Chips Ahoy!

I think it’s funny when God laughs at our plans, don’t you? I mean for real, have you ever dreamed about something only for God to laugh and say “I have something so much bigger than that for you!” Celebrate Recovery was that plan for me. What is Celebrate Recovery you ask? It is a Christ centered program to help people overcome addictions, hurts, habits and hangups of any kind.  For the last couple of years, I have had the privilege of working with CR at our church. When I first started, I was just going to help out with worship for a little while  and maybe teach a lesson or two. Que – God’s laughter!

My two favorite parts of Celebrate Recovery are testimony nights and chip ministry. I absolutely love testimony night and am blown away at how God can take broken and bitter people and heal their hearts and minds. For a moment, my heart breaks at what other people have gone through or endured in their lifetime. I have heard stories of drug and alcohol addiction, divorce, sexual, physical, and emotional abuse, suicide, pornography addictions, deaths of loved ones, financial downfalls, broken families, and unfortunately the list could go on. I will never get tired of hearing other people’s testimonies. Not because I enjoy hearing about their heartache and despair, but because of the precious hope they bring to others who struggle and don’t know Jesus yet. I can’t wait to share my testimony with you soon and tell you all that God has done.

Chip ministry is also my favorite part of Celebrate Recovery because we literally get to celebrate the recovery of someone who has chosen to give their lives to Christ and overcome their addiction. We give out chip tokens to people who have just celebrated 30 days of sobriety, and then we give out more tokens to others who have reached the 60 day milestone,  90 days, 120 days, 6 months, all the way up to a year. I love watching peoples faces light up when they get to come forward for their reward. The pride on their face and the joy you see overflowing from their lives is indescribable. 

The best chip to give out though, is the beginners chip! It is the one we save for last because it is the hardest one to get. This chip truly is a privilege to give out to new believers because it is the one that says, I am done trying to control my hurts, habits, and hang ups and I am ready to let go and let God take over my heart and life. Usually people are hesitant to come forward because their heart is racing, their knees are knocking, and they are afraid of what others might think if they knew they were dealing with an addiction. My friend, you are only as sick as your secrets and nobody at CR will condemn you, we will only celebrate with you and walk alongside you on your journey with Jesus. 

I gave you that background to share this part of the story with you with you. We were celebrating chip ministry one night and we had several come forward to receive their milestone tokens, which  we applauded. Then it came time to ask if there was anyone who would be brave and let tonight be the night they turned their life around and give it to Jesus so he could deliver them from their hurt, habit, or hang up. A guy came forward that had been to CR for several months and that already had some of the milestone chips. I started to question it in my mind, but he beat me to the punch and said something that will forever change the way I look at grace and mercy.

He said “This is my third starter chip. I have slipped up in my recovery, but I know that God is still working in my life and I want to keep coming back.” At first, people chuckled when he mentioned that it was his third starter chip, but the room soon filled with applause when he said that God is still working in his life and that he would keep coming back. I was one of those that started to chuckle, but God quickly paused my heart for a second and said to me “I don’t care if it is his 3rd chip or 300th chip, my grace and mercy are new every morning.” Friends, I’m telling you that God did a work in my heart that night and it redefined what Lamentations 3:22-23 says to me “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Does that verse give you hope or what? A tear rolled down my cheek at the thought of all that grace standing in front of me that night. How many times have I woke up in the morning and thought, God I blew it yesterday, but here I am starting again. Grace, Grace, God’s Grace. What a beautiful example of the new hope we are given every morning. We are not saved because we are good, we are saved because God’s grace and mercy are good. Sweet friend, if you are struggling and need someone to pray with you, I would be honored to do so. You have never been nor can ever go so far, that God can’t reach you. You can always come forward and ask for another chip.

                                                                                          Blessings to you,

                                                                                              Stacie