Addiction Recovery Program: How We'll Be Spending the Next Two Years -

About a month ago, just as Neil and I were preparing to move Erica to college, we received a call to meet with our Bishop. Neil had recently been released from his church responsibility and I felt for a long time that a change was coming for me, too. I had been teaching the 4 & 5 year olds for several years. When the Bishop met with us, I have to admit that my mouth literally fell open when he told us that we were being asked to serve a Church Service Mission over the Addiction Recovery Program in our area.

We have all heard of AA and Al-Anon and the plethora of other addiction recovery programs and treatment centers available to people who suffer from the torment that is the Siamese twin of addiction. Neil’s brother suffered from addiction and lost his life because of it; he was never able to overcome its grasps. (You can read about that HERE). On the flip-side, I have a late-uncle who successfully completed the AA program and lived decades alcohol-free. Addiction is an ugly beast.

A few years ago, our church adapted (with permission) the Twelve Steps of the AA program and developed a 12-step addiction recovery program to encompass all addictions and addictive behaviors, not just alcoholism. The church made some slight changes to the steps, which I will cover a little later.

These meetings are FREE of charge and open to everyone, not just to members of our church.

For the next two years, Neil and I will be serving as missionaries over the program. We will be holding three different meetings: one for pornography, one for all other addictions, and one for friends and family of those addicted. If you or someone you know would like to attend, please know that everything is being done to ensure your anonymity at the meeting. Everything that takes place, including your attendance, is confidential. Please email me at [email protected] for more information, or send me a private message on Facebook. I can also help find you a meeting in your area.

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I will be sharing a lot about the actual program on this blog. Let me get started by showing you the difference between the first three out of twelve steps of AA and the first three out of twelve step of the ARP (Addiction Recovery Program). The goal of the program is to work on the solution, NOT to focus on the problem.

STEP ONE:
AA: We admitted we were powerless over alcohol – that our lives had become unmanageable.
ARP: Admit that you, of yourself, are powerless to overcome your addictions and that your life has become unmanageable.

STEP TWO:
AA: Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
ARP: Come to believe that the power of God can restore you to complete spiritual health.

STEP THREE:
AA: Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
ARP: Decide to turn your will and your life over to the care of God the Eternal Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.

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The meetings begin this week. In the meantime, you can access the manual HERE.