Hey, hey, hey! It’s Your Sista Ritza here! 🎉💃🏽
I am a disciple of Jesus, and I am in recovery because I struggle with co-dependency, bad money habits, anger, and pride. I have recovery over suicide and nicotine.
I am SO excited to welcome you to Recovery & Redemption! This blog is all about my journey through Celebrate Recovery—a 12-step, Christ-centered program that helps people process, deal with, and manage their hurts, hang-ups, and habits. If you’ve ever felt lost, broken, or like your life was in chaos, I want you to know you are not alone!
I started this blog to share my personal experience and transformation through Celebrate Recovery and to dispel any misconceptions about what it is. Some people think CR is just for chemical addiction recovery, but the truth is, it’s for ANYONE struggling with life’s challenges—whether it’s trauma, anxiety, control, codependency, or emotional wounds. I’ve seen radical change in my own life, and I’ve had the privilege of watching others experience freedom and healing through this program.
How It All Started 💡
My journey began when my pastor encouraged our church to get connected with small groups. He reminded us that God works through people and that we shouldn’t just be spectators in our faith. As I looked through the available groups, the only one that fit my schedule and interests was The Journey Begins, a 12-step study group through Celebrate Recovery. At the time, I had just come out of a ten-year abusive relationship, and my life was a mess. I had no idea how to clean it up, but I knew I needed to get back to the basics—back to God.
I decided to try something new, and little did I know, that one decision would change everything.
The Turning Point ✨
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” – 2 Corinthians 5:17
As I worked through the steps, it wasn’t until Step 3 that I really started to take my journey seriously:
“We made a decision to turn our lives and our wills over to the care of God.”
This was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. Coming from a home where my father dictated what I said, thought, and did, it was terrifying to willingly put myself in a position of surrender again. But the more I gave my life to God, the less I worried. The more I surrendered my plans, the less I felt the need to control everything around me.
Over time, I learned to trust God—not just with my emotions, but with my finances, relationships, and entire way of being. The more I leaned on Him, the less I depended on myself to “make things happen.” And you know what? That trust brought freedom! Less worry meant less anxiety. Less anxiety meant more peace. More peace led to real joy. 🙌🏽
Radical Transformation 🌱
Four months into my journey, I got a raise at work. Seven months in, I met my now husband. Twelve months later, my life had done a 180-degree turn, and I knew—this was only possible through God’s grace.
What’s to Expect? 🤔
This blog will be a space where I share my experiences, struggles, victories, and everything in between. In future posts, I’ll cover topics like:
✅ My testimony
✅ What to expect when attending a CR meeting
✅ My experience in large & small groups
✅ How committing to Celebrate Recovery became a step of surrender
My prayer is that through this blog, someone—maybe you—will be encouraged to take a step towards healing, just like I did.
✨ Tune in next week as I share my testimony! ✨
So, let’s walk this journey together! You are loved, you are seen, and you are NOT alone. 💜
With love and grace,
Your Sista Ritza ✨
Redemption & Recovery 