Welcome to Recovery

This winter, I started in the 12 step group apprenticing. I sat in for a couple weeks before my leader mentioned to the group that I would be helping out. Slowly I got to know my group, love them, pray for them, and have a deep admiration for them and their honesty. I have been in other groups before, but none as honest and outright as this 12 step group. There is just something about being broken hard that makes you fall that much more in love with God.

What really gets me about this group is that I can tell how much they all truly care for each other. You should see how they just swarm on and love newcomers. It would make even the most doubtful come back. Nothing against any of my other groups, magnificent healing has occurred for me there as well. This is not better, just different. Sometimes we all need something different.

So the announcement was made this week that I would be transitioning into the role of leader, so that my leader can transition into the role of coach. Surely my old, scarred self was full of fear. “People don’t like change, they won’t want little ol’ inexperienced me taking over,” I thought doubtfully to myself.

What I experienced was just the opposite. My new friends were very happy for me, even somewhat proud. It just seemed so natural and welcoming. It went well. I got hugs that I was not expecting. A giant weight was lifted, and instead of nerves, I felt love.

When I discussed how opposite to my old life this reaction was with my leader he said to me with a smile, “welcome to recovery!” I cherished that. I will try to never forget that in recovery, life does not have to be the same as before. In recovery, things can and will get better. In recovery there is love from the most unsuspecting places. Welcome to recovery, where God will make a way, and change is ultimately a good thing.

Read this post on the C the J Blog!