UGP 284 - God, A Snow Shovel, and Celebrate Recovery Bring Freedom — Vince Grinstead—Part 3

Vince met Ashley online and 30 days later, they married in Gatlinburg. He was LDS; she went to a Baptist church. The day she chose to profess Christ publicly and get baptized, he got drunk. LDS and constantly struggling with the idea that he was not good enough, Vince had a moment of infidelity. His old pattern kicked in. “You did something wrong, get away!” Ashley talked him home saying, “We’ll work through this.” Vince’s job sent him regularly to Germany where he learned to love beer but couldn’t seem to walk away from it—daily. In an effort to get his life straight, he went to his wife’s Baptist church where he heard he was in a false religion. This offensive idea sent him back to Mormonism. In 2018 to keep family harmony, his wife joined the LDS church; the next year, they went to the temple. But, Vince struggled with addictions. After 12 years in a factory, the intense pain in his hands was relieved by marijuana. Although Ashley was by his side for an LDS church court, Vince just couldn’t feel forgiven nor could he kick the alcohol or marijuana. One night she told him that this is not going to be a part of our house anymore, so he moved into an apartment thinking the marriage was over. In January of 2022, he went to get a snow shovel and ran into a childhood friend who recognized signs of addiction and invited him to Celebrate Recovery. Returning home, Vince sensed God telling him to go shovel the driveway for his wife and girls. There he saw Ashley and they reconciled. Clean and sober for over 2 years now, Vince attends Celebrate Recovery every week and helps other men. No more beating himself up or burying it with drugs. He has been able to work through his hurts and has no more need to run. It was the third verse of the song, “It is Well with My Soul” that helped him to understand that Jesus paid it all at the cross and his sins were not his own weight to bear. He rededicated his life to Christ. He was finally free! He listened to the books Unveiling Grace and Passport to Heaven. Vince says he is not enough but Jesus is. Every morning, he prays, “Today, can You sustain me through this day?” And He does.

Verse 3 Peace Like a River

My sin—oh, the bliss of this glorious thought—

My sin, not in part, but the whole,

Is nailed to His Cross, and I bear it no more;

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!