Then one day, they somehow got me into the van with our Pastor guy to go to a thing called “counselor class”. I thought it was a great deal since I could count it as two meetings on my AA card, and who knew- I might even learn something. (After 100+ AA meetings, I was open to something new). Wow- they knocked my socks off!  Sobriety and more importantly, life from a whole new and different perspective. One that was more believable, relevant, and actually even easier to do. (Not only that, but I was now a big shot, driving with the pastor).

Turns out, I learned this is the only group allowed to certify people to be Christian alcohol and drug counselors. It didn’t involve all that drug-chemical-equation-memory work. It only involved being a conduit for Jesus to do all the hard work- the spiritual surgery. Not only that, but I would need to clean myself on all these issues,(that’s a good thing) before I could be a part of cleaning others.  Further, alcoholism and drug addiction turned out to be just forms of “bondage”, so the subject I knew all too well, had major applications to many other subjects. I think I learned more about how life really works in 54 of these classes, than in five years of college.

So, I stuck with it, got some certificates, even a masters degree, with those folks. All that study led me off even to a Bible school that also issued certificates. (I’ve checked, and there is room on my wall for a few more yet, that I plan to pursue). Meanwhile, about four years of serene sobriety passed very quickly. That is the point. What better way to do recovery, than to learn it.

It is possible these days to go through recovery and actually develop a new career. As our “industry” grows, it will need more qualified people. As more qualified people are available, the effectiveness and quality of our industry will grow. Imagine trained Christian counselors moved in to manage some of those off beat sober living homes! Income should also grow, making it an even more attractive career.

A Google search will quickly find the mother institute, the Association of Christian Alcohol and Drug Counselors (ACADC). You’ll see it has really grown, having about twenty institute locations worldwide. Even that teaching aspect has career potential - a counselor could eventually start their own institute. Counselor students of course need to complete intern hours. A secular certificate is even available that credits the Christian counseling classes and intern hours, and another secular certification organization has approved ACADC to teach continuing education credit seminars. (talk about Jesus figuring out ways to spread the word). ACADC is one of the only nine organizations that is allowed to certify counselors in California, and the only Christian one. Close to 1,000 students have been registered already in 6 short years, with 400 having some level of certification already. Countless others have gained greatly by just attending a few classes. Bachelors, Masters, and even Doctorates can be earned, through with live classrooms and personal help. Internet study is also available. Credentials are more and more becoming a minimum requirement, for many different job levels in our growing industry.

I write this not as an advertisement (though that’s ok too) but as a testimony, that this is how I stayed sober- and it is working still! Jesus literally picked me up, dusted me off, and put me to work for him immediately. If one cannot pursue this road, one should look at some other form of involvement- there are many forms available. Even little league softball can be the involvement that saves a life. Management and administration levels should know of resources like this, and recommend involvement as a part of recovery. It’s just a step past, but similar in effect to participation.

I find it almost amazing that a person could enter treatment here, and exit with a new career. One could commute or transition into a local sober-living to complete the program, or even join us on staff eventually. Classes could be finished at a different institute location. All the key ingredients are available here for one’s experience: detox, treatment and sober living. Our treatment center is in the heart of all this. Also while here, one is exposed to a beautiful county that is extra rich in recovery. We visit as much of it as we can on a regular basis. A search of the industry here will show the incredibly large opportunity here.

This has been the sugar in my recovery candy.

 Do you know someone who could use some sweets? Sponsors and humanitarians of all levels speak of the joy of helping. That joy is now a part of my 12 step “toolbox”.

AA’s 12^th step says we need to give it away to keep it. The Bible says to love and help each other. What better way to follow Bill Wilson’s concept of being self-governing and at the same time, Dr. Bob’s of having a spiritual experience, and most important- following Jesus Christ’s command to us to love our neighbors as ourselves?