<\/p>\n
"It's only been my relationship with Jesus Christ that has got me through, because of His unconditional love and acceptance and knowing that if I repent and I'm genuinely sorry for what I've done, He forgives me because He's paid for it all on the cross. Without him, I couldn't have kept going.<\/p>\n
"After that happened I didn't want to be here for a number of years and I said to God, 'you should have taken me instead'. It's been a very painful experience.<\/p>\n
"If only I could go back in time and change things I would. Unfortunately we don't get that opportunity.<\/p>\n
"That's why I'm learning \u2026 that's why choices in life are so important because once we've made a choice or a decision, we don't get the chance to go back in time and change it."<\/p>\n
Ablett said having dealt with the guilt and shame brought on by the incident, it made him more understanding to other people's pain and what makes every human vulnerable.<\/p>\n
"No one likes emotional pain \u2013 especially long-term \u2013 and it's so easy to want to turn to things to numb our pain, to escape reality," he said.<\/p>\n
"But the problem is when the drugs wear off and the alcohol wears off, we not only wake up with a hangover, our problems are back worse than ever often because what we've done while we've been on the drugs or on the drink can add more pain, or even shame, to our lives.<\/p>\n
"We need to make sure that we get our decisions right the first time \u2013 that's been a big lesson for me. I just wish I had have known that a lot earlier."<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"