I refuse to be defined by the chains that bound me...I am a quitter!

[Broccoli-saurus]

900
SPEECH!

900 sweet days of quit.
900 days of kicking ass.
900 days of wreaking havoc (well, almos900)
Love you brother

CONGRATS Broccoli Sore Ass!!!

Speech:

Well I screwed up.  I took two more quitters that'll need to cross HOF first.  Maybe after that. 

@Redwood @JJG009 I reckon I'll stick around another 40 days or so to see you guys cross, then maybe I'll feel like sticking around for my comma.  Who knows.  It's so hard to leave totally, not sure I ever will.  Time will tell.  900 feels like a comfortable pair of boots.  Fits well and feels like home. 

[chris2alaska]

900
SPEECH!

900 sweet days of quit.
900 days of kicking ass.
900 days of wreaking havoc (well, almos900)
Love you brother

CONGRATS Broccoli Sore Ass!!! 

[69franx]

900
SPEECH!

900 sweet days of quit.
900 days of kicking ass.
900 days of wreaking havoc (well, almos900)
Love you brother

[Athan]

900
SPEECH!

[worktowin]

...  But my heart isn't in KTC like it once was.  Maybe again, but not right now. ...

It was what it needed to be when it needed to be.  There is a season for everything. The beauty of this place is that the fire stays lit, it just does somehow.
I'm continually amazed at folks like Fish or Chick or Worktowin who are able to stick around and pay it forward for as long as they have.  I know only that I've benefited from it (as well as you).  Thanks for being a brick in my wall of quit!
See ya round!

When you stop seeing my name on roll, something will be very wrong.  For 25 years I failed myself and my family every day.  For the past (almost) 7 years, I've posted every single day, and I've honored my word.  Am I as engaged as I used to be here?  No... and in some ways thats a good thing, and in some ways bad.  But I will always post daily with my home group.  I owe that to them, and most importantly I owe it to me.

It is the best 20 seconds I spend on myself every day.

[Athan]

...  But my heart isn't in KTC like it once was.  Maybe again, but not right now. ...

It was what it needed to be when it needed to be.  There is a season for everything. The beauty of this place is that the fire stays lit, it just does somehow.
I'm continually amazed at folks like Fish or Chick or Worktowin who are able to stick around and pay it forward for as long as they have.  I know only that I've benefited from it (as well as you).  Thanks for being a brick in my wall of quit!
See ya round!

[SixString]

Day 885.  115 to go for 1,000 but I know a thousand days isn't enough.  I haven't been involved nearly as much here as of late.  I'm glad I followed my own advice and built relationships.  Solid friendships that have withstood the test of time.  People like @69franx  , @SRains918 , @David S  , @Samrs , @Athan , @JohnSmallberries , @FLLipOut , @ChickDip , @FISHFLORIDA , @Clevelandfan , @worktowin @Batdad , @Oliver88 , @B--rad  , all the guys in my group, everybody else I text daily, you know who you are.  People I can lay out life struggles with, pray with, get support from, support them.  Some of my best friends in the world have been forged on this site.  I still chat with a couple that have left too, no judgement from me, quit is what we're all after here.  Life has taken a turn as alluded to in the post above.  I started a couple of KTC group prayer texts and that's going well.  Doing phone post most Tuesdays is important.  Men's Encounter was great, and I'll go to the Jan one as well.  Getting a group started here in Texoma is paramount in my mind.  In short, things are changing with me, priorities are shifting. 

Closing on 900 days, posting roll sporadically, not spending time in new groups, etc.  I did all that over the first 700 or so days, but I've been fading in and out for a while now.  Not wavering in quit, mind you, but shifting focus from quit as my God to Jesus being my God.  It doesn't always jive with KTC.  That's why I'm forever grateful for my friendships created here.  Those friendships are what keeps me quit, my daily texts to people I don't want to let down for anything.  The deep conversations that drive me to be better.  It's amazing what this site can do to transform lives if you'll open up to it.  I'm going to hang around long enough to see my youngest quitter cross HOF.  Once @SixString is on the other side though, there's more important work to do.  You guys that have my number, I'll text day counts.  Ol' Six is gonna have to continue the Johnny Cash songs.  Fish is gonna have to double down on the penis pics.  Reuben is still gonna have to put up with me at Midwest meet.  Jack is going to have to put up with me at Drummathon.  Things are just shifting a bit, priorities are being reorganized, that's all.  But my heart isn't in KTC like it once was.  Maybe again, but not right now.  I'll still be in and out, but it's break time for a minute.  I'm not going to just vanish like some people do.  Will always be around and always available to talk.  Quitting is tough work.  The minute you think you're strong, you find out you're not.  I for one will always reach out when I'm not strong.  You guys all rock, every single one of you that are in this fight, and especially those that do more than the minimum.  I owe it all to you!

