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Letting God Work Through Us
(A special “lifeline” story, first published in the April 2003 issue of Daily Word)
By Sandi Bachom
(A special “lifeline” story, first published in the April 2003 issue of Daily Word)
By Sandi Bachom
I am a fifty-eight-year-old recovering alcoholic who has been sober for sixteen years. Even when I was drinking, I was able to maintain my career as a producer of television commercials and director of broadcast production at advertising agencies. I was in denial about being an alcoholic.
I drank daily to kill whatever I was feeling—whether I considered the feeling good or bad. There’s a line in one of my books: “The only thing worse to an alcoholic than bad fortune is good fortune.” When we have good things happen to us, it’s just as big a trigger for drinking as when something bad happens.
Alcoholism is a progressive disease. I drank into my thirties and forties. Finally, my husband went to his employee assistance department because he could no longer cope with me and wanted out of the marriage. The person he talked with was a recovering alcoholic, and he suggested that the first thing my husband do was to encourage me to get help.
That was where the grace of God came into my story. God did speak through this man and through my husband to tell me I needed help. I listened, still not actually believing I was an alcoholic, and I asked for help.
I stopped drinking. I came to realize that what made me an alcoholic was that once I had one drink, I could not stop. I stayed sober one day at a time because I never had that one drink again. Being sober meant that I had a new life, and a new life came into my world when my son was born.
Spiritual Growth
My husband and I did eventually divorce years later. It was a very amicable parting, but it was also painful. I once heard somebody say, “Pain is calling me home to God.” And I have learned that pain is the touchstone of spiritual growth that does call me home to God.
I had another opportunity for growth a couple of years ago: I lost my job at an advertising agency in New York City. My last day at work was September 10, 2001.
Yet not having a job was a gift because I was free to volunteer at Chelsea Piers on September 12, the day after the World Trade Center tragedy. I actually went to give blood and continued to work as a volunteer for a week. That experience completely changed my life. At the very beginning of that week at Chelsea Piers, I met thousands of extraordinary people: firefighters, iron workers, rescue workers, counselors, doctors, and people offering food and clothing.
I found myself saying “God bless you” to everyone because I was so moved by the spiritual aspect of what we were going through.
One of my favorite lines is, “There are no coincidences, only those situations where God chooses to remain anonymous.” On September 4 I had experienced one of those coincidences: I had a chance to meet and talk with Captain Patrick Brown, one of the most decorated firefighters in the history of the New York City fire department. On September 11 he died at the World Trade Center. I attended his funeral at St. Patrick’s Cathedral with thirty-five thousand other people. Mayor Giuliani eulogized him, and it was a moving experience. He was the only person I knew personally who died in the tragedy.
I grieved for Pat Brown, for all others who lost their lives, and for New York City. My grief was bad enough, but I can’t even imagine what it would have been like to have lost a child or parent, a spouse or friend there.
Having Faith
After September 11 I know there is a greater purpose for my life—to let God speak and work through me. That takes faith. At times I seem to run on faith’s fumes, but my faith is the only thing that has gotten me through several dark nights of my soul. I know that, no matter what I am going through, I am being taken care of and that I don’t have to go backward. God has not brought me this far to drop me.
My life is so much simpler now. I won’t ever find myself roaming around in the Bowery—unless I choose to start drinking again. I choose to not take that path. I believe that God is looking out for me or He would not have put these extraordinary people in my life. He would not have allowed me to bear witness to and experience how He speaks and works through people.
I have a spiritual life that is very rich, and I call upon the God of my understanding. I have a beautiful fifteen-year-old son, and my ex-husband and I get along fine. Before September 11, saying “God bless you” was not part of my vernacular. Now I say it to taxi drivers, guys in the deli—everybody. And if ever we meet, I’ll say, “God bless you” to you.
I drank daily to kill whatever I was feeling—whether I considered the feeling good or bad. There’s a line in one of my books: “The only thing worse to an alcoholic than bad fortune is good fortune.” When we have good things happen to us, it’s just as big a trigger for drinking as when something bad happens.
Alcoholism is a progressive disease. I drank into my thirties and forties. Finally, my husband went to his employee assistance department because he could no longer cope with me and wanted out of the marriage. The person he talked with was a recovering alcoholic, and he suggested that the first thing my husband do was to encourage me to get help.
That was where the grace of God came into my story. God did speak through this man and through my husband to tell me I needed help. I listened, still not actually believing I was an alcoholic, and I asked for help.
I stopped drinking. I came to realize that what made me an alcoholic was that once I had one drink, I could not stop. I stayed sober one day at a time because I never had that one drink again. Being sober meant that I had a new life, and a new life came into my world when my son was born.
Spiritual Growth
My husband and I did eventually divorce years later. It was a very amicable parting, but it was also painful. I once heard somebody say, “Pain is calling me home to God.” And I have learned that pain is the touchstone of spiritual growth that does call me home to God.
I had another opportunity for growth a couple of years ago: I lost my job at an advertising agency in New York City. My last day at work was September 10, 2001.
Yet not having a job was a gift because I was free to volunteer at Chelsea Piers on September 12, the day after the World Trade Center tragedy. I actually went to give blood and continued to work as a volunteer for a week. That experience completely changed my life. At the very beginning of that week at Chelsea Piers, I met thousands of extraordinary people: firefighters, iron workers, rescue workers, counselors, doctors, and people offering food and clothing.
I found myself saying “God bless you” to everyone because I was so moved by the spiritual aspect of what we were going through.
One of my favorite lines is, “There are no coincidences, only those situations where God chooses to remain anonymous.” On September 4 I had experienced one of those coincidences: I had a chance to meet and talk with Captain Patrick Brown, one of the most decorated firefighters in the history of the New York City fire department. On September 11 he died at the World Trade Center. I attended his funeral at St. Patrick’s Cathedral with thirty-five thousand other people. Mayor Giuliani eulogized him, and it was a moving experience. He was the only person I knew personally who died in the tragedy.
I grieved for Pat Brown, for all others who lost their lives, and for New York City. My grief was bad enough, but I can’t even imagine what it would have been like to have lost a child or parent, a spouse or friend there.
Having Faith
After September 11 I know there is a greater purpose for my life—to let God speak and work through me. That takes faith. At times I seem to run on faith’s fumes, but my faith is the only thing that has gotten me through several dark nights of my soul. I know that, no matter what I am going through, I am being taken care of and that I don’t have to go backward. God has not brought me this far to drop me.
My life is so much simpler now. I won’t ever find myself roaming around in the Bowery—unless I choose to start drinking again. I choose to not take that path. I believe that God is looking out for me or He would not have put these extraordinary people in my life. He would not have allowed me to bear witness to and experience how He speaks and works through people.
I have a spiritual life that is very rich, and I call upon the God of my understanding. I have a beautiful fifteen-year-old son, and my ex-husband and I get along fine. Before September 11, saying “God bless you” was not part of my vernacular. Now I say it to taxi drivers, guys in the deli—everybody. And if ever we meet, I’ll say, “God bless you” to you.
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2. Please do not reveal information that could in any way either violate the privacy of others or reflect on them in a negative manner.
3. Only first names will be used in postings.
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5. Check spelling and grammar before submitting; and to ensure readability, do not use all caps.
6. Include your contact information: name and address.
7. Unity retains the right to review and edit each story and select only the ones that are appropriate in theme and content when time and space permit posting.
8. By e-mailing your story, you are granting Unity permission to use your story in part or in its entirety on our Web sites and/or publish it in print or electronic form, or adapt it to other media.
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