Fourteen years ago, Mike Lindell gave up on crack and gave his life over to God.
There have been ups and downs since then — some of them very public, of course. However, he’s the CEO of his own company, MyPillow, and has weathered storms that would have knocked most of us down.
And, on the 14th anniversary of his sobriety, Lindell is giving all the praise to God.
In a Monday tweet, Lindell posted the ultimate before-after photo comparison of himself to social media. First, Lindell at rock bottom — hair a mess, eyes red, face gaunt.
Next, the Lindell we know now — happy, healthy and smiling.
“14-years ago on January 16, 2009 Jesus set me free of crack cocaine and other addictions forever! With God all things are possible!” Lindell wrote in the tweet, including a link to his drug recovery charity — part of his life’s mission to help others achieve sobriety.
14-years ago on January 16, 2009 Jesus set me free of crack cocaine and other addictions forever!
With God all things are possible! If you or someone you know needs help send them to https://t.co/BZzN0h41OZ….It’s free and online! pic.twitter.com/CYxIJrybIz— Mike Lindell (@realMikeLindell) January 16, 2023
A 2018 Washington Post piece on the MyPillow founder described the fascinating — if harrowing — backstory behind the rock-bottom photo.
“It was March 2008, and the Minneapolis-area entrepreneur’s life was in free fall,” the story read.
“Marriage broken. House lost. Business — a company he started four years earlier called MyPillow — struggling. Two weeks into this particular hot-wired bender, Lindell went to his usual drug dealers for a fix. But the guys had already put word out on the street: No one sell to Lindell until he sleeps.”
“They refused to sell to me again. One of them tried babysitting me until I fell asleep,” Lindell said.
“Instead, he sneaked outside to score elsewhere,” the Post reported. “But no one wanted his business. Lindell waved around a $100 bill for $5 worth of crack. Nothing. He tried to hide his distinct mustache behind his hand. No luck.”
Thus, he returned to the dealer who was “babysitting” him, unable to find any drugs.
“His dealer picked up Lindell’s phone and snapped a photo of the addict’s face — walking-dead skin tone, disheveled hair, mug shot scowl. It was a memento of what it looked like at rock bottom,” the Post reported.
“Lindell got clean the next year and powered ahead with MyPillow, turning an idea plucked from a dream into a successful international business claiming nearly 30 million sales.”
And while Lindell’s support of conservative causes — in particular, former President Donald Trump — has made him a lightning rod, he remains successful and sober. He’s even written a book about the experience, appropriately titled, “What Are the Odds? From Crack Addict to CEO.”
And 14 years on, there were plenty of people willing to congratulate Lindell on his turnaround.
All things are possible through Christ. Keep up the great work helping others.
— COL Conrad Reynolds (@ColonelReynolds) January 16, 2023
Congratulations on your sobriety
— Tim Ryan (@AManInRecovery) January 16, 2023
I love how forthright @realMikeLindell is with his testimony! We should all testify to what God has done and IS DOING in our lives! https://t.co/pxEgqZW8kU
— Jenna Ellis ?? (@JennaEllisEsq) January 16, 2023
And while Lindell may be the one who’s sober, all the glory should be to God — He who can heal even a man so desperate for crack he was waving around $100 for $5 worth of the drug.
The world can’t cure us, after all. In fact, the world itself is the sickness: 1 John 2:16 said, “For all that is in the world — the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life — is not from the Father but is from the world.”
As for the cure? According to James 5:15-16: “And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”
God bless Mike Lindell, and may his message — and by extension, the Lord’s message — reach all those trapped in sin and addiction.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
