I Celebrate Redemption

That’s not fair!

Having grown up as the youngest child in my family, these words were all too often aimed at my parents so that I could appropriately express my disapproval for why my older brother received benefits that I was not yet able to enjoy.  Important benefits such as being able to stay up until 10:30 when my bed time was 10.  Or getting to ride his bike around the neighborhood without parental supervision when I was still using training-wheels.  And no matter how persistently I tried to convince mom and dad of how the treatment my brother received wasn’t fair, they would always answer my dilemma with a particular phrase:  “Life’s not fair.”

At the time I thought this was just a typical parent cop out answer.  You know, answers and phrases like:  Because I said so; Money doesn’t grow on trees; If so and so jumped off a bridge, would you?; or, my personal favorite, One day, God willing, you’ll have one JUST like you.  At the time I didn’t realize how much truth there was in the phrase “Life’s not fair.”

As I journey along this road towards recovery, I am recognizing more and more this unfair, sinful world in which we live.  Life is full of unjust pain.  People endure abuse.  Children suffer from their parents’ divorce.  Death occurs to the least expected.  Addictions are formed without realizing the lifelong consequences that follow.  Day in and day out people battle their hurts, hang-ups, and habits.  Some days are completed victoriously and with ease!  Other days, however, are met with continuous struggle and strife.  The weight of the world can really bog us down and make us feel completely worn.

 
The artist Tenth Avenue North describes in their song Worn a feeling which many in recovery can relate. Feelings of a heavy heart, a soul crushed by the world, hopeless despair, losing the will to fight, empty prayers, and the desperate longing for the death inside to be reborn. Thankfully we have a Savior who provides redemption to a hopeless world! It may seem like the enemy of this world, Satan, is on a dominating streak over the matters of our heart, but (SPOILER ALERT) God wins in the end! I don’t know about you, but I’m incredibly thankful I’m on the winning team! Join us this Friday night to learn how you can also join that winning team. I look forward to seeing you there!

Rescue me from my enemies, Lord; I run to you to hide me.  Teach me to do your will, for you are my God.  May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing.  For the glory of your name, O Lord, preserve my life.  Because of your faithfulness, bring me out of this distress.

Psalm 143:9-11 (NLT)

Grateful Believer,
Bryant

I celebrate 2012 - God is good!!

My name is Travis, I am a grateful believer in Jesus that struggles with control and gambling.   As I look back over 2012, I see God’s hand in everything we’ve done…

·         In January 2012 we had our 6^th CR anniversary, and had a wonderful family testimony that evening. God is good!

·         In April we cancelled CR for the first time in many years due to some fake tornado warnings that never panned out however you never know how the weather will be in Oklahoma.  God is good, and HE was in control, not us!

·         In late April we had our Missions night that we raised over $700 toward missions.  We took a look at many different areas in the world where we have helped start Celebrate Recovery programs.  God is good. 

·         In May we had a wonderful couple’s testimony from Micah and Tara.  Their story was a story where God was in the center.  God has prepared both of them through Celebrate Recovery and we got to hear how their lives have been forever changed because of it.  God is good!

·         In June we sent out 6 people back to Honduras to continue the training and help finish the Ropes Course at Cerepa.  God is good!

·         In July we had our Annual CRT training that was a huge success with several different Churches of Christ in attendance.  We had over 60 People at our Monthly Training.  God is Good! 

·         In August we sent 17 adults and 2 children to the annual Summit in California.  We gained more tools to bring back to Oklahoma and share with our CR Program.  The trip was very important to gain more knowledge, build relationships, and further our relationship with God.  God is good! 

·         In October we had our Annual Fall Retreat at St. Groves Camp in Stillwater.  We had a wonderful time.  Scavenger Hunts, costume party, kids got to Trick or Treat, campfire devotional, and of course we got to worship together on Sunday as a body of believers.  God is good!  

·         In December we had our first annual Healthy Challenges and Healthy Risk night that was a huge success with several people that have never lead before lead in large group.  Also we had a special evening where we collected money for Anna’s House to donate gifts to foster children.  We raised almost $800 in one night for this ministry.  God is good!  

God has blessed our program so much in the past year.  God continues to lead this program.  Yes, we do have leaders that step up every week to serve, but it is all because of what God has done in their lives.  I cannot say it enough...God is GOOD!!!!

Grateful Believer,

Travis

I Celebrate Harmony

For as long as I can remember, I’ve enjoyed making music. I have always loved to sing, but not just by myself. I need to find harmony in any song that I’m singing. When I was growing up, my older sisters were in a band. Sometimes, during practice, they would ask me to help find a harmony part in a song. I can’t remember if I was able to help, but I felt very special, being 10- years-old, to be asked to help find harmony in their music.

