Bill Orthwein

Coach

Bill Orthwein is the Director/Recovery Coach for Greener Pastures Recovery (GPR), a 501c3 Public Charity whose main purpose is to fund/run faith-based recovery programming inside prisons, jails and rehabs, and to assist inmates/patients on the inside and individuals on the outside break free from the bondage of addictive behavior..

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Bill Orthwein

Coach

Bill Orthwein is the Director/Recovery Coach for Greener Pastures Recovery (GPR), a 501c3 Public Charity whose main purpose is to fund/run faith-based recovery programming inside prisons, jails and rehabs, and to assist inmates/patients on the inside and individuals on the outside break free from the bondage of addictive behavior..

Over the last 7 years as the Celebrate Recovery Inside (CRI) State Representative Bill has worked with thousands of individuals, inmates, and patients in churches, recovery groups, prisons, jails ,and alcohol/drug rehabs across Colorado running CR programming and sharing his story as a Public Speaker, Motivator, and Encourager.  Bill sets up and facilitates, and recruits, equips, and trains others to set up and facilitate weekly Celebrate Recovery Inside programming behind bars, in rehabs and also assists inmates/patients upon release. He also teaches an online course called Journal Your Journey which helps people gain traction anywhere on the continuum from addiction/relapse to lasting recovery, from a seemingly hopeless end to endless hope, from wasteland to greener pasture so they can live happy, joyous and free.  Bill writes entertaining, compelling Short Stories that showcase God's Hand in his life.  Bill will not be receiving a salary from the non-profit for the foreseeable future.  All tax-free contributions from individuals, churches, corporations, companies, foundations will go to books, materials, printing, outreach, and travel expense.  Thank you in advance for your kindness and generosity.

MY STORY

After 5 unsuccessful alcohol/drug rehabs, and 6+ unsuccessful surgeries to eradicate an “incurable” bone infection in my left hip, I decided I would retire to my farm in Costa Rica to learn to “drink responsibly”.  Blood oozed with each step out of a boil the size of a coconut from my left infected hip.  I was a dead man hobbling, a grisly existence.

I found bottom after a 4-day party spree with no sleep, in a head over heels fall, off a 50-foot waterfall, alone, in the middle of the jungle.  I have no recollection of the fall, but I remember vividly the violent splash of water, and the brilliant yellow and blue flash of light as I regained consciousness. Baptized, with a full on back-buster. into a foot and a half of water.  Miraculously, I was unhurt.

I knew God had just saved my life.  Desperate, hopeless, in shock, I prayed.  I thanked God for saving my life. I told Him that if He would get me thru my 51st birthday, the same year in life that my mom had quit drinking, that I would try and lay the party life down and serve Him the rest of my life.  I was 50 at the time.

Doctors in Costa Rica estimated my chance of death from the infection at 70%, amputation was assumed. Out of nowhere my mega successful friend and mentor Jamie heard I was going to die from my addictions, or the hip infection.  He flew down and extricated me from Costa Rica and arranged medical treatment in Dallas.  My determining, final surgery was coincidentally scheduled on my 51st birthday.

My mentor’s son Jay, a good friend from high school and a disciple of Jesus Christ, dropped by my hospital room a week before surgery to give me a Bible, and pray for me.  He prayed that the obsession for alcohol and drugs would be replaced with a passion for God, and that my leg would be healed.  I said, “Jay, how exactly is that going to work, I have had 5 unsuccessful rehabs and many unsuccessful surgeries on my hip?  How is that going to work?" My friend said, “With God all things are possible.” I told him I would need to see that for myself.  Jay left me with this, “Bill if you don’t find Jesus in all of this you might as well keep on drinking.” That stuck with me.

I woke up from surgery on my 51st birthday, looked down to see my left leg intact, and smiled at my doctor, who was smiling at me.  He told me that the infection that had ravaged my body for the last seven years miraculously was gone, that he had given me a new hip, and that I would soon be able to walk out of the hospital. I attended my 6th and final rehab at i360 in Dallas under the expert tutelage of Dr. Kevin Gilliland.

