Restoring the Nest

Amy W

This past Saturday, we sold my kids backyard play-set. As this nice family was packing up to leave, the father asked me what I wanted him to do with my little girl's birdhouse. I had totally forgotten that two years ago, we had attached this hand-painted birdhouse to the very top of the swing set. Without much thought, I just told the man to leave the house on the edge of the fence.

Little did I know that there was a little family of birds living inside of that birdhouse.

A couple of hours later, I walked out into the backyard to enjoy a little sunshine. No more had I stepped onto the back porch, than this Momma and Daddy bird opened up a full-on attack. They were both flying at me from different directions, making it very clear that they were quite unhappy.

Through my dodging of these "angry birds" I saw something hop along the back fence line.  It was a baby bird. I quickly ran out and scooped up the bird and returned it to the bird house, all the while being dive-bombed by the the adult birds. This scene was repeated again and again, as I walked the fence line and found a total of 4 baby birds that had been displaced from their happy home.

I gave myself a little pat on the back for my good deed and fully expected to get a little expression of gratitude from these little birds. But strangely enough, these birds continued to attack me even after I had returned their little home to it's former state! Honestly, I was a little irritated that my efforts had not been more appreciated.

It didn't take me long to appreciate the life/recovery parallel of this situation. You see, I was the person who wrecked my own family's home. I physically and mentally left my family in the chaos of my addiction. When I returned home from treatment, I felt like a new person; one that could restore my family. 

I thought that I could come home and immediately be recognized for the amazing person I thought that I had become. I assumed that everyone would automatically forget the person I used to be, and extend their full trust without hesitation. But I failed to recognize the scars that I had left behind.  I had found healing, but I forgot that there was still so much healing left to do.

After a couple of days, the birds are peaceful in their new location. They are no longer attacking me when I walk outside. They now seem to recognize that I am not a threat to them. Gaining my family's trust and confidence back took TIME. It took REPETITION. It took PERSISTENCE. But slowly and surely, that trust started being restored.

I realize now, the truth that addiction is a family disease. It is not just the individual that suffers. And just as the consequences of addiction do not happen overnight, nor do the blessings of recovery. But God does promise His plans to prosper us and not harm us, if we choose to follow him. I had to be willing to face all of those hurts again as I returned home. It was painful, but I had to be willing to face that pain in order for healing to begin, and full restoration to be possible. 

I can now honestly say, that my family and household are at peace again. I am no longer seen as a threat. The walls have come down, and we are fully enjoying the new life that we have built. I am no longer hurting them, and they are no longer living in fear of being hurt. And everyday, I thank God that through recovery, this new life has been made possible.

Grateful Believer, 

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Why Am I Not "Recovered" Yet?

Hello!  I am a grateful believer in Jesus Christ who struggles with lust, overeating, and am recovering from divorce.  My name is Bryant.

 

I came across these words of encouragement from the Celebrate Recovery Texas State Rep, Paul Schnee and wanted to share them with you. 
If you are new to CR and wondering why some people have been in the program for so long, you need to read this.  If you are a CR veteran and have felt discouraged about continuing to "be in recovery", you need to read this.  If you have never attended CR yourself, but you have a friend or family member who has been in CR for a while, you need to read this.  If you have clicked the link and are on this webpage, then you're on it for a reason -- you need to read this.

 

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Not long ago someone asked me why I wasn't recovered yet. They were judging me as weak because I continue in Celebrate Recovery. CR happens to be one of the greatest spiritual growth and discipleship ministries available to the modern church. But it is a process.

And I am weak. Seriously, can I earn my way into God's favor? Can I use my own strength to recover? Will I stop learning and growing this side of God's kingdom?

 

I'm a work in progress on the road to sanctification (recovery). Only Christ can finish what he has started:)

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! (1 Corinthians 10:12)

...let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance... (Proverbs 1:5)

Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. (Psalm 25:4-5)

 
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

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)

Dedication = Celebrate Recovery

Hello my name is Travis, I am a grateful believer in Jesus, and I struggle with gambling and control.  Have you ever trained for anything?  Maybe it is training for a long run, dieting, or just training your body how to move in a better way because of injury.  During that training, I am sure you did not wake up one day and say to yourself, “I am going to lose 20 pounds today” – because we all know that is not possible.  But, maybe you have thought that and let me be the first to tell you - that will not happen. 

I have been training for a half marathon and it takes a lot of time, dedication, and mental toughness to do that.  Sure, do I want to sleep in some mornings when I know I should be up running, working out, or just being active to build that endurance?  The answer to that is yes; however, I know that I have to get up because on race day I will not be in shape to complete the race.  My body will not have the endurance to reach the finish line if I do not train. 

