#AddictsDoRecover (Post 141)
MONDAY, MAY 3
Post 141
AWARENESS: THERE IS HELP!
A BETTER LIFE – BRIANNA’S HOPE (ABLBH )
“Please, Lord, look after me and my family.
Please help me to do the right thing and to show people that I am not a bad person inside or out and help me Lord to get through this disappointment again and know I make mistakes but who doesn’t.
I don’t do it to do wrong. I do it cuz I feel I have no other choice.
I want a better life, Lord, I do.
Please help me. Do to me what you feel is best.
I surrender to you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
(Written by Brianna DiBattiste and discovered by her mother 3 days before her body was found.)
For two months, I have been writing about AWARENESS … extending hope and help through communities of faith to persons impacted by addiction. Once again, You will be blessed as you offer blessings to others! A couple of weeks ago, a ZOOM meeting turned out to be a real blessing. Pastor Randy Davis spoke about the faith-based recovery organization A Better Life – Brianna’s Hope. This time the addiction was to heroin, not gambling - but the reality is that all addictions can be deadly. Moreover, co-occurring addictions (most commonly gambling and alcohol abuse) do occur! Knowing this, I followed-up and contacted Pastor Davis and asked if he would serve as guest writer for May’s Post 141. Graciously, he agreed and the following is the story of the fast growing faith-based recovery support ministry, A Better Life-Brianna’s Hope.
Awareness: there is help!
#AddictsDoRecover
Brianna DiBattiste had been a cheerleader, a homecoming queen candidate, and an aspiring clothing designer. Her battle with drugs and addiction was not a private story. It started in her 7th grade year and by the time she was eighteen there wasn’t much she hadn’t used. At 25, she was a full-blown heroin addict.
On June 16, 2014, she left her father’s home and was soon labeled as a missing person. As a pastor, with many connections to the family, I offered to walk alongside them and be there for support, encouragement, and comfort. The family welcomed my offer. For ten weeks, Brianna became the subject of a county-wide, multi state-wide search. She put a face on addiction in East Central Indiana that could no longer be denied.
On September 1, 2014, her body was found lying atop the ground and covered over with brush in an abandoned cemetery in western Jay County. That day, local officials contacted me to see if I could meet them at the home of Brianna’s mother when they arrived. It was a horrific and painful gathering as the news of her confirmed death was shared with the family.
In October of 2014, I was blessed to officiate Brianna’s memorial service. Anew, I saw firsthand what a struggle life had become for those battling drugs and alcohol. Talking with and supporting the family it was clear they didn’t want anyone else suffering as they had. Through their support and permission to share Brianna’s story, “A Better Life-Brianna’s Hope” was born. Our first meeting was November 5, 2014, with 22 strugglers present.
There is a scripture that I believe perfectly fits what happened from there forward. It is Genesis 50:20 (NIV) and says, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” Brianna’s voice would be heard, and her story told.
A Better Life-Brianna’s Hope identifies itself as, “A participant driven, faith-based, compassion filled support and recovery movement for those battling the battle with substance abuse.”
· We are participant driven in that our facilitators come prepared to lead the meeting but are willing to go in another direction if the need calls for it.
· We are unapologetically faith-based but not faith forced, or even faith expected. We share our faith through compassion, empathy, honesty, transparency, prayer, God’s Word and our genuine love. We believe in a ministry of presence.
· We are compassion filled as it was modeled by Christ. Several scriptures speak of how He had compassion on “them” and then He met their need.
· Ex.: Matthew 9:36- When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
o Compassion, then guidance.
· Ex.: Matthew 14:14- When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
o Compassion, then He healed them.
· A Better Life-Brianna’s Hope is not a 12-Step program. We believe in and support 12-Step, but it is not who we are. Many of our strugglers attend AA and NA meetings as well as ours. We simply want to be “an other choice.”
· Present stats for ABLBH:
· Chapters- 36 Indiana 8 Ohio
· Counties- 25 IN 4 OH
· Attendance- 1,175 (Pre-COVID)
· Sent to treatment 1,100+
· Commitments/Re-commitments to Christ- 625
· Denominations involved by leadership or location- 17
· Students K-12 & Staff spoken to- 21,500+
· Between now and the end of June 2021, at least 5 additional chapters will launch.
· Testimonials:
· “ABLBH loved me until I could love myself.”
· “Attending ABLBH has helped me maintain the sobriety I have wanted for years.”
· “A Better Life-Brianna’s Hope has become my family.”
· Results from our Survey Monkey: (Previously made available to all of our participants.)
· 75% have a family history of substance abuse.
· 76% struggle with anxiety or depression.
· 63% experienced childhood trauma.
· Substance listed by preference:
o Opioids, then alcohol, then marijuana
· 45% have reconnected with their faith through recovery.
· 14% have found faith for the first time through recovery.
· Goals & Visions:
· “92x22”: We hope to have a presence in each of Indiana’s 92 counties by the end of 2022.
· To continue to touch, change, and save lives.
· To create awareness concerning addiction and reduce the stigma.
· Our theme for 202One is “Own, Navigate, Evolve.”
· For additional information, videos, facts, our history, list of meeting locations, or how to start a chapter in your area, please use the contact options below.
· Email: info.ablbh@gmail.com
· Office phone: 260-766-2006
· Website: ablbh.org
· Randy Davis, Founder and Executive Director
o 765-730-4979
o Email: randy.davis@inumc.org
Note: from guest author Pastor Randy Davis:
This guest blog has been written by Randy Davis, a retired United Methodist Pastor with 37 years-experience. My wife, Rose, and I will be celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary this August. We have 2 sons and four granddaughters as well as a bonus grandson. We love to travel near and far and volunteer our time through A Better Life-Brianna’s Hope. I welcome all speaking opportunities and do not charge for sharing about ABLBH. I enjoy preaching how God has worked in and through ABLBH. Feel free to contact me at any time. Distance or denomination matters not.
(Also, you may contact Pastor Davis for other preaching events.)
Thank you, Pastor Randy for providing awareness of how faith-based communities can – and do - extend hope and help for recovery!
Blessings,
Rev. Janet Jacobs, CCGSO
Founding Director
Gambling Recovery Ministries
855-926-0761
For more information on the IGCCB Clergy/Lay Minister Certification visit:
From IGCCB’s Resources for Coping with COVID 19:
https://personcenteredtech.com/tmh/clients (Online therapy preparation for clients)
https://gambling.easywebinar.live/replay (Jody Bechtold telehealth webinar)
https://youtu.be/dYUEjIFtT8E (Jody Bechtold telehealth webinar)
For more information on gambling disorder and recovery issues, go to:
www.indianaproblemgambling.org