WHY CHOOSE LIFE

A NOTE FROM THE CONTENT WRITER…

This CHOOSE LIFE Programme is developed over the course of a few years, as I worked with students struggling with substance abuse at Africa 4 Jesus School of Discipleship. But in reality, it has been birthed from personal experience with addiction. On this journey, there have been people who have encouraged me and supported me to develop this resource. My heart has desired to put together an easy-to-use manual, that is informative, interactive, rooted in Scripture and encourages people struggling with drug and alcohol abuse to CHOOSE LIFE and discover God’s design and purpose for their lives.

My case story is my own. Over twenty-nine years of addiction, I attended institutes and rehabilitation centres forty-three times. During this time, I also came to faith and accepted Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I found myself living in two worlds, two cultures and one seemed ill-equipped to address the needs and questions of the other. The church attempted to answer my faith questions. Rehab programmes helped me understand my addiction. But there seemed to be a disconnect. Rehabs could not effectively integrate and provide answers related to faith, and the church was largely ill-equipped to deal with and help me with my pain (inflicted on me by others and by myself) and addiction.

SO, WHY CHOOSE LIFE?

CHOOSE LIFE is rooted in Scripture and a Biblical worldview but is a unique blend of combining AA/NA Material, the physiology of addiction, Psychology and practical tools and exercises. These have been drawn together as I attended various institutes, private, government and Christian rehabilitation centres and received discipleship in churches and in and through Christian organisations. I have put together things that worked for me in these various settings and circumstances. The result is this manual that you hold in your hands.

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) was formed in 1935. It was founded by a Christian group that came together in the early 1920s called the Oxford group practising the 5 C’s (Confidence, Confession, Conviction, Conversion, Continuances). The 5C’s were their standard of morality drawn from a collection of sayings and teachings of Jesus Christ from the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew chapters 5-7).

These include:

• Absolute Honesty,
• Absolute Purity,
• Absolute unselfishness, and
• Absolute love

Bill Wilson one of the two founders of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) joined the Oxford Group and learned its structure and teachings. He then broke away from the Oxford Group and formed AA on a similar model. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA) Gamble Anonymous (GA) and Cocaine Anonymous (CA) 12 steps were developed on the very same principles. However, the faith aspect of the twelve steps has been watered down over the years.

So, while AA and NA were founded on strong Christian principles, my own experience was of the existence of two separate cultures. While people understand recovery in an AA/NA group, they do not understand faith and while the church understands faith; they do not understand recovery.

Instead, many churches today choose not to work with or deal with substance abusers. AA/NA in its early days was rooted in insight into the human condition and behaviour through the lens of Scripture. Biblical principles were applied. Much of this is lost in recovery groups today. The power of the Gospel to bring effective and lasting change is missing.

However, NA/AA meetings create a safe place for people to be vulnerable and honest. In many churches, this safe place does not exist.

When people share at an AA/NA meeting, what they are doing is that they are busy confessing where they feel vulnerable enough, in a safe place, to dig deep and be honest about their struggles, while in the church it appears that people are afraid to be vulnerable to confess the realness of their struggles and only willing to share testimonies of success stories. For example, when someone at church asks you how you are doing, we cannot share openly and honestly like those in AA/NA, but the reply will normally be that you are fine. The church is missing the point today of confessing our weaknesses.

Therefore, CHOOSE LIFE is different. It is designed to create a safe place where people can be absolutely honest about where they stand, about their cravings, emotions, and feelings. Without this space to be totally open and honest, it is very difficult to remain sober. CHOOSE LIFE aims to bring back honesty and vulnerability among Christians where people can confess and share their true feelings and emotions without the fear of being misunderstood or rejected. Faith and recovery can be understood and the two go hand in hand on this platform.
In time I have come to experience wholeness, freedom and joy. This is the work of God in my life.

I now want to bring all this together in this resource. It is my goal to offer a holistic approach that addresses both issues of faith and addiction. I have a deep desire to share all relevant information that worked for me. I want to share this with other individuals who struggle with substance abuse. My prayer is that participants, whether those caught up in substance abuse or family members who are feeling the effects of substance abuse, will gain understanding, empathy and be given skills and tools to CHOOSE LIFE. I pray that Jesus who has set me free and continues to draw me into abundant life will set others free too. May you too journey into the wholeness that God has given to me.

Choosing Life Everyday – Linda Steyn
HOW THE CHOOSE LIFE MATERIAL WORKS
CHOOSE LIFE will be designed to be covered in 53 sessions. Session one and two is focused on assisting the Facilitator. Sessions 3 to 53 will be for running your support groups.
(One session per week over the course of one year). Written Sessions will be available for the salted Facilitator to follow, while videos will be recorded for the facilitator who needs support to get a group going.
CHOOSE LIFE is designed to be as relational as possible. Jesus said that the Greatest Commandment is to love God and to love your neighbour as you love yourself. (Mark 12:30-31) That’s relational! Some components of CHOOSE LIFE are informative and educational but the aim is to grow participants in their relationship with themselves, to find amends, grow a relationship with God and mend and build healthy relationships with the people around them.