Hard Times
Photo credit: QPolitical Actor and comedian, Tim Allen, has been very open about his conservative political views and his Christian faith. Both were frequently on display on his popular sitcom, Last Man Standing. In fact, millions of angry fans believe that is the reason the show was abruptly canceled by ABC earlier this month. Naturally, the network denied the accusations, saying it was canceled for “business and scheduling reasons.”
Allen broke his silence about the cancellation recently, acknowledging that he was “blindsided” by the decision. Nevertheless, fans can be certain that Allen will overcome this setback as he has done so many times in his life. Now, he wants people to know where his inspiration comes from, and it is a story that is both tragic and triumphant.
When Allen was just 11-years old, he lost his father to a drunk driver. He was devastated by the loss of his best friend, and often felt guilty for not being in the car with his dad. Allen believed he might have been able to prevent the accident if he would’ve been there. In the throes of grief, Allen turned to drugs and alcohol to ease his pain. However, his life would only get worse from there, and it didn’t take long for him to hit rock bottom.
Photo credit: ABC
The turning point in Allen’s destructive life came on October 2nd, 1978. Deep into his addiction, Allen was arrested for possession of 650 grams (1.43lbs) of cocaine. Convicted of drug trafficking, Allen spent two years and four months of his life in federal prison. During his incarceration, he decided that is was time to change his life and he turned to God for help.
Admitting that he was once a “cynic” who didn’t like the “idea of God,” Allen now openly professes his love and gratitude for whom he calls the “great Builder.” Allen happily credits God for all of his successes as well. While he admits that “life isn’t perfect,” he is overjoyed at where he’s at now.
“I used to live an isolated existence, even in relationships, but now my family knows me for who I really am. Mostly, that’s a good thing,” said Allen. “Yesterday I was swimming with my 3-year old, and I looked up and thought, how wonderful this world is. We’re always searching for something, but it’s going to be all right. Stop fretting so much.”
Listen to Allen talk about his past and his faith:
