Tetelestai Recovery

Finding Freedom from Addiction: The Impact of ‘It Is Finished’

In the original language of the New Testament, the phrase “It is finished,” was translated from the Greek word Tetelestai. I was introduced to this word one day when I was well into my fourth year of permanent healing from addiction. I didn’t realize at the time that I was entering the phase of my recovery that would prove to be permanent.

It was through this word that I started to delve deeper into the power of the last words of Christ “It is finished.” I discovered the power of Tetelestai, during a year-long court battle which had been a residual consequence from my old life. The day I appeared in court to hear the verdict and receive my sentence, I claimed this scripture and the word Tetelestai over my case.  I was relieved by the peace it held and became willing to accept whatever God had in store for me, even if it meant a year in prison.

I prayed this scripture and acknowledged the fact that God had already redeemed me. He had made me a new creation by healing me from addiction. As I was praying that morning, God was working on the judge.  He gave the judge an insight into something that no one else had seen. To everyone’s surprise, he dismissed my case, and I walked out of there a free man.

We all knew that Jesus, my advocate, was at work in that courtroom. I also know that He delivered the insight into my judge’s mind around the same time my wife and I were praying that morning.  When the verdict was given, it seemed as if Jesus said, “’It is finished!  Let my servant, Marc get back to handling the work I’ve given him to do.”


Tetelestai Recovery

From Addiction to Redemption: My Journey

I suffered from anxiety all  my life and didn’t know what to call it. I self-medicated with drugs and alcohol, which only made the problem worse. I ended up hitting bottom in the worst way and was facing prison. Thankfully, I didn’t run. I did my time and that is where I met Jesus. I continued progress after my release and recently celebrated 17 years clean and sober.

Since leaving prison, God has placed people in my path who would help me in my journey. One was a doctor who understood addiction and provided me with safe, legal, non-addictive medication that relieved my anxiety. Later, God brought a man into my life who was also in recovery. He had found Jesus and sobriety while incarcerated several years earlier and was currently hosting AA and NA meetings in our local jail. We eventually married and now enjoy a life that is better than we ever imagined possible. We owe all credit to Jesus who gathered up our shattered lives and restored us to sanity.

Through our journey and subsequent prison ministry, we wrote the book, Tetelestai Recovery: It is Finished, which details our journey into the freedom and recovery found in the final words of Jesus, “It is finished!”


Person hiking on foggy forest path with walking stick and backpack
A Date With Destiny

Detach from Toxic People: A Path to Emotional Freedom

.

“Don’t pay attention to everything people say – you may hear someone insulting you.”

(Ecclesiastes 7:21)


Without judgment, repulsion or excuse, you gently detach from people who exhibit little concern for the pain they cause or the negative impact they have on their fellow humans.

You do not join in with those who belittle or diminish another’s worth.

You remove yourself from environments which are darkened by oppression, hate, disrespect, and intolerance. You do not allow yourself to be impacted by their insults. You choose to ignore their words so you don’t get caught up in defensive arguments or become ensnared by anger and resentment.

You realize these painful experiences often bring emotional results. You don’t understand why people are so awful to each other.

In quiet times, as you vent to God in sorrowful prayers, He hears and understands.

The demeaning and insulting expressions that offend you, are the same ones that offend Him too.


Man wearing raincoat sitting on wooden bench holding umbrella in rainy park
A Date With Destiny

Finding Hope in Times of Sorrow

Sorrow may sadden your face, but it sharpens your understanding.

(Ecclesiastes 7:3)


You sense God’s presence with greater intensity during times when you are down and find it impossible to stand on your own. 

Because of this, you have learned to be grateful for your struggles, for they generate a new level of intimacy between you and your Creator.

You know God is there to help shoulder the heaviness you feel when your heart is sad and therefore, you are able to find hope even in the midst of despair. 

Through this, you gain a greater appreciation for the relationship you have with the Divine and a deeper understanding of the value of His presence.  

Add colorful clothing to people outside cell
Tetelestai Recovery

Transcending Addiction: A Progressive Approach

The Tetelestai Recovery Series is a collection of faith-based recovery books written by Marc and Lori Ridenour, based on their own experience with alcoholism and drug addiction. Rooted in the biblical declaration “It is finished” (John 19:30), the series offers a faith-based approach to finding lasting freedom from addiction and the emotional wreckage that accompanies it. 

Available in Paperback, Kindle, and Audiobook formats.


Volume 1: Tetelestai Recovery: It is Finished
Introduces the core concepts of the series. It targets suffering addicts, chronic relapsers, and their loved ones. The authors provide evidence of permanent sobriety by focusing on Christ’s ultimate healing rather than the traditional life-long struggle.

You can browse this volume on Amazon.


Volume 2: Our New Normal
Focuses on the often awkward and overwhelming early stages of sobriety. This book guides readers through identifying and resolving emotional and social dysfunctions, helping them navigate fears and resentments.

https://a.co/d/04079fyX


Volume 3: Leveling Up
A lifeline designed to assist individuals in achieving long-term, lasting victory over any addiction to reach their full potential. 

https://a.co/d/06VM8Qz1


Tetelestai Recovery

Break Free from Dark Thought Cycles

The trajectory of our future is altered by our thoughts when we base them on the perceived realities that swirl around in our brains unchecked. We may hate our pessimism and suspicion, but we can’t break out of the cycle. We may despise our long dreary days of dark thought spirals, but we can’t seem to stop them once they start.

We think about what people were saying about us behind our backs. We wonder if they really wish we weren’t around. We suspect we are going to be fired, dumped, rejected, or abandoned. We replay old conversations, trying to read between the lines so we can better prepare for a number of worst-case scenarios that are likely to befall us.


