God Still Heals!

As the Director of a Men’s Recovery Center I have in the few short months we have been open, seen many needs enter our doors. Some come in high on drugs, some come in sick from detoxing drugs and alcohol and yet others come because they are tired and alone in their addictions. And though most have not stayed, God is still involved. As we encounter men with serious issues besetting their lives we offer the love of God and His acceptance of who they are, not how they came. We are in the ministry of reaching and winning souls for Christ but we are also here to plant and water the seeds of His goodness in their hearts. Just as Jesus’ desire is that none should perish but all come to repentance, so is it our desire. Our prayer is for the many men and their families in our community as well as in yours. Brandon, (a man in our center), is from this city and I am encouraged to see how deeply he has connected with Christ. It is my hope that we are able to assist many from Salinas in their development of a relationship with Jesus. But our vision reaches much further than our city. This nation has been in a state of emergency for so long and the youth of the drug revolution have all grown up to produce the fatherless generation. Today’s young people have been exposed to so much separation from any positive influence that they are now numb to the effects of the negative media aimed at the family, the church and the morality of our great society. We have created an image of the "individual" no longer do we encourage community. No longer is there a hand to comfort the hurting. No longer is there a shoulder to cry on or an ear to listen. Our young people have either had to blaze a trail through the rough and tough streets of our cities alone or they simply no longer trust those who truly do care and refuse their help. But there is an answer, and as the people of God we do have the solution to their plight, and His name is Jesus Christ! From the time Jesus first began His ministry, until today, He has been healing the broken hearted, He is still making the lame to walk and bringing deliverance to the captive! As the director I have realized something about the work we are doing; what we provide in a clean and sober environment, in our Bible studies and curriculum we teach, in our disciplines and development of good habits, is only preparation for one thing, and that is the altar of God. It is there that we bring our hang-ups and our bondage and find freedom and grace. Before Jesus did His work on the cross God required the best of our possessions as sacrifices, but today it is the junk that clutters our hearts He asks from us. Jesus says, "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." Matthew 11:28-30 (The Message) Please consider us when you pray and please take the time to learn more of what we do and how you can be a part in this wonderful ministry. www.nhcfsalinas.com/recovery_center Thank You Very Much, Cy L. Nunez / Program Director

20/20 Forward Vision

In the very near future something new and challenging is about to take place in my life, and because of this I find myself looking often toward the horizon. At the start of 2010, together with a local church in Salinas, Ca we are going to do what we can to help rescue young men from a life of violence and drug addiction in that region by opening a Christian Men’s Discipleship Center, (a recovery home for adult men).

Lately I have been perusing craigslist trying to gather what I can to furnish and prepare our building for at least 10 men to start. As I have been doing this I have also logged more than enough hours on facebook just staying close to the computer so that I may be first for any new posts to craigslist. There is something special that fb offers to its subscribers that I believe wasn't it's original intention, it gives us a unique opportunity to connect with old friends and to relive old memories. I have found that one can get lost looking back, times seem to have been much easier then, life much more carefree and the consequences of our crazy actions so far away in the future that you took on the attitude that chances were you weren't going to have to face them, so it seemed safe to "Eat, drink and be merry". Most of us have learned that the future held much more than we anticipated and life today is a dim projection of the past.

So with all this ahead of me and all that there is behind I am reminded of something I read recently:

Remembering the past can remind us of God's leading, discipline, faithfulness and grace. But it should not cause us to walk backwards into the future. A thoughtful glance back can prepare us to more confidently look and move forward.

Jesus stated, "No one having put his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God." Luke 9:62