Former Drug Addict Details Struggles in 'Against the Gates of Hell'
Mylow Young grew up on the streets of Philadelphia where he faced drugs, guns and death for more than half his life.
After years of growing up in a dysfunctional home and struggling with drug addiction, he surrendered his life to Jesus Christ, motivating him to write the novel, Against the Gates of Hell: A Crack House Exodus.
Young told The Christian Post that one of the main issues stalling recovery today and remaining faithful to God is that “the devil gets mad when he loses you.”
Get Our Latest News for FREE
“It is spiritual warfare,” Young said.
“The devil keeps trying to keep you down by talking trash. He tells you that you don't measure up. But, we all must get to the point when we realize that God sees Christ in us and knows what the finished product looks like."
His addiction continued to cost him throughout his life – his self-respect, jobs, marriage and even his walk with Christ. As the bottom fell out of his life and darkness consumed his soul, he sold all that he held dear for an elusive state of peace through drugs.
Young says he is convinced that God can work through any pain, resentment and hardened heart. "God heals," Young said. "He reminds us that He has always been by our side. No lifestyle is too hardcore for God to fix.”
Young wants other addicts or those going through recovery to read his new book so they will realize that through all mistakes in life, God wants to expose our sins, heal us and help overcome the past.
"Forgiving ourselves for past sins is hard and only possible through Christ."
Within the pages of Young’s new 420-page book is an intriguing journey of three invented characters that represent the stages of Young’s troubled life and ultimate victory over a life of ugly sin and bad behavior.
Young told The Christian Post that he hopes readers will see the power of God’s unconditional love through one man’s struggle to break free of a crack addiction and the effort to turn around.
“I started writing the book while I was in rehab,” Young said. “I realized that I never had a mentor to guide me and I never thought I really measured up to others.”
Young said people struggling with addiction today worry about what other people think about them, resulting in an overwhelming feeling of inadequacy. “I lacked the desire to fulfill my dreams of becoming a professional football player,” he said.
“I did not care if I was homeless or if I had lost everything I had. It was all about the crack and that next big high because I felt like a failure.”
Young believes that addiction is about spiritual warfare – good and evil battling against each other.
“After relapsing so many times I realized my triggers were money and anger,” he said. “The devil just sits back and watches you. He likes it when you feel unworthy, defeated and like a failure.”
Looking at yourself through God’s eyes is the only way to heal, recover and regain feelings of self-worth, he highlighted.
“The guilt during recovery is hard but if you look at yourself the way God does, you are clean when forgiven," he said. "If others do not forgive you when you ask them, it is on them. Not you."
It was in Christ that Young was finally capable of fulfilling his God-given purpose and he learned that God had never given up on him.
Today, Young has been free from drugs for more than eight years after totally surrendering his life to Jesus Christ. He finally discovered his identity and strength lies in Christ alone after 20 years of addiction and falling into the traps of Satan.
He has found newness of life and the feelings of unworthiness have disappeared. He and his wife Sondra attend The Connection of Statesville Church in North Carolina where Young serves as a deacon.
On the Web: http://www.mylowyoung.com/