Later, when I was in junior high, two friends and I loved to sing together. We had a brief moment of small-town fame, appearing on a local TV show, singing our three-part harmony together. I began learning more about how to sing with others, learning that an important part of singing harmony is blending.  Blending means that my voice isn’t sticking out or calling attention to me by myself. My voice part adds to the group’s sound, and our harmony blends to make one beautiful sound.

In my years of recovery over my compulsion to overeat, and my depression, I have had periods of time where I decided to go it on my own. I was still attending my Celebrate Recovery meetings, but I was not enlisting the help of my accountability partners, my friends in recovery who are ready to encourage me.  I was not being completely transparent in my small groups; I was choosing to hide and keep secret the vulnerable and deepest parts of myself. I also was not asking after my accountability partners about THEIR struggles, choosing instead to isolate myself.
I was like a choir singer who decides to sing louder than the rest of her group.  The singer may be out of tune and off-beat, but she stubbornly sings on.

I think of the times my recovery has been on a healthy upswing, and how in those times I am in constant contact with my sponsor and accountability partners, my friends in recovery. We don’t just talk “recovery” to each other; we share light-hearted and fun times together as well as the rough stuff. In 1 Thessalonians 5:11 we are told to "…encourage one another and build each other up…"

This reminds me of my friend Connie, with whom I sang in college and afterwards.  We sang together in quite a few groups; so we intuitive blended in harmony no matter where we were singing. In fact, when we were sitting together, worshipping at church, we would catch ourselves breathing at the same times, and improvising things together that we had not rehearsed.  In the same way, when I am in tune with my recovery friends, my accountability team, we anticipate each other’s needs. More than a few times, a precious friend has unknowingly texted, called or emailed me right in a crucial moment when I needed to hear that word of encouragement.


God has given us each other to make harmony together on this walk.  There are no soloists here. 

Grateful Believer,

Angi

I celebrate the testimony of my Lord...

My fierce brothers and sisters who are battling on the road to recovery, listen and soak in God’s Word for you today:  “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of God, and the authority of his Christ.  For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.  They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” (Rev. 12:10-11)  Did you catch it?  We have overcome our accuser by two things: 1) the blood of Jesus! 2) by the word of our testimony.  What is your testimony of the Lord in your life?  Are you using it to defeat your accuser and encourage others to follow Him? 

I celebrate the testimony of my Lord and the testimony of others who have overcome!  This past weekend I attended an intense, rich weekend away with a group of men.  It was not a retreat!  It was 48 hours of wrestling with God and seeking hard after His heart.  Philippians 2:12-13 talks about the hard work to grow and mature in our salvation while at the same time God is working in us to bring about His good will and purpose for our lives.  That is good stuff!  During this weekend event, there were hours alone with God reading Scripture, reflecting on it, praying it and then listening for what God wanted to teach me through that time.  There were also times of deep, healing confessionals and testimonies.

Through this time of sharing and listening to others, God began to uncover within my heart areas of sin that I had justified.  I got caught in the comparison trap. I would say things like, “Well, at least, I’m not doing that.  My issue is not as serious or hurtful as that, so I’m good.”  That comparison trap has a name.  At Celebrate Recovery, we call that denial!  And I was neck deep in it…barely breathing. 

God is faithful and good!  Through the power of these men’s testimonies, the Spirit of God lit a fire within me and I found the courage to share.  And it is through that confession and testimony that the process of healing has begun and I feel the freedom to live in Jesus today!  Remember, these two Scriptures that have set us free:

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.  Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1)

“Therefore, there is no condemnation for those that are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1)

We are not only set free from our sin because of Christ; but, we are set free to live in freedom in Christ.  This is where we continue to work out our salvation with fear and trembling…not with a big stick that we beat ourselves down with, but with a spirit of freedom in Jesus.  There is no condemnation, but freedom for those that follow Jesus. 

I’m thankful for Jesus today, and I celebrate the testimony that he has given to me and you.  Run hard after Him today my friends.  I love you all.

Grateful believer,

Micah

I celebrate giving thanks!

To be honest I was scrambling to find a blog post for this week that goes along with our topic “I celebrate ___”.  I started thinking back to previous blog posts and remembered one that my dad, Bob, wrote for the blog years ago.  The time of year was fitting so I thought I would re-post it.  As most of you know, my dad lost his battle with cancer almost 1 year ago on December 18, 2011.  Dad loved Celebrate Recovery!  He loved how God used it in his life, it was a blessing to him and he would tell anyone who would listen.  Anyone!  

As the crazy holiday season approaches take a minute to stop and really celebrate giving thanks and reflect on how God has truly blessed your life!

Grateful Believer,
Karyn


Take a minute to read what my dad wrote back in 2010…

I was asked to share some thoughts for the blog entry this week as our nation pauses to give thanks.  Actually, I think it has become more of a precursor for the dropping of the flags to start the Christmas race, but all in all, it does at least get some of us to consider being thankful.  If not daily, at least once a year. 