Powerful words broc. You wont be able to vanish because I'll be texting you everyday until I die. Even if it's just my promise. A lot of people wouldnt understand. But it is an honor that you trust me with the scrolls of johnny cash. It's crazy to think about how our first conversation started.And now look at us. You will always be one of the first people I call if I ever need anything. Your heart is always gonna be in KTC, it's just shown in different ways now. Everything you taught me I teach to the new guys, and they teach that to the newer guys. That cycle will always continue. I owe a lot of my quit to you.. you challenged me and open my eyes. Thank you

[Leonidas]

Day 885.  115 to go for 1,000 but I know a thousand days isn't enough.  I haven't been involved nearly as much here as of late.  I'm glad I followed my own advice and built relationships.  Solid friendships that have withstood the test of time.  People like @69franx  , @SRains918 , @David S  , @Samrs , @Athan , @JohnSmallberries , @FLLipOut , @ChickDip , @FISHFLORIDA , @Clevelandfan , @worktowin @Batdad , @Oliver88 , @B--rad  , all the guys in my group, everybody else I text daily, you know who you are.  People I can lay out life struggles with, pray with, get support from, support them.  Some of my best friends in the world have been forged on this site.  I still chat with a couple that have left too, no judgement from me, quit is what we're all after here.  Life has taken a turn as alluded to in the post above.  I started a couple of KTC group prayer texts and that's going well.  Doing phone post most Tuesdays is important.  Men's Encounter was great, and I'll go to the Jan one as well.  Getting a group started here in Texoma is paramount in my mind.  In short, things are changing with me, priorities are shifting. 

Closing on 900 days, posting roll sporadically, not spending time in new groups, etc.  I did all that over the first 700 or so days, but I've been fading in and out for a while now.  Not wavering in quit, mind you, but shifting focus from quit as my God to Jesus being my God.  It doesn't always jive with KTC.  That's why I'm forever grateful for my friendships created here.  Those friendships are what keeps me quit, my daily texts to people I don't want to let down for anything.  The deep conversations that drive me to be better.  It's amazing what this site can do to transform lives if you'll open up to it.  I'm going to hang around long enough to see my youngest quitter cross HOF.  Once @SixString is on the other side though, there's more important work to do.  You guys that have my number, I'll text day counts.  Ol' Six is gonna have to continue the Johnny Cash songs.  Fish is gonna have to double down on the penis pics.  Reuben is still gonna have to put up with me at Midwest meet.  Jack is going to have to put up with me at Drummathon.  Things are just shifting a bit, priorities are being reorganized, that's all.  But my heart isn't in KTC like it once was.  Maybe again, but not right now.  I'll still be in and out, but it's break time for a minute.  I'm not going to just vanish like some people do.  Will always be around and always available to talk.  Quitting is tough work.  The minute you think you're strong, you find out you're not.  I for one will always reach out when I'm not strong.  You guys all rock, every single one of you that are in this fight, and especially those that do more than the minimum.  I owe it all to you!

I hit 1000
No different than 885.
God Bless You

[Broccoli-saurus]

Day 885.  115 to go for 1,000 but I know a thousand days isn't enough.  I haven't been involved nearly as much here as of late.  I'm glad I followed my own advice and built relationships.  Solid friendships that have withstood the test of time.  People like @69franx  , @SRains918 , @David S  , @Samrs , @Athan , @JohnSmallberries , @FLLipOut , @ChickDip , @FISHFLORIDA , @Clevelandfan , @worktowin @Batdad , @Oliver88 , @B--rad  , all the guys in my group, everybody else I text daily, you know who you are.  People I can lay out life struggles with, pray with, get support from, support them.  Some of my best friends in the world have been forged on this site.  I still chat with a couple that have left too, no judgement from me, quit is what we're all after here.  Life has taken a turn as alluded to in the post above.  I started a couple of KTC group prayer texts and that's going well.  Doing phone post most Tuesdays is important.  Men's Encounter was great, and I'll go to the Jan one as well.  Getting a group started here in Texoma is paramount in my mind.  In short, things are changing with me, priorities are shifting. 

