A local musician reached what he says was "rock bottom" but through his church community, he was able to overcome the weight of his addiction and divorce. 

"When my wife left me three and a half years ago, I was at a really low point. I was an alcoholic and depressed. I would sit at home watching T.V. I just had drinking buddies, no friends. I wasn't in control of where my life was going," Gerald Moir, lead musician of Backyard Rhubarb says. 

Those feelings would soon be challenged. "When the relationship was falling apart, we stopped going to church. At one point, I lived on my friend's couch for a month and he invited me back to church. I was like 'yeah let's do it!" Moir says.

"I started to be who I was meant to be in God."

"Through finding community there, I was really uplifted. It brought me out of a pretty deep depression. It brought me out of not wanting to live. It gave me new hope and purpose," Moir says.

He saw major changes. "I started to thrive," Moir says. He began doing daily devotions, praying, serving others, and connecting with those around him in deep community. "I really committed to it. I didn't hold anything back. I started to be who I was meant to be in God," Moir says.

He says, "It gets better. I never expected to get a divorce. So, I took a real hard look at who I was and who the Bible said I should be. It wasn't really lining up," Moir says.

"Who I was then is completely gone. I was all negativity and pessimism; now, I'm faith, hope, love, and peace."

"I am a 'new creation'. Who I was then is completely gone. I was all negativity and pessimism; now, I'm faith, hope, love, and peace," Moir says. 

He wants all of us to, "go all in, it's worth it. The Bible is true and God loves you. The more of yourself that you give, the more that you get out of it."

Moir says life isn't simply perfect now that he has found community. He feels as though his divorce and addiction could be seen as a stain on his life. "I haven't fully overcome it,  but speaking about it takes its power away and sharing your story allows Him to speak life into others that are going through things," Moir says.

When he was at his lowest, someone going through the same difficulties spoke truth into his situation. He says, "your mess can be your message." As a songwriter, he uses his music to find relief, and give glory to God.

Moir now serves at his church weekly in many aspects from children's ministry to the worship team. The musician says that he looks for the light in life instead of looking for darkness and music is one way of doing that.

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Just a little relief. . . . . #newmusic #folk #folkmusic #backyardrhubarb

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