Hey guys, dang it's been a looooooong time since I posted here on the blog! So much of the momentum of the brand slowed down these last few months with our advertising struggles. I'm still here though! And the mission is still here too! Here's some recent thoughts from the local work work with Freedom House....
Community Collaboration
The woven fabric of community collaboration has struck a chord with me lately. The staff at Freedom House isn’t just a staff, but a community of friends that charge hell’s gates together. None of us could go about this on our own. Furthermore, Freedom House relies on community collaboration with our many volunteers and other pieces of the recovery process. This week alone we’ve benefitted from training put on by NAMI (National Association for Mental Illness). We’ve also relied on collaboration with our local hospital staff (which is so cool b/c my wife works there too!), treatment center, and detox facility.
At the end of some days, the exhaustion of another day being in the trenches with people weighs down. But the encouragement of a group text from those in the battle with us lifts my spirit. The reassurance of other staff that we handled such and such a certain way brings comfort. The laying of hands in prayer gives strength.
All in This Together
Looking in the faces of medical staff struggling to keep hope after helping many come in with substance intoxication is indeed sobering. Wanting healing for people more than they want it themselves at times is so discouraging. Yet the many that still show up everyday to our community's hospital, treatment facility, and detox center sends a wave of encouragement that we do matter and we’re all in this together.
In my quiet debriefing moments with God, this community collaboration is what I’m left with. Is it hard? Are there tears? Do we all feel like doing something else at times? Do we sometimes want to just let out a primal scream into the night air? Affirmative on all the above for me. YET, God reminds me of His strength and His undying love for me in all my wandering too. And the comfort of my friends deep in the battle alongside me lifts my head.
Ride or Die Community
We’ve got each other’s backs, love each other's families and become family together as well and we’re not afraid to hold one another accountable, truly listen, pray together, worship through our faith, give advice, just shoot the breeze together, be as goofy as we feel like no matter what others think, etc.
This type of community is found and developed over time… and is absolutely critical to the mission of recovery.
If you don’t have that type of community, seek it out and build it. Your faith in God and the strength He gives from the community of His people on mission together is absolutely crucial to life and mission.
So are there those still out there stuck in hell’s grip fully addicted? Are there those whose very lives hang in the balance? Does it all sometimes defy logic? Yes, yes, and yes! BUT, for the grace and mercy of God that could be any of us—and at one time that was us in some form. So I’m thankful for God’s pursuit and patience. I’m thankful for His grace and mercy. I’m thankful for the power of prayer. And I’m thankful for the recovery community friends around me to do life and mission with. Together we’ll keep facing hell’s gates even at times when our garments smell of burning and ash. This is the very life the brand Choose RCVRY stands for as well!
- Derek
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