Barry: It was a setup!

I met Barry at Main and Corcoran. The meeting was so totally natural, I don’t remember who started the conversation (this is getting easier all the time!). Barry said he was new to town; he is here for “the program.” I played along like I knew what he was talking about. I asked how long he would be in “the program.” He said it was a 90-day program and this is his first week. So I asked Barry, “What do you hope to accomplish in ‘the program?’” And that’s when he started telling me his story.

Barry was born and grew up in Jacksonville, FL. He said everybody in his family did drugs except his mother. His dad committed suicide as a result of drug and alcohol addiction when Barry was in his early teens and that was enough to convince Barry that, whatever else he did, he would never go down the path his father had taken; he would never become an addict. He would just drink in moderate amounts and would never do anything stronger than pot. He couldn’t believe how easily and how quickly his life was controlled by alcohol and just about every illegal drug anyone could name.

Barry has been hospitalized more times than he can count and has been to more treatment centers than he could name. He has tried everything to try to break his bondage. He even tried church. In fact, Barry is a musician and once played keyboard in a church. Nothing has worked–nothing. I asked Barry, “What makes you think ‘the program’ will work?” He admitted he didn’t know–maybe this time he would get lucky.

But, I had the joy of telling Barry that there is a power than can set him free. It was amazing how eager he was to hear the gospel and respond. In fact, Barry said, “This is funny, but I met a lady just down the street this morning and I asked her if she could spare a couple dollars–I had to ask anyone for anything–but, I asked her for a couple dollars. She said she didn’t have any money to give me, but she would pray for me.” And Barry said, “She stood right there and prayed for me that I would find the way. Now I’m just walking up the street and you come along. This is cool as h***.” Well, Barry had the right idea. He began to see that God was up to something in his life.

I prayed with Barry and assured him that I would get some other people praying for him as well. I asked him to meet me at the part at Main and Mangum on Wednesday and he assured me that he would be there. I said, “Barry, God is about to break loose on the streets of Durham and you’re going to be right in the middle of it!” And he said, “I can’t wait! I can just see Satan’s kingdom crumbling!” Preach it, Barry!