I was planning on returning to Costa Rica, but my mentor warned me that it is difficult to be a new man in an old place, and that moving forward I should try and make new mistakes. He suggested moving to Basalt, Colorado.  I relocated and began attending AA faithfully, committed to journaling, and reading the Big Book.  A pivotal passage read, ‘When I was crushed by a self-imposed crisis that I could no longer postpone or evade, I was faced with the proposition that God was either everything, or He was nothing, what was my choice to be?”  It suddenly dawned on me that opening my heart and mind to God was my lesson in all of this.

I immediately visited the non-denominational church across the street from my house, Cornerstone Christian Center in Basalt. Pastor Jim Tarr was pivotal in opening my heart and mind to Jesus, and the reality of God’s love for me. By Godwink, there was an INSTE Bible Study starting the next week, so I began to read the Bible for the first time in my life. I thought there wasn’t anything in there for me until I ran across Jacob, who after sending his earthly possessions across the river, found himself wrestling with God.  And that God touched Jacob’s hip to get his attention, just like He had done for me.  But what stopped me in my tracks was Proverbs 23:29-35, “Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes? Those who linger over wine, who go to sample bowls of mixed wine.  Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly!  In the end it bites like a snake, and poisons like a viper.  Your eyes will see strange sights, and your mind will imagine confusing things.  You will be like one sleeping on the high seas, lying on top of the rigging.  “They hit me,” you will say, “but I’m not hurt!  They beat me, but I don’t feel it! When will I wake up so I can find another drink?” That hit me like a ton of bricks because all of that was exactly my experience, exactly. And it then occurred to me, what if the rest of the Bible was that full of truth as well and what the implications of that might be.  Those readings piqued my curiosity, and opened my heart and mind to want to know more.

In summary: 20+ years of chronic addiction, an incurable leg infection, and a fall off a waterfall led me to AA.  AA led me to reading The Bible and church, which led me to Celebrate Recovery. AA/Church/The Bible/CR led me to Service Work.  Service Work led me to becoming the Salvation Army Red Kettle Captain for the last 12 years where I watched God accumulate over $200,000 for those in need, mostly in $1 bills.  At my church I was blessed to have become the Celebrate Recovery Ministry Leader, Assimilation Coach, Training Coach, and Encourager Coach, and then move into Prison/Jail Ministry with CR Inside. From there I have been blessed to become the Colorado State Representative for Celebrate Recovery Inside in our state prisons, jails, and rehabs for the last 7 years and have had the pleasure of sharing my story and working with thousands of inmates, rehab patients and individuals across Colorado.  Recently I am become the Director of Greener Pastures Recovery, a non-profit 501c3 Public Charity whose main purpose is to recruit, organize, train, and equip volunteers around Colorado to run Celebrate Recovery and other 12 Step programming in our prisons, jails, and rehabs, and to assist inmates/patients with programs, services, and assistance upon reentry.  I teach people how to Journal their Journey, am a Public Speaker, a Recovery Coach (CCAR trained, working on full certification), and hope soon will be a published author.

God is good. I could not walk without excruciating pain for 10 years prior to my last surgery, but by God’s grace I have skied pain free over 600 times over the last 12 years.  If you would like to pray for me, pray that I get off the beginners slopes it is getting embarrassing.  I don’t climb waterfalls anymore.

Here are the reasons you can depend on Bill Orthwein to help you gain traction anywhere on the continuum from addiction/relapse to lasting recovery:

• REPUTABLE – Bill Orthwein has been around since 2015, a respected leader in his field and community.
  
• EXPERIENCED – Our proudest accomplishment is the large number of long term clients who put their trust in us year after year.
• INTEGRITY – Building a reputation of integrity takes years, but it takes only a second to lose. We don’t believe in cutting corners. The foundation of our reputation is our commitment to do the right thing at all times, regardless of whether anyone is watching.
• RESOURCES – We offer a wide variety of development and training programs built on timeless principles that get results.
• CUSTOMIZABLE – All of our curriculum can be customized to specifically address your individual and organizational needs.
• 100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEE – We want you to be completely satisfied with our services. We will do whatever it takes to make you happy. No hassles, no problems.

