Sanctuary Clinics

Sanctuary Clinics Christian Mental Health Treatment & Recovery Program. Sanctuary offers hope and healing.

"The best way to gain wisdom is by applying God's Word to your life."
05/30/2026

"The best way to gain wisdom is by applying God's Word to your life."

In Thought“A casual glimpse at the life of John Wesley may lead us to believe that life for him was without opposition. ...
05/30/2026

In Thought
“A casual glimpse at the life of John Wesley may lead us to believe that life for him was without opposition. He knew where God was calling him to go, who God was calling him to be, and the rest was simple. In retrospect, we may think that he chose a difficult way of discipleship, but that once the decision was made, and in spite of personal hardship, there was little internal or external opposition.

A deeper gaze at his life and ministry as revealed through his writing and the testimony of those who wrote about him suggests that he faced real opposition from the beginning until the end. Life was not simple or easy. The struggle for faithful discipleship resulted in opposition within his own life and opposition from those who could not agree with the way he had chosen. The search for authentic discipleship led him to go far beyond the common understanding or practice of the Christian faith, and this going beyond the commonly accepted way often led to opposition.”

— Rueben P. Job, A Wesleyan Spiritual Reader

In Reflection
A casual glance at figures like John Wesley might suggest a life of effortless, clear discipleship. However, a deeper look confirms that Wesley faced real opposition from beginning to end. The struggle for faithful discipleship is never simple or easy; it requires swimming against the current, a movement that inevitably draws opposition, especially as we navigate what many call a ‘post-Christian’ society.

As our society moves further from faith, our commitment to living by our convictions will draw external resistance. This shouldn’t surprise us. Jesus warned us directly, telling us not to fear those who can only harm the body, and to expect to be dragged before authorities (Luke 12). While our experience may be more subtle—insults, gossip, or mischaracterization—the challenge remains the same: authentic discipleship involves a strenuous path that contradicts the cultural norm.

For those in recovery or striving for deep spiritual change, this opposition can be painful. It might be the internal opposition of the old self resisting change, or the external pressure from friends or family who cannot agree with the new way chosen. This resistance often tries to pull us back into old patterns of dissipation, fear, or compromise.

Yet, it is in these very situations of conflict that Jesus calls us to our highest standard: to respond in love—to love even thy enemies. This is the grace that transforms opposition into opportunity. We are called to pray for abundant grace, to live more Christlike lives, and to walk in a faith that accepts the struggle as a necessary part of the journey. What specific opposition (a critical comment, an unfair judgment, or an internal resistance) are you currently facing because of your faith, and what deliberate action of love can you take today to respond in a Christlike manner?

—DH

In Deed
Identify one area where you feel cultural or internal pressure to “compromise” your faith. Choose to take one small, firm step today that swims against that current, doing so with a gracious and loving spirit.

"God can do immeasurably more in your waiting than you can in your doing."
05/29/2026

"God can do immeasurably more in your waiting than you can in your doing."

In Thought“Money, I never think of it.It always comes.The Lord sends it.We do his work.He provides the means.If he does ...
05/29/2026

In Thought
“Money, I never think of it.
It always comes.
The Lord sends it.
We do his work.
He provides the means.

If he does not give us the means,
that shows that he does not want the work.
So why worry?”

— Mother Teresa, My Life for the Poor

In Reflection
Mother Teresa’s conviction regarding resources is breathtakingly simple: “Money, I never think of it. It always comes. The Lord sends it.” Her peace was rooted in a fully surrendered life, recognizing that the success of God’s work doesn’t depend on available capital but on love and sacrifice. In God’s economy, the greatest resource we possess is not our bank account, but the willingness to offer our very lives to bless others.

Her spiritual logic is challenging: if the means do not come, “that shows that he does not want the work. So why worry?” This attitude liberates us from the exhausting burden of striving, control, and anxiety over provision. It is a profound test of faith for those who constantly worry about financial stability, job security, or the availability of resources for their own healing or service. This worry often stems from a lack of trust in God’s overarching purpose.

We are called to the kind of courage that walks in faith before we see the resources and to count on God’s provision before we see its channels. This challenges the fear that often paralyzes us in life and in recovery—the fear that we won’t have the strength, the time, or the wisdom to take the next faithful step.

Our greatest offering is simply our surrendered presence. When we make our lives available for His purpose, He is responsible for the means. Let us be courageous enough to love sacrificially, giving the one resource we all possess—our lives—to fulfill His plan. What specific need or task are you currently worried about financing or resourcing, and what can you surrender to God today, trusting that if He wants the work, He will provide the means?

—DH

In Deed
Today, when financial or logistical worry arises, repeat this phrase: “I am the resource; God is the source.” Commit to doing the next right thing with your time and energy, trusting God to handle the external provision.

In Thought“What are we going to do when we get home? When the two sons of the parable of the prodigal son both have retu...
05/28/2026

In Thought
“What are we going to do when we get home? When the two sons of the parable of the prodigal son both have returned to their father, what then? The answer is simple: They have to become fathers themselves. Sons have to become fathers; daughters have to become mothers.