Closing on 900 days, posting roll sporadically, not spending time in new groups, etc.  I did all that over the first 700 or so days, but I've been fading in and out for a while now.  Not wavering in quit, mind you, but shifting focus from quit as my God to Jesus being my God.  It doesn't always jive with KTC.  That's why I'm forever grateful for my friendships created here.  Those friendships are what keeps me quit, my daily texts to people I don't want to let down for anything.  The deep conversations that drive me to be better.  It's amazing what this site can do to transform lives if you'll open up to it.  I'm going to hang around long enough to see my youngest quitter cross HOF.  Once @SixString is on the other side though, there's more important work to do.  You guys that have my number, I'll text day counts.  Ol' Six is gonna have to continue the Johnny Cash songs.  Fish is gonna have to double down on the penis pics.  Reuben is still gonna have to put up with me at Midwest meet.  Jack is going to have to put up with me at Drummathon.  Things are just shifting a bit, priorities are being reorganized, that's all.  But my heart isn't in KTC like it once was.  Maybe again, but not right now.  I'll still be in and out, but it's break time for a minute.  I'm not going to just vanish like some people do.  Will always be around and always available to talk.  Quitting is tough work.  The minute you think you're strong, you find out you're not.  I for one will always reach out when I'm not strong.  You guys all rock, every single one of you that are in this fight, and especially those that do more than the minimum.  I owe it all to you!

[ReWire]

Well another milestone, but this one celebrated a bit differently...

This site has transformed a lot of lives through battling nicotine addiction.  Winning that fight daily has led many to tackle other issues in their lives as evidenced by the "getting my act together" group.  Everything from drugs to alcohol to weight loss to porn to all sorts of other daily struggles that many of us have.  We are here because we have addictive personalities and we have come to see that those addictions carry over to lots of aspects of our lives that we never realized.  I personally struggle with porn and lust like the neighborhood wino might struggle with his alcohol addiction.  I'm on the porn quit group and I'm over two months porn free.  I've lost about 40 pounds and have more in sight to lose.  But this weekend, I was hit over the head with something that would turn my whole life around.  And it all started on KTC.

April 2018, I drove to Midwest Meet at the @ReWire  abode and never once thought about how this connection with this man would transform my life.  You see, I was going to a quit meet to meet up with some badass quitters.  Over 20 of the biggest and best in the quit business would be there, and I think there was over 60 years of quit represented, but to be fair, @Big Brother Jack contributed to a lot of that.  Others in the big quit numbers group like @Kdip @bronc @Nomore1959 @Missouri Mike @cbird65 @danojeno @worktowin and a whole host of others would be in attendance.  I had a cooler of beer and a badass attitude.  I brought my 4 wheeler and rode it around on the trails.  I got pretty drunk Saturday night.  As Reuben (rewire) told his brother this last weekend, they had to edit out all the pictures where I flipped the bird nearly every time somebody got a camera out.  It pains me to see that video of quit days in my first meet.  I was larger than life on the boards, and was really determined to prove that I was just the same in real life.  I was...full of craziness...and easily the most obnoxious person at that meet.  But I met Rewire and his family.  I rubbed elbows with some of the KTC greats and I maintained contact as my quit progressed. 

Two months before that meet up, Reuben had attended his first men's encounter.  I had no idea at the time what that was, but what I did know is that it must have been horrible because the Midwest meet went from a wild drinking party with skeet shooting and all kinds of craziness planned to a fairly tame event as it progressed.  I figured Men's encounter was some sort of crazy Christian cult but was glad that Reuben decided to go ahead with the meet up.  It was fun.  I think me and @Bgbdbrd were the only ones that got drunk, but it was still fun.  That is what fun was to me at the time.  Oh man, what life has in store. 

