Celebrating Recovery

NLT is getting everything together to start a recovery ministry. Although people automatically associate recovery with drugs, alcohol, and/or physical illness, there is so much more to it than that. If you haven't heard of Celebrate Recovery, it is an awesome thing. A place where people can go for just about everything under the sun. Sexual temptation, drugs, alcohol, co-dependencey, greed, divorce, name it and this progam is there to help.
My second mother (best friends mother) went through this recovery program, and tonight I helped a good friend, who happens to be a roommate, celebrate his 30 days of recovery. You would not believe the amounts of progress, in every aspect of life, that they have made. I was invited by my roommate to attend. To help him celebrate, and I was all for it. This was not only my chance to be an encourager to a good friend, but also get to see just how these recovery ministries go about.
The night started with a huge surprise...as my fiance and I walked in, she brought to my attention the amount of people in this class. For some reason, when I thought of this class, I assumed that it would be one of maybe 50 or 60...try doubling that. 100 to 120 people who had previously dealt with anything that could result in stress and pain, were now singing and dancing and clapping and praising...but most noticable, smiling! The international sign of happiness, and these people were every bit of happy...finally!
As the music played, the speaker called up the recoverers to recieve their "recovery chips". First 30 days, as my roommate walked up to recieve his chip my eyes began to dampen. Next was 60 days, followed by 90 days...with each step, the tears weighed more and more. To see adults act the same about Christ and progress, as children do about Barbies and Spiderman action figures is something magical. By the time the 1 year chip was called, I quickly went from a 6'4" 240 lbs man to a 6'4" 240 lbs baby.
Since I have given my life to Christ last March, I have been the one recovering. Trying to make up for lost time. Doing everything in my power to turn myself into a role model, rather than being known as someone associated with the group known for their wrong doing. After a year of hard work and dedication, I feel like I have recovered. Tonight was my chance to sit back and observe fellow christians taking their steps towards recovery, in their own way. To gain perserverence, strength, trust, friendships, and most importantly experience Grace and the power of love. A love that was strong enough to die for, and Grace...the one common denominater in everyone's salvation. Seeing people who's lives have been interrupted and changed by Jesus Christ, is what keeps my head up and steps straight, when the devil is trying to give me the wrong directions.

The verse(s) of the night was Psalms 91, which to me was a helper to those recovering...but needs to serve as a reminder to all the rest. That God is a shelter, a refuge when we are afraid. We must all believe that He will carry us through all the dangers and fears of life, no matter how big or small. Nothing is too big for the Almighty God. To me, it is comforting to know that God watches over us even in times of great stress and fear. That in our storms, when we extend our hands outward for His help...He will reach back, grab our hands, and pull us from the storm.

Come again!