Celebrate Recovery Inside Newsletter

Andy’s Testimony

Hi, my name is Andy Becker. I am a believer in Christ and I suffer from sexual addiction, anger, control issues, and alcohol.

I grew up in a Christian home. My father and I had a normal relationship. When I started high school, I started noticing that my Dad’s walk did not match his talk. This changed my view of GOD and the relationship we were supposed to have with him. Growing up I never felt accepted by kids my own age, and that furthered my separation from GOD.

When I was 18 I became sexually active with a female that was a year older than me. I was constantly having sexual thoughts of other girls that I saw. Over the next 2 years I tried unsuccessfully on my own to control my tendency to do the wrong thing.

Donnies Testimony

Donnie My name is Donnie, I’m a true believer in Jesus Christ and a sinner saved by grace. I struggle with being cross addicted to drugs and alcohol, abandonment, violent tendencies, anger, self hatred and self confidence. I was the last child born to both of my parents. The fourth to my mother and the eleventh to my father. Both my parents worked. My mother did several different work fields a waitress, nurse and a hair dresser. My father was a property appraiser and worked nights at a liquor store. But when I was younger I have memories of him working as a mechanic at 76 station. I grew up in south Florida until I was in my late teens, but I don’t want to get ahead of myself. Some of my first memories as a young child are not exactly healthy. I can remember taking drinks out of my father’s beer because my hands fit perfectly into the curves of the bottle.

Steve’s Testimony

Steve My name is Steve and I am a believer in Jesus, I am recovering from the effects of alcoholism and abandoning God while running my life on self will along with a whole lot of other hurts, habits and hang-ups. I have a tendency to trade one obsessive behavior for another and I can find myself doing a number of different activities in excess and my life gets unbalanced and unmanageable awfully easy.

There was a time in my life a few years ago that I thought I had all of the answers and solutions for not only myself, but certain other people. When I attempted to clean house of one evil spirit and didn’t fill the void with God, several other evil spirits and temptations of the flesh entered my life as it spun totally out of control.

Sandra's Testimony

I am a believer who’s in recovery and I struggle with an addiction to anything that gives me instant gratification. My name is Sandra. I’m 51 years old. I was raised in a home where very little love was displayed. My father controlled. As long as all outward appearances were in check all was well. It didn’t seem to matter that I was an empty shell of a person. I wanted a regular life so badly, however, I didn’t know how to accomplish that. Each day I would vow to do something different but as the day progressed with typical life issues that I wasn’t equipped to deal with the feelings of inadequacy surfaced and I would inevitably make that phone call or I would be in the car, the auto-pilot would kick in and there I’d be, dope in hand looking for the nearest spot to find relief. The next day would start off with the same thoughts, “I’m not going to use today, no matter what”, but the insanity continued. I would wake up the guilt and the shame in the bed with me again and the cycle continued.

Lea Ann Testimony

Debbie Testimony My name is Lea Ann, I am a grateful believer in Jesus Christ, who celebrates recovery from a methamphetamine addiction, and currently struggles with co-dependency, guilt and the repercussions of my addiction with regards to my relationship with my family.

Recently, I had the privilege of being able to attend a Celebrate Recovery One Day. To many, that may not seem too big of a deal, but it was…you see, I am currently incarcerated, and have been for the past four years. Being able to attend was amazing, but even more amazing, was being able to share at the One Day “Inside” Lunch.

Debbie Davis Testimony

Debbie Testimony Hello, my name is Debbie Davis. I am a grateful believer in Jesus Christ who celebrates recovery from the love of money, physical and sexual abuse. Today, I struggle with finding balance after being incarcerated for nearly 7 years. It is an honor and privilege to represent the incarcerated woman of Oklahoma where we have maintained the highest rate of incarceration in the nation for more than a decade. Last month, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy reported that Oklahoma’s female incarceration rate is even the highest in the world.

I have never been proud of my representation of these facts. I am however proud to represent My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and what He has shown me through Celebrate Recovery.

