Hope For Freedom Society

Who is an Addict?

2011-01-22T13:32:00.000-08:00

Most of us do not have to think twice about this question, WE KNOW! Our whole life and thinking was centered in drugs in one form or another -- The getting and using and finding ways and means to get more. We lived to use and used to live. Very Simply... an addict is a man or woman whose life is controlled bu drugs. We are people in the grip of a continuing and progressive illness whose ends are always the same : Jails, Institutions, and DEATH

None of us when in active addiction thought we had a problem at first... right? We used to have fun, we used cause everyone else was using, we used cause we were hurt and wanted to hide the pain ... what ever the reason we used ... at the end of the day, just continued to destroy us inside.

I could tell you stories about my using, that would make you really think... I mean I did not have a bad childhood, my family life was not that bad at all really, there were a few things in my life that I wish didn't happen... but nothing as bad as some of the stories I have heard from some of the other people I know... and the end of this quote above says it all... JAILS, INSTITUTIONS, DEATH!

I ended up in jail's ... and have been in Institutions, so I think if the next time I use, it will be death!

I have lost many friends to Addiction... and its like a kick in the ass you know... I have seen it happen to many times, people come to the program, get some clean time, and for what ever reason, they decide to go out again.. thinking they can do the same amount that they used to use... and BANG... DEATH......

I am begging anyone that is out there suffering in Active addiction ... Please... STOP .. and really take a look at how it is affecting your life... cause sooner or later... one of these times, your not going to be able to control what happens, and we are going to hear about you on the 6 o'clock news... or read about it in the news paper!

There is so much help out there for people that want to stop .. you just have to put your mind to it.. its like this non-smoking thing... I am struggling with quiting smoking... but deep down in side .. I want to live a smoke free life... I know it can be done... if I can quit using drugs... I can quit smoking... (or least I would Hope I can!)

If you are really serious about quitting drugs... find a meeting close to you ! its only a Hour outta your using time... to sit and listen to other addicts spill their guts out ...

Here's to another 24 clean and sober!

Much love and respect to you all

Denny R

Good Day to All!

2011-01-18T13:48:00.000-08:00

Here's to a great start of the New Year! :)

I am hoping you all are having a great New Year, and I trust that its been struggle free?

Please if you are struggling please by all means think about Recovery !

Just for Today Reading!

2010-11-16T09:03:00.000-08:00

November 16

Alone no more

“We gradually and carefully pull ourselves out of the isolation and loneliness of addiction and into the mainstream of life.”

Basic Text, p. 37

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Many of us spent much of our using time alone, avoiding other people—especially people who were not using—at all costs. After years of isolation, trying to find a place for ourselves in a bustling, sometimes boisterous fellowship is not always easy. We may still feel isolated, focusing on our differences rather than our similarities. The overwhelming feelings that often arise in early recovery—feelings of fear, anger, and mistrust—can also keep us isolated. We may feel like aliens but we must remember, the alienation is ours, not NA’s.

In Narcotics Anonymous, we are offered a very special opportunity for friendship. We are brought together with people who understand us like no one else can. We are encouraged to share with these people our feelings, our problems, our triumphs, and our failures. Slowly, the recognition and identification we find in NA bridge the lonely gap of alienation in our hearts. As we’ve heard it said—the program works, if we let it.

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Just for today: The friendship of other members of the fellowship is a life-sustaining gift. I will reach out for the friendship that’s offered in NA, and accept it.

I remember the day when I came in to recovery, I did not want to open up, I did not want to share anything about my life with anyone, as I was a very private person. I did not want to share anything about my past with anyone. I remember the first week very well... I did not say a word to anyone...

Once I learned about opening up, and the feeling I got with sharing my story with other people, and finally came to understand the meaning to opening up with other people... I felt so much better, cause I came to understand that WOW... I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE!

Now that I am 3.5 years clean and sober, I have made many friends in the fellowship of NA, and I have a lot of people that I can call when I am going through something, and it helps so much when someone else understands what I have been through in my life... cause well .. they have been through the same thing!

My name is Denny, and I am a Addict! :)

Just for Today Reading... Nov 15th

2010-11-15T10:58:00.000-08:00

November 15

Letting go

“Take my will and my life. Guide me in my recovery. Show me how to live.”

Basic Text, p. 26

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How do we begin the process of letting our Higher Power guide our lives? When we seek advice about situations that trouble us, we often find that our Higher Power works through others. When we accept that we don’t have all the answers, we open ourselves to new and different options. A willingness to let go of our preconceived ideas and opinions opens the channel for spiritual guidance to light our way.

At times, we must be driven to the point of distraction before we are ready to turn difficult situations over to our Higher Power. Anxiously plotting, struggling, planning, worrying—none of these suffice. We can be sure that if we turn our problems over to our Higher Power, through listening to others share their experience or in the quiet of meditation, the answers will come.

