Tallulah – There is no doubt when there is a need in Graham County, Graham County shows up.
Last week, the Celebrate Recovery Facebook page posted a need for insulation for the building project on Tallulah.
Within 24 hours, the need was met.
According to director Scott Thompson, donations for flooring, windows, roofing and possibly lighting have also been added to the list of supplies they have received. A newcomer to Graham County, Thompson has been overwhelmed by the answered prayers that have continually blessed the program.
Thompson stepped up as director of the program when Mike Teem – pastor of Stecoah Baptist Church – felt the Lord was leading him into fulltime Pastoral duties. The program has provided great support to addicts and their families over the past several years. It has remained a place where those with a need of support and spiritual direction can meet and find help.
Local need
Celebrate Recovery began in 2017, when several members of Sweetgum Baptist Church felt a burden for the county and participated in a meeting at the Blairsville (Ga.) First Baptist Church.
After much prayer, church members began the year-long program, which is required to be taken and completed by each volunteer who helps with the program. After completion of the program, Celebrate Recovery began meeting each Monday night at Sweetgum Baptist Church, under the leadership of Teem. The organization still meets at Sweetgum every week.
A hot meal is provided in the fellowship hall, followed by a testimony service and worship time in the sanctuary, then group meetings which take place in the classrooms and are led by volunteers.
Celebrate Recovery has witnessed souls saved, families reunited and broken homes restored. It has also felt the pain and loss of friends and family, who have become a statistic due to the active drug use in the county.
New location
Meetings are soon to change venues, when the new building currently in construction will be opened for use.
It is amazing to see how the Lord has been answering prayers for the program. In a short time, workers have completed the exterior of a fellowship hall to be used for meetings. It will have a kitchen area, restrooms, washer and dryer, and a shower area, as well as the sanctuary that was used for worship for many years in the Meadow Branch area of the county before being moved to its current location.
There will also be space for storage and classrooms.
The book of Nehemiah tells how Nehemiah reconstructed the walls and the temple of Jerusalem in 52 days. Thompson can relate to Nehemiah’s blessings as he stands back and sees how the Lord is answering prayers and supplying every need.
“When we poured the footers, I look and see a homeless couple living in a tent under a bridge and another man who sleeps in a vacant building covering himself with carpet remnants to keep warm, helping me pour the footers,” Thompson said. “I can’t help but feel humbled and so blessed that God has led me here to this place. There is such a need.”
The building is being constructed by several men in the county who are in need of work and eager to contribute to a program that has helped them get their feet back on the ground.
“It’s crazy to think that a former drug addict can be a part of building something that can help a future drug addict someday,” said Doug Underwood.
Underwood recently completed a detox and is on a journey to find health and happiness in the Lord. He gives the Lord full credit for his success this time around. Being a part of something that gives a sense of accomplishment and worth is important to the workers of the project and each donor is appreciated more that they realize.
Housing
After this phase is completed and the building is in use, phase two is providing transitional housing to those who are ready to separate themselves from their current surroundings and live in a safe, drug-free environment where they can receive a hand up and not a hand-out.
Thompson has a
vision of a place where those who are in need of spiritual guidance and freedom from addiction can come and find acceptance, and contribute to something useful while they find healing and learn about the God who can give them freedom from addiction and new life in Christ.
There is room for everyone at Celebrate Recovery. There are six churches in the county that take turns preparing food and serving meals each week. There is a need for food, plates, supplies, drinks and volunteers willing to serve the meals and help with clean up. Pastors, church leaders, singers or anyone willing to share a testimony and tell others how the Lord has blessed their life is invited to join the service and share their testimony.
The reality is that everyone is addicted to something. Anything that comes before God in the life of a believer can become an addiction.
A singing will be held at the new facility at 6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 19. Everyone is invited to attend.