WHAT INSPIRES ME: CELEBRATE RECOVERY
Many of us have at least one person in our life or have known someone who has been affected by the drug epidemic sweeping across our nation. Heroine usage is on the rise and lives are being destroyed daily, due to terrible choices made by those falling into addictive lifestyles. Even if addiction or the consequences of a loved ones addiction has not been experienced in your life, you may relate on another level. Each of us has a story. Lessons learned through painful experiences that have shaped us into who we are today. Each one of us makes a choice with our past in how we chose to handle it. We can chose to allow our past to define us and control us, or chose to rise above the pain and become who we are meant to be.
Why I volunteered with Celebrate Recovery
My husband Jason and I spent a year and a half working with the youth in celebrate recovery at our local church. The reason that I chose to get involved was not related to an addiction I had battled. It actually was inspired by a friend of my husband who committed suicide on New Year's Eve that same year we started volunteering. After hearing about his death I was heartbroken. I was convinced that I needed to get involved in some way to begin to make a difference in the lives of others who are hurting. I have also experienced some difficult experiences in my past that inspired me to get involved with this teen program. I do not want to get into specifics on my website, but I will say that many people in my past battled issues that left a mark on my own life. I will say I definitely had experienced a need for recovery myself from these painful past experiences. My teenage years were some of the most difficult years in my life and as a result helping other teenagers means a lot to me.
Why I recommend Celebrate Recovery
Celebrate recovery deals with all sorts of addictions, hurts, habits and hang ups. This ministry is one I still hold close to my heart even after moving on from the ministry. The things that these teenagers dealt with and shared with us affected me in so many ways. They helped me to see the hurt that is going on around me everyday and the possibilities of lives that can be changed simply by giving your time as a leader. If there is one thing that I believe is important, it is people. I feel nothing is more important or more valuable in life than investing in the lives of others. People are far more valuable than any amount of money in this life. I would rather spend my time making a difference in others lives. Why? Because in my darkest times the people that did this for me made a real difference in my future. They allowed me to experience love that I had never felt before and helped me to discover that my life has purpose.
What Celebrate Recovery does
The ministry of celebrate recovery recognizes that people cannot live the fulfilling lives we were meant to when we are stuck in patterns of addiction and abuse. If you have someone in your life that is dealing with or has dealt with something like this, I highly recommend Celebrate Recovery. I encourage you to find a local celebrate recovery in your area that you can at least visit. What could it hurt? You just may make some lifelong friends who will encourage you and help you on your journey to recovery.Want to find out more about the ministry of celebrate recovery click hereLocate a group here
