Kintsugi is the Japanese art form of mending broken pottery with precious metals thereby making the repaired item even more valuable for having been redeemed. Kintsugi is a wonderful way of talking about redemption and recovery and it has increasingly become a metaphor of the process of moving beyond addiction.

My story begins with addiction, mental illness, trauma, and abuse and years living out of my childhood terrors. Through a series of events which culminated in my arrest my addiction met God’s redemption. In some ways I lost everything and in others I gained more than I lost. I am kintsugi, broken parts being mended with love, patience, forgiveness, and grace, a process that continues.

Since that turning point, I have learned that redemption and renewal is never a solitary journey. Just as my life was pieced back together by the love of God and the care of others, research confirms what experience has already taught me: we are most likely to heal and grow when we walk with someone who can guide us and help in our training.

A broken pot cannot mend itself. It takes a grace-filled community who know that difficult path you are on. Experience shows and research confirms that people who engage with mentors, coaches, or sponsors are nearly twice as likely to maintain long-term recovery compared to those who try to walk the journey alone. We were created for connection, and healing always comes in the context of relationship with God, self, and others. For me, the presence of God and others was not optional, it was essential and discipleship helped.