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A Daily Prayer
The following poem was written by my brother, Jason Vicknair. Less than a year later, he passed away due to a drug overdose. This would be one of the last poems he ever wrote: Lord, keep us safe and our loved ones well. Lord, bless this home and all who inside dwell. Lord, grant me the patience to wait for myself. Lord, grant me the endurance to keep my Bible off the shelf. Lord, grant me the diligence to follow Your path. Lord, grant me the knowledge to stay away from Your wrath. Lord, grant me humility to keep me from pride. Lord, grant me the strength to hang on…
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Oh Be Careful Little Ears What You Hear
You can hear it almost anywhere you go. It relaxes you, invigorates you, and takes you back to the oldest of memories. It sets the mood to every minute you’re exposed to it. It is the sound of music filling the air. And while many share this common interest for a love of music, I can honestly say, I’ve always taken it two steps further. Music was rich in my family before I was even a thought. It was always played and always encouraged to be played. Upon entering my teenage years, it quickly became an obsession. My walls were plastered with posters and album covers. I could tell you…
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These Are the Ones Who Fill This Earth
“I lost another nephew.” My neighbor said as she treaded through the puddles in black. She looked weak, as if she carried the weight of that lost soul upon her. The heaviness in her heart was thicker than the humid air around us. And I could feel it. I could feel it because I had also just lost someone I knew. Someone who had grown up with my brothers. Someone who had once played hide and go seek with me on our beach vacation. And this someone loved the Lord very much. But this someone also struggled with addiction. And then one day, that addiction won. I didn’t know her…
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Addiction: You Can Overcome
I often wonder what it would have been like these past two years had my brother still been alive. Yes, my family was very supportive during my battle with sickness, but what would he have done? What would he have said to encourage me? So many days I felt like he was the one I needed to comfort me. All I wished was that I could go back to his letters and find the words that would help me through everything. But he’s gone. He was still needed here, but he’s gone. I can no longer help him. But I can help others who are still fighting this battle. If…
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The End of Addiction
August 7, 2009 I was 18 years old. I was working the morning shift of my first “real” job at a clothing boutique, texting my friends about going to the movies after I got off. My boss stopped by to see how I was doing. She already knew. She didn’t say anything. I continued to blow up my mom’s phone, trying to get her permission to go to the movies. No response. I then received a text from my sister saying I couldn’t go, and she would be picking me up after work. Spoiled, stupid me responded that there better be a good reason. There was. That morning, all was…
