ABOUT A LOVE LIKE HIS

Today Christians are dealing with issues that many churches are not prepared to address. Our spouses, our children, our loved ones, or maybe even we ourselves have fallen into addiction in some form and we are left to ponder that age old question - what would Jesus do? When those who are struggling with a loved one in addiction go to church they may feel judged, they may be given advice that sounds Godly but doesn't work, they may feel like no one understands and they may even walk away.

 

The only authentic hope we have is in Jesus Christ, whether we are the addicted or the loved one of the addicted. Christ-based recovery works when we combine Christian discipleship and addiction education. The 12-steps, while man made, are an amazing model for discipleship that is 100% supported by scripture. And here's the thing... it works not just for those in addiction but also for those who love them. It works for anyone who is carrying around unresolved wounds and if we are honest, that is each and every one of us.

 

My name is Julie Howard. I am a grateful believer in Jesus Christ. And I celebrate recovery from suicide, co-dependency, and mental health issues. In 2015, I walked into a Christian recovery program with a very real plan to commit suicide just 36 hours later. But God... He met me there and turned my life around. In the years since I have been a part of that ministry as a participant, a small group leader, a 12-step group leader, a mental health champion, a training coach and now as the assistant ministry leader. I have seen the impact that Christ based recovery has had on my own life and I have led other women, as lost as I was, through this process as a sponsor, accountability partner, and leader. It truly works if you work it.

 

With A Love Like His, it is my goal to create a community and provide Christ-based resources for those who love someone in addiction and/or who struggle with their own mental health issues. So many people have sought help from their church and been left wanting. On the other side, many of the secular programs want to exclude discussions of scripture and Jesus. This is a safe place for those of us in the in-between who seek a faith based solution to messy real-life issues. I pray that anything that is placed on these pages is inspired by and pleasing to God and that it points you towards the hope that I have found in Jesus Christ.