"Detour from Intervention" Part One
"A Lesson on Hearing God"

Not so long ago a dear friend of mine,
Pete (name changed to protect the innocent)
a recovering alcoholic, fell off the wagon
and decided to divorce his wife and abandon his family.
What he chose to lose was staggering to me . . .
A loving and loyal wife, devoted sons that adored him,
supportive friends, a long career,
and a beautiful, expensive home
he had just finished building himself
with the help of his family and friends.

My involvement amounted to eight months
of intense prayer and rollercoaster discussions
with two friends that resulted in
fighting, reconciliation and more fighting.
Through it all, the drinking intensified and on the ninth month
Pete made up his mind and moved into a dilapidated little trailer.

Alone and living in a secluded forest in southern Wisconsin,
Pete continued to freefall.
During the next four months, Pete's wife begged
a couple of recovering addicts from church
and myself to do an intervention.
Now Pete had a bad temper even when he wasn't drinking,
and a love affair with guns,
so everyone declined but me, so i decided to go it alone.