My story of addiction starts not much different as many you will hear. I ran across a stack of "soft porn" magazines that someone was throwing away. I took them home and the addiction began. I don't remember how old I was, but I know I did not share this secret with anyone.

My addiction resulted in an impaired ability to make the right choices as I grew up. I had compromised my beliefs and was not ready or willing to let anyone know of my problem. It was a matter of pride and a fear of the shame. Over the course of more than two decades, my behavior became a part of my life that I really did not seem to have power over.

My addiction was at a peak a few years ago as I found myself spending a good portion of my workweek visiting pornographic sites on the Internet. It was at this same time that my wife and I were attending a marriage enrichment program which put me in the place where I could tell my wife what I was doing. With my wife for accountability and a renewed focus on the work I felt called to do for the Lord, I found "sobriety" less difficult every day. I thank God for that time as I can look back now and appreciate the difference He made in my life from then on. I filled my time with service to Him through our church and my wife and I "checked in" on how I was doing with the problem.

My association with the Men's Integrity Group is different than most of my brothers. I was well into recovery through openness with my wife and another brother in Christ when I became aware of our church's need for helping men address this growing problem. I attended a group with a friend to find out more about how we might start a group at our church. I thought I was looking for a place to help others. What I found was a place for me to share my struggles and victories. I found a place to grow in my personal relationship with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ through the establishment of healthy relationships with honest men who are ready to aid each other as we growth. Before the MIG, I had unknowingly come to a comfortable place where I thought I was okay in terms of my addiction. But I realized that I had only reached a point that was acceptable to me, but not to God. I want to be a better man of God than my standards will allow. I want to be a man of integrity upon whom God will gladly poor his blessings. I want to be a man through whom God can bless others. The Men's Integrity Group helps me on my journey.

Anon