Rick Wilburn's Transformation Story

I would like to say my story of accepting Christ as my Savior was a very simple, methodical, typical process. That is not my story.

Growing up in an abusive, alcoholic household, I was full of fear and confusion. As a 10-year-old, I witnessed my father choking my mom. I went to talk about it the next day, and my mom said, “Shhh! We never ever talked about it.”

Fast forward to college, and before I engaged in drinking, smoking, and smoking pot.

Fast forward again, after my failed marriage, and struggles professionally, my depression was at an all-time peak, and I resorted to the use of other drugs, and more alcohol to numb the pain, and run from reality.

Fast forward to March 6th, 2010, when my family came to save my life. Just like the TV show “Intervention “my family hired a professional interventionist, got in a circle, and read letters. And just like the TV show, after hearing my mom's letter(she was crying so bad my step father had to read it for her) they placed me in a van and took me to a treatment center to get help for my addiction.

Now, I need you to understand that I would not suggest what I did for anyone else. But I stopped using drugs, drinking alcohol, and smoking all at the same time. On March 19th, 2010, I was at my rock bottom. I received a phone call that sent me running to my room in tears. I was so upset, I could have eaten an apple in one bite. I was so overwhelmed and upset that I was ready to leave treatment.

Paul, a carpenter from across the hall, came into my room and asked what was wrong. I shared everything that was running through my mind and all the reasons I felt like leaving.

Paul looked at me and calmly said, “Rick, none of that is true.” He reminded me that what I was feeling in that moment wasn’t reality. It was fear, confusion, and the disease trying to pull me away from healing. Almost immediately, I calmed down. Deep down, I knew he was right. I chose to stay.

Later that night, I told the therapy assistant what had happened. He asked, “You know what that was, don’t you?” I said, “No.” He replied, “That was God speaking through Paul.” At first, I didn’t fully understand. Then he said it again: “God talks through people.”

Snap your fingers, and I got it.

Snap your fingers again. I knew. Without a shadow of a doubt, that God loved me too.

Just like that, I instantly knew right then that I was going to be okay.

I had prayed on and off through my life, but I kept waiting for this big, booming voice to come down from the sky. “Ricky, can you hear me?” Turns out that is not how God talks to me.

He had sent Paul that day to speak to me. He had sent the entire staff of the treatment center to talk to me and help me along my journey. All I had to do was to remain open-minded and willing to listen to others.

Right then, the walls, the armor, the protective barrier I had built to protect that little boy started to dissipate. I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, I was going to be okay, because I knew that God loved me, too. I knew that God had sent each and every person in my life to help me along my journey as I progressed in my faith and deepening relationship with God. I attended church on June 9th, 2013, and I heard John 14:6, which says, “the only way to the Father is through the Son.” That day, I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior.

Fast forward to today. And here I am, a perfectly imperfect child of God. A beloved Son of God. And the offer is on the table for you, too, if you choose to place your faith in the Son.