Fast forward to Midwest Meet #2.  What a difference a year makes.  A lot of people bailed and there were only a handful of us that went.  I thought Reuben was Mormon, the same sort of fallacy that made me think that Michael was a tow truck driver.  I had been with the love of my life for a couple months, and she's a devout Christian.  She brought me back to the church, which I had denounced after my divorce back in 2014.  When I say denounced, I mean I really drove a stake into it.  I talked smack about Christianity and probably drove a fair amount of people away.  I know I didn't strengthen anybody in their walk with God.  So she brought me back to the light, but I was Christian Lite as I'd probably put it now.  I was still rowdy, still struggled with lust and with porn and with doing whatever I wanted whenever I wanted.  We slept in separate places.  Purity was important to her and I supported her in that.  We hung out with Reuben and his family.  They rubbed off a little and their life started to look pretty good.  Then on Sunday, when we were starting to get ready to leave, he started talking to me about this Men's Encounter thing. 

I was a little insulted and a little cold to the idea.  What in the world did Reuben see in me that would make him think I needed that?  I was already displaying purity and I knew a couple of bible verses.  I remembered his change from Men's Encounter the previous year and that frankly scared the heck out of me.  I was ready to go to church because church makes you feel good, but was I ready for real change?  The answer was no.  So over the next couple months, he'd send me a message now and then.  I'd blow him off.  And then his bride sent my girlfriend a message.  Now she was pushing me to go.  And so, reluctantly, I went.  I didn't even get on the website to see what it was all about.  I looked at the packing list, threw some stuff in a bag and went.  And on the drive up there, I decided that if I was going to drive 7 hours by myself in Nowhere, Missouri to a thing I knew nothing about, I was going to open my heart and milk it for everything it was worth. 

When I arrived, I knew Reuben and nobody else.  He sat with me while I ate and answered a few questions I had.  I went in blindly and was immediately staggered by the amount of men there.  There were 688 of us and we spent 48 hours in fellowship with each other.  We ate together, we bunked together, we shared things that I never thought I'd tell anybody.  I unpacked all the baggage I'd been storing in my life and nailed it to the cross of life.  I emptied myself out, and then I filled myself with truth and light.  I didn't want to leave when it was through.  I stuck around for another hour afterward and watched two men that I'd gotten to know get baptized.  And I rededicated my life to Christ.  I can see the spiritual warfare all around me now for what it is.  I can see all the obstacles that were put in my way that almost kept me away from Men's Encounter.  I can see all the God things too and how he pursued me when the time was right.  I can see all these things and so much more. 

So what's next?  Well the old Broc is gone, I can tell you that.  I've already started to make amends with those in my life and those on the boards.  I hope to be a light instead of well meaning darkness.  I have a song in my mouth and some truth on my tongue.  Daily worship, prayer, and learning is in the cards.  I met some great people that I will stay in contact with.  Loving people instead of driving them away.  And I will be at Men's Encounter Jan 24-26.  If you'd like to join me, say the word.  The verse of the weekend is Ephesians 5:1. 

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.  Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery"

It's what I wish for me, but it's also what I wish for each and every person reading this.  Find the light, and run toward it. 

Bryan

Outstanding! It was an honor to have you join us for Men's Encounter. Even better to see the power of God moving in your life. So so so good... and it all started right here on KTC. Every day is new and exciting, kinda like when we were kids and trusted our daddy completely. Only now we see how good our heavenly Father is. If He is for us, who can be against us?

Next Men's Encounter is Oct 18-20, and it's for every man. I have been there with my pastor, also a quitter dude from Texas. We have a group that drives all the way from PA, last time they cam in 7 vehicles including several large vans.  We will sell out early, so get registered soon.

https://encounterministry.org/

[Athan]

Anyone seen Hundy?  I heard Broccoli-saurus ate him.  That's right, Broc ate hundy!

[bronc]

Well another milestone, but this one celebrated a bit differently...

