Comments on Johnny's Journey To Victory: Faith That Makes Your Heart Sing

Oh Rene you are an amazing woman.You give us all ...

2008-12-19T12:18:00.000-05:00

Oh Rene you are an amazing woman.
You give us all such hope. Much love Cynthia Bohannon

Dear Johnny: I have been reading your journel. Ev...

2008-06-24T00:20:00.000-04:00

Dear Johnny: I have been reading your journel. Everytime I try to write a comment my fingers freeze. I have so much I want to write but I just don't know how to put it all into words. Tonight as I take deep breaths to hold back the tears, I will try and share some of what I feel inside. If things don't come out right I'm sorry.
Johnny you are a very special man to me. I'm so sorry that it took you getting sick to make me finally tell you. I thank you so much for the years of work you gave my husband. It's because of you that Ralph and I were able to buy this house that we are in 7 years ago. Before Ralph came to work for you we struggled a lot to make ends me. I thank you so much for keeping Ralph working as long as you did. I know there were times when work was slow but you found Ralph something to do so he could bring home a pay check. I thank you for all the years that you gave Ralph the extra money so my family would have a good Christmas. Ralph probably never would have left you on his own. I'm thankful that you had to let him go when you did. God knew that I needed medical help and my time was clicking down to get it. I had no time to wait. If Ralph had not returned to the military when he did I would have died. Thanks to the Army I am getting the best medical care possible and I'm healthier then I have been in years. As I read todays journel, I am so ashamed of myself. As I read of the love between you and Rene, I know that kind of love only comes from above. I wish I could write that I'm standing by Ralph all the way while he is away at school. I have tried to be strong but lately I stay mad because he is in another state. I want him here with me all the time and if I can't have that then I just pull away. I believe I read where you asked people to send prayer request to you. Well, I ask that you pray that I can be the kind of wife to Ralph as Rene is to you.
Since Ralph is away, Anita who is 8 years old now, sleeps with me. Every night we hold hands and pray. We take turns on who prays. Tonight was her turn. Johnny don't give up. You have an 8 year old that calls on angels for you. Tonight as Anita prayed, my heart melted. She remembered as she does EVERY night to pray for you, Rene and Scarlet. She doesn't just pray "God please help them". She calls each of you by name and ask God to do something special for each of you. She knows the pain of loss. She was just 5 when my son passed away and the following year his Dad better known to her as Uncle David also passed away. So, when she prays for you and your family she pours her entire heart out to the Lord.
I feel so helpless. I wish there where something special I could do or say to make your life all better. Rene was such a blessing to me after I loss my son. I sat on the back porch and drank to try and dull the pain. Rene never gave up on me and I'm so thankful to write that because of her continued prayers and others, I have been alcohol and cigarette free since March 21st. I know there is power in prayer. I'm living proof. I would have NEVER given up drinking on my own. I loved it. I thought it helped me. It's true you can't help someone who doesn't want help but, God can help them. I give Him all the glory and praise for taking the desire away.
I didn't mean to write so much and as usual I didn't word things like I wanted to. Rene is the one that when she writes, love just flows from her fingers.
So, in closing, Johnny again I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for all you have done for my family. You will continue to remain in our thoughts and prayers.
In Christ Love:
Shari Collins

I am catching up on this blog after days of not be...

2008-06-23T13:27:00.000-04:00

I am catching up on this blog after days of not being on the internet and I am always, ALWAYS amazed by your gift of writing and your gift of relaying God's message of pure love to us. You have such a beautiful insight to faith and of believing in our loving graceful God no matter the tornado surrounding you! You're magnificent Aunt Rene! I DO believe in miracles! I DO have faith in God's healing for Uncle Johnny!! And I am so excited to hear of the miracle and transformation the annointing water will have KNOWING you both used it in utter faith in His deliverance! I love you both so much!

I was just moved to tears reading your entry today...

2008-06-22T20:03:00.000-04:00

I was just moved to tears reading your entry today, as you know in the active process of watching mama die, it seems effortless to ask for "your will" to be done, than RELY Jesus's will to be done!
talk about feeling helpless, so I picked up her prayer book and just started reading to her, then I picked up Grandma Ruby's Bible and started reading the Psalms, I felt a peace just come over me and saw mama's body just relax, God is good, ALL THE TIME!
JOHNNY,if anyone is a vessel, your wife is the best vessel, and the survivors circle is staight ahead! my love to you both!!

I came upon your blog today after coming upon your...

2008-06-22T18:45:00.000-04:00

I came upon your blog today after coming upon your daughter's blog. I am a photographer, but for years I was a church choir director. Your story of the events from today really touched my heart...I love the poetry from hymns, too, and have often relied on the words of hymns at times when I just couldn't find the right words to pray. God's love is shown to us in so many ways...I'm so happy for you both today, and please know I'm praying for you.

Reading in silent awe... I understand Johnny's st...

2008-06-22T13:31:00.000-04:00

Reading in silent awe... I understand Johnny's statement of wanting to wait to feel 'connected'. I struggled with this in early sobriety, and still struggle (although a different stuggle...it feels the same nevertheless). When I was approached by the 3rd Step, which states "Made a decision to turn my Will and Life over to the care of God as I understand Him"....I was searching for something tangible... a sense of 'feeling'... that I thought I must have. And I was told that we must approach God as children... and that set the stage. I can remember the difficulty I had with approaching my Father, (the Commander of course) because I never felt really connected. I felt more of a dissapointment because of the trouble that I had caused to my parents (well, I was judging that on my view of my 'perfect' sister Rene and 'perfect' brother Jeff)...so I was always looking at my Father's shoes...not his eyes. I rebelled because of these feelings....and was crushed by alcoholism...and at the age of 32...was confronted with the Big Book of AA, that stated "...but it is with our twisted relations with family, friends, and family that many of us have suffered the most...the primary fact that we fail to recognize is our total inability to form a TRUE PARTNERSHIP with another human being..."
And in the process of watching others recover....just like watching You and Johnny and Scarlett go thru this Battle...that we are inspired to move forward.
I didn't need to feel it...and then do it...I needed to do it..and then feel it......

YOU GO JOHNNY....pedal to the floor.