There is no point in living a frantic existence. Charging through life like the house is on fire exhausts us and gets us nowhere. In the long run, no amount of manipulation on our part will change a situation. When we let go and allow ourselves access to a Higher Power, we will discover the best way to proceed. Rest assured, answers derived from a sound spiritual basis will be far superior to any answers we could concoct on our own.

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Just for today: I will let go and let my Higher Power guide my life.

Most of us, (like my self) came to this recovery program for the first time, we heard all this talk about GOD, or GOD OF YOUR UNDERSTANDING. Like most, I was afraid of that... I have never in my life been much of a God person, I was always afraid to open my mind to something like church or any religion for that matter, Mainly cause I was mad!

The best part of this Recovery Program that we MUST live to is that it is all based around THE GOD OF YOUR UNDERSTANDING. The idea is for you to come to believe that there is something out there that is bigger and stronger than you, that is willing to listen in your time of need, that is willing to Guide you in your recovery... help you meet new people in your life that don 't use.

I came to believe that there was something bigger and better to me out there and my life became so much more easier ! My recovery kinda just fell in to place, and now I am living the life that I never thought I could...

Thanks to the 12 steps, and the God of my understanding... I am clean and sober today, and have the heart and mind set to help others see that life is so much better that way! :)

My name is Denny, And I am a Addict!

Just for Today Reading!

2010-11-12T09:35:00.000-08:00

November 12

Our own story

“When we honestly tell our own story, someone else may identify with us.”

Basic Text, p. 98

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Many of us have heard truly captivating speakers at Narcotics Anonymous conventions. We remember the audience alternating between tears of identification and joyous hilarity. “Someday,” we may think, “I’m going to be a main speaker at a convention, too.”

Well, for many of us, that day has yet to arrive. Once in awhile we may be asked to speak at a meeting near where we live. We might speak at a small convention workshop. But after all this time, we’re still not “hot” convention speakers—and that’s okay. We’ve learned that we, too, have a special message to share, even if it’s only at a local meeting with fifteen or twenty addicts in attendance.

Each of us has only our own story to tell; that’s it. We can’t tell anyone else’s story. Every time we get up to speak, many of us find all the clever lines and funny stories seem to disappear from our minds. But we do have something to offer. We carry the message of hope—we can and do recover from our addiction. And that’s enough.

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Just for today: I will remember that my honest story is what I share the best. Today, that’s enough.

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We all came to recovery thinking that we had to have better stories than everyone else, but really all that was, was our need to want to be better than everyone else in recovery. In the 3.5 years that I have been clean and sober, I have found that some of us that are new in recovery tend to Glamorize our addiction, to make it sound like it was fun, or had it's fun times, and lets face it .. sometimes it did, but if you were to sit and think about all the good times and and all the bad times, the bad times would out weigh the good times by far, Just for today, we only need to think about our recovery, we only need to think where we want to be , not where we once were, we only need to only come to a understanding that yes, we had some good times, but never again, do we need to follow that path again, cause really! Lets face it, our bad times will always out weigh the good times, and the good times, well they were not really that good! Cause we were not our selves then....

I truly hope you all have a understanding that the better times are yet to come, and thats cause we are in recovery! :)

My name is Denny, I am a addict! And let me tell you the GOOD TIMES have all came to my life, while I lived a life in Recovery!

Today I thank the Creator for everything.... GOOD AND BAD

2010-10-28T16:52:00.000-07:00

You know I have heard so many people give thanks to our Creator, I only really hear them give thanks for all the GOOD things....

I was thinking about this today, if it was not for some of the bad things that I did in my life, I would not know the Creator as well as I do now....!

I give thanks to my Creator everyday... Good and BAD... even tho I did not listen back in the day and just follow his word then... After learning that he was there with me... (hence why I am not dead ... ) and cleaning my act up .. and listening to what is really out there for me... I am very happy that I have started to understand that no matter what ... I always had someone that will listen and help me through my rough times.. :)

I hope you all have a great day !

Here is to another day Clean and Sober

2010-10-14T11:14:00.000-07:00

I am sorry for all that follow this blog, I have been so busy with a lot of changes within the Hope for Freedom, that I have fallen to the way side with blogging.

I have been doing good, there have been so many changes with in the society, that there are too many to list on here... I trust that every one out there that is looking for recovery finds the right place and right time to seek help and always remember that there is always someone or somewhere that will help ... you just have to be willing to ask for the help!

Stay Tunned... There are some new changes coming!

2010-04-16T08:32:00.000-07:00

THERE ARE SOME NEW CHANGES COMING TO THE HOPE FOR FREEDOM SOCIETY!

We are slowly upgrading all our infrastructure here at Hope for Freedom Society, there are going to be new email address's and there already is a new phone system installed to help with the rising call volume. Please bare with us.

