what a night

Tonight I was completely flattened.

Words were lost.

I met a lady who I'd never met before who, after some generic introductory type chat, told me that until two years ago she had never had a friend. This woman I guess was in her forties. She had always presumed that she had until she met people that were real friends. Genuine, honest, there for you when you need them, friends.

Around then I knew I was in trouble as this was only the beginning.

I was at a night that's run by the church for people with addictions, hurts etc. people who need a friend and some help. So the night started with food and followed on to a short special service to honour the woman who started it off; to pray for the one who was taking over and to hear from some of the people whos lives have been affected by it.

The weekly evening is called celebrate recovery and they really know how to celebrate.

Standing at the back I watched as people were singing. It's a much overused phrase, but I really was humbled by it. People were singing songs that tell of love and grace and giving up everything to follow God, regardless of what they're going through, and I couldn't comprehend it.

I knew these songs and I love them and I always thought I meant it when I sung them, but not like these people do. They really, really meant it. They understand what it's like to have literally nothing. To be dragged through the dirt in the worst possible ways. Most had seen the worst that life has to offer.

And they were celebrating.

Celebrating recovery both recovery and the hope thereof and the God whom they had found in that.

I was blown away.

To be honest I think most of the time I was there I spent in tears. I was so touched by the stories of recovery from the worst possible hurts and addictions. I have never known what it is to want or need for anything, and I thank God for that. But here I was in a room of almost a hundred people who do and they, still, were thanking God.

I left with a mind full of thoughts but struggled to speak.