Nine years ago I came to Celebrate Recovery (CR) after hitting rock bottom. I was blind to the realities of how I perceived myself and how I showed up in the world. I was in complete denial about the pain and hurt I was causing to all those around me. In fact, I blamed many of them for my situation.
Fast forward to the present… As I look back on my life and where I was then compared to where I am now, I see a radical change in me — yet not fully complete. The struggles are daily, though different, and the shame can creep up out of nowhere and be quite disabling. But the journey to where I am now is proof of a truth Pastor Rob pointed out in his recent sermon: The Power for New Life. God keeps His promises.
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”
Romans 8:28
Celebrate Recovery is designed to help us overcome hurts, habits, and hang-ups — things we all struggle with. But I believe that description leaves out the most important thing that CR offers: the tools to live.
As growing believers or seeking individuals, many of us try to understand what the Gospel message really means to us. We try to learn from Jesus Christ so that we can begin to scratch the surface on how He really wants us to live. Celebrate Recovery is essentially the same. We are given an opportunity to learn tools to be able to properly work through struggles by simply following steps. We are given tools to help us communicate — even about the hardest things in our life — so that we can begin to heal. And we are given the community we need to come out of isolation and be reminded that none of us are alone in our struggles.
The Celebrate Recovery steps are really applicable in any situation. They teach us how to be truly genuine and transparent in all situations. The decision to be so is still ours, but as you commit your life to the process you begin to want to live the way Christ prescribes.
The recovery program is built so that we can be fully aware of how to process and work through the struggles that we all think we have under control. I can tell you… God loves us too much to let things not be exposed. Romans 3:23 reminds us that “all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God.” Recovery is not a dirty word, it’s a necessary word.
We have our 12th anniversary of Celebrate Recovery at Browncroft on October 3, 2023. Attendees will get a firsthand look at how each step has personally impacted our leadership team. Our stories are now our opportunities to help and serve others. Come and learn, come and experience, and come open your heart to the possibility that Celebrate Recovery could positively impact your life.
