Guest Post: Floyd Chapman's Journey to Sobriety

Floyd Chapman was a student in an April 2015 DUI class I taught and he gave me permission to publish his journey to sobriety. The picture shows Fred as a garden caretaker at Lighthouse Ministries in Lakeland explaining the hydroponics system in a tour of this unique garden. 

In the 1970s I started out with smoking pot and drinking beer. I was influenced by family, peer pressure of friends and my own pressure to fit in with the "IN” crowd. It seemed everyone was having a good time and I was one who never wanted that good time to end. In the 80‘s and 90’s there was more of the same, I did whatever it took to keep my high going legally and illegally. Suddenly there came jail and prison with other so-called friends. 

In the late 90s I really got tired of jail food and tired of those friends. I desired to change things, but I didn’t change all of my addictions. In 1998 my child was born while I was in jail--I had missed the birth. Suddenly I desired to get sober and change. However, I was around users. Finally in late 1999 I stopped using illegal drugs. It was hard to stop cold turkey, but I did it. 

All but one—alcohol. I did not stop drinking and smoking cigarettes. I lied to myself and rationalized. I justified that a few beers was okay.

However, in 2007 after drinking 42 ounces of beer within a hour, I decided to drive home. I blacked out and landed in a ditch. This was lucky because I know I could have killed someone—even a child. This was my last wake-up call. It came down to ME--not all my bad influences. I stopped. 

Then in 2010 I found the Lord. In 2012 I started working for Lighthouse Ministry using my past for good to help others. Life is so much better since then. Good-bye to those years of addictions and hello to sobriety and a better life.me. Suddenly my peers and so-called “friends” were getting worse and so were my addictions.  I did whatever it took to keep my high going legally and illegally. Suddenly there came jail and prison with other so-called friends.

In the late 90s I really got tired of jail food and tired of those friends. I desired to change things, but I didn’t change all of my addictions. In 1998 my child was born while I was in jail--I had missed the birth. Suddenly I desired to get sober and change. However, I was around users. Finally in late 1999 I stopped using illegal drugs. It was hard to stop cold turkey, but I did it.

All but one—alcohol. I did not stop drinking and smoking cigarettes. I lied to myself and rationalized. I justified that a few beers was okay.

However, in 2007 after drinking 42 ounces of beer within a hour, I decided to drive home. I blacked out and landed in a ditch. This was lucky because I know I could have killed someone—even a child. This was my last wake-up call. It came down to ME--not all my bad influences. I stopped.

Then in 2010 I found the Lord. In 2012 I started working for Lighthouse Ministry using my past for good to help others. Life is so much better since then. Good-bye to those years of addictions and hello to sobriety and a better life.