This site has transformed a lot of lives through battling nicotine addiction.  Winning that fight daily has led many to tackle other issues in their lives as evidenced by the "getting my act together" group.  Everything from drugs to alcohol to weight loss to porn to all sorts of other daily struggles that many of us have.  We are here because we have addictive personalities and we have come to see that those addictions carry over to lots of aspects of our lives that we never realized.  I personally struggle with porn and lust like the neighborhood wino might struggle with his alcohol addiction.  I'm on the porn quit group and I'm over two months porn free.  I've lost about 40 pounds and have more in sight to lose.  But this weekend, I was hit over the head with something that would turn my whole life around.  And it all started on KTC.

April 2018, I drove to Midwest Meet at the @ReWire  abode and never once thought about how this connection with this man would transform my life.  You see, I was going to a quit meet to meet up with some badass quitters.  Over 20 of the biggest and best in the quit business would be there, and I think there was over 60 years of quit represented, but to be fair, @Big Brother Jack contributed to a lot of that.  Others in the big quit numbers group like @Kdip @bronc @Nomore1959 @Missouri Mike @cbird65 @danojeno @worktowin and a whole host of others would be in attendance.  I had a cooler of beer and a badass attitude.  I brought my 4 wheeler and rode it around on the trails.  I got pretty drunk Saturday night.  As Reuben (rewire) told his brother this last weekend, they had to edit out all the pictures where I flipped the bird nearly every time somebody got a camera out.  It pains me to see that video of quit days in my first meet.  I was larger than life on the boards, and was really determined to prove that I was just the same in real life.  I was...full of craziness...and easily the most obnoxious person at that meet.  But I met Rewire and his family.  I rubbed elbows with some of the KTC greats and I maintained contact as my quit progressed. 

Two months before that meet up, Reuben had attended his first men's encounter.  I had no idea at the time what that was, but what I did know is that it must have been horrible because the Midwest meet went from a wild drinking party with skeet shooting and all kinds of craziness planned to a fairly tame event as it progressed.  I figured Men's encounter was some sort of crazy Christian cult but was glad that Reuben decided to go ahead with the meet up.  It was fun.  I think me and @Bgbdbrd were the only ones that got drunk, but it was still fun.  That is what fun was to me at the time.  Oh man, what life has in store. 

Fast forward to Midwest Meet #2.  What a difference a year makes.  A lot of people bailed and there were only a handful of us that went.  I thought Reuben was Mormon, the same sort of fallacy that made me think that Michael was a tow truck driver.  I had been with the love of my life for a couple months, and she's a devout Christian.  She brought me back to the church, which I had denounced after my divorce back in 2014.  When I say denounced, I mean I really drove a stake into it.  I talked smack about Christianity and probably drove a fair amount of people away.  I know I didn't strengthen anybody in their walk with God.  So she brought me back to the light, but I was Christian Lite as I'd probably put it now.  I was still rowdy, still struggled with lust and with porn and with doing whatever I wanted whenever I wanted.  We slept in separate places.  Purity was important to her and I supported her in that.  We hung out with Reuben and his family.  They rubbed off a little and their life started to look pretty good.  Then on Sunday, when we were starting to get ready to leave, he started talking to me about this Men's Encounter thing. 

I was a little insulted and a little cold to the idea.  What in the world did Reuben see in me that would make him think I needed that?  I was already displaying purity and I knew a couple of bible verses.  I remembered his change from Men's Encounter the previous year and that frankly scared the heck out of me.  I was ready to go to church because church makes you feel good, but was I ready for real change?  The answer was no.  So over the next couple months, he'd send me a message now and then.  I'd blow him off.  And then his bride sent my girlfriend a message.  Now she was pushing me to go.  And so, reluctantly, I went.  I didn't even get on the website to see what it was all about.  I looked at the packing list, threw some stuff in a bag and went.  And on the drive up there, I decided that if I was going to drive 7 hours by myself in Nowhere, Missouri to a thing I knew nothing about, I was going to open my heart and milk it for everything it was worth. 

When I arrived, I knew Reuben and nobody else.  He sat with me while I ate and answered a few questions I had.  I went in blindly and was immediately staggered by the amount of men there.  There were 688 of us and we spent 48 hours in fellowship with each other.  We ate together, we bunked together, we shared things that I never thought I'd tell anybody.  I unpacked all the baggage I'd been storing in my life and nailed it to the cross of life.  I emptied myself out, and then I filled myself with truth and light.  I didn't want to leave when it was through.  I stuck around for another hour afterward and watched two men that I'd gotten to know get baptized.  And I rededicated my life to Christ.  I can see the spiritual warfare all around me now for what it is.  I can see all the obstacles that were put in my way that almost kept me away from Men's Encounter.  I can see all the God things too and how he pursued me when the time was right.  I can see all these things and so much more. 

