I am one of the lucky ones.

We humans seem to be in love with the idea of luck. If something good happens, we are lucky. If something bad, we are unlucky. We carry good luck pieces and shy away from walking under ladders and breaking mirrors.

Truth be told, I don't believe in luck. But, if I did, I could say that I am one of the lucky ones. "How so?" you ask. Well, let me tell you.

Because I was a slave to my "addictive personality" and plagued by various and sundry emotional ailments, I found alcohol and drugs, and made a career out of being under the influence.

Because I was a practicing alcoholic and addict, God mercifully brought me to the rooms of recovery.

Because God brought me to the rooms of recovery, I stayed.

Because I stayed, I worked the 12 steps.

Because I worked the 12 steps, I learned how to live.

You see now, don't you? Without the steps and working my recovery program, I wouldn't know how to live. My life still wouldn't work and I would still be broken.

Because of God's love and Jesus' bloody death, I get to have a life way beyond my wildest drunken dreams.

These thoughts occured to me yesterday when I was listening to a couple of professional therapists who happen to be Christians talking to other Christians about the philosophies they had uncovered in scripture. The were discussing how to revive relationships through apologizing and offering to make restitution. The host of the radio show, a Christian, was so impressed by the approach suggested -- he admitted he had never been instructed about how to apologize and how to make wrongs right in relationships God's way.

I recognized the approach right away as the eighth and ninth steps of Celebrate Recovery:

Step 8: I made a list of all persons I had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.
Do to others as you would have them do to you. (Luke 6:31 NIV)

Step 9: I made direct amends to such people whenever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift. (Matt 5:23-24 NIV)

Thank You, God, for the blessings of Your mercy and Your word. Thank You for changing the course of my life from grave-bound to eternal life, starting now.