Jim Robinson is a singer, songwriter, author and drug addiction counselor who is coming to Tarboro's First Baptist Church this week.

He will perform at the church with his wife, Teresa, at 7 p.m. Sunday. He also will speak at the Main Street church at 8:30 and 11 a.m. Sunday and at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Robinson, 53, lives in Nashville, Tenn., with Teresa, 51, and their children Mary Ruth, 13, and James, 9. His father-in-law Bryan Haislip lives in Tarboro.

Robinson's latest fiction novel, "The Flower of Grass," is set for release in August. The novel will be released in the United Kingdom today from that country's largest Christian book publisher, Lion Hudson.

A poem by Haislip, about Teresa when she was seven, is at the beginning of "The Flower of Grass," Robinson said. He added that it was Haislip's poem that inspired him to write the book.

Some of his success came from his time as a songwriter for Music Row Records, from 1990-2000. Robinson wrote hit songs like "Me Too" for country artist Neal McCoy, "Kickin' It Up" and "Ain't Got Nothin' On Us" for John Michael Montgomery and "Mending Fences" for Restless Heart.

But Robinson's biggest success is his sobriety from alcohol and drug addiction since 1989.

"My life story kind of prepared me for what we're doing in a lot of ways" with his counseling, literary work and outreach ministry, called Prodigal Song, Robinson said.

Before his turnaround, Robinson said he "was pretty much homeless, pretty much suicidal at this point of my life. Blackout drunk, didn't have a place of my own to live.

"I was a very sick guy, and it was not an instantaneous healing.

"I found my way to a homeless mission in Memphis, Tenn. They loved me just as I was, where I was. That lead to a long process to recovery," Robinson said.

In 2000, he started Prodigal Song. According to its Web site, Robinson addresses "issues of addiction and recovery, obsessive/compulsive behaviors, mood disorders, family healing" and related issues.

Along with his ministry, Robinson feels that his fiction and non-fiction books, song writing, singing, performing and recovery counseling are "part of the whole package" of the ministry's work.

"There's a seamless quality to them, those four to five professions; (they reach) out to the broken spirit," he added.

Asked if his success has an effect on his drug counseling, Robinson said, "It's critical in making what I do effective.