I HAVE BEEN USING COPENHAGEN SINCE I WAS 15 YEARS OLD, IM NOW 31 YEARS OLD. I HAVE BEEN MARRIED FOR 7 YEARS AND HAVE A 6 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER. THEY WOULD ALWAYS ASK ME TO STOP, BUT I WASNT READY TO ALTHOUGH I HAVE TRIED SEVERAL TIMES. ONCE YOU HAVE A FAMILY IT MAKES YOU THINK ABOUT THINGS IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
IN THE LAST YEAR I TRIED TO STOP WITHOUT ANY LUCK. WHEN I DID I WOULD SWEAT IN MY SLEEP, START SHAKING, HEADACHES, MOODY,ETC. I COULDNT STOP, I WAS JUST TOO ADDICTED. WHEN I WOULD TAKE A DIP I WOULD HEAR A SMALL VOICE INSIDE OF ME SAYING I REALLY SHOULDNT BE DOING THIS, BUT I DIDNT WANT TO HEAR IT, SO I WOULD IGNORE IT.
WELL, SINCE THAT TIME MY FAMILY AND I STARTED GOING TO A GOSPEL CHURCH, MAN I COULD LISTEN TO MY PREACHER HARD PREACH ALL DAY ABOUT THE WORD. I COULDNT GET ENOUGH. I STARTED GOING 3 TIMES A WEEK, I WAS AND AM CRAVING THE WORD. NEXT WE GOT SAVED AND ARE SCHEDULED TO BE BAPTIZED ON AUG 5. WELL, ON A THURSDAY I LEFT WORK EARLY AT 11:00 AND ON THE WAY HOME, ABOUT 30 MIN AWAY,I GRAB MY CAN OF COPENHAGEN AND OPENED IT. THIS IS WHEN I HEARD GOD SPEAK TO ME AS CLEAR AS SPEAKING TO SOMEONE ON THE PHONE. HE TOLD ME TO STOP, DO NOT TAKE ANOTHER DIP, NO MORE. IT WAS A VERY FIRM BUT PEACEFUL VOICE. I COULDNT DO ANYTHING BUT STARE AT THE CAN AND SAID YES SIR. I HAD NO DOUBT THAT THIS WAS GOD. THEN HE SAID TO ME, IF YOU DO NOT TAKE ANY MORE, NOT ONE, YOU WILL BE FINANCIALLY SECURE FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.
SEE, WHEN I PRAY, I TELL GOD THAT WHATEVER HE NEEDS ME TO DO, JUST LEAD ME TO DO HIS WORK THROUGH ME, AND THAT WHAT EVER THAT MAY BE I CAN FINANCIALLY TAKE CARE OF MY FAMILY. SO I BELIEVE GOD WAS TESTING ME TO SEE IF I MEANT WHAT I PRAYED. IN OTHER WORDS, I WILL ANSWER YOUR PRAYER IF YOU GIVE UP YOUR ADDICTION. I TOLD HIM I HAVE TRIED BUT I NEEDED HIS HELP AND HE TOLD ME, WHEN I HAVE A CRAVING, GIVE PRAISE TO GOD AND HE WOULD TAKE AWAY MY CRAVING. I GOT HOME AND WAS AMAZED AT WHAT HAPPENED.
BUT 2 HOURS LATER I COULDNT FIGHT THE CRAVING SO I TOOK A DIP. I KNEW RIGHT THEN I MISSED UP. I CHEWED THE REST OF THE NIGHT. WELL, AT 3 A.M. I HAVE THE WORST DREAM OF MY LIFE. TO MAKE IT SHORT MY LITTLE GIRL WAS SHOT 3 TIMES IN THE CHEST AND DIED IN MY ARMS. I HATE THAT DREAM. I AWOKE IN A COLD SWEAT, WIDE AWAKE, BUT I WASNT CONCERNED ABOUT MY GIRL, INSTEAD GOD SPOKE TO ME AGAIN, HE SAID, GO DOWN STAIRS AND GET THE BIBLE, TURN TO MATTHEWS AND READ THE FIRST THING YOU LAY UPON YOUR EYES. IN RED THE VERSE SAID, WHY HAVE YOU FORESAKEN WHAT I HAVE SPOKE TO YOU. MAN I WAS BEGGING FOR FORGIVENESS. ABOUT 5 MIN LATER, THE LAST TIME I WOULD HEAR HIS VOICE CLEARLY HE SAID, STAY IN MATTHEWS, FLIP A FEW PAGES AND ONCE AGAIN READ THE FIRST THING YOU LAY UPON YOUR EYES. IT SAID, IF YOU BELIEVE, YOU WILL BE ANSWERED THROUGH PRAYER. I WANTED TO STAY UP AND TALK TO THE LORD BUT I WAS WORE OUT AND FELL ASLEEP.
FIRST THING THE NEXT DAY, I TAKE A DIP. WHAT AN IDIOT I MUST BE. BUT NOW I KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO LIVE IN THE FLESH. I OWN A DINER. I'M COOKING DURING LUNCH AND I FIND MYSELF TELLING MY COOK WHAT HAPPENED OVER THE LAST 24 HOURS. IT IS LIKE A TON OF BRICKS HIT ME. I LEAVE THE COOK AREA, FULL OF FOOD ON THE GRILL TO BURN, GO TO THE BACK ROOM CALL MY WIFE TO COME UP HERE FAST SOMETHING IS HAPPENING TO ME, I START TO CRY AND I COULD FEEL THE HOLY SPIRIT IN ME. WHAT A FEELING. MY WIFE GETS THERE AND I TELL HER TO GO GET ME SOME NICOTINE PATCHES SO I COULD QUIT. SHE GOES. I HEAR THE SMALL VOICE IN ME SAY, I TOLD YOU TO PRAISE GOD AND THE CRAVING WOULD BE TAKEN AWAY.
MAN WHY DIDNT I REMEMBER THAT THE FIRST TIME. I HAVNT HAD A DIP SINCE THAT HAPPENED WITHOUT ANY WITHDRAWLS. TO THIS DAY IF I HAVE A CRAVING, AND I DO, I PRAISE GOD AND THE CRAVING GOES AWAY. THANK YOU LORD. I NOW HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AND WHEN I HEAR THAT SMALL VOICE INSIDE OF ME, I KNOW IT IS THE HOLY SPIRIT SPEAKING TO ME AND I LISTEN AND I DO WHAT IT SAYS, THE FIRST TIME!
ROGER HENRICKSEN
EL RENO, OK.
Rehou1@aol.com
