It’s National Recovery Month! Join us on Facebook on September 12, 2018 when Guideposts will honor those who are in recovery from addictions with a special Celebrate Recovery Facebook Live at 12 PM (ET).
Guideposts editor-in-chief Edward Grinnan, who is also in recovery, will host the event, featuring Guideposts CEO John Temple and special guest Susan Salomone, an advocate for family members of those in recovery. Guideposts video director, Minister Ty’Ann Brown, will close out the event with a powerful prayer for all who are impacted by addiction.
In addition to honoring those in recovery from addictions, the Celebrate Recovery event will feature exciting news from Guideposts’ CEO about how our nonprofit organization is going to provide even more resources for healing from addiction. For decades, Guideposts has shared stories of hope and inspiration from those who are struggling with or have been impacted by addiction. Join us to discover the new phase of this commitment.
Guideposts.org spoke to Rhonda Neal, Director of Outreach Programs about what readers can expect from Guideposts and our commitment to those in recovery.
GUIDEPOSTS.ORG: Guideposts CEO John Temple will announce a new initiative during the Celebrate Recovery Facebook Live event on September 12. What are some new resources that Guideposts has to offer those in recovery right now?
RHONDA NEAL: People can visit Guideposts.org/Celebrate-Recovery right now. It’s a hub where people can access inspiring stories, devotionals, free downloadable e-booklets (Recovery from Addiction; Breaking Through Addiction; Living with Addiction) and a 12-step prayer journal that they can buy to track their recovery and use it as a discussion tool with their sponsor. People can also submit prayer requests on that page, whether they’re dealing with addiction or have a family member dealing with addiction. There are family resources as well, and inspiring stories and lessons from loved ones of people with addictions.
Many [people in the throes of addiction] are not ready for help. But once they go through a rehab program, as part of their ongoing recovery, they’ll need after-care resources That’s where Guideposts and Celebrate Recovery come in. We want to support those who have been through the horrors of addiction and are continuing on a journey of recovery. We’re providing resources to keep them motivated and inspired on a daily basis.
GP: Why celebrate recovery?
RN: The biggest reason is to help remind people of how far they’ve come. Celebrating recovery is a way to express gratitude, to see how much growth has happened for a person and it marks a significant point along this journey we call life. The second reason is to celebrate life. Life is full of ups and downs and even when you’re in recovery, people have to live life on life’s terms, they have to deal with disappointments and they can’t run to their drug, so how do we celebrate life, acknowledge and value life despite disappointments? By taking the time to be grateful to be alive in this moment and appreciating the beauty of life. The third reason why celebrating recovery is valued and important is because it gives hope to the newcomer. Somebody coming into recovery, they’re just trying to stay clean one day at a time. But to see people with time under their belt gives them hope that they too one day will be able to live life without drugs or alcohol because there are living examples of it around them. So those are the top three reasons why Guideposts is going to Celebrate Recovery.
GP: Why has Guideposts decided to expand the resources available for those dealing with addiction?
RN: The opioid epidemic has really effected a lot of families and you see it all the time in the news and in everyday life. People have become desensitized to those struggling with addictions and we want to be a support to people and families dealing with addictions. Before anything really takes place on the outside, it’s birthed on the inside, and that’s where Guideposts really comes in as a magazine that provides stories of hope and inspiration. If we can encourage people in those situations that they have a shot, that there is hope, that they can get help, we feel that’s a part of the healing process that a lot of times is overlooked. So, that’s how we see ourselves in the arena of addiction and recovery, providing that inspiration and hope.
We invite you to join us to Celebrate Recovery on September 12 at 12 pm ET at Facebook.com/Guideposts!