So what's next?  Well the old Broc is gone, I can tell you that.  I've already started to make amends with those in my life and those on the boards.  I hope to be a light instead of well meaning darkness.  I have a song in my mouth and some truth on my tongue.  Daily worship, prayer, and learning is in the cards.  I met some great people that I will stay in contact with.  Loving people instead of driving them away.  And I will be at Men's Encounter Jan 24-26.  If you'd like to join me, say the word.  The verse of the weekend is Ephesians 5:1. 

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.  Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery"

It's what I wish for me, but it's also what I wish for each and every person reading this.  Find the light, and run toward it. 

Bryan

Hey Broc!  Another awesome post!  Thank you for sharing!  One of the most important aspects of this place, is that men, real men, are open and honest with each other.  It is 100% true that the truth will set you free.  The integrity and honor that I find in this group of men, I truly believe God finds pleasing and will continue to bless.  I have marveled watching the transformation of men, right before my eyes.  The devotion to become better men surpassed the desire to quit nicotine and propelled the men and women in this place to be better humans.  Some have found their faith again, others, took their integrity and honor home and have dedicated themselves to be better husbands, fathers, and friends.  You, and the men like you, continue to inspire me to be a better man every single day.  It prevents me from being complacent. Overall, I am just so proud to get to be part of this place, with men like you.  I will be praying for this time of your life, and that God would continue to work in you and in us through you.  Have you read a Purpose Driven Life?  If not, I highly recommend it.  There's a 40 day devotional that I will do from time to time from that book and it never fails me. 

Psalm 133 - Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! 

Love you brother!  Noel (Bronc)

[Athan]

... I hope to be a light instead of well meaning darkness. ...

That's is profound in the extreme.  The love of Christ is liberating indeed; it is sin that leads to slavery and bondage.  So very pleased to be free with you today!

[Judaculla]

Man, that’s a very powerful story, and witness. I rode it hard for many years until I finally just wore out from the crap it was causing in my life, living to serve myself and the desires of the flesh, hurting my beautiful wife and family, etc. Saved in youth, fleed and rejected, but finally realized that I can’t do it any more, nor can I be good or righteous enough, so I fell to my knees one dark day and ask Jesus into my heart, to change me forever so that I serve his will and not my own. This was the best decision I have ever made and when I compare my life now, the joy and peace I feel, to the “happiness” of the old ways, there is no comparison. I’m praying for you brother, God bless you, man; great story.

Juda

[danojeno]

Well another milestone, but this one celebrated a bit differently...

This site has transformed a lot of lives through battling nicotine addiction.  Winning that fight daily has led many to tackle other issues in their lives as evidenced by the "getting my act together" group.  Everything from drugs to alcohol to weight loss to porn to all sorts of other daily struggles that many of us have.  We are here because we have addictive personalities and we have come to see that those addictions carry over to lots of aspects of our lives that we never realized.  I personally struggle with porn and lust like the neighborhood wino might struggle with his alcohol addiction.  I'm on the porn quit group and I'm over two months porn free.  I've lost about 40 pounds and have more in sight to lose.  But this weekend, I was hit over the head with something that would turn my whole life around.  And it all started on KTC.

April 2018, I drove to Midwest Meet at the @ReWire  abode and never once thought about how this connection with this man would transform my life.  You see, I was going to a quit meet to meet up with some badass quitters.  Over 20 of the biggest and best in the quit business would be there, and I think there was over 60 years of quit represented, but to be fair, @Big Brother Jack contributed to a lot of that.  Others in the big quit numbers group like @Kdip @bronc @Nomore1959 @Missouri Mike @cbird65 @danojeno @worktowin and a whole host of others would be in attendance.  I had a cooler of beer and a badass attitude.  I brought my 4 wheeler and rode it around on the trails.  I got pretty drunk Saturday night.  As Reuben (rewire) told his brother this last weekend, they had to edit out all the pictures where I flipped the bird nearly every time somebody got a camera out.  It pains me to see that video of quit days in my first meet.  I was larger than life on the boards, and was really determined to prove that I was just the same in real life.  I was...full of craziness...and easily the most obnoxious person at that meet.  But I met Rewire and his family.  I rubbed elbows with some of the KTC greats and I maintained contact as my quit progressed. 

