MORE ABOUT ME

      "I’m Tracey and I’m an alcoholic!” That’s what I used to say when I went to Alcoholics Anonymous before becoming a Christian.

I took my first drink when I was sixteen at a family wedding and found it changed the quiet shy me into another person that I liked much better. Over the years I thought I was in control of my drinking but more and more it began to control me.

I tumbled in and out of affairs of the heart and the hurt and rejection made me drink more. I began to look for something meaningful in life and tried the New Age, spiritualism and other religions but nothing helped me find the purpose and self-worth I thought I’d find….. and the drinking got worse!

Finally, I lived with another alcoholic who often talked about the Salvation Army he was in as a teenager. One Sunday night, after a drinking session, and a beating, I went in search of these people. I saw two ladies in Salvation Army uniform and they told me where I would find help. I smelled of cigarettes and booze, and looked a sight with a black eye and buckled knee – they didn’t seem to notice.

The meeting had finished. They were going home, but they stayed. They seemed to know my need – someone played the piano softly and two ladies were humming something – people went back to their seats and I knew they were praying for me.

An elderly gentleman in uniform came to me and said “You’re in trouble sister, come and talk to my wife.” They took me to the mercy seat where she told me about the love of Jesus, and how if I was the only person in the world He would have died for me. This was a new world for me – people cared about me – they didn’t seem to mind I was a mess – there was no condemnation!

I wasn’t ready to make a commitment yet and the next few months I lived half my life in the pub and half with these new people. I used to dart into the toilets when they came round with the War-cry on Friday nights …..but after a while I couldn’t cope with this double life. I had come to love and respect them and I wanted what they had. I saw their peace, how they cared for each other.

I tried to commit 80% - then 90,% - but even 99% wasn’t enough – Jesus would only accept 100% of me and on 26th February 1984 I knew something special would happen at the next meeting at 7 o’clock. I don’t know if it was an angel or the Lord Himself who came to fetch me out of my seat, but there I was, back at the mercy seat again – this time to give my all to Jesus! I was delivered that moment from alcohol, smoking, and much more. I felt relief and immense gratitude and knew I had been set free

I thought life as a Christian would be boring – but it’s not! I’m learning to love, to trust, to be forgiven and forgive.

I’m learning to put right the broken relationships in my life and rebuild them – but more than that – I am learning each day to have an exciting relationship with the Living God, to allow Him to take my hand and lead me.

It won’t always be easy but I will always have Him!