The Rowan Initiative

"My sturdy stick standing
Awaiting our Way
There by the door side
In the new dawn's day
Life's riddles to answer
Base or sublime
All on the Path
In God's good time."

  -Dennis Craft, Way Friend


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Let Go and Let God


Artwork by spiritual artist Marcia Diane

In this section of The Rowan Initiative website, Dennis, who is a chaplain working with recovering alcoholics and addicts, offers recovery-centered information. No matter how much a Christian, for example, knows the Word and believes it by faith, the diseased mind of addiction needs specific information and tried and true therapy to arrest the disease. The Christian should not feel that recovery based upon the Twelve Steps is like an extra-biblical dogma of healing. Rather, the Twelve Steps and other like recovery programs are Scripture-based and help the Christian understand how the Word applies to the particular demands of the lifelong process of successful recovery for the addictive personality. Churches, and evangelical Christians in particular, desperately need this information. Articles will also be offered on co-dependency because addiction affects whole families, not just individuals. Those who love the addict very probably have their own co-dependency issues they must address in order to recover from their own "diseased minds." Addiction recovery is not so much about stopping use of the drug, though that is certainly a part. Addiction recovery is all about dealing with changing the way an addict thinks, reordering his or her lifestyle into one that promotes sobriety, and through honesty and humility in surrender to God, dealing with the character defects that help trigger the desire to use.

Co-dependency
Solid spiritual advice on dealing with co-dependency issues by Stephen Babcock, an addiction recovery counselor with Chandler Valley Hope.

The Serenity Prayer This prayer is the spiritual formation centerpiece of a successful recovery program. It emphasizes humility, surrender to God, letting go and letting God, making the next right choice, living life in the Now one day at a time, and growth in wisdom and sobriety---all in a mere 27 profound words.

The Twelve Steps with Scripture Verses In this article, the classic Twelve Steps from AA is presented along with Scripture verses chosen by Dennis. Christians often ask for "Bible-backing" for Twelve Step recovery. Certainly, these chosen verses do not settle that demand in full, but it does show that the concepts expressed by each of the Steps have at least one scriptural correspondence. This is a good tool for Christians who wish to think on the Twelve Steps in agreement with the Word.

An Addiction Recovery Prayer This brief but powerful prayer was given to Dennis by a brother in the Lord who is a recovering alcoholic. It is a serene, heartfelt, and beautiful prayer that will be a blessing to AA and Al Anon people or for anyone touched by or touched concerning the problem of addiction and the miracle of recovery.

Family Roles in the Alcoholic/Addict Household In this article, Dennis sketches out the different roles in the family dynamic of addiction. If you are an adult child of an alcoholic or are in a relationship with someone who is an alcoholic/addict, check out this brief overview. If you find yourself in any of these roles, you may very well want to get further information, fellowship, and guidance from a local Al-Anon meeting. Addiction affects and shapes everyone in close proximity and attachment to the addict; no one is an exception. Recovery for those who love addicts begins with solid, enlightening knowledge.