Postlethwaite - Addiction and recovery: a spiritual pilgrimage

To those who suffer from addiction and those who love them.

To those who find in Jesus a pathway to healing.

And finally, to the good people at the Recovery Church, who have known resurrection on this side of the grave and are eager to give it away.

I am grateful to all the people who helped me write this book. I cant name you all, but if you are a friend, colleague, family member, parishioner, or person whose story is included in this book, please know that I couldnt have written it without you. This is a communal project. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Special thanks goes to my editor, Beth Gaede, who has gone far above and beyond what she signed on for. Beth is a meticulous editor and a remarkable human being. She gave precise feedback that was always right on target. Because of her astute eye, ear, and heart, I discarded as many words as I included. You can thank Beth for that. In addition to her editing skills, Beth has a profound grasp of both theology and addiction, which made working with her a true collaboration. She offered grace and forgiveness on many occasions. She found creative ways to work around my technological deficiencies and helped me navigate the editing process every step of the way, granting more than one extension, while maintaining her kindness and equanimity.

Thanks also to my coach, Tim McNiff. Tim showed up for the last six months of the writing process. Tims background is in journalism, broadcasting, and marketing. He does not live in the worlds of theology or recovery. I happened to be in a conversation with him about marketing for the church and mentioned the book. I told him I was having trouble making time for it, and he offered to be my coach, free of charge. I thought he was just offering encouragement, but he provided me with a process and game plan, requiring me to do things I didnt want to do, like rising early to write each day. He listened carefully to what I was saying and called me on behavior that was self-defeating. He adapted processes to fit my life but never lost sight of the goal of producing a book. Tim held me accountable. He didnt deal with the text but dealt with old habits (insecurity, procrastination) that kept me from working on the text. He invested in this project in the hope that we might be able to help others. Tim is a kick-ass coach.

I am thankful for my colleagues at the church, especially Linda Kelly, Bob Swoverland, Deb Brecht, and Jeramy Girard. Linda is our office manager extraordinaire, working less than full-time. In spite of that, she is efficient, compassionate, and full of grace. During my writing, Linda made sure the church continued to run smoothly, no matter how many balls I dropped. Bob, Deb, and Jeramy show up at least every Tuesday and Sunday and function as staff, though the bulk of their time is volunteered. Bob is our wise lay leader and head of the trusted servant leader council (to name a few of the many hats he wears), Deb is our official music director and unofficial social worker, and Jeramy is our outstanding ministry intern. All three give countless hours to the church. I am profoundly grateful for the ministry they provide. I am also aware that, by default, they became my sounding board for the book. Linda, Bob, Deb, and Jeramy each bring a unique perspective to addiction and recovery. I respect and value their wisdom more than they can possibly know. Extra kudos to Jeramy, who was willing to pitch in at the very end to help out with the grunt work of appendix typing.