Don’t silence your testimony.
Don’t whisper your story.
Notice your glory.
Speak every chapter with honest words and finish every sentence with assurance.
Appreciate your own endurance.
See the lesson within the pain
and learn from the rain.
Read aloud and say it proudly.
Yes, Judgment comes
And it comes loudly
But it doesn’t make opinions into facts
And it doesn’t pay your bills…
Take it as it comes and stay out your feels.
Someone needs to hear your story.
Someone needs to know that you survived.
They need to know their reality isn’t all dark and not be deprived.
Someone has prayed for your guidance
Someone has wished for your strength
So why silence a story that shows hope
And shorten the wavelength.
Recovery is possible and relapse is true
Not one story is exactly the same but we can encourage each other and give respect where it’s due.
Addiction is a decease and no, I’m not talking about the flue.
It lives within us until we die…
Recovery is hard, I ain’t gone lie.
But it’s worth it and it’s possible.
Addiction may spare us our heartbeat
But it may cost us everything from our health to our home
Lost is where we roam
Rock bottom is where we meet and recovery is where we greet.
A relapse is a undervalued lesson and the morning after is our “fresh start”
No one survives this without a taste of the truthful tart.
Sobriety sucks and we don’t say it enough
Because in recovery you gotta be a ray of sunshine and remain tough.
It’s rough
My story begins with a welling inhale and it must end when I have finally exhaled.
Drugs may have shaped me but I have prevailed.
I’m the addict that won’t hush and I won’t hide away
I’m seen and I’m heard
But my voice isn’t what I’m REALLY trying to share anyway
It’s my Father’s
I want to show His glory when I walk
And speak His word when I talk
I want to inspire strangers and make my foes doubt.
I want to lead others on His route.
My hands aren’t clean and I may not be flawless
But my scars show determination and I’m not worthless
My story has pain and it has loss
My children are living proof that love can be lost.
Drugs come with a cost.
My story has ugly chapters and beautiful ones too!
It has my fall down and my comeback
It has advice on every page and it has humor too.
I read it aloud every now and again to remind myself that it isn’t over.
Remind others that I’m human and show my truth.
Recognize that we are the exception and the surviving youth
Agree to disagree and take the good with the bad
Take the happy with the sad.
Hop upon the wagon and live soberly
Be grateful we got this seat when so many overdosed prematurely.
Praise more than we complain
And be open to learning
Understand we can’t overcome just from running.
Let’s take a stand and flaunt our scars
Let’s make wishes upon shooting stars
My story is triumphant and my Father gently placed a semicolon where I wanted it to end.
The devil thought I would break but Instead I would just bend.
Broken but not inferior.
A work in progress is more like it
I’m a blessed mess.
I’m here for all my blessings and I won’t settle for less!
My story will impact someone that He assigned to me.
I believe I’m here to tell it and to prove that there’s more than second chances.
I’m here to cheer on my peers and enjoy all the slow dances.
May my words uplift and my vision prevail.
Welcome @Amanda_Lee, to Talking Sober! Thank you for your poem. I am reminded that if I try to apply a standard of perfection to my sobriety, I will inevitably come up short.
You wrote about taking action In sobriety. My reading this morning includes a similar thought, that faith alone is not sufficient.
But even faith is not the whole story. There must be service. We must give this thing away if we want to keep it. The Dead Sea has no outlet and it is stagnant and full of salt. The Sea of Galilee is clear and clean and blue, as the Jordan River carries it out to irrigate the desert. To be of service to other people makes our lives worth living.
Thanks @SinceIAwoke! It’s true, faith without works is dead faith. Hopefully I can do better today.
I absolutely love this!!! So raw and real- thank-you for penning your thoughts into this beautiful, poetic passage of hope and light 
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thank you
@Amanda_Lee, you are truly an artist and clearly have a great inner strength. Your poem touched me! Wishing you continued strength and success in your sobriety!!! Thank you for sharing this your beautiful poem!
That’s just about the only poem I’ve ever liked. I’m screenshotting that. Thanks 
I love this! Thank you!
Hey @anon13078412. Nice profile pic. Good to see a face behind the name.
Thanks. I wouldn’t mind changing the name tbh. I didn’t realise this forum was anywhere near this good so I just used a daft old nickname. I’ve picked up a lot of good tips and wisdom in posts of yours that I’ve read on here so thanks for that also 
Lol. Good share on how you came up with your username. I have to agree that this community is pretty awesome.
I was only expecting a day counter when I first downloaded the app. I picked it because it had the highest ratings. Feels random that I ended up here, but it’s been a lifesaver for me.
Yeah I’m pretty sure I would have used drugs again by now had it not been for this place. It’s like my whole mentality changed all of a sudden😁
Welcome, thanks for the share.
Inside Out
Stained and broken
Ripped apart at the seams
Integrity abandoned
Unaccomplished dream
Shredded honor
Confetti’d by lies
Falling into an abyss
Tears in my eyes
Death within reach
Unprepared to go
Broken hearts
Debts I owe
Inside out
Upside down
Don’t know what to do
About to drown
I see a hand
It’s blurry and faint
Is it the devil
Perhaps a saint
The hand is extended
Seems to assist
Thought I lost you
Love always insist
Can’t deny the power
Blinded by its light
Passion, energy and soul
It’s worth the fight
Outside in
I must now admit
The voices inside me
Can no longer permit
The rod was sparred
Bring on the spoil
Renewed my mind
Turned from turmoil
No self sabotage
Confidence increased
Looking forward
The past released
Opened my heart
Love will abound
Worthy and reliable
New zeal is found
Upside down
Inside out
Life abundant
Rooftops I’ll shout
What I thought
All I said
Letting that go
For truth instead
Standing up tall
Shoulders firmly back
Flipping the script
Ready to attack
Capable of more
That’s what I’ll get
Dare me not to
Ain’t seen nothing yet
Taking what I’m owed
Not more than deserved
Out of my way
Warning’s been served
Withheld my potential
I’m to blame
Inside out
Never the same
Poison removed
Health sustained
Mentality in check
Trust regained
Fair is fair
In love in war
Not exactly true
Let’s settle the score
Rest of my life.
Vow to be true
Make amends
Give what’s due
Experiences galore
Love to share
Growth and devotion
Nothing will compare
Making a life
Creating magic
Tears of joy
Symbolic, enigmatic
Upside down
Inside out
Show the world
What love is about
Right side up
Left to right
Make sweet memories
Morning to night
Front to back
Bottom to top
Cherish every inch of you
Won’t ever stop
Every which way
Path has reroute
Life is changed
Inside out