Hello, my name is Billy Boswell and I am thirty-nine years of age.  I started drinking on occasion when I was sixteen years old at parties in high school.  I was married at the age of seventeen after graduation and had to become the head of a family.  I started working for my father’s business in construction and over the years became partners with my dad.  My father’s health deteriorated right after I graduated from high school and I always pushed myself to keep the business going so that we could take care of both families.  The pressures I put on myself led me to drink more and more.  At the age of twenty-six I started having migraine headaches.  Until the doctors could figure out how to prevent these headaches, I was given prescriptions for Lortab and other painkillers that I became addicted to using.  The Lord had blessed me with a great family by this time.  I had a wonderful set of parents, a beautiful wife, a wonderful set of in-laws, and three great children.  All of my in-laws were and still are strong Christians and very involved in their various churches.  My brother-in-law has a great testimony in overcoming drugs through Jesus and has always been an inspiration to me. He always supported me in anyway he could to help me win my battles.  Even though I was raised in a Christian school and was always surrounded by Godly people, I always ran from the Lord and thought I could get by in life by myself.  Because of my attitude I made myself depressed and miserable as well as making the people closest to me miserable.  In 2004 my marriage ended in divorce and I lost my family.  Shortly after my divorce, my father passed away and I lost a man that was not only my father, but also my best friend and business partner.  After all of this my addiction really got bad.  I just really didn’t care anymore.  I ended up losing the business because I just didn’t have the drive anymore.  I was completely at the bottom and I thank God that my oldest daughter got in touch with Pastor Glenn who ministered to me.  I have no doubt that the Lord allowed me to go through many things to show me that I could do nothing alone.  The Lord has blessed me in many ways.  Many of my relationships are being mended while the Lord continues to work on me and my life. I don’t drink anymore, giving Him all the glory.  I now have the privilege of working in the donation department through the Dove Foundation and have a chance to give back what was so freely given to me.  I want to thank the Lord for leading and for waiting on me to come to Him.  I really want to thank Pastor Chris, Sister Leah, Pastor Glenn and all that they have done for me.  Whenever I start feeling as if I am not where I need to be with the Lord, I think of my favorite verse, Philippians 1:6 “…being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ…” And thank you Mel. You took me to the One, Jesus, who gave me, & continues to give me hope.  Yes brother, as you encouraged, I believe that God will restore my family to me.

            May God continue to bless you!

                                                                                                            Billy Boswell