Two months before that meet up, Reuben had attended his first men's encounter.  I had no idea at the time what that was, but what I did know is that it must have been horrible because the Midwest meet went from a wild drinking party with skeet shooting and all kinds of craziness planned to a fairly tame event as it progressed.  I figured Men's encounter was some sort of crazy Christian cult but was glad that Reuben decided to go ahead with the meet up.  It was fun.  I think me and @Bgbdbrd were the only ones that got drunk, but it was still fun.  That is what fun was to me at the time.  Oh man, what life has in store. 

Fast forward to Midwest Meet #2.  What a difference a year makes.  A lot of people bailed and there were only a handful of us that went.  I thought Reuben was Mormon, the same sort of fallacy that made me think that Michael was a tow truck driver.  I had been with the love of my life for a couple months, and she's a devout Christian.  She brought me back to the church, which I had denounced after my divorce back in 2014.  When I say denounced, I mean I really drove a stake into it.  I talked smack about Christianity and probably drove a fair amount of people away.  I know I didn't strengthen anybody in their walk with God.  So she brought me back to the light, but I was Christian Lite as I'd probably put it now.  I was still rowdy, still struggled with lust and with porn and with doing whatever I wanted whenever I wanted.  We slept in separate places.  Purity was important to her and I supported her in that.  We hung out with Reuben and his family.  They rubbed off a little and their life started to look pretty good.  Then on Sunday, when we were starting to get ready to leave, he started talking to me about this Men's Encounter thing. 

I was a little insulted and a little cold to the idea.  What in the world did Reuben see in me that would make him think I needed that?  I was already displaying purity and I knew a couple of bible verses.  I remembered his change from Men's Encounter the previous year and that frankly scared the heck out of me.  I was ready to go to church because church makes you feel good, but was I ready for real change?  The answer was no.  So over the next couple months, he'd send me a message now and then.  I'd blow him off.  And then his bride sent my girlfriend a message.  Now she was pushing me to go.  And so, reluctantly, I went.  I didn't even get on the website to see what it was all about.  I looked at the packing list, threw some stuff in a bag and went.  And on the drive up there, I decided that if I was going to drive 7 hours by myself in Nowhere, Missouri to a thing I knew nothing about, I was going to open my heart and milk it for everything it was worth. 

When I arrived, I knew Reuben and nobody else.  He sat with me while I ate and answered a few questions I had.  I went in blindly and was immediately staggered by the amount of men there.  There were 688 of us and we spent 48 hours in fellowship with each other.  We ate together, we bunked together, we shared things that I never thought I'd tell anybody.  I unpacked all the baggage I'd been storing in my life and nailed it to the cross of life.  I emptied myself out, and then I filled myself with truth and light.  I didn't want to leave when it was through.  I stuck around for another hour afterward and watched two men that I'd gotten to know get baptized.  And I rededicated my life to Christ.  I can see the spiritual warfare all around me now for what it is.  I can see all the obstacles that were put in my way that almost kept me away from Men's Encounter.  I can see all the God things too and how he pursued me when the time was right.  I can see all these things and so much more. 

So what's next?  Well the old Broc is gone, I can tell you that.  I've already started to make amends with those in my life and those on the boards.  I hope to be a light instead of well meaning darkness.  I have a song in my mouth and some truth on my tongue.  Daily worship, prayer, and learning is in the cards.  I met some great people that I will stay in contact with.  Loving people instead of driving them away.  And I will be at Men's Encounter Jan 24-26.  If you'd like to join me, say the word.  The verse of the weekend is Ephesians 5:1. 

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.  Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery"

It's what I wish for me, but it's also what I wish for each and every person reading this.  Find the light, and run toward it. 

Bryan

I love hearing stories where the Quit has turned into positivity in other parts of people's lives.  Great to hear your story brother.