God has given us all many things to be thankful for.  For me, it is my family, my health, my friends, my recovery (both physical and mental), and then a whole list of things too numerous to count.  But, as in all things good, there is the other force at work in this world that wants to steal our happiness and our thankfulness.  Satan attacks on every front – we have to be ready for his arsenal of hurt.  And, as long as we are alive, we get no reprieve.

There are some verses in the Bible that really speak to me, but there are others, well to be honest, some of them are hard for me to comprehend.  But this passage in Colossians 3: 12-17 is one that is very encouraging to me.  This passage talks about putting on the new elements that make us God’s chosen ones.  What more could we be thankful for than to have an opportunity to get to change who we are to become someone new –someone blessed with the love of God.

“Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.  And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

I love those last words... “Whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”  I really try to give God thanks in all things and I try to do it daily.  But, I’ll be honest, some days, I don’t do it.  I let my busy schedule or other events dictate my activity, and I let thanking God slip through the cracks. 

So in closing, let me just ask you, what are you thankful for?  Have you told the person(s) responsible for your blessings how thankful you are for what they have done for you?  Have you told God how thankful you are for what he has done for you?   

This is a wonderful time to be reminded that we have so much to be thankful for.  But being reminded doesn’t mean much if we don’t do something about it.  Give Thanks!

…give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus…. 

I Thessalonians 5:18 

Grateful Believer,  

Bob 

I celebrate…THE JOURNEY

A journey is defined as traveling from one place to another while typically taking a long period of time.  Life’s tough.   Three years and seven months ago I made the decision that life wasn’t worth living and chose to end it.  God had a different plan, so instead of leaving this earth that April day, I slowly started getting help that, honestly, I did not want.  I was physically alive, but I was emotionally and spiritually dead.  It’s still a struggle, but it no longer consumes me.

Within about a month of that day I walked into a counselor’s office as a way to get out of group therapy and this crazy therapist told me he could help me.  At first I really didn’t care if he could help or couldn’t, I just didn’t want to go to group therapy and endure the stories I heard there all day long!  About 6 weeks or so later he suggested Celebrate Recovery which I found to be a bit weird, but by this point I trusted the guy a little.  People introduced themselves IN CHURCH with a huge amount of honesty.  These folks were real people.  They weren’t “church people” they were God’s people. 

I couldn’t bring myself to talk too much.  I made one contact.  After a few months I had two.  It was well over a year before I ate dinner there and close to two years before I stayed for Common Grounds.  Certain aspects of the program have proven to be too much for me, but that was okay!  It’s my walk.  I don’t have to do it exactly “right.”  I can keep moving though.  When I learned through trying that something didn’t work for me, I found something else that did.  I had people there to remind me that it’s okay to take care of me.  I don’t have to throw in the towel just because the towel gets dirty.  It turns out there is someone that can clean me up!  His name is Jesus and He turned me from a suicidal mental disaster into a still-struggling person with a list of progress that I could have never accomplished on my own.  This road I am traveling is long and seems to be extremely bumpy.  I can celebrate the successes though.

I’m not going alone; I have the help of people to come with me.  We can chart the course a little differently when it is necessary, but the desired direction does not change.  The goal is to move closer to God.  I was finally able to finish my step study one on one with my sponsor.  Due to extenuating circumstances it took me 3 ½ years, but I am so glad to have done it.  One more step along the path.  Ephesians 3:20-21 says, Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!

Today I am not consumed with thoughts of suicide.  My PTSD symptoms are less severe.  Knowing my own limitations has proven invaluable. My ability to communicate my real feelings with people has improved considerably.  I celebrate the journey, because it’s the journey that God put before me to grow in love with the support of people He placed along the way.  It is immeasurably more than I could have ask or imagined.

 Grateful Believer,

Jennifer

I celebrate ______________

My name is Nate. I am a grateful believer in Jesus Christ and I celebrate CONTINUED GROWTH.

It feels like I’ve been in recovery for a long time… it’s been five and a half years to be exact. In a lot of ways it feels like I should have a Master’s Degree in recovery by now. I’ve been through Advanced Leadership Training 2 or 3 times, to the Celebrate Recovery Summit in California 2 times, served as TEAM Trainer and now serve as the TEAM Assimilation Coach, whatever that means. I’ve been a part of 4 Step-Studies and even “included outside counseling when I was ready.”

It’s been a good journey. But… for someone who struggles with spiritual pride, (meaning I often believe that I’ve got this ‘Christian-thing’ figured out) life can get discouraging when I feel like I’ve got all the head-knowledge and insight I need, but still struggle to make it all come together when it’s time to put that knowledge into action.

That’s why I’m celebrating CONTINUED GROWTH.