JAMIE BROOKS’ TESTIMONY AT 2010 SUMMIT

…A personal reflection by David Jones, Eastern OK State Rep CR Inside

Jamie Brooks I suppose we’ve all heard some rather moving testimonies…whether you’ve been around for years, or for months. I was SO blessed to be at this year’s Summit to hear a truly moving and inspiring testimony from Jamie Brooks, who delivered the Inside testimony this year. She was genuine, concise, and captivating, as 3000 plus listened intently to how poor choices led to disastrous outcomes, and how the power of prayer, and the Holy Spirit can truly change lives and circumstances.

I would really like to share with you, one aspect of Jamie’s testimony that was particularly meaningful, in a personal way. During her testimony, a woman several rows behind me began to sob uncontrollably, and though a couple of people turned to look, almost everybody that I could see, continued to listen to Jamie. For me, it was a touching moment, and I began to pray silently for this woman, and as I prayed, God began to give me a peace about it. It was as if years of pent up feelings of guilt and shame were being released through the floodgates of tears. Something was being said that struck a chord in this woman’s heart.

We often pray for the one person who might be touched in a special way by someone’s testimony, or message; and I believe that I was a witness to that actually happening. In that way, I was truly blessed, and God was glorified. Thank you, Jamie.

Addiction to a Risk-taking lifestyle

By Alonzo

Both my parents were alcoholics and my Mom left when I was nine years old, leaving my Dad and me to look after my three younger sisters. I remember moving a lot, and this in itself caused me a lot of problems. It meant that I got in a lot of fights. Children can be mean and most of my fights were usually due to some kid making fun of how I was dressed or smelled or one of my sisters. I learned early that by fighting, not being afraid to fight and get hurt, will win me some friends. Not the kind of friends I would choose today, but misfits like me, but at least people I could hang out with and feel a part of something. We learned that by being tough and taking chances, we would at least be feared, if not liked. People left us alone, were afraid of us and in some twisted way that felt good to me.

I got a thrill of finding out where a policeman lived, because I knew there would be guns there, guns that I could steal and sell lots of money. I enjoyed not only the money but the thrill and the way guys talked about me. By the time I was 15, I had jumped from bridges, rode a motorcycle over 100 mph, kicked in people’s doors and burglarized homes and businesses, and robbed drug dealers. I was arrested at 18 for robbery and assault and served 9 years. Prison didn’t change me that time; only made me worst. I came out meaner, feeling like I was the victim of society, not vice versa. In just a few months, after a bunch of assaults and robberies, I was arrested and sent back to prison. I did 11 years and 9 months and got parole.

This time I was ready to be different. I spent my time trying to be a better person and I did, but I did not eliminate all my character defects. I got out, fell in love with a good woman, married, worked two jobs to buy a house and raise our 2 kids as a responsible adult. But I still drank some, and then more, and then I started on drugs. My wife and I got into an argument, I left home to cool off, did some drugs, and broke into a car and stole junk, nothing but junk. I was arrested a few days later and sentenced to 20 years. I go up for parole next year. I’ve got one last chance. I can’t count on anything but God. I’ve messed up again and again. I am 51 years old and have been in prison 25 years. I wish I had got into Celebrate Recovery 35 years ago…even ten years ago.

A letter to John Baker

By Antonio

When I started your course, I was looking only to get a piece of paper in my jacket, but after a few sessions of Celebrate Recovery, I started to change my mind. After hearing these men tell how they messed up their lives and God delivered them and changed them through Jesus Christ, I couldn’t help but envy them. They seem so happy and unafraid to talk about their mistakes and about “serenity” in Jesus. There are a lot of men in here who do all kinds of things when they were in the free world, but amazingly become religious when they get in here. I have seen a lot of free world men come in here and tell us what we’re missing on the outside and brag about all their stuff, but your counselors teach us the Bible and brag on Jesus! They have helped me realize that I was in my own prison before I ever came to this prison. I was successful in the free world, with a business, and two houses, and cars and boats, but I turned to drugs because I wasn’t happy. I see that now. My thinking was sad and sour and my actions followed. It wasn’t drugs that messed me up. Me messed me up. I wasn’t brought up in church and I know little about the Bible. But I am getting closer to God and I gave my heart to Jesus and happiness and hope have started to grow in me. Thank you for these lessons and please continue to send guys like these back into this place that I used to say was “God-forsaken” but now I know better.