Here is to another day!

2010-04-05T15:16:00.000-07:00

People have walked through these doors broken, and needing help, and that is something that is first nature for some of us in recovery, I think what I am still learning after 2 and a half years ... is that its still hard to convey that message across in a matter that will be understood by all.

I pray that the suffering addict out there that might read this picks up the phone and calls us, and ask for help... Cause there is so much help out there for you... all you have to do is ask...

I hope you all had a great easter!

Here is to another day Clean and Sober

2010-02-23T08:34:00.000-08:00

I have been really sick for the past 2 weeks or so, to the point of being in the hospital. You know .. even the worst day of being sick, it was so much better than being in my active addiction!

I just wanted to share this with everyone who reads our blog, and hopefully the still suffering addict that might read this, get the message that there is a much better life out there for you, and I prey that you find the path of freedom that is out there for you!

My name is Denny, and yes.. .I am a addict!

Today is another day too the good!

2010-02-11T08:46:00.000-08:00

Well ... Thanks to Recovery, I have another good day of being clean and sober... :) and I love it! I have been through a lot in the last week... I was in hospital for the weekend, and I just felt like giving up... but the best part is ... I had a lot of friends show up .. friends in Recovery, and they all helped me walk through my desire to use, you know its nice to have friends in Recovery to help us get through this crap!

Every time someone showed up... it just helped me understand how much I did not want to return to that side of life...

That's what Recovery is all about you know .. the fellow addict in recovery helping someone that is suffering get through their struggles, their desires.

I pray that you all have a wonderful day! And please.... Comment away on our blog!

My Name is Denny, and I am a Addict!

One thing after another, but here we sit, Sober! :)

2010-02-02T10:28:00.000-08:00

There have been many things happen to me in the last week or so, and its hard to try to understand what has happen, on so many different levels, but here I sit, Sober!

I have lost a friend to addiction, it was a hit in the face... I just hated to admit to the fact that he had went out, but he did, and the key to this .. .is here I sit, Sober!

I have learned so many things working here, and going through the program my self, and this is the very key to recovery, or at least thats what I feel, and that is ACCEPTANCE!

I am so proud of my co-workers, and my clients, for sticking to this recovery program that we have to go through... and learning to accept the things we did, and understand that we are powerless over PEOPLE, PLACES, AND THINGS!

I hope the suffering addict makes it through our doors, or the doors of any other place out there...

My Name is Denny .... I am a Addict!

Here's to the start of another fine week in recovery!

2010-01-26T09:16:00.000-08:00

So this is the start of my week, and I just wanted to say good morning to all that read this, I am not too sure if these get read or not, but either way.... this is me doing my best to try and write in this every other day!

The best part about my job is when a new client comes in, the reminders I get from this is just the fact of where I came from, and that is something that we try to put in our clients heads, is that we must never forget where we came from, we must remember this for our continued recovery! It is plays a major part in our recovery to remember where we came from, cause it reminds us that no matter where it is that we came from .. it is something that we do not want to return to, no matter how good we thought it was,

My worse day sober is better than any good day of using!

I really hope someone that reads this that might still be suffering with addiction, gets a little glimmer of hope, cause I am telling you now, Recovery was a life saving tool for me... and Recovery does rock!

I will chat at you guys later....

My Name is Denny, And I am a addict!

Just for Today Reading for January 23

2010-01-23T09:00:00.000-08:00

January 23

Serenity check

“Lack of daily maintenance can show up in many ways.”

Basic Text, p. 95

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Ever had a perfect stranger remark about how great the weather was, only to reply “It stinks”? When this happens, we are probably suffering from a lack of daily maintenance in our program.

In recovery, life can get pretty hectic. Maybe those added responsibilities at work have got you hopping. Maybe you haven’t been to a meeting for awhile. Perhaps you’ve been too busy to meditate, or haven’t been eating regularly or sleeping well. Whatever the reason, your serenity is slipping.

When this happens, it is crucial that we take action. We can’t afford to let one “bad day,” complete with a bad attitude, slip into two days, four days, or a week. Our recovery depends on our daily maintenance program. No matter what is happening in our lives, we can’t afford to neglect the principles that have saved our lives.

There are many ways to recover our serenity. We can go to a meeting, phone our sponsor, meet another recovering addict for lunch, or try to carry the message to a newcomer. We can pray. We can take a moment to ask ourselves what simple things we haven’t been doing. When our attitudes head downhill, we can avert a crash with simple solutions.

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Just for today: I will examine the maintenance of my daily program of recovery.

To live or not to live, To use, or not to use... These are the 2 questions!

2010-01-20T10:33:00.000-08:00

Its one thing to come to recovery, and accept that we have a problem with drugs. It is not a easy task for anyone to do, to admit that we are powerless over drugs, and that no matter what happens in our life we are never going to able to use again, cause if we do, we end up back out on the streets, or we loose people that are important to us.

