September is National Recovery Month, a national observance that educates Americans on the fact that addiction treatment and mental health services can enable those with a mental and/or substance use disorder to live a healthy and rewarding life.
Adults are not the only ones within our communities that suffer from addictions and mental health disorders. Our youth of today are facing similar issues at a much younger age including suicide, depression, anxiety, bullying, eating disorders, relationship issues, family issues, abuse, peer pressure.
Celebrate Recovery, a Christ-centered biblical recovery organization has recognized the needs the younger generation is facing and has designed The Landing, a program similar to the recovery program offered for adults, but with age appropriate material specific to the teen generation. The Landing is a dynamic resource that targets and assists teenagers.
Young people can break patterns of unhealthy behavior through the community, teaching and experiences they will discover at The Landing. They’ll examine the past decisions that led them to where they are today. They’ll talk about the patterns and behaviors that keep them trapped. They will pursue the life-changing truths of freedom found throughout the Bible. They will commit to living differently and building healthy relationships with family members, adult leaders and trusted peers.
The Landing is a unique experience in at least a couple of ways. First, it is structured as an ongoing 52-week program, based on the beatitudes where Jesus laid out principles for happiness in the sermon on the mount, for teenagers who are struggling to live their lives in a healthy, God-honoring way.
Maybe they come from a dysfunctional home or have faced crises in their life. Maybe they simply need help developing patterns of wise choices, or they wrestle with an addiction of some kind. Whatever their life story, they know they need something more than a typical Sunday school class or youth group meeting. Or maybe they don’t know this, but the people who love them do.
Next, The Landing is not a lecture-style resource. It is designed to get teenagers talking about and exploring new ways of thinking and doing. They will not just be listening to someone speak-instead, they will be talking to each other and to group leaders in a fully engaging environment that includes simple experiences that will help them “own” what they are learning.
In most classes or small group studies, the leader controls pretty much everything about the direction of the lesson, and the teenagers just follow along. With The Landing, the leader provides strong leadership and overarching direction, and encourages the students to participate and engage in the discussion. This style of teaching helps everyone feel the satisfaction of playing a key role in the journey.
Lastly, the aim of The Landing is to help hurting teenagers get closer to Jesus as they learn key principles during a journey toward a better life. The Landing is a safe, healing place where teenagers can live a freer, healthier, and more God-centered life.
The Landing is a free program offered to all teens within the community and will be coming soon to Waldoboro First Baptist Church.
For more information about The Landing, please call 837-9703 or email celebraterecovery@fbcwaldoboro.org.
(Submitted article)