You can't handle the truth.

But hopefully you're working on that.  Coming out of denial is difficult isn't it?  It's funny how denial works, you move closer to the truth and out of denial.....and then a few short months or years later and you're back where you started.  That's not always true of course, but it can happen.

Last year a counselor advised me that I didn't always have to include same sex attraction in my introduction.  Because I didn't want it to define me.   So I've been rotating my introduction to include things I've probably been in denial about....like control.  I have  been pretty outspoken about same sex attraction since entering recovery and while it is still something I'm working on, I haven't focused as much on it.

Until now.  I've been asked to be a part of a panel on Same Sex Attraction and looking at the list of questions has me thinking.  I want to be articulate and educate people in a loving way on the subject.  It has made me think about how far I have come in some ways and how much work I have to do in others.  It's easy to let a part of our recoveries slip.  To fall back into old hurts, habits, and hang ups.  It is summer time (the theme of the blog) and we are all taking a break at some point or another, but our hurts, habits, and hang ups don't take breaks.

Now is a good time to do a HEART check.  Don't know what that is?  Check out your Celebrate Recovery materials and resources and learn more.  It is a great tool to use in coming out of denial.

Grateful Believer,

Andrew

A Cure for the Summertime Blues

I'm warning you right now: you're going to think I'm crazy.  You know that thing that some people have: Seasonal Affective Disorder that usually means winter depression? Well, I have that, but mine is in the summer instead of the winter. No, I'm serious. It's a real thing.  For me, it seems fitting that summer rhymes with "bummer."

I know it's crazy because summer's full of fun and frolic. Everyone is excited to go on vacation, spend family time at picnics, take outings to the water park.

But as the temperature rises outside, I feel a dark cloud inching over my mood. I usually forget it's coming. Sometime towards the end of May, I'll feel the darkness moving in and think, "Hey, what's the deal? I've been pretty depressed lately." And then I remember.

I'm a grateful believer in Jesus who struggles with overeating, in addition to depression. So, summer also seems like a minefield of food to avoid, like frozen yogurt, and popsicles, and home-made ice cream, and . . .mmm . . . oh, sorry - I'm triggering myself.

But, like a pitcher of (sugar-free) lemonade on a scorching day, one summer event completely refreshes me: the C.R. Summit. Every year a group from our Celebrate Recovery travels to Orange County, California to attend this national C.R. conference. We attend trainings and sessions to explore how to lead and grow our Celebrate Recovery program. In past years, we have enjoyed lessons from well-known authors John Townsend and Henry Cloud (who wrote the ground-breaking book, Boundaries).  But the most energizing thing about the C.R. Summit is that I am in a large room, surrounded by people who have chosen to take off their masks. They GET IT!

 

Recovery folks know how to worship! If you've had the chance to visit us and see how happy we are to be out of denial and into God's Grace, you know what I mean. Worship at the C.R. Summit is like that, but with 1,900 additional, happy people!

So, I will get through the difficult summer days with the thought, "The Summit is coming! The Summit is coming!"  We promise to listen carefully, and pour our renewed enthusiasm back into our program. Next year, why don't you come with us?!

Grateful Believer,
Angi

Summer FUN

Nothing says Summer FUN like CR Training!!! For the past three summers our CR group has hosted an Area-Wide Leadership Training for Celebrate Recovery programs, and this Sunday we’re doing that again.  I really wasn’t kidding about the fun part and to prove it, I’ve turned FUN into an acrostic!!!

Training is FUN!

F stands for Free.  Our trainings are free and come with FREE childcare as well!  (That’s one reason I attend! haha kidding.) Even if you’ve been to numerous trainings before it never hurts to attend training again over the same subject – different trainers may explain something you haven’t heard before. This Sunday our topics will be focused on CR Leadership.

U stands for Understanding.  You gain understanding about our CR program and why “we do what we do” each and every time you attend trainings.  The basic principles of CR never change, but practices might.  What does that mean?  An example would be our TEAM learned at CR Summit (National Training) that it was recommended that each sharer in an open share group only share ONE TIME during the group meeting.  The TEAM came back and implemented that into our Friday night meetings.

N stands for Needed.  Okay I stretched the letter N on this one to Needed if you want to Lead!  Training is needed (meaning required) if you ever want to LEAD in our CR program.  We feel like we have well trained leaders that work hard to insure the safety of our groups.    We do keep track of who attends training so we are aware when participants have met the requirements to lead.

This Sunday from 3-6 we will be hosting our 4^th annual area-wide training session.  We will meet in the Summit in the same room we’ve been meeting in each Friday night this Summer.  There are over 30 visitors coming so we need a GREAT showing from our group as well, call a friend and ask them to come with you!  Beat the HOT SUMMER HEAT and come enjoy our FREE air-conditioned training!! ; )  You’re bound to have a FUN time!

Grateful Believer,

Karyn

Summer Church Camp

This summer I got the chance to go to church camp and be a counselor!

Growing up I loved church camp until the 9th grade when I had a bad experience with a counselor and never went back. It was interesting being at back at church camp with so many kids and adults in one place with recovery eyes this time.

I have had many "light bulb moments" since I began my recovery journey almost 4 years ago, but one of the biggest one's is that "Hurt people, Hurt people!" Since learning and understanding that statement I feel like I am able to have more compassion, be less judgmental, and even almost sense the hurt in others. I have never been to a church camp that did not have some drama or some hurt people in attendance, and the week I went to camp this summer was no exception.

Many times I sat back and felt like I was watching myself back in high school.  Before my recovery, I would have been a hard-nosed by the book counselor (or as a camper I would want to be "right" more than I wanted to go back to camp).  I would not have cared why people were breaking the rules, what their background was, or honestly what hurts they had in their lives. I would just want to hand out the punishments.

Recovery has caused me  to react slower to people and their actions and has opened my heart that other people's life journeys have peaks and pits just like mine. Even with my own kids now I feel like when they are acting out or doing something to get in trouble, my first reaction a lot of times is now to ask them what is going on or what happened in their day instead of handing out punishments. When I have the whole story it helps me set consequences and are usually more effective. I know that in my life I have hurt a lot of people out of my own hurt and to be honest at the time I did not know that I was doing that. Celebrate Recovery has helped me be honest about those hurts for the first time because I was able to share them free of judgment, which has made it easier to be honest about the hurt I have caused others. When I was able to be honest about the things I have said and done to hurt others, it made it easier for me to become more compassionate and less judgmental of others on their rough days in life.

Someone once told me "I sure hope no one remembers me for the worst things I have ever done!" I have made it a goal to not do that with others. I can't say it is always easy but one thing I have learned is that EVERYONE has hurts in their life and everyone has to have their own journey. My focus should be to "take this sinful world as it is not as I would have it and trust that he will make all things right if I surrender to his will!"  When I am able to do that I will "be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him forever in the next."

Grateful Believer,
JEN