The first question we need to ask, To use, or not to use? after your first 30 days of recovery, it somewhat feels like you will not be able to answer that question, but here... I will give you the answer, NOT TO USE! The second question is To live or not to Live...? cause if you choose not to use, the answer to this question is TO LIVE...

You have to come to a understanding with your self when you start your recovery, to give it your best, to sit down shut up and listen. For most of us that is kinda hard to do.

My almost 3 years of recovery, has taught me a lot of things, one of which was LISTEN.

When you just listen, you will relate to a lot of us addicts, it turns out we all have a lot of the same problems, come from the same place, heck, even have some of the same problems.

You are worth every effort you put in to your recovery, and remember you should not be doing recovery for anyone else but your self... and its very important that you put your best effort in to this.

I hope this helps someone out there that is trying to figure out of recovery is for them!

My name is Denny,
I am a Addict!

Good Morning To All!

2010-01-06T07:37:00.000-08:00

Good Morning,
I just thought I would put a quick hello and good morning on here, Heres to the start of a blessed day!

People come and go in recovery, But here I Sit!

2010-01-05T10:35:00.000-08:00

You know sometimes the hardest thing of my job is watching people come and go.

And when they do come back ... they are broken even more. All I can say to any of them, it that little saying my mom used to say to me, "try, and try again". I mean lets face it, its only our life that we are playing with right... I am not sure about you, But I really enjoy my life now!

No one said that RECOVERY WAS GOING TO BE EASY! Heck, its the hardest thing I ever had to do, face my problems, own up to my crap from my past, make the amends that I needed to make, and move on to a much better life!

I like what the NA Basic text says on page 39, "WE ARE GAINING NEW ATTITUDES ABOUT OURSELVES AND HOW WE DEAL WITH OTHER PEOPLE"

I could go on and quote many spots of this book, but I will leave that for another day, for now, I just want to put out there for the addict still suffering, PLEASE give yourself a break, do something good for your self, check in to a recovery house, start doing right with your life, instead of living in a alley somewhere ... I am sure you don't want to be there! I know I didn't !

Hello Friends, My name is Denny, and Yes, I am a addict!

Blessings to all

2009-12-17T15:25:00.000-08:00

Hi my name is Cliff Kelly and I am an alcoholic. There was a time in my life that I thought that this defined who I was as a person. Today who I am is defined by the life I lead and the example I set for others. It is my prayer that those of you who may read this and who are still bound by the chains of addiction see that there is still hope for you. Addiction is not the problem ! We are the problem and just by making a single phone call you will be giving yourself a chance at life. There are those of us who would love the chance to help you lift the weight that has been helping to keep you emersed in your addiction. What have you got to lose ?

Good Morning!

2009-12-12T10:51:00.000-08:00

Well today is a new day, and it has so much in store for us! As always, providing we do the things we need to do to stay clean and sober, life is so much easier!

The best part of recovery I have found for my self, is the fact that I found a higher power that works for me, and that I can talk to, and he just listens! I have found that if there is someone that just listens, and does not talk back or add their comments, but just listens, its a great relief!

I opened up the bible today, to First John, and I read a passage in there, (1st John, 1:6) This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.

Before I came in to recovery, I was never really a bible reader, but now .. after 2 and a half years, I have started to read this, this passage to me is so true, you follow the basic steps that are put in front of you, There will be no darkness ! There will be no Pain!

There is a light at the end of the tunnel and that light will always shine providing you follow the words that you hear in NA, or AA or Church!

(1st John 1:9) IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, HE IS FAITHFUL AND JUST AND WILL FORGIVE US OUR SINS AND PURIFY US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS.

If we allow God in our life, (or any other higher power you so choose) We will be forgiven of all our sins, providing we live clean and sober, and not do any of the wrong things we used to do. Its pretty simple! Clean and sober living, you get the gifts of recovery that you have always wanted. Some of us get our children back, some of us get our family back, some of us get the dream job that we wanted, others, they get the plain and simple life back that we all once had!

Hello my name is Denny, And I am an Addict!

Feel Free in contacting me... take care and heres to another 24!

The start to a perfect place in our life!

2009-12-11T12:03:00.000-08:00

Hello, My name is Denny, And I am a Addict!

(Clean since June 7th 2007)

Welcome to the New Hope for Freedom Society's Blog! Here, You will find up to date information that might come up with us!

I am going to do my best to make a post once a week, sometimes more! Feel free in contacting me at d.romyn@telus.net or hffs.denny@gmail.com. If you have any feedback, or would like to ask a question, Please, by all means, send me a email, or give our main office line a call (604)464-0475.

I really hope this blog will help you understand who we are, and what we do.

I hope to hear from you !