Greener Pastures Recovery’s Story

My name is Bill Orthwein. I have been blessed to share my story and work with thousands of inmates, patients, and individuals over the last 7 years as the Celebrate Recovery Inside (CRI) State Representative. My job is to lead, and to recruit/train/equip others to lead CRI programming in our state/federal prisons, county jails, and alcohol/ drug rehabs across Colorado. Our CRI Mission Statement is “Taking Jesus, As He Is, To People, As They Are.”

Celebrate Recovery is a Christ-centered 12-step fellowship/recovery program for life’s hurts, hang-ups, or habits. It’s like AA with the Bible but is for all life issues. CR is based on the 12 steps from AA, and the Beatitudes from the Bible. CR started over 30 years ago at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, CA and we are now in over 30,000 churches worldwide. Celebrate Recovery Inside is our recovery ministry specifically designed for prisons, jails, rehabs, and transitional facilities.

Prior to COVID we had 36 weekly CRI groups up and running and were averaging 15 inmates or patients per meeting.  That translates to over 800 inmate or patient hours of CRI programming per week across Colorado.  Studies have shown inmates or rehab patients involved with CRI during incarceration/ treatment are 10 times less likely to return to prison/ jail/ rehab. CRI has one of the best recidivism rates in the history of incarceration/ rehab. Unfortunately, all facilities were shut down to volunteers during COVID, so we are now starting over from scratch.  
GREENER PASTURES RECOVERY/CELEBRATE RECOVERY INSIDE URGENTLY NEED VOLUNTEERS, PRAYER, AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT!

A supporter of CRI suggested that we form a non-profit to help with funding which would allow individuals, churches, companies, and foundations to make tax deductible charitable contributions.  Danny Duchene, our CR Inside National President, gave us the green light, and shortly after applying Greener Pastures Recovery (GPR) was approved by the IRS as a 501c3 Public Charity.  Greener Pastures Recovery’s main purpose is to recruit, organize, train, and equip volunteers to run Celebrate Recovery and other 12-step programming in our prisons, jails, and rehabs, and to assist inmates/patients with programs and services upon reentry. 

Statistics show that roughly 16% of our population are predisposed to addiction, and that 80% of patients leaving rehab will drink/use again. To address this reality Greener Pastures offers Recovery Coaching to individuals, rehabs, and to inmates/patients upon release, really to anyone who wants help in gaining traction anywhere on the continuum from addiction/relapse to lasting recovery, from a seemingly hopeless end to endless hope, from wasteland to greener pastures.  And Greener Pastures Recovery will be compensated for it, every penny going back to the non-profit.  I am not receiving a salary, not will I be for the foreseeable future, all funds will go to books, materials, cost of travel, and outreach.

CR Inside is back up and running in just 13 prisons/jails post COVID.  Lack of financing is our limiting factor in reestablishing our CRI groups, and in reaching our goal of having CRI in the 100+ prisons, jails, and rehabs across Colorado. The cost of books, DVD’s, materials, / printing is roughly $500/facility, and travel expense is significant.  Please consider sponsoring a facility, or financially supporting the ministry!  Churches love to help prison/recovery ministries, but sometimes don’t know how to, so please share this with your Pastor!  Tax deductible donations can be made by VENMO or check.  Please VENMO to greenerpasturesrecovery, or make checks out to Greener Pastures Recovery and mail to P.O. Box 6137, Denver CO, 80206. Thank you and God Bless You All!  

Why volunteer or financially support CR Programming inside a prison, jail or alcohol/ drug rehab?