Being children of God involves growing up and becoming like God. Jesus doesn't hesitate to say this: “Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect, be compassionate as your heavenly Father is compassionate” (see Matthew 5:48 and Luke 6:36). How? By welcoming home our lost brothers and sisters the way our Father welcomes us home”

— Henri Nouwen, Bread for the Journey

In Reflection
Henri Nouwen offers a profound answer to the question of spiritual maturity: when the prodigal son returns home, he must learn to become a father. Being children of God involves growing up and becoming like God—meaning we are called to be perfect and compassionate as our heavenly Father is perfect and compassionate (Matthew 5:48; Luke 6:36). The primary way we express this Christ-like maturity is by welcoming home our lost brothers and sisters the same way our Father welcomes us.

The Gospel accounts illustrate Jesus’ life as a continuous act of unconditional welcome. He stopped for the woman with an issue of blood, heard the blind beggar’s desperation, and welcomed those considered outsiders: tax collectors, lepers, prostitutes, and even the condemned thief on the cross. This total inclusivity reveals the character of the Father, whose open arms are the heartwarming reality of the Prodigal Son parable.

For those of us on a journey of recovery or battling mental health struggles, the memory of feeling like an outsider, judged, or unwanted can be deeply painful. Yet, having experienced God’s grace—that radical, non-judgmental embrace—we are now called to mirror it. We cannot truly receive forgiveness until we are willing to extend it, and we cannot claim spiritual maturity if our hearts are closed.

It is a good, crucial exercise to consider: How inviting are we? How welcoming are we? How loving are we? If our faith is real, it should translate into a tangible, open-door policy toward others, especially those who are struggling, messy, or different from us. Let us strive to resemble our Father in this essential quality, turning the inspiring picture of His love into an active practice in our own lives. Whom in your life today—perhaps a struggling family member, a difficult colleague, or a person you tend to judge—can you intentionally welcome with the unconditional love you have received from the Father?

—DH

In Deed
Identify one person you have been “keeping at a distance” due to their struggles or lifestyle. Intentionally reach out with a kind word or an invitation today, reflecting the open-hearted mercy God has shown you.

"Worry is assuming responsibility for things that are out of our control. That's pretty much everything."
05/28/2026

"Worry is assuming responsibility for things that are out of our control. That's pretty much everything."

"We have a choice: Focus on the person who hurt us or the God who heals us."
05/27/2026

"We have a choice: Focus on the person who hurt us or the God who heals us."

In Thought“It should be the work of Christians who believe in the paschal mystery to help people when they are being led...
05/27/2026

In Thought
“It should be the work of Christians who believe in the paschal mystery to help people when they are being led into the darkness and the void. The believer has to tell those in pain that this is not forever; there is a light, and you will see it. This isn't all there is. Trust it. Don't try to rush through it. We can't leap over our grief work. Nor can we skip over our despair work. We have to feel it. That means that in our life we have some blue days or dark days. Historic cultures saw it as the time of incubation, transformation, and necessary hibernation. It becomes sacred space, and yet this is the very space we avoid. When we avoid darkness, we avoid tension, spiritual creativity, and finally transformation. We avoid God who works in the darkness-where we are not in control! Maybe that is the secret.”

— Richard Rohr, Everything Belongs

In Reflection
Richard Rohr offers a crucial perspective on spiritual and emotional labor: we mustn’t try to rush through or leap over our grief work or despair work. The pain, the “blue days or dark days,” must be felt. Historic cultures understood these periods as times of incubation, transformation, and necessary hibernation. These dark seasons aren’t meant to be avoided; they are sacred space.

The difficulty lies in the fact that darkness represents the space where we are not in control. We instinctively flee discomfort, yet when we avoid darkness, we avoid the very tension and spiritual creativity required for transformation. This is profoundly true in the fields of mental health and addiction recovery, where healing begins as a painful “dance in the dark.” We’re often terrified of confronting the void of our struggles—the root of our trauma, the depth of our despair, or the full extent of our dependency.

The good news of the gospel, as presented in John 1:5, assures us that we are not alone in the dark: Christ is the life that brings light, and the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. Our God is at work there, actively exposing darkness, illuminating truth, and revealing righteousness.

We are called to find rest in Jesus in the midst of the chaos, to trust the promise that this darkness is not forever, and that the Lord who bears light will bring transformation. Don’t be afraid of the pain; embrace it as sacred ground where God is performing the deepest, most necessary work. What specific feeling (grief, despair, or anger) are you trying to rush past or avoid today, and what action of surrender can you take to trust God to work within that darkness?

—DH

In Deed
If you are facing a “dark day,” stop trying to fix it for ten minutes. Sit in the discomfort and acknowledge that God is currently in that dark space with you, performing a work of transformation you cannot see.

"The fastest way to raise your standards is to spend time with people who already live there."
05/26/2026

"The fastest way to raise your standards is to spend time with people who already live there."

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984 Boston Highway
Monticello, FL
32344

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