I recently joined my 5^th Step Study…and even though we are only 4 short lessons into the Steps, I am already amazed and excited about what God is teaching me. I just ‘thought’ I had it all figure out.  It has been a true blessing to see how God is continuing to use the ‘same-old-questions’ from the Step Study Participants Guides to teach me more about myself than I had ever been willing to see.

I am so grateful that God knows me better than I know myself and that he continues to ‘Peel the Onion’ of my hurts hang-ups and habits despite my prideful attitudes and beliefs.

Ephesians 1:17

 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.

Grateful Believer,

Nate

I Celebrate….being a NEW creation!

Tell me once again who I am to You, that I belong to You . . . 

A song that has been touching my heart lately is "Remind Me Who I Am" by Jason Gray.  One of the great things I have learned through Celebrate Recovery is that I am no longer the person I used to be.  Jesus says I am a new creation!  Where the world has labeled me, criticized me, and condemned me . . . Jesus has loved me, accepted me, and changed me!

The world calls us, "addict," "alcoholic," "co-dependent," "victim," etc. . . Jesus calls us, "children," "beloved," "chosen people."

The world tells us we are guilty . . . Jesus tells us we are forgiven!

The world tells us to get even, hold grudges, and refuse to forgive . . . Jesus tells us that He will help us to forgive others.

The world says, "You're gonna pay for that!" . . . Jesus says, "I already did."

The world looks at us with hatred, contempt, and condemnation . . . Jesus looks at us with love, grace, and compassion.

Too often we can get caught up in how the world sees us and what the world tells us.  If we have turned our lives and wills over to God, all we need to be concerned with is how He sees us and what He tells us!

~Fellow Grateful Believer

(Borrowed from the Heartland Vineyard Celebrate Recovery blog)

I Celebrate ……BEING WORTHY!

For many years of my life I did not feel like I was worthy to serve God.  I did not feel that I could do anything right in God’s eyes.  I felt like I was a sinner that didn’t know anything about the bible.  I felt like I was just a guy that went to church and could never say a prayer, read scripture, or teach a lesson.   I was not born with a bible in my hand, and didn't feel worthy because I didn't grow up in the church.

Today I am here, and I'm WORTHY!  Through the principles and steps of Celebrate Recovery I feel worthy to serve God.  I now feel that God has offered me grace and forgiveness over my unworthiness.  I feel that He has given me trials in my life to lead me to become the person I am today.  Today I look forward to saying a prayer, reading scripture, and teaching a lesson. 

Last week I was honored to go into a college classroom and speak about Celebrate Recovery in front of 32 college students.  I felt worthy to do this.  I feel like God has prepared me to be a minister and serve Him in this way. 

Worthiness only comes from God.  I truly believe that God has delivered me from the past and will continue to lead me in the future.  I now realize that I don’t have to know everything in the bible and I don’t have to know everything about life.  All I have to do is look towards God and he will get me through. 

So, do you feel worthy to serve our God?

Grateful Believer,

Travis

I CELEBRATE...taking off my mask!

I can't believe it's been a little over 8.5 years since my husband and I got married. That is a LONG time and yet it seems like just a couple of years ago. Maybe it's because I've been in an autopilot coma for many stretches of it! It's definitely been a roller-coaster. Honestly, it's a miracle I'm even able to blog about this. In March, on our 8th year anniversary, we were not even living together. We had a settlement we both agreed to and in June, I had finally felt at peace with the decision to go our separate ways. We even had a counseling session over how to tell the kids, which turned into something much different.

 I really can't even remember what particular thing happened that changed our marriage, I just know we took a different path...and I'm very glad we did!

These 8 years have definitely not been a Cinderella story. There needs to be a sequel where Cinderella and Prince Charming get beat up with sicknesses, have a couple demanding jobs, several sad family situations, painful events, and bad coping skills...yet still make it through alive. That is what Happily Ever After really means!!

I don't have a sappy ending that says our life is perfect now, but we are probably more open and closer than we ever have been. I do believe there is always hope for a marriage when both are committed and have positive encouraging support.

As for just life, there's been another hurtful event this year and I've never been one to stay in the victim mentality very long. It's completely counterproductive, but I'd be lying if I didn't say I'm currently there. I've always liked to think there is a reason for everything, a blessing in every storm, a silver lining. At the same time, I think it is totally OK to be sick and tired of finding the silver lining. Sometimes things are hard and I don't care that there will be a blessing later on, I just want to punch something and scream “it's not fair!!” It's a normal place to be, but dangerous when I’m there alone. I've struggled spiritually, emotionally, and physically many times in my life, but especially this year. Thankfully, through Celebrate Recovery and other small groups and prayer groups at church, I've found great friends that are willing to listen. Friends who will pray for me when I can't. 

If you are struggling, reach out. If I didn't have some of the friends I have, this story most likely would have been a lot different. 

Masks are stupid. Reality is more effective.

Grateful Believer,

KT