10 years of sobriety

For those of you who don't know my husband's story - he used to be a very different man than he is today. He was an alcoholic, and lived a very crazy life of partying, drinking, and addiction. I can't help but think how ironic it is that we ended up together - when my platform for the Miss America Organization (that I worked so hard on for 4 years) was Teen Alcohol Abuse Prevention. Sometimes, God has such a sense of humor!

But we did end up together - because God is a God of REDEMPTION. 10 years ago TODAY Rusty prayed for God to take away his obsession to drink, and God performed a miracle in his life. I could not be more GRATEFUL. Grateful that God had a plan for Rusty's life, and for our life together. Grateful that God protected him from himself through all those years of drinking and the reckless behavior that came with it. Grateful that Rusty had the humility to ask God for help - the courage to take a step of FAITH - and the commitment to see it through for 10 years so far!!!

Because of this gift of sobriety - so many lives have been impacted! With God's help, Rusty changed the course of his life and became the man He was always destined to be. He has served in the name of Jesus Christ in over 12 different countries. His is a wonderful husband, and will be a loving, present father to our children some day. Our children will grow up in an alcohol free home because my husband was courageous enough to put down the bottle and walk away.

I can't imagine my life without him, and I just wanted to say here - for the world to see - how GRATEFUL to God I am for this gift, and how PROUD I am of my husband!

CONGRATULATIONS RUSTY! - I LOVE YOU!!!

*You can read Rusty's story on his blog HERE.