STRUGGLING WITH ADDICTIONS? THERE’S HELP!

By REVEREND TONY ZEKVELD

 In our years of ministry from the Hope Centre we have met countless families who have family members struggling with addictions. The grief and sadness is heartbreaking: arguing, fighting, violence, broken trust, and poverty. 

I’ve entered homes at 3:00 am, in response to phone calls, to break up fights, help solve disputes and follow-up with an action plan. We offer counsel from the Word of God, showing their need to come to Christ to overcome and to receive healing from him. We have witnessed in a few, over a period of time, a life change and restored relationships by the grace of God. Those are good stories and powerful examples of hope that Christ brings.

I am reminded of a book I have on my shelf, Addictions: A Banquet in the Grave by Ed Welch. This title captures the truth of addiction in a nutshell. The subtitle offers hope: “Finding Hope in the Power of the Gospel.” This book is part of the Resources for Changed Lives series. According to Welch, “Addiction is when we worship ourselves and our desires instead of the true God”.

Practically, help often requires much time commitment and also accountability partners. I confess that, at the Hope Centre, we lack those resources.  But in our limited counsel we point people to helpful resources. AA or Alcoholics Anonymous is one helpful program.

I also want to introduce to you another helpful organization called Teen Challenge. It is not just for teens but for men and women of all ages. It is a Christian organization which offers practical  help. It operates a 12-month-in-residence drug and alcohol rehabilitation program with centres across Canada at a very affordable cost. It is mainly supported by donations. The closest locations to the GTA include a centre for women-only in King City and a centre for men-only in London, Ontario. Their mission statement is “to help men and women overcome substance addictions to lead full and productive lives”. If you want to learn more, you can visit them at www.teenchallenge.ca.

On their site, you can read the testimonies of many who have been blessed by the in-residence program.

If you are dealing with an addiction and are serious about overcoming it, we heartily recommend Teen Challenge. If you have more questions, feel free to call the Hope Centre at 416-740-0543.