Message of hope

One of the many ministries in this area is Celebrate Recovery, a faith-based program that helps those with "hurts, habits and hang-ups."

Last month, about 100 people, many involved in this ministry, heard from former professional baseball player Darryl Strawberry, an arch-nemisis of the Cardinals in the 1980s as a New York Met and a former National League rookie of the year.

Now a pastor, Strawberry dealt with his share of hang-ups as a professional baseball player. With a drug addiction, his life could have ended much differently if he continued in that direction.

At the talk, Strawberry shared a message of hope and redemption. "You're not a mistake just because you make a mistake," Strawberry said.

He asked the group, "Do you want to be well? That's all Jesus is asking you. That's what you really need to ask yourself."

His advice included: focus on the good, quit dwelling on the bad and have a willingness to change.

This was a great opportunity for those in attendance to hear an encouraging message. There's always hope.

Many in this community, including our local churches and faith-based ministries, have a passion for helping those facing major challenges. As people of faith, we know there's hope in Jesus Christ. We're thankful for those who share this message and invest their time to help others change course in their lives for the good.