From Nightmare… To Shining Knight!

Even prison isn’t enough to turn some people around. This was certainly the case for Brian Reid. In 1997 he went to prison for selling cocaine. He spent a whole year behind bars. When he got out he moved in with his girlfriend and two years later they had their first son Tyler. The newfound responsibility of becoming a daddy and later that year marrying his sweetheart, Tina, were not enough to change him. Not even a little.

Brian had progressed from being a dope dealer to being a full-time dope user. Brian recalls “I always thought I could quit on my own, but it never happened. I was shooting up crystal meth and I was out of my mind most of the time and if I wasn’t; I was thinking about it. I couldn’t wait until Friday night; I always knew I could do what I wanted. If I left on a Friday and did drugs all weekend by at least Tuesday or so I would be able to talk my way back into my relationship with my wife.”

It was a nightmare, only I was awake.

Tina, his wife, recalls it differently. “I would spend most nights crying myself to sleep and trying to make excuses for Brian to our son. It was a nightmare, only I was awake. I was trying to be a good mom and wife but didn’t know when my husband would take off and the drugs would take over. I just kept praying, “Lord just bring him home safe.” I never could figure out why or how my husband could do this to us. Brian would go through short periods of being with us as a family; do well for a little while and would then fall into trouble, usually something big. As soon as things started to look up; the downside would come soon thereafter. There was even a time that we started attending church and got involved and then he would fall into trouble. It brought me down too and we would get off track and stop going to church altogether. I didn’t know how to reach out to anyone because this isn’t something commonly discussed at church, and I felt that no one could relate.”

In 2007, their son Timmy was born. But Brian was not exactly up for “father of the year”. His drug habit was spinning out of control, and he spent a good part of the next two years making bad decisions, and falling really short on his promises to quit drugs again and again.

A friend of his made the call to Wisdom In Living Life Ministry

Early in 2009, Brian had hit a new low. He reverted to stealing from his family. In fact, it was the same family member that bailed him out of jail in 1997.
A friend of his made the call to Wisdom In Living Life Ministry, and Brian finally did the one thing he said he would do and that was “show up”. He came on a Thursday night to the “Choosing to Be Free” orientation class. He recalls going home that night and saying “Here I am God and I really mean it.” He asked Jesus to come into his heart. It was the night of all nights; he got saved.

Brian began to allow godly influences into his life. He keeps his appointments for counseling, attends classes and is now “learning how to live.”
Tina says, with a sparkle in her eye “The night Brian found the Lord has been such a blessing in our lives. He gets up and does his devotional, writes in his journal, he spends quality time with our kids and we are even back at church. I can actually depend on him, when before I could not. The trust part is slowly coming back and God is working with me on this too. There is no doubt that God has his hand on him. It is different this time and I know God is directing us.

Brian is grateful to Wisdom In Living Life Ministry, Tina and both of their parents for not giving up on him. He now encourages others to let God be in control. He says “God definitely has a plan for my life, and He spared me for a reason. I put enough meth in my veins to kill a horse but God had a better plan.

Today, I am on cloud nine and I couldn’t be happier. My son Tyler told me the other day, “Daddy I am so glad you changed.” That means the world to me. With God’s help I will continue to work on my character and integrity. As much as I am counting on God to direct me; I want my family to know that they can count on me.”