Here are 5 great reasons:

1. JESUS CALLS US THERE, HE HAS A HEART FOR PRISONERS -- As Christians, if someone were thirsty, hungry, naked, sick, or alone we would know to help.  But we are not hardwired, in the same way, to visit those in prison.  So it comes as a surprise when Jesus ties the importance of assisting with basic needs at the same level of importance as visiting prisoners.  It’s not normally on our radar, but it is on His.  In the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats Jesus says, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I was sick and you looked after me, and when I was in prison and you came to visit me.”  In His parable Jesus repeats this list four times, and then for emphasis, ties our response to our salvation.  Visiting prisoners is important to Him.  “What you did, or did not do, for one of the least of these, you did or did not do for me.”  Jesus has a heart for those in prison!
2. IT’S GOOD FOR OUR RECOVERY --The Recovery Triangle has Recovery across the bottom, Unity on the left side, Service on the right, and God at the top.  We walk the Road of Recovery across the bottom of the triangle as we get closer to God at the top by engaging the action steps of Unity and Service on the sides.  The bigger the Unity and Service commitments, the bigger the Triangle, the bigger our Recovery.  Prison, jail, rehab ministries are effective and rewarding service commitments, and are great for our Recovery!
3. PRISONS, JAILS AND REHABS ARE A TARGET RICH ENVIRONMENTS – “Movemental Discipleship Making” is when one Christian leads another to Jesus, and then that Christian leads another to Christ, and so on, until there are 5 generations of Believers in a population.  One of the only places in the United States this is happening today is inside prisons.  Inmates have consequence, desire for change, and time on their hands for contemplation.  They are experiencing real life problems, and we have the Solution, which is Jesus.  CR volunteers are Angels with Answers
4. CELEBRATE RECOVERY/CELEBRATE RECOVERY INSIDE FIT LIKE A GLOVE; BY GOD’S GRACE, WE ARE STATISTICALLY ONE OF THE BEST CHANCES FOR SUCCESSFUL RECOVERY IN THE HISTORY OF INCARCERATION/REHAB - Prison Fellowship is the most well-known, and well-funded Prison Ministry group in the world.  PF spends over $40 million dollars/year on Bibles for inmates, and they are politically connected.  James Ackerman is the CEO of Prison Fellowship, and he was invited to the White House to speak with President Trump about the status of reentry.  President Trump asked James Ackerman what currently was in place that offers inmates the best chance for successful reentry.  The first thing out of the James Ackerman’s mouth was Celebrate Recovery.  Studies have shown that inmates are 10 times less likely to return to incarceration if they attend CR on the inside, and then continue with CR on the outside, versus the normal population.  This Ministry is well worth your time!
5. IT’S A LOT OF FUN, AND IT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE-GUARANTEED!

Are you sick and tired of being STUCK?

Greener Pastures Recovery helps stuck people like you gain traction anywhere on the continuum from addiction/relapse to lasting recovery, from a seemingly hopeless end to endless hope, from wasteland to greener pastures, so they can live happy, joyous and free.

Ignoring a problem never makes it go away… it only makes things worse, and ultimately harder to solve. The good news is that you’ve come to the right place to jumpstart your life! The difference between staying where you are indefinitely, and moving forward to realize your potential, is all about taking action.

Did you know there is a sequence to SUCCESS? 

Success doesn’t happen by chance. It happens by choice. When you combine the right information with precise implementation you get rapid transformation!

Greener Pastures Recovery has identified a formula that anyone, or any organization, can follow to achieve outstanding results.

In life there are always going to be ups and downs. What if you could learn how to make the up times last—and minimize or eliminate the down times? Greener Pastures Recovery provides training solutions that do just that.

We can help you achieve greater success, faster, and with fewer setbacks. Don’t take our word for it… we’ll prove it to you!

We have the proven resources to transform your life. From on-site workshops to online courses, coaching, consulting and more, we create change from the inside out. We offer a wide array of development and training programs built on timeless principles that get results.

Our transformational coaching curriculum is designed to produce maximum results in minimal time. We support you in developing and refining the skills you need to succeed. We’ll help you confront challenges head-on and develop a plan of action to overcome what has hindered you in the past.

Our Coaching Clients Receive:

• Personalized coaching curriculum designed for you
• Weekly/ Monthly coaching sessions
• Specific action-oriented assignments
• Direct email access to your coach
• Confidential advice and accountability
• And much, much more!

What did Michael Jordan, Princess Diana, and Oprah Winfrey all have in common? They all used coaches. Even at the peak of their careers, great leaders continue to use coaches to help them achieve more. If you are ready to take action and create the outcomes you want, we offer coaching programs to assist you in the process. Improve your performance and your results!

