Thankful: Faith-based program leads woman to healing, happiness

Three years ago, Leah Fisher found herself mired in the doldrums of everyday family life. There was no great calamity, but after over 30 years of marriage, the all-too-common challenges of holding together a blended family had begun to overwhelm her.

"We had a lot of turmoil," she said. "Me and my husband had expectations of each other and of each other's children that a lot of the time caused problems."

Like many families, the Fishers swept their problems politely under the rug.

"We lived perfectly on the outside," she said. "But on the inside there were a lot of issues. Things like anger and hurt."

She said she was hesitant and uneasy in social situations for most of her life, which made it hard to talk about the things that were bothering her.

"My father was a pastor," she explained. "I grew up kind of in a bubble, so to speak. I felt like I didn't know how to cope with a lot of [the issues my family and I were facing]."

Then she heard about Celebrate Recovery, a Christ-centered 12-step program with thousands of chapters worldwide. At first she was skeptical. After all, she had no chemical problem, no ostensible addiction to recover from.

"The very beginning is denial," she explained. "But you realize it's a progression of healing. It takes time to become free of your hurt."

She eventually went in hopes that it might help, and said it did wonders.

"After the first few times, I realized it was for more than just drugs and alcohol," she said. "They like to say it's for hurts, hang-ups and habits. It applies to just about anybody, from all walks of life."

Fisher and her husband, Mark, are members of Cornerstone Wesleyan Church in Scott City, but attend the Celebrate Recovery program hosted by St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Cape Girardeau. She said the fact that the program is faith-based allowed her to draw more strength than if it were focused just on psychology.

"It helped me to take a look at the things that I was contributing to the mix of craziness," she said. "And by putting God first in our home life, I could better deal with them."

She said that now her relationship with Mark is stronger, as is her bond with friends and other family.

"We are truly thankful and blessed," she said. "When we put our problems in God's hands, he puts his peace in our hearts."

Fisher explained that much of the healing she gained through the ministry came from the power of humility and forgiveness.

"Celebrate Recovery helps you seek forgiveness once your hurts and hang-ups are at the forefront," she said. "You learn to seek forgiveness not only from God, but from the others in your life. It helped me to open my heart and eyes to the purpose that God has for me and my family."

The programs, usually completed over seven to nine months, are conducted in male-only or female-only groups, and after seeing the effect it had on her life, she decided to keep going.

She completed several courses and since then has even begun to help lead one of the women's groups.

"It's great to see the progress that happens," she said. "Getting to witness the way God is working in these women's lives and brought healing to them through the ongoing program is really amazing."

She finds leading women, especially pastors' wives, to be particularly fulfilling since she can identify with their experiences.

"Growing up as a pastor's child, I know some of the struggles that these women go through," she said.

Celebrate Recovery isn't affiliated with any particular Christian denomination, and anyone with a hurt, hang-up or habit is welcome to register for the free programs.

Fisher encourages anyone with personal struggles to just try it out. She said that the peace of mind she now enjoys was well worth overcoming the initial trepidation.

"I'm happy with who I am now," she said. "There's a contentment that God gives me in my everyday life. I'm not always drowning from the pain I used to have. Instead, now I'm free to be the person who God wants me to be."

tgraef@semissourian.com

Pertinent address:

210 E Outer Road, Scott City, MO 63780

804 N Cape Rock Drive, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701