Amy Cooper’s story of deliverance. Originally published in the Lynn Haven Ledger/Gulf Coast Gazette in August, 2017
It was her first stroll on the beach in two years, and the first walk she’d thoroughly enjoyed sober and clean in many more years than that. The smell of the salt air and intensity of the blue sky were a healing touch. She had finished out her almost 2 year prison sentence with 90 days in a halfway house in Pensacola, and then home confinement, and now she was almost completely free.
The ankle monitor was a constant reminder of her addictions and failings, but as her feet made indentations in the sand at the edge of the surf, and as the cool foamy water of the Gulf washed over her ankles, she was also reminded of God’s grace and forgiveness in washing it all away.
Amy Cooper, recovering addict, had been given a new mission. She started a blog, called it “Faith at the Beach,” then formed a 501(c)3. That was back in 2012. In 2015 she also established the Kelly Gorman Watson Women’s Center.
Amy’s Mission Statement for Faith at the Beach is John 14:12: “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.”
She believes wholeheartedly that everyone is valuable to God and worthy of love and forgiveness.
“There’s a stigma with addiction,” Amy confided to me. “Resentment leads to relapse,” because it’s driven by the fear of rejection, and feeling like they’re not being heard.
Amy has been hard at work for the past 5 years. She holds a National Certification in Advanced Clinical Intervention (NCACIP), and is an International Master’s Addictions Coach (IMAC). She works one on one with clients in many capacities.
Here’s a list of some of the services she offers:
- Intervention Services
- Sober and Recovery Coaching
- Food Addiction Coaching
- Self Esteem Coaching
- Drug Testing
- Court Evaluation Referrals
- Facilitating Transportation to and from Detox and Treatment
She receives referrals every day for intervention services. I asked her what some of the questions are she asks a prospective client to see if they’re really ready to change. She said she first asks them when was the last time they were high, what is their drug of choice, how long have they been using, whether they have children, what their living conditions are, and whether they have a job. The answers to these questions help Amy determine just how serious the addict is in really wanting help.
Amy is also a big advocate for 12 step immersion programs, and other support groups, not just for recovering addicts, but for their families as well. She’s seen it happen before – a family member calling her for help with their wife, husband, son, or daughter, then themselves falling apart once their loved one is on the road to recovery. Celebrate Recovery is just one resource for families of addicts, to help them on their own journey of recovery from living with and loving an addict and all the emotional trauma that accompanies it.
The Kelly Gorman Watson Women’s Center, named after a friend of Amy’s who lost her battle with addiction, was established as a ministry to come alongside women who are in recovery with practical help for such things as: resume assistance, career search, job training, professional attire, housing search, community hours service, and more.
Faith at the Beach also holds 2 fund raisers each year. The next one coming up in September is the 4th Annual BeachFAB 5k run/walk. The fund raiser will take place at Frank Brown Park in Panama City Beach on Saturday, September 16th, 2017. You can get more information about this event from their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/faithatthebeach/ . All the proceeds go toward helping those recovering from alcohol or substance addiction.
Amy’s blog www.faithatthebeach.com is also a great resource of encouragement and information. You can contact her through her blog site, her cell: 850-348-3313, or email: amycooper@faithatthebeach.com.
Here in our own backyard in the Panhandle of Florida it may seem like the opioid epidemic is a battle we’re losing, but the devastatingly difficult job recovering addicts like Amy Cooper do by rescuing those completely without hope and taken captive by their addictions is invaluable. Every single success story is a testament to Amy’s determination and ultimate reliance on God’s strength and forgiveness every day.
If you are struggling with addiction, there is help. There is life after addiction and Amy Cooper will tell you, it’s a wonderful ride when you’re clean and sober.