Pursue a more focused level of intentional growth through our transformational coaching services. To learn more about how you or your team can benefit from our customized coaching solutions click here.

Overcoming Addictions

Addiction is a common battle. Most people struggle silently and fail miserably at getting free from addictive behaviors. 

Whether you or a loved one suffer from addiction to drugs, alcohol, gambling, pornography, food, smoking or anything else, you can find freedom! In this liberating lesson you will learn: 

• Why Willpower Is NOT Enough… And What Works
• How to Stop Faulty Thinking Dead in its Tracks
• How to Be Free of Dependency FOREVER
• The 5 Ways to Beat Addiction and Design a New Future
• How to Create Your Own Personal Game Plan for Winning

Do you need a training to help you master your trade, but can’t imagine it fitting into your busy schedule?
We’ve built an online training curriculum that provides you with the benefits of live training, but without the constraints.

Greener Pastures Recovery offers high quality online video training that you can watch on your own time. So you can learn on your own time—and grow on your own time. We pour passion, knowledge, and practical pointers into all of our videos. Which means the trainings won’t just engage you; they’ll also change you.

You’ll become more knowledgeable, more capable, and more confident after going through our training. The skills you’ll learn will last you—and benefit you—for a lifetime.

Furthermore, we’ve worked hard to make our content is both easy to understand and easy to implement. All our trainings are broken into bite-sized lessons, which walk you through step-by-step until you complete the entire online curriculum.

Think about it…
There’s never been a better time in history to grow your skillset and mindset, since there’s never been a time in history when world-class training was so accessible! The internet has changed everything. The doors to growth, opportunity, and success are wide open. And so now is the time to train.

Write Your Way to Success

This practical program is designed to help you win at every stage of the writing process, from initial brainstorming to final drafts. 

For writers of all levels—beginners to published authors—this comprehensive program will give you a detailed plan of action for achieving your goals, including:

• A Step-by-Step Guide for Writing Books and Ebooks
• How to Market and Sell Your Book
• Publishing Success Secrets
• Writing Faster, Smarter and Better
• 5 Indispensable Tools of the Trade

Are you looking for a dynamic speaker that will make your next event a stunning success? Do you want entertaining and educational training that will leave your attendees raving long after the event? We've got you covered.

When you hire Greener Pastures Recovery for your conference, company, or church event, you don’t just get a bland, canned presentation. We customize every message specifically for your audience in order to achieve your desired outcomes. We get to know your organization, and your attendees, so that the message creates long-lasting results. Only material that is relevant to your audience is considered.

Greener Pastures Recovery’s straight-from-the-heart delivery, passion and energy, inspires audiences to go beyond their real and perceived limitations… and into step into their God-given potential. With charisma, warmth and humor, Greener Pastures Recovery, delivers the right message for your unique audience.

As a premier Keynote Speaker and leading authority on Discovering Destiny, Greener Pastures Recovery is a sought-after presenter who translates theory into bottom-line results for his clients. Rest assured, your people will love it. And they will be inspired to achieve more for themselves, your organization and your clients.

Our speaking schedule fills quickly, so we encourage you to contact us so we can set up a 15-minute call to determine if we are a good fit for each other.

Discover Your Destiny

Sooner or later everyone asks, “What is my purpose on this planet?” 

The concept of destiny can be confusing. On the one hand, we are responsible for our choices in life. 

But on the other hand, each of us has a unique set of strengths, talents and aspirations that are uniquely ours. 

In this illuminating program, Bill shows you exactly how to discover your God-given purpose and destiny:

• How to Experience a Life of Fulfillment and Joy
• Understanding Your Purpose, Passion and Potential
• How to Live Life in The “Sweet Spot”
• The 1 Powerful Strategy That Changes EVERYTHING
• How to Discover Your Voice and Calling

If you are ready to confront challenges head-on and develop a plan of action to overcome what has hindered you in the past and produce maximum results in minimal time, this FREE Coaching Session is for you!