Catastrophe Strikes

Wreckage, catastrophe, and carnage create the wake behind the life of alcoholism I’ve been riding for twenty years now. Yes, there have been periods of sobriety, yes, there have been moments of reprieve. Yet even these were at best a wobbly walk on the beam.

New Start Begins

What has brought around a new start you ask? It could best be described by a deep loathing, seething kind of hatred for the pain I’ve caused. A soul-tiring desperation from the estrangement that alcoholism has a way of breeding in plenty. In more simple terms the recent events have brought me to an acceptance of the overwhelming powerlessness of this disease. Today I’m ready to give heart, mind, spirit, and body to the recovery process.

Finding Help in Boyne

Recovery is not a solo project though. I’ve attempted to tread that path with individual grit only to find myself flat on my back again. Fellowship, community, and a desire for a sober life led me to begin a search for help. I knew I needed an environment in which recovery would be facilitated, required, and encouraged. Of the places I looked I found one that had those components and more. Nathan’s House, a recovery residence for men located in Boyne City, Michigan.

What There is to Offer

Nathan’s house was founded to provide a way to sobriety that would open a door for men to find life outside addiction. To help men like me avoid the bitter and inevitable end of this malicious disease, prison or the grave. My attraction was not only it’s mission but the community around the home. Boyne City is a magical Northern Michigan paradise. Beautiful Lake Charlevoix, pine forests, and lush natural scenery surround the town.

Second To None

In addition to all this I have found that Boyne City has a recovery community that is second to none. People with an insatiable desire for sobriety are right here among the residents of this lake town . Yet the folks I’ve met thus far don’t just show up they engage. Engage in the community around them and with the newcomer like myself. So, is the road to recovery going to be easy? No it won’t. But with Nathan’s House and this community I feel deeply that I have an advantage in the fight. Here I really feel like I’m sitting at the winner’s table.  

J.P. Nathan's House Guest August 2017