It has been said that a coward dies a thousand times, a brave man, only once.

***********************

Our thoughts create the reality we live in, whether they align with the truth or not.


To level up, we must develop healthy thought patterns and discipline our minds to stay on a positive track. We can no longer allow our thoughts to wander aimlessly through the minefield of our worst imaginations. We must carve new pathways for our thoughts to travel. We need to keep our thoughts on the high road and pump the brakes when we are headed for the ditch.

But how?

Glowing maze in the silhouette of a human head on dark background
Tetelestai Recovery

Rerouting Your Brain: Overcoming Circular Thinking Patterns

“Be very careful about what you think. Your thoughts run your life.” (Proverbs 4:23)

To level up, we must evaluate the quality of our thoughts. There are established neuropathways in our brains that need to be rerouted. We do not wish to remain stuck in circular thought processes, like mental roundabouts, which have no outlet or resolution.


When suspicious thoughts come to mind, after an encounter with someone we don’t trust, we go into self-preservation mode and begin analyzing all the things they said or did that just don’t add up. We evaluate our observations to confirm our suspicions. We are angry that they think we can be so easily manipulated. We contemplate ways we can call it out and let them know we are onto them.

Our mental trails lead us into darkened paths, where we get tangled in the weeds of irritation and resentment. We are offended and angered by such a lack of respect. We vow to be more defiant and difficult, to prevent ourselves from being underestimated again.

By the time we cycle through the process described in the last two paragraphs, several hours have passed and we find ourselves in a depressive state of mind. The series of events that triggered the entire process are irrelevant. Our thoughts, fears, and imaginations merged into a twisted reality that we forced ourselves to endure.

Split image showing a happy woman hiking with 'YES Paths and Possibilities' and a sad woman sitting with 'NO Hesitation and Regret'
Tetelestai Recovery

Understanding the Power of Yes and No

Split image showing a happy woman hiking with 'YES Paths and Possibilities' and a sad woman sitting with 'NO Hesitation and Regret'

As we level up, we begin to view every decision as both a yes and a no. Every yes carries an implied no, and every no carries an indirect yes

  • If we say yes to the blue shirt, we are also saying no to the red one.
  • If we say yes to a shower, we are also saying no to bad hygiene.
  • If we say yes to watching TV, we are also saying no to going outside.
  • If we say yes to healthy habits, we are saying no to junk food and laziness. We are also saying no to medical problems and poor self-image.
  • If we say yes to wasting time at work, or stealing from our employer, we are saying no to a clean conscience and integrity. As a result, we will develop resentment toward our boss to help alleviate our guilt.
  • If we say no to flirtations from a co-worker, we are saying yes to the trust and respect of our spouse.
  • If we say yes to gratitude, we are saying no to discontentment.
  • If we say yes to good manners, we are saying no to boorish behavior.

If we say yes to forgiveness, we are saying no to the weight of being easily offended, resulting in freedom and peace of mind.

 

Let your yes be yes, and your no be no.  Matthew 5:37

For every yes, there is a no; and for every no, there is a yes. As we level up, we become aware of our personal guardrails and use good judgement concerning what to accept and what to reject.

Land Rover driving through muddy off-road trail during sunset
Tetelestai Recovery

Mastering Personal Growth Through Mindful Decisions

Land Rover driving through muddy off-road trail during sunset

Just as potholes, ruts, mud, and carelessness are a bad combination when driving on muddy country roads, relationships and personal growth can also be messy, so we can’t afford to be careless with our decisions. We might not be able to control the storms of life, but we can control our focus and reaction.

When driving on a muddy road, we need to be precise in our movements, grasping the steering wheel securely, scanning the horizon, watching for standing water, and making conscious, deliberate adjustments to speed and direction. And above all else, never get too close to the edge.

As we level up in our new normal, we must adopt that same type of mindset with our life choices as we do for driving flooded roads. Our decisions and actions need to be precisely calculated to achieve the results we want. Just as it would be foolish to walk carelessly along the edge of a ravine, it is also foolish to see how close we can get to temptation without giving in.  

To level up, we must acknowledge that every action starts with a choice. And every choice carries two equal and opposite decisions. In other words, every choice carries both a yes and a no decision.

If we say yes to sobriety, we say no to chaos and destruction. And visa-versa. If we say yes to a drink or drug, we say no to hope and sanity. When we say yes to thinking about our choices, we say no to making the same dumb decisions, expecting different results.

Dining table with Christmas decorations, wine bottles, glasses, and place settings
Tetelestai Recovery

Navigating Emotional Turmoil in Family Relationships

We find that nothing spotlights our dysfunctions quite so vividly as when family shows up to help! Granted, it is a blessing to have family who care enough to show up, but we also know the risk. For those of us, whose tendency is to shut down emotionally when family dynamics are in play, our emotions become glitchy and start to malfunction. We say the wrong thing, blurt out secrets, wear the wrong clothes, belong to the wrong social groups, and vote for the wrong candidate.

It has been said that family is everything. Families can teach us about loyalty, behavior, and self-preservation. They can teach us work ethics and responsibility. Families also teach us how to be manipulative, sarcastic, and selfish. All families have their own layers of drama, chaos, and distrust.

Some families are quite ordinary. Some families are quite extraordinary. All families have dysfunctions, traditions, trauma, and mixed messages.

Family members know too much about each other and the history they all share. Family can push our buttons like no one else. Family can make us feel included or rejected; loved or despised; powerful or weak. Although family dynamics are messy, they are God’s plan for a place to start. Unfortunately, each generation has an ancestry made up of humans, so we all possess some elements of dysfunction within our family code…