Page 8 - Cornerstone Connection Magazine - Volume 22 - Issue 6

LIndELL • continued from PAGE 7 After losing the bar business, Lindell believes God came to
him in a dream. “Awakening out of a deep sleep, I grabbed a
never felt I belonged.” pen and notebook and began writing. The words that appeared
Lindell owned bars for 13 years “having the time of his life,” on the page were words I didn’t even use,” Lindell explained.
until he decided he needed a little additional support. “For “Without a conscious decision, I scribbled a title at the top of
some reason, I felt I needed cocaine to do my job. If I was alone the page: God Against Crack. I wondered if I’d had an out-of-
with a customer, I felt extremely shy and awkward,” Lindell body experience. Were these thoughts from somewhere—or
explained. “Cocaine was a crutch. Then, crack became my new Someone—else? I also wrote, ‘You will know when the time is
best friend; not only did it mask my pain, but it also made me right, and you will be provided a platform.’”
feel I could conquer the world.” That same day, when Lin-
Throughout Lindell’s life, because of his addictions, he made dell’s sister, Cindy, called,
one bad decision after another, which led to four decades of she provided him with con-
living with shame, humiliation, and the inability to forgive firmation of what had just
himself. Regardless, God continued to pursue and rescue him happened to him. She shared
from life-threatening situations. Even though Lindell talked to that during a church service,
God during these tumultuous times, he continued to run away her pastor gave her a word
from Him. of prophecy for her brother.
“I felt consumed by loneliness/hopelessness, driven by com- The pastor shared, “Whatev-
pulsions I couldn’t name, and enslaved by substances I couldn’t er happened to your brother,
kick. I desperately wanted to escape the person I had become,” it’s important. He has to fol-
Lindell admitted. low through with it, and you
Miracle after miracle began to occur in Lindell’s life, but need to tell him.”
rather than giving God credit, his mathematician’s brain fig- Lindell shelved those
ured, “what were the odds.” Despite his crack addition, God pages and prophecy for four
was still able to use him. “This remained an ironic feature years while his life continued
of my life. Friends and family would call me to talk to other to spiral out of control. He
addicts off the ledge even though they knew I was an addict even admitted, “No ‘bottom’
myself. This happened many times, and I still don’t quite un- A photo taken by one of Mike’s had been deep enough, and
derstand it,” Lindell said. “I wondered if God was trying to get drug dealers after they had no rehab had touched me.”
my attention.” intervened and cut off his supply Meanwhile, God gave him

8 Volume 22 • Issue 6