Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

Read this month's Praise & Prayer Report

Since August 2025, the HUM Prayer Newsletter has been on a shared journey through the Beatitudes—exploring how these teachings speak into our own lives, the lives of our loved ones in need of healing and prayer, and the lives of the men and women we serve at Helping Up Mission.

It is appropriate as we wrapped up the Beatitudes in March, that during this Easter season we can reflect on how these eight blessings beautifully connect to the Twelve Steps of recovery. The following reflections are inspired by the Christian 12-Step Ministry Program (a Christian interpretation of the NA/AA 12 Steps).

Christian 12-Step Program	Beatitude
Step 1: I realize I’m not God; I admit that I am powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and that my life is unmanageable	“Happy are those who know that they are spiritually poor”.
Step 2: I earnestly believe that God exists, that I matter to Him and that He has the power to help me recover.	“Happy are those how mourn, for they shall be comforted.”
Step 3: I consciously choose to commit all my life and will to Christ’s care and control.	“Happy are the meek”.
Steps 4–5: I openly examine and confess my faults to myself, to God, and to someone I trust.	“Happy are the pure in heart”.
Steps 6–7: I voluntarily submit to any and all changes God wants to make in my life and humbly ask Him to remove my character defects.	“Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires”.
Steps 8–9: I evaluate all my relationships. Offer forgiveness to those who have hurt me and make amends for harm I’ve done to others when possible, except when to do so would harm them or others.	“Happy are the merciful.”
Steps 10–11: Reserve a time with God for self-examination, Bible reading, and prayer in order to know God and His will for my life and to gain the power to follow His will.	“Happy are the peacemakers”.
Step 12: I yield myself to God to be used to bring this Good News to others, both by my example and my words.	“Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires.”

As you can see, the Beatitudes lay the spiritual foundation for transformation — beginning with humility and leading to a life aligned with God’s will — just as the Twelve Steps guide individuals through a journey of surrender, healing, and renewal. Each Beatitude mirrors a step along the recovery path: from recognizing our poverty of spirit (Step 1), to mourning our past (Step 4), to seeking mercy and extending it to others (Steps 8–9), to ultimately finding purity of heart and peace through a daily walk with God (Steps 10–12).

Easter reminds us that through Christ’s resurrection, true transformation is possible. Just as Jesus overcame death and brought new life, those in recovery can experience a spiritual resurrection—moving from brokenness to wholeness, from despair to hope.

For the men and women at Helping Up Mission, this journey is lived out every day. Through the integration of the Beatitudes and the Twelve Steps, lives are being restored, hearts are being healed, and new purposes are being discovered.

As we celebrate this Easter season, may we all be reminded that no matter how far we have fallen, God’s grace offers us a path to renewal. Through faith, surrender, and daily commitment, we too can experience the promise of new life.

As we lift our daily prayers—for our loved ones, for the men and women at HUM, and for all those on our prayer list—may each of us embrace this journey of transformation and find peace, hope, and resurrection in Him.

Sara Noon, Helping Up Mission

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