I have been in addiction recovery for 34 years and I have spent the last 25 years of my life as a Lutheran pastor, my most recent call as senior pastor of a large Lutheran congregation in Bloomington, Minnesota. I am happily married and have raised four great children. I have so much to be grateful for. I assumed I would serve as pastor for another 10 years or so and then retire. But God always seems to have different plans than what I was anticipating. That ever happen to you?

This year I gave up my position as senior pastor and have become a half-time pastor in order to pursue this new calling. Along with giving up half my job, I’ve also given up half my pay and benefits. With the reduced income I’ve also taken out a loan to help get the Center of Addiction & Faith going. I guess you could say I’m all in.

This all feels kind of crazy and foolish and yet I’ve never been more certain about anything God wanted me to do. I believe in this. I believe this is what I’m supposed to do and I believe my life has prepared me for this exact work.

I tell you this because the other thing I am certain about is that I cannot do this important work alone. I need your help. I need partners in ministry who can help make this ministry happen. I believe together we can open eyes and transform lives. So many people are dying slow deaths of despair due to addiction, but they don’t need to be—addiction is preventable, it’s treatable, we can heal it. And when people are healed from this particular problem they become a force for good—there aren’t many diseases you can say that about. It’s a physical disease with a spiritual solution.

So, I’m asking for your help. Will you become a financial supporter? Will you help extend a hand to someone who is suffering?