Sauk Valley Recovery Alive

03/09/2026

Some more awesome paintings from our end of the month Step 2 paint party!

03/08/2026

We're on step 3 this month! Come learn with us, then paint the step at the end of the month!

02/10/2026

You don’t have to carry everything alone.

We’re starting a Peer Support Group at Open Door, which will be a safe, welcoming space to share honestly, listen deeply, and connect with others who understand real-life struggles. This group will meet on the third Thursday of each month at 6pm in the chapel, beginning Thursday, February 19.

What is a Peer Support Group?
A peer support group is made up of people who have faced (or are facing) similar challenges like stress, mental health struggles, grief, trauma, addiction recovery, or seasons of overwhelm. It’s not therapy and it’s not clinical. It’s people walking alongside people, offering empathy, encouragement, and understanding.

What you can expect:
• Open, judgment-free conversation
• Confidentiality and mutual respect
• Encouragement, shared wisdom, and hope
• Practical coping skills and mental discipline (learning to better manage thoughts, emotions, and behaviors)
• A reminder that you are truly not alone

Whether you’re feeling isolated, worn down, or just need a place to talk and be heard, this group exists for you. There’s no cost, no pressure, and no requirement to share more than you’re comfortable with. This is a supportive community moving toward healing together.

🗓 Third Thursdays of each month
🕕 6:00 pm
📍 Chapel at Open Door Community Church
1705 6th Ave, Sterling, IL

Sometimes healing starts simply by showing up and being heard. You’re welcome here.

02/03/2026

RA Step & Paint

01/26/2026

Thinking about checking out Recovery Alive but haven’t quite taken the step yet? This Friday might be the perfect night.

We’re hosting a special Recovery Alive gathering: Step & Paint 🎨
We’ll spend time talking through Step 1 – The Power of Weakness:
“We admitted we were powerless and that our lives had become unmanageable.”

Then, instead of just talking, we’ll get creative! We'll be using art as a way to process, reflect, and express what this step means in our own lives. You don’t have to be an artist (stick figures welcome). Art has a powerful way of helping us say things we don’t always have words for, and this night is about space, honesty, and grace.

If you’ve been on the fence about Recovery Alive, this is a great, low-pressure way to try it out. Recovery Alive isn’t just for drugs or alcohol. It’s for anyone who recognizes there are patterns, habits, or hurts that aren’t leading to the life God is inviting us into.

Come as you are. Be curious. Be honest. Be creative. You might be surprised by what God meets you with.

See you this Friday at 6pm at Open Door Community Church

01/23/2026

Due to the freezing temperatures expected this evening we are choosing to cancel Recovery Alive tonight.

If you are struggling and need to talk with someone inbox us for directions.

Stay warm and trust God!

01/13/2026

Dress to inspire change!

Online ordering for Sauk Valley Recovery Alive! Fundraising Webstore ends on Sun, Jan 25, 2026 (11:59 PM CST)

01/02/2026

Whether you're leaning fully into "New Year/New You" or you're taking a quieter approach, 2026 is the perfect year to start your recovery journey.

Maybe you're tired of waking up hungover.

Maybe you're finding yourself having to use substances more frequently to get the high you're looking for and you're tired of it.

Maybe the holidays revealed some generational trauma you don't want to pass on.

Maybe your anxiety and depression are out of control.

Maybe you've been doomscrolling for the last hour because you're feeling numb.

Maybe life isn't going quite the way you want it to and you're struggling to cope.

Whatever the reason, recovery is for you.

It's not just about drugs or alcohol. It's about finding freedom from the hurts, addictions, mental challenges, and more. It's about meeting a Jesus who loves you in your mess and is ready to take you out of it.

You don't have to recover alone. In fact, you have a better chance of experiencing the freedom you're seeking when you do it together.

Join us Fridays at 6pm at Open Door Community Church and make 2026 the year you find freedom.

12/25/2025

Sometimes hope doesn’t arrive fully formed.
Sometimes it comes small, wrapped, and hidden. Growing slowly over time.

Recovery works that way too.
Small steps. Small victories. Small beginnings.
But real hope nonetheless.

This Christmas, celebrate every tiny step you’ve taken toward healing.
They matter more than you think.

From all of us at Recovery Alive, Merry Christmas.

12/22/2025

The manger wasn’t clean, quiet, or comfortable.
It was messy. Cramped. Unexpected.

Maybe that’s why it’s the perfect place for hope to begin because God isn’t scared of our mess.

If your recovery journey feels chaotic this season, remember:
Jesus chose a messy beginning so He could meet you in yours.

Join us Fridays at 6:00 pm at Open Door Community Church as you find hope in messy beginnings that find redemption in Christ Jesus.

12/20/2025

You don’t have to pretend everything is merry and bright.
Sometimes the most sacred Christmas moments are the ones where we quietly admit:

“I need help. I need hope. I need healing.”

And Jesus meets us right there.
Not in the noise, but in the honest stillness.

Recovery starts with honesty. It starts with asking for help.
Christmas celebrates the One who holds us steady when life feels anything but silent or calm.

Join us Fridays at 6:00 pm at Open Door Community Church as we embrace the honesty of this messy life and the hope found in the one who started out as a helpless baby.