As I walk through the recovery process with those kids who are ready to make a change in their lives, my faith grows. I have a deeper understanding of what it means to “turn it over.”

This phrase is used a lot among the Alcoholics Anonymous 12-step goers. The third step of AA says “We made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God, as we understood Him.” Christ-centered 12-step programs’ third step reads, “We made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God. Therefore, I urge you brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship.” (Romans 12:1)

Lately, I have been worshipping and praising God often while I walk with my friend through her recovery process. She is ready. She desires relationship with God. She is trying her best every day to do the right thing as she leaves the street life and continues in her secular rehabilitation program. She then looks forward to the time she chooses to spend around other Christians at the 12-step, Christ centered program she and I go to at the end of each week.

There have been so many times that I was tempted to try and fix my friend. This is out of desperation, really. I was afraid she would end up dead.