Beach Lake facility heals both the mind and soul

Beach lake "Drunks don't get sober without God."

Bob (last name omitted for privacy) credits eight months of sobriety to his loving creator.

This 45 year-old, currently a guest at New Beginning Ministry, Inc., says he was once, "a messed up cookie." That's not who he is today. He's conquering the disease that was bent on destroying him. Part of that success was realized when he walked through the door of this spiritual and emotional recovery center located in Beach Lake. Once there, he shed the bonds of self-hatred and self-pity and reached out for the guidance granted to him.

Learning to Live
"In life, what sometimes appears to be the end is really the beginning." That's a portion of the message this non-profit, human service organization strives to get across. Kevin Coughlin, General Manager, says although they would love to share the message of God with everyone, they would never force their guests to receive spiritual counseling at the non-denominational ministry. He says to force a person to listen would surely turn them away. That's not what they want.

"I think it's important for everyone to understand that we're not a rehab and not solely a place for recovery. We are a ministry that helps people at all different levels of need. Some of the people who have come through the door have been people with marital problems, women from abuse syndromes, and people with drug and alcohol problems," Kevin stated.

Ordained Minister, Reverend Karen L. Coughlin is the Director. She says their recovery program is designed to, "embrace the individuality of each person and offer a safe environment or prayer, study, work, and rest that will bring spiritual and emotional healing. We are dedicated to making life better and more meaningful for all those in need, so that each person can live life to its fullest. The recovery program is founded on the principles of AA. Our hope is to provide a loving environment where each individual can learn, change, and grow regardless of ability to pay."

Kevin, who is the Reverend's son, explained that monies collected on a sliding scale from those able to pay aids in paying for those who cannot. "We are actually in need, as far as financial donations," he admits. We laughter in his voice and truth in his eyes, he continued, "We've actually put everything we have into the non-profit corporation that none of us will ever get back. But that's fine with us. That just doesn't matter because that's not what this is all about.

Anyone wishing to support the ministry may send their donations to: New Beginning Ministry Inc., P.O. Box 328, Beach Lake, PA 18405-0328. Anyone who can not offer financial support but would still like to offer their time or skills *carpentry, cooking, cleaning, etc.) may contact New Beginning at 729-8709. Reverend Coughlin says, "Any support you can give us will be received with gratitude."

Joel's House
Kevin is able to empathize with individuals who feel crushed under the thumb of addiction. He's been there. He's a survivor. God, family, friends and a 12 step program were the keys to his recovery. He's first to admit that at one time, he may have felt too ashamed to share his past. But now, he understands that sharing, "is not a handicap. It's a gift."

One leg of the journey included penning a true story titled "Dance Free." He exposed his soul in out pouring of life and death, laughter and tears, and above all - love. His written words shared, "I let down the walls. I reached out for help. I got down on my knees and asked for God's help… I turned my life and my will over to the care of God. It was then that I learned about unconditional love and the miracle started for me."

It was on the road to recovery that his life's journey crossed that of a teenager named Joel. Both Kevin and 18 year-old Joel were staying at High Watch Farm located in Kent, Connecticut. It offered a program founded on the principles of AA.

As time passed and conversation flowed, they became close friends. Kevin says they often, "laughed together, cried together, prayed together and shared experience, strength and hope with each other." When each was ready to leave the program, they took their friendship with them.

In the days that followed, Kevin's heart would be crushed with the knowledge that his good friend hadn't made it. Listening in disbelief to Joel's mother confirming that her son had died at the tender age of 19 from a fatal overdose, Kevin says, "I went numb all over still not accepting the truth …My body shook, tears streamed down my pained face." But Kevin recognizes that Joel's death was not in vain. He learned a valuable lesson. In his own words, Kevin wrote, "My friend Joel teaches me to see and to remember the moment. Joel reminds me everyday to say yes - to life. Love cures people: both the one who gives it and the ones who receive it. The heart that loves is always young. Joel was very young. He taught me that my best friend is the one who brings out the best in me."

"I pray that I will always remember his smile, his laugh and the love in his eyes. I must remember the message of recovery that he carried," Kevin continued. "I know that God has a plan that my limited mind could never understand. There is a reason for everything. And nothing, absolutely nothing happens in God's world by mistake. God, love and service are the keys to my life today, my sober life. Thank you God, that you for Joel."

As a memorial to his friend, Joel's House came into reality. One of the three buildings that comprise New Beginning Ministry, it is a "sober" house retreat center.

"As far as addiction goes," Kevin commented, "we don't provide counseling, but we provide an atmosphere of work, study, rest and educational, assisted living for everyone. To try to give everyone a balanced life and basically - a new beginning."

"Addiction by nature is a hopeless disease. It's a disease of the body as well as the mind. Any 12 step program will state in it's second step, 'Believe in a power greater than yourself is a solution to addiction.' Basically, what we try to do here is educate people about what the disease or addiction is; because if you don't know what the problem is, you can never hope to find the solution…You have to want recovery. It has to come from the heart. If you don't want it, then you don't get it," Kevin says.

Through the years of bible teaching, prayer counseling and later pastoring the New Beginning Church in Hartford, CT, Reverend Coughlin discovered that people have a great spiritual need; a need that she says stretches far beyond the attendance of an occasional church service. "We all have a place within us where we repress or collect personal, unconscious things that happen to us in such a way that they have power in our lives today even though they happened a long time ago. I began to minister in that area. Basic to that was forgiveness. That brings about a lot of healing, whether that be body, mind or spirit." She says that they have witnessed tremendous miracles in the ministry, brought about by God's healing hand. "I can't heal anybody. Apart from the Lord, I can't do anything … As I understand it," she furthered, "the action of prayer is more powerful than anything science could ever create."

Kevin says that his personal belief is, "With the way the world is today and the family makeup, that young people coming in here are absolutely starving for love. They don't have acceptance, they don't have self-esteem. They don't have a purpose or a place and they need to find that - find out who they are. I believe, if nothing else, the thing that we do most unconditionally love people. That's very healing in itself. I think God is love. That's the bottom line. I think basic Christian principle tells us not to judge or point fingers but to love each other. The world would be a better place if we all did that."