Larry Winter

Recovery is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds one pearl of great price he sells everything he has to buy that one treasure. So what is the treasure I am speaking about? As we reflect on Recovery and healing today faith is the great pearl that changes our lives. Faith invites […]

There was a coach who recruited talented basketball players for his team. With so many outstanding players it wasn’t easy to find playing time for each. One night after a game two men who supported the team financially told a couple of the players they should be playing more. The players developed a dark attitude

Who are the people in our lives we consider healing witnesses, they authored in welcoming us to Recovery? Three different components define welcoming: 1. We were invited into their lives. 2. We listened to them attentively. 3. Believing they will help us gain insight into Recovery and share their journey toward hope, healing, and health.

Today is a reflection challenging us to examine our consciousness highlighting Steps #8 and #11 (see below). Read these steps of spiritual development. Where do we stand in knowing ourselves? Then, conquer ourselves and finally give ourselves to Recovery. To know ourselves we need to examine our conscious. In religious circles, there are 4 ways

James and John were compassionately known as sons of thunder maybe to highlight their impulsiveness. James suffered from a mental health condition and John struggled with addiction. They were denied hospitality by some family members. They wished that fire from heaven came down on select family members because of their lack of compassion and kindness.

The parable of the peer in Recovery and those people who receive support from their peer, helps us recognize the healing in the words of Recovery in our lives. The parable is familiar to us since we can never tire of reflecting on what it means for our spiritual life. The peer goes out to

Where were we 23 years ago when one of the worst tragedies occurred on American soil? I was a juvenile justice social worker in La Crosse, Wisconsin. I looked out the window on the third floor of the Human Service building. I could not believe what I was hearing and watching. Hate, anger, and uncontrolled

Ten years ago I suffered through a difficult depression, anxiety, and trauma. I met with the Deacon from my church. I expressed feeling numb, sad, and fearful. He listened attentively to me, without judgment, and full of compassion. As our time together was closing, he said, “Look at the cross with Jesus on it. Remember

There is a story that goes something like this…One summer I was the Recreation Director in my hometown while attending college. We gathered the children each Thursday onto a bus to ride to an indoor swimming pool five miles from our community. As the director, I’ve chaperoned the children to a Milwaukee Brewer game and

Let’s focus on the twelfth step of Recovery, “We gain insight into our Recovery through our Higher Power as we model these steps, and share our journey toward hope, healing, and health with people”. You may wonder why I capitalize the letter ‘R’ in Recovery. This recognizes the role of the Higher Power (for me