Sunday Sermon: The Virus

Crank & Stroker Salvation Tee graphic — skull in a shroud holding a spyglass with SALVATION above and GODSPEED below. Circa 2019 unreleased design.
Salvation Tee — circa 2019 (never released). Drawn in darker times. If it were made today, the spyglass would be a mirror. Because salvation ain’t about looking out there… it’s about looking in.

August 14, 2025 — One Year Clear

It’s official. One year sober.

This milestone isn’t so much about what I learned, but about what I finally realized about the old condition.

It was all a lie. My thoughts about booze and drugs. My so-called dependency. The “need.” None of it was real. It was just a corrupt virus — a thought — running in the background, rewiring my brain.

I wasn’t weak all those years. I didn’t lack willpower. I was running bad code. One tiny corrupted file — call it the devil — slipped in and fed on me.

That virus whispered:

  • Once I get here, I’ll quit.
  • Once this happens, I’ll stop.
  • Once I’m in the right situation, I’ll finally do it.

That was the lie. That was the just a corrupt file.  And that’s the part that has to be killed. Zero in on that thought and slaughter it. Don’t negotiate. Don’t reason with it. Kill the corrupted file before it spreads.

I don’t buy the word “addiction” anymore. I hate that word. Makes it sound bigger than it is. Like it’s some massive force you’re powerless against.

But the truth? It’s small. It’s just a corrupted file. A tiny lie that snowballs into bigger lies if you let it run unchecked.  Note:  This holds true for other lies we tell ourselves, not just about addiction.

The fix: install a kill switch.
The moment it starts, pull the string. Stop the process. End it before it grows.

We all have that power. Every one of us. We are made from God.

Amen.

Processional

Song: Michael Jackson — Man in the Mirror
Quote: “I’m starting with the man in the mirror
I’m asking him to change his ways
And no message could’ve been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself, and then make a change.”

Free Tool

I’m not a counselor. I’m just a guy who’s been through it. Here’s one tool I used.  Now that I finally discovered them after many years I am compelled to share them.

  • Write it down. I kept notes in my phone — raw, unfiltered, no censoring. Think Jordan Peterson’s Self-Authoring, but dirty and real.
  • Track the pattern. Over time you’ll start to see the corrupted thoughts repeat themselves. You’ll recognize the virus.
  • Zero in. Once you see it, you can cut it out. Pull the string before it unravels your whole system.

That’s also where the garment designs and names came from. Every piece I’ve built carries something from this process — scars turned into fabric, lies turned into leather, growth stitched with thread.  see example below.

The Bake Sale aka Our Sponsor

Back in Black Moto Shirt
Named to mark one year clear — taking back what matters. Dedicated to every man who fell, never quit, and came back fighting every f***ing time.

Why it hits:

  • Familiar silhouette, upgraded everywhere it counts
  • Slightly heavier thread — stronger, more pronounced, like a scar
  • Hardware upgraded front to back
  • Full-grain leather: skin selection far above what most will ever need
  • Underarm gussets for airflow and movement

There’s more to it than meets the eye — on purpose. Built to reflect what sobriety gives: growth, scars, strength. You’re still who you are — just better tuned, better built.

Shop the Back in Black Moto Shirt →

If you have a tool you used please share it with the group. 

If you would like to do the "Sunday Sermon" hit me up.

Or a Reflection/Testimonial what worked for you please go ahead and drop it in the group.  

If if you like this you may also like.  Gratitude is Oxygen

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