Recovery for Life

The heartbeat of LFM revolves around its Recovery for Life program.

With an emphasis on prayer, group interaction and education, Recovery for Life is a year long, 12 step addiction recovery group for ALL addictions. To see our Recovery for Life Meeting locations, click HERE.

Read the November 2010 newsletter

The heartbeat of LFM revolves around its Recovery for Life program.  With an emphasis on prayer, group interaction and education, Recovery for Life is a year long, 12 step addiction recovery group for ALL addictions. To view our Recovery for Life Brochure, CLICK HERE!

This program includes a workbook and a recovery Bible specifically designed to help free members of addictions and transform lives through Jesus Christ. The workbook and the Bible coincide, working together to point each member to God’s plan for recovery and the power source to accomplish it. 

This month’s featured Recovery for Life group meets at the Bartow office at LFM’s headquarters. There are an average of 22 members that attend the weekly Recovery for Life group, led by facilitator Kathi Mathis. Many of its members arrive early Wednesday for community service hours. Close to 1,000 pounds of food is purchased each week from Agape Food Bank in Lakeland and dropped off at LFM Wednesday morning. Members unload, divide, package, and store the groceries for anyone in need of food for the week. After lunch and the lesson, members pack a box of food to take home.

This particular Wednesday, members were learning the valuable lesson of continued forgiveness for both themselves and others, letting go of anger in the process. Anger typically stems from not having control over a certain situation. Freedom from that anger comes by accepting God's grace for our shortcoming while charitably granting it to others. Those who have been forgiven little, love little. But just like the prostitute who wept at the feet of Jesus, washing His feet with her tears, those who have been forgiven much, love much. 

One recovery member confessed to struggling with anger and was fearful that this sin would be a part of her families legacy, passing her struggle with anger down to her children.  Other members joyfully encouraged her with the truth of the Gospel: her legacy is no longer what she accomplishes on this earth—but as an adopted daughter of Jesus, her legacy is Jesus' legacy! She must believe in faith she is 100% forgiven, 100% righteous in Christ and extend continued forgiveness to herself and others.

Taking a closer look at the depths of our hearts, we see that an addiction is really an idol. By our actions, we often proclaim in shame, denial or pride, that we want something more than Jesus. Whether it be drugs, control, a bigger house, a better reputation, etc., we detach ourselves from the Creator and attach to something created. After all, isn't that really the story of Adam and Eve? We exchange the God of the Universe, for road kill every day.  So if we know that we will continually fail in some degree or another, where is the hope in this life? God saw us in our peril and in His loving kindness, wiped our slate clean and gave us the righteousness of Christ. That is our hope!

So we no longer boast in our accomplishments, efforts or failures, but in the accomplishments of Christ! We are delighted in, loved, heirs to the thrown and adopted sons and daughter of the Most High God. That is the hope that LFM proclaims in Recovery For Life, and every day, to every "addict" that walks through the door.

Recovery for Life groups meet weekly and are lead by facilitators in following cities: Lakeland, Zephyrhills, Auburndale, Bartow, and Lake Wales.  See the calendar for dates.