Transition House Update #4

I hope these articles about the Transition House have been helpful in giving a better picture of what we do. I can tell you that almost every week we get someone asking if we have room in the house for them. These women often come to us under the most dire of circumstances: battling their addictions; little positive real life experience; no transportation; multiple babies; burned bridges with most family and friends; etc, etc. Where will they go? Back home to where they were using? They often cannot afford the next level full time treatment center. So the JIBC Transition House gives them the opportunity to do just that…transition. They can work on maintaining their sobriety and serenity while planning the next step in their lives. Our goal is to help introduce them or re-introduce them to their Higher Power, Jesus Christ. We introduce them to a recovery community that will help them on their journey. Our success rate in giving them opportunity is 100%. The rate of their relapsing, on the other hand, is not so good. Most of them will relapse. Failure does not have to be final. They are not the only ones who relapsed back into their drug of choice. In old time church world, we called it backsliding…not relapsing. The two are very similar if not identical.

Life at the Transition House occasionally goes south…they have trouble. As an example: we have had four bipolar residents at one time with only one of them on proper medications. It cannot be a surprise that they act out in inappropriate ways. When they do that, they “give up” their bed. Some have been successful in sneaking men into the house…they have also been successful at “giving up” their bed. They basically have six contract rules: have a job, pay your rent, cause no drama in the house, attend Celebrate Recovery and do your chores, test negative for any drugs or alcohol use. (There are many more expectations, but these are the 6 non-negotiable). If they do not fulfill their contract, they will be removed from the house. Don’t be too surprised if you hear stories about something happening at the Transition House. These are women transitioning from hell to heaven; from darkness to light; from major dysfunction to a more livable dysfunction; from heart breaking abuse to a life of true love and acceptance. Only the power of the God’s Good News Story of Jesus can break their cycles of defeat.

I am not afraid of the church getting a bad reputation for running such a ministry. I am more afraid of getting a bad reputation for not trying. Here is a great old quote that I like:“Some wish to stay within the sound of church bell. I'd rather run a rescue shop within a yard of hell.” - C.T. Studd If you get that close, you may smell a little sulphur.

See you Sunday, good Lord willing,

Pastor Tom