Joe, in his early 40’s, has been struggling with drug addiction for 15 years. While he did have short stretches of sobriety, life would always show up again and Joe would fold like a cheap suit!
His family loved him and was always supportive – even to the point of enabling him in his addiction. But Joe was never able to perpetuate any long-term recovery.
Even worse – as far as his family was concerned – as soon as he got a couple of months clean, Joe would start pointing out everyone else’s problems!
So, when he arrived here at Helping Up Mission for our 12-month residential Spiritual Recovery Program, Joe didn’t have much hope that anything would really change. But he was a little older – and a little wiser!
And, for the first time, Joe began to understand the value of spirituality in recovery. He was open to God working in his life and things began to happen. And it felt good!
So, now, 6 months into our Program, Joe realizes all these things I just wrote about him. In fact, he shared it all in class yesterday!
He understands that he gets cocky after a few months of recovery and becomes a know-it-all. He doesn’t want his family enabling him anymore – whether in or out of addiction.
He wants to be the man he’s supposed to be – get and keep a good job…get and keep his own place to live…continue living in and working on spiritual recovery!
That’s a tall order for a guy who has never done it before, but here that kind of thing happens quite regularly in guys’ lives.
And, around here, we all know how it works…
…One Day at a Time,
Pastor Gary Byers
Deputy Director