when I was addicted to drugs – in Drug Rehabilitation Center, Institute of Mental Health, and in prison, these institutions didn’t really change me.
And it was only in 2020 during my last incarceration, I was determined to change and mend my way after reading the Bible in prison one day about the prodigal son that brought great insight into my own life. When I was sent to Christian Halfway House for my rehabilitation program, I found God in a personal way and slowly but surely; begin to engage spiritually to a local church.
It was also the time when I was attending church faithfully, a brother encouraged me to follow the Lord wholeheartedly by following the Lord’s command to be water baptized and to walk in His way in this new lease of life.
Since coming to the knowledge of Jesus Christ and have accepted Him as Lord and Savior, God has done marvelous work in my life. Now, I’m actively attending church service regularly and consistently engaged with godly believers in a godly environment to continue to help me battle this journey of life with many challenges.
I know God is helping me in redeeming my life from the pit of my addiction. God has also provided through all my loved ones namely, my family to help me focus to stay away from drug addiction.
Currently, I’m employed full-time in Teen Challenge Singapore as maintenance staff and it is also in Teen Challenge, God has been gracious and faithful in sending many godly individuals to encourage and spur me on in my walk with God closely.
Though there were times I do faced temptations, but by God’s grace and continual strength, I have resisted and emerged stronger both in faith in God and in my life and will continue to allow the power of God to continue my life of transformation.
As I conclude, I want to thank God who has never given up on me through the years I was so far away from Him due to my addiction. My favourite passage of Scripture is found in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” Through the Scripture in 2 Corinthians 12:9, I’m believing all sufficiency of God’s grace to continue to enable me to live a life free from addiction and to glorify Him. At the same time, to use my life as a living testimony to help and spur others on.
May God richly blessed all the readers.
Bernard Oh