Excerpt of comments from Ross Leckie:

A close friend operates a centre for addiction treatment in Kelowna, British Columbia, called A Home Away. There John and his wife Jane host those who seek escape from the grip of alcohol, drugs, and other addictions. They offer various forms of therapy, help people to claim a spiritual discipline, bring them to places of healthy lifestyle choices and introduce their ‘guests’ to the support of regular 12-step meetings that will always be available wherever their home is.

It can be a rather risky business as the intake ‘ebbs’ and ‘flows’. And working with people with addictions has its challenges. Sometimes people think they are ready to change their destructive habits, but if they are not, then probing of inner demons can lead to adverse behaviour. Some people take flight before the agreed 42 day treatment and make threats and accusations when “their” money is not refunded.

Just the other day, John returned rather ‘downtrodden’ from consulting a lawyer about a person who has threatened to extort money from them and made slanderous threats. Thankfully the next item of the afternoon was much more gratifying-a heartwarming ceremony of departure for a woman returning to eastern Canada to begin a new life after facing up to her challenges with alcohol, drugs, and an eating disorder.

I think it must be like that for Jesus. His life must be a roller coaster of emotion. He celebrates with us in the times of joy and success and new understandings. He holds us in the depth of our despair and failure and his heart aches in tune with ours.

One of the guests from A Home Away returned to Vancouver last week. This is a portion of a letter she wrote:

I wanted to share with you my story from last night (Sunday). We (husband, son, daughter and I) headed over to Vancouver on Saturday morning to take in some of the Olympic hype. The energy was amazing, an experience I am grateful to have been a part of. We took in the Norway, Switzerland men’s hockey game. International sporting events are amazing, such patriotism!

Anyways, when I got home on Sunday I wanted and needed to go to a meeting. I looked up on the internet where the Sunday night meeting was and headed out. I arrived at the Baptist Church only to find a church service…No AA meeting! A gentleman saw me in the hall looking confused. He told me that there is no meeting there on Sunday nights, but I was welcome to come in for the service…so I did. My point being, I took the opportunity that God had put in front of me for a meeting.

Guidance was presented to me in a different light and I accepted. The old me would have sworn and cursed that things didn’t go “my way” and left in a tizzy. I am very grateful for the experience, and I might even go back next Sunday! I did find out at the noon meeting today that the meeting has changed locations.

Read Ross’ full message.….