There can be any number of reasons why you are reading this right now, but most likely either you or someone you love and care about is considering getting help with a drug and/or alcohol problem that has gotten out of control. First let me assure you that no matter how hopeless it might look right now, all is not lost. The LORD tells us through Isaiah 40:28-31: “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary, and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” The battle with addiction can quickly become all consuming and eventually you will grow tired of the fight. Whether you are the one with an addiction or not, just being around someone that is in addiction can make life miserable. It is important to remember that regardless of where you are or what you’re going through, you are not alone. “Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.” (1Peter 5:7, NLT)
When the use of drugs and alcohol has caused negative consequences of any kind in your life you can be sure it’s time to get help. The situation will only become worse with time and the consequences will become more frequent and more difficult to handle. The decision to get help is only made more difficult by considering that there might be an alternative, but there really is no choice. Once the use of substances becomes necessary to “handle” anything, you have a problem that needs to be addressed. By the time most people make the decision to get help with an addiction it has usually cost them dearly both financially as well as in their personal relationships. It doesn’t have to go that far, but unfortunately it usually does.
If you are reading this because you’re confused and trying to decide what to do next, then you probably need to get yourself into a treatment facility soon and not allow anyone to convince you otherwise. If you’re checking things out for someone else, do not go any further until you have spoken to them about what you are doing, why you’re doing it, then have them actively join you in the search. No matter how much you want them to get help and get better, they will not make it through the process unless they want it for themselves at least as much as you want it for them.
The good news behind all of this is that once someone has come to the point of admitting that he or she has a problem, and decided to confront his or her issues, there is light at the end of the tunnel. God does not want anyone to go through life in misery. Jesus suffered on the cross to pay the price for our sins. No matter how much wrong you think you have done in your life “if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in you heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9) If your life has become unmanageable, ask God to give you the strength to get help. There is peace, joy, and contentment waiting for anyone that makes the decision to ask Jesus Christ into his heart. May God bless you through all things.
Open Homes is a ministry dedicated to the regeneration of men struggling with drug and/or alcohol addiction. Our nine-month residential program provides teaching, one on one and small group counseling, pastoral care, and accountability, all in a Christian community setting.
February 16 2012 | Drugs and alcohol addiction | No Comments »
In the fight against drug and alcohol addiction there are milestones that in the beginning seem incredibly far away. But when you just put one foot in front of the other each day and ask the Lord for the strength to keep going in the right direction those milestones become not only attainable but tremendously rewarding.
On Sunday the 5th we had the pleasure of celebrating another graduation. It’s the day every man looks forward to from the day he walks into the program. Nine months seems like an awfully long time in the beginning, but as time passes, anyone that has made it through agrees that it really isn’t anything compared to the sense of accomplishment that comes once it has passed. As anyone who has gone through an addiction recovery program knows, graduation day comes with a feeling of accomplishment as well as anticipation of what’s to come. From the staff’s point of view though, we see yet another man who has begun to experience how much there is to life when the all-consuming compulsion to escape reality through their drug and alcohol addiction is removed.
I would say that just about every man (if not every man) that comes into Open Homes Regeneration is entering with the hope that he will never feel the seemingly uncontrollable need to use drugs or alcohol again. But it does not take long for them to realize that there is more to true recovery than simply not using anymore. Our goal at Open Homes is to give every man the opportunity to change his life through a real relationship with Jesus Christ. With that comes much more than just freedom from addictive behavior. It comes with starting your life with a new outlook, new goals, renewed family/friend relationships, and the confidence of knowing that God has had a purpose for you and for your life since the beginning, and when you finally stop to listen to Him, you’ll hear what those things are. Not only that, but you will also have a real sense of the fact that the Lord is with you, ready, willing, and more than able to provide all that you need to continue on in the freedom that can come only from Him.
So on graduation Sunday, in our chapel, sat our new graduate with his arm around his middle school age son, his son’s arm around him, and his mother, who’s eyes kept tearing up as she listened to her son’s ceremony. That’s what this is all about, renewal, reconciliation, and restoration through a real relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” (Romans 16:24)
Open Homes is a ministry dedicated to the regeneration of men struggling with drug and/or alcohol addiction. Our nine-month residential program provides teaching, one on one and small group counseling, pastoral care, and accountability, all in a Christian community setting.
February 15 2012 | Drugs and alcohol addiction | No Comments »
Open Homes has been helping men overcome drug and alcohol addiction through Christ for twenty seven years. To stop the cycle of addiction, a man needs to deal with it (spirit,soul and body). We try to provide a place where men can step out of the world of insanity that drugs and alcohol cause,and take the time to see that through Jesus and others, men can change their lives. Overcoming addiction takes a real desire to be done with it and the help of God and others to defeat this enemy. In Christ and through the support of fellow recovering men the battle can be won. It is by no means simple or easy to do. A man has to be willing to face himself and all the pain his addiction has caused him and others. No man can do this on his own! He needs to know the power of God’s Forgiveness in Christ and experience God’s power in his heart and soul. We desire to help men walk through this process.We the staff have all been through this process in overcoming are own addictions.
December 14 2011 | Topics | No Comments »
Open Homes Regeneration
Drug and Alcohol
Program for Men of Addiction
Open Homes is a Christ centered drug and alcohol recovery program that specializes in helping men overcome the problems of addiction. Our success rate exceeds secular averages. Our program is 9 months long and is divided into 2 phases. The 1st phase lasts 3 months during which time the men are under 24/7 supervision, and do not leave property unless they go in a group. They attend classes in morning, afternoon, and evening sessions, as well as perform volunteer work for a few hours during the day under the supervision of the Open Homes staff. The 2nd phase of our program is 6 months long. This phase is set up to get the men back into the workplace while still being under night and weekend supervision. The men must seek outside employment, live on property, pay weekly program fees, and tithe 10% of their gross income to the ministry. They are also required to attend classes during the evenings.
While the men are here they learn and practice spiritual journaling, they receive group and individual counseling, attend addiction education classes, and receive Biblical teaching. They have access to on-campus 12 Step meetings. They are under strict accountability and supervision all during their stay. We believe it is not enough to simply break the pattern of substance-dependent behaviors, but to also provide those men willing to seek permanent positive change, the guidance and encouragement to develop a relationship with God through willing faith in Jesus Christ. Experience has proven that this factor, above all others, makes permanent positive change possible.
Open Homes has been helping men overcome their addictions for over 25 years. We work regularly with the Probation Departments in the tri-county area, as well as other states in the continental US. We also work with the State of Florida Corrections Department and will provide progress reports on request from supervising Officers. We also qualify as a Community Service location for Orange County.
March 27 2010 | Topics | No Comments »
