Taking a Break to Have Fun

As I was starting my latest entry, I was reminded by Mary (my #1 accomplice in recovery) that I needed to share about our New Year’s Eve CR Party. But first I want to remind you of the previous posts, where we are in a Countdown of the Top Ten Ways to be the Best “A” Coach.

10. Attend a CR One-Day Seminar
9. Fellowship Outreach Events
8. Helping the Newcomer Feel Welcome
7. On-going Spot in the Church Bulletin
6. Advertising or Spreading the Word

I love hearing how you are implementing these in your own CR’s and we’ll get back to the list next week. Today, I will share how our CR brought in the New Year. To do that, you have to first get a mental picture. Picture a skating rink and then add a couple hundred recovering addicts who think they still remember how to skate. Whoa is right! I’ve never seen the bottom of so many skates in all my life. The good thing is that every one made it out alive without too many injuries. CR rented the rink and invited the rest of the church to join us. It was great to see so many introduced to recovery in such a fun way. Newcomers have been showing up every week since the party.

Afterwards, 150 of us traveled to Cheniere Lake (pronounced Shinney) for a bonfire and fireworks. You would call it a swamp with Spanish moss hanging from the trees while also the home of alligators, cotton mouths, & snapping turtles. The temperature was somewhere in the mid-30’s so the fire was welcomed.

And then the finale…a young man that had been coming to group said he wanted to go public with his relationship with Jesus and be baptized at midnight to begin his new life in the new year.

Warming my body by the fire, I suggested we talk about it in the morning or go to the baptistery in the church building where it was warm. His response was “Why, you scared?” There was no way we were leaving without taking care of his desire to be baptized into Jesus.

Gal 3:27 says, “And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes.” NLT I didn’t have an extra set of clothes! When we came out of the water our clothes were smoking! BTW, that picture wasn’t touched up. Is that strange looking or what??!!

WOW, what a night and I have learned to listen more to Mary. It was her idea to have a skating party as at first I thought it a bit silly. But everyone is in agreement, it will be a yearly event.

May God bless you in your ministry while showing others recovery, not only brings hope and salvation, but comes with a lot of fun too! I look forward to hearing how you are getting the word out and having fun.

Mac

Comments

[Bob.Wood]

This is awesome!!!

[Marnie]

Excellent Blog!!!