It used to taste good to indulge in that fermented,
but God changed my taste buds after I repented!
As with smoking, I grew up around a lot of drinkers (probably could accurately use the term "alcoholics", but I'll use "drinkers" in this blog entry). And as with smoking, I was initially turned off by drinking as well. I didn't like the effect it had on certain members of my family, and I associated it with partying, and I didn't like all the partying that my parents/aunts/uncles/cousins did.
But, since it was always around, I was tempted as a teen. I remember sneaking sips of my mother's Hennessy when she wasn't home. I didn't particularly enjoy it (at the time), but I suppose I liked the thrill of doing something that I wasn't supposed to do.
But, then I went to college and, as with smoking, I got caught up. At first, I thought that beer was nasty, but I liked being drunk and eventually acquired a taste for it. And, I really enjoyed the harder stuff, because it got me drunker quicker. In case it's not obvious, I was in love with being drunk. When I was drunk, I felt more confident, more at ease with myself, more carefree... . I liked that... I just liked being drunk/wasted/smashed.
But then, I got saved. And, I stopped drinking for a couple of years. Then, I turned 21. My homegirl came to Oxford (the one that I spent a weed-filled weekend with - see my ex-smoker testimony for more about that). She took a brotha to the club and was buying me amaretto sours and long island iced teas, and I was guzzling them drinks like I was drinking kool-aid on a hot summer's day. I was super-smashed! I couldn't even walk down the street straight (but I regretted it the next day, for real).
After this incident, I drank at home. I felt bad that I was supposed to be a devout Christian on the campus, but I was wasted in the club on a Friday night, and people who knew me was up in the club too. I really didn't drink too much for the rest of my college days, but after college, I would (on the low) enjoy cocktails or a bottle of beer. And, when I was a socialist, I got it in!
Finally, toward the summer of 2005, I started feeling some type of way about drinking. I just felt "wrong" about drinking. The Holy Ghost kept bringing to my remembrance that "wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise". So, I prayed to God that he'd take the desire away from me like he did with smoking. And, I swore off drinking.
And, I haven't drunk anything since... no, that's wrong. Back in the Spring of 2007 when I called myself backslidding, I did get lit off Absolut with my lil' homie, and I had the hangover from hell the next day. That was 5 1/2 years ago, and I haven't had a drink since, not even really tempted. God truly delivered me from the bottle, and I give him praise!
#ex-drinker
