Alisa, a house resident, wrote the following on the Rivera House Facebook page. The Rivera House is part of the ministry of Mark and Dana West, missionaries we support in Nashville, TN. I was touched by her words and asked permission to share them with you…
I wanted to share with you some personal thoughts and feelings that myself and Penni have been sharing with each other. A lot has been going on with us lately, changes are going on around us, and in us every day. We are very excited about the fact that we are working hard to step into leadership roles in the Theotherapy world. Theotherapy has become one of the very most important things in our lives, to see ourselves changing, growing and healing has been a little overwhelming sometimes...but not in a bad way at all! You see...Penni and I are used to moving backwards. We are familiar with drug addiction, unhealthy relationships, low self esteem, anger, self hatred, fear...lots and lots of fear....and the feeling of being alone. So to see our lives turning around, to be able to enjoy our lives clean and sober, to see relationships being restored, to be able to love ourselves...and you....well...it takes our breath sometimes! We are like little girls on Christmas morning a lot of the time. It is so hard to put into words what we are feeling, what we sit and talk about. The fact that it is going on with both of us at the same time makes all of this that more special and amazing. We realize too that this also is a gift from God. Penni and I have become the very best of friends and to have a true and loving friend to share all of this with has been an unexpected blessing...for both of us. We are so excited about the new feelings we are experiencing, we are not in the least confused about where and Who this comes from. We see and feel every day the love that God has for us...I am 40 yrs old and have never "felt" this. I knew in my head that He loved me, because people told me He did...and I believed it, but to "feel" it…that is brand new for the both of us. It bounces around inside of us and we have contemplated shouting it from the roof of the Rivera House!!! We know that none of what is going on now is an accident. It is by design, from a loving and gracious Heavenly Father that we are here in a place where we are able to get rid of the hurt and pain that has held us prisoner for so long, so that He might be able to start filling those empty places with love, hope, joy, peace and so much more that I can't even put a name to. Dr. Mario Rivera has said that the only necessary ingredient for healing is unconditional love, we were designed for that, and have spent our entire lives searching for it...but we have been looking in the wrong places...until now!! We have found it!! We are soaking it up, grabbing at it with both hands, and God does not disappoint. I thank Him for all that He has given me and all that He wants for me...and I thank him for Penni and all of the loving people He has placed in my life...and I thank Him for another chance to get it right...to do right. ....Alisa
