all are welcome...
 
The Bible clearly states "all have sinned." It is our nature to sin and because of it, we've all hurt ourselves, we've all hurt other people, and others have hurt us. This means each of us needs repentance and recovery in order to live our lives the way God intended.
 
The expression "time heals all wounds" isn't necessarily true. The truth is time often makes things worse, people still carry hurts from years ago. Wounds that are left untended fester and spread infection throughout your entire body. Time only extends the pain if the hurt isn't dealt with.
 
What is needed is a biblical and balanced ministry to help people overcome their hurts, habits and hang-ups. Based on the actual words of Jesus rather than psychological theory, Celebrate Recovery ministry is unique and more effective in helping people change than other programs. It is the Holy Spirit that transforms lives through this ministry, helping people grow to full Christ-like maturity.
 
The Recovery ministry is based on God's Word, the Bible. When Jesus taught the Beatitudes, they sounded like contradictions; but when we fully understand what Jesus is saying, we realize that these principles are God's roadmap to recovery, wholeness, growth and spiritual maturity.
 
This ministry is forward-looking. Rather than wallowing in the past or dredging up and rehearsing painful memories over and over, Celebrate Recovery focuses on the future. Regardless of what has already happened, the solution is making wise choices now and depending on Christ's power to help make those changes. Recovery ministry emphasizes personal responsibility. Instead of playing the "accuse and excuse" game of victimization, this ministry helps people face up to their own poor choices and deal with what they can do something about. We cannot control all that happens to us, but we can control how we respond to everything. When we stop hiding our own faults and stop hurling accusations at others, the healing power of Jesus Christ can begin working in our mind, will and emotions.
 
The Recovery ministry emphasizes spiritual commitment to Jesus Christ. It calls for people to totally surrender their lives to Jesus Christ--lasting recovery cannot happen without this step. Changed lives always attract others who want to be changed. We need each other in order to grow spiritually and emotionally. Celebrate Recovery ministry is built around small group interaction and the fellowship of a caring community. It is built on the New Testament principle that we don't get well by ourselves. Fellowship and accountability are two important components of spiritual growth.
 
The Recovery ministry addresses all types of habits, hurts and hang-ups. Some programs only deal with chemical dependency; Celebrate Recovery is a ministry in which a limitless number of issues can be dealt with. Statistically only one out of every three who attend Celebrate Recovery is dealing with chemical dependency.
 
Finally, Celebrate Recovery produces lay ministers! Because it is biblical and church-based, it produces a continuous stream of people moving into ministry after they've found recovery in Jesus Christ.
 
We are going to see lives changed in dramatic ways. We are going to see people restored, set free from all kinds of sinful habits, hang-ups and hurts as they allow Jesus to be Lord in every area of their lives.
 
If you are interested in Celebrate Recovery at Trinity join us every Friday night at 5:30 pm - all are welcome.
 
Bob Vendetti
bobv@trinitycares.org

Tilthon & Toni Sugi
jesluvu_59@msn.com