Tacos
It’s all about saving the world, changing our lives. Can it be done? How do you do it? What do you do?
I recently went to Oklahoma City on a futon hunting trip. I wasn’t real sure what a futon was. My wife had found one for sale on Craig’s List, so off we went “futon hunting.” This isn’t quite like hunting deer, rabbit, squirrel, quail or anything I have hunted for in the past. But I thought what the heck I’ll take my gun just in case. Everybody knows Craig’s List is not exactly the safest place to shop, so even if I don’t have to shoot the futon I’ll be ready to shoot the futon salesman if necessary. Long story short, the futon guy turned out to be a prince of a guy. We talked at length about Celebrate Recovery, how God works in our lives and where there was a good place to eat. I didn’t have to shoot him or the futon, go figure.
Actually I had been wanting to go to OKCY for a while anyway. I had heard there was a really good restaurant there “Big Truck Tacos” I love tacos and their motto is “saving the world one taco at a time.” So I am all in, good tacos and saving the world are a couple of my favorite things. For an added confirmation that this hunting trip was ordained by God, the futon guy, recommended Big Truck Tacos as a great place to eat, said he and his wife eat there all the time. Halleluiah! Here we go to save the world. I had two tacos for my part in the salvation of the world. They were, good, however I’m not quite sure how the whole saving the world thing plays into tacos, but hey, I’m not one to avoid sacrifice.
It seems there are several ways to change the world. There is a new restaurant near my house “Slim Chickens” whose motto is “Life changing chicken.” I love fried chicken. I was raised on that stuff and it is still one of my favorite meals. I’m sure chicken has played a major role in my overall development. As a matter of fact I have been called “chicken legs” on many occasions. Anyway I wanted to check out this life changing chicken. It was good, about equal to the tacos, but I have to tell you it hasn’t changed my life one iota, except for the fact I that I have eaten there four times in the past two weeks.
I said all that to say I don’t think tacos and chicken will really do a whole lot to save the world or change your life. I have eaten both and all it did was cause me to add a notch to my belt. But there is something else that I know will change your life and save the world one person at a time, Celebrate Recovery. Our motto is “changing the world one life at a time.” I’ve seen it, as well as experienced it myself. We have been doing CR at Believers Church for nine years and we had our celebration CR Sunday last month, CR Sunday # 9. It was great. I generally give an update as to what is going on at CR during this event but I wanted the people to hear first-hand from some of the people whose lives have radically changed through this ministry. So we had what we call “popcorn testimonies” several people throughout the congregation just stand up and give a brief testimony about how the Lord Jesus Christ has changed their lives through the CR model. We had men, women, old, young and in-between share a word about how they have benefited, changed, overcoming all sorts of things like suicidal depression, porn addiction, drug abuse, childhood abuse, loss, alcohol, pain of abandonment, betrayal.
For nine years we have had continuous 12 step groups, currently there are four groups in progress. I wanted to try to share how very significant that is. I want you to know there is much fruit from your prayers and support of Celebrate Recovery. It is good ground. Thanks for helping us do this ministry which really does make a difference. Tacos, chicken, not so much, but Jesus Christ is alive and well at Celebrate Recovery “changing the world one life at a time.”
Celebrating Recovery,
Jim & Pam