I need to think of Celebrate Recovery in that same context.  What are the goals I am trying to achieve in my recovery journey?  Is it to wake up one day and say “ I am going to be free of all my hurts, habits, and hang-ups?”  NO!  Again, that is impossible.  I have to train my mind, body, and spirit to look to God to heal me.  I have to rely on others to help me through the journey. 

So the real question here is, “When will I know that race day is here for Celebrate Recovery?”.  Is the race ever over?  That is a question I have been asked so many times.  “Travis you have been coming to Celebrate Recovery for almost 6 years - when are you going to be done?”  Well, I have to answer that with, “Never!”  Every day I still must get up and choose to commit my life and will to God.  It would be very easy to sleep in or do what I wanted that day; however, I know that would not be the best training I could do in my walk with the Almighty Father. 

Grateful Believer,

Travis

I’m not like other guys.

I don’t have the same drives and ambitions.  Watching sports bores me.  In fact, I would rather sit around and read a book than watch the Super Bowl.  I don’t know how to calculate .rbi.  I don’t care who played for that one team in the game against that other team 5 years ago.  My heroes were never guys that could throw small objects long distances.  I was more the zeta male than the alpha.

Growing up, I felt like a misfit.  I was different, and everyone knew it.  I didn’t live in a caring, understanding, nurturing world.  I was teased and picked on, and I couldn’t handle it.  I had no self-worth, unmanned by the inability or desire to fight back.  Society even said, “If you retaliate, the consequences will be worse for you than the bad guy.” 

Life was to be endured, not enjoyed.  I lived with grudges that could never be avenged, hatred that could never be expressed, and expectations that could never be fulfilled.  These could never be released in public, and so they came out as secret sins.  Worse, I couldn’t talk to anyone.  I feared the consequences of confession would be worse than pretending to be clean. 

The only thing I had going for me was God, but even after I was baptized, I didn’t believe I could change.  I brought along my doubts and fears and anger, my hopelessness.  What could I give to Jesus, or really do for him?  I felt and acted helpless.  I was deathly afraid to tell anyone my story; there was no good to tell.  Every good work I witnessed in others made me feel worse about my inability to be a good fit.

In Celebrate Recovery, however, I found peace.  I found men who share my struggles.  I learned, more importantly, that I don’t have to fit in to matter.  Accountability gives me the strength to stand where I would otherwise fail.  In any situation, I can choose to fail alone or get the team together and win this thing.  Together, we overcome.

CR has also given me a place to serve.  This is a place where my different abilities are of use and appreciated.  But there’s more.  This is a place where, by committing to giving my all, I can drop my self-imposed barriers.  I can re-learn my limitations.  Much of what I knew I couldn’t do was only because I was afraid to try. 

I am a misfit.  I’m proud that I don’t fit this world’s mold.  I’m a misfit, but I’m not unfit.  I’m fit to serve, fit to write, and fit to speak.  By sharing honestly, I can help a brother out of denial.  By telling my story, I can open a door.  I can be someone else’s strength.

Grateful Believer,

Joel

From alcoholic to missionary

From alcoholic to missionary. God took my mess and made it His message.

Three years ago I was going to church, doing my “Christian duty”. I had started teaching a women’s Bible class and was active in the children’s ministry. I knew I was just coasting along, but I didn’t really care. I went to Celebrate Recovery one night with my sister only to help her with her kids because I KNEW I didn’t have any problems. As I listened to the testimony, I realized that my story sounded similar to the person speaking. So I decided to go to Newcomers 101, just to see what all this recovery was about.

Ok, I realized I had problems, things I needed to address because they were standing in between me and my relationship with my Father. So I started going to Friday nights and thought I was on the right track. Suddenly, God shook me and turned my world upside. I literally felt like He grabbed me by the shoulders and said, “Jamie, I want more from our relationship.” I fell to my knees, broken and cried out for help.

My Father grabbed my hands and said, “I have been waiting for you to ask.”

Shortly after, I started a step study and began going to a new church. Through my step study, I had to face some hard things. I could no longer sit in my denial or continue to live in my old ways. God had given me new spiritual eyes, ears, heart and mind and the old Jamie wasn’t cutting it.

My new eyes and ears saw and heard God begin to reveal Himself to me. I was sitting in church one Sunday, it was Missions Sunday and they were playing a video encouraging people to be involved in missions. I knew this video wasn’t for me; I had never been out of the country and always felt my mission field was in my own backyard. A quote came on the screen, “Missions is not about those who are already in the pew, but for those who are at the gates of hell.” I felt at that moment that I was supposed to be in Rwanda. I really thought I had gotten someone else’s call at first. But looking around, I realized God was calling me to something bigger, something so divine. I was in the middle of my step study during my first trip to Rwanda. I wanted to finish step 5, which is: Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs before I left, so I could get rid of some of the burdens I had been carrying for so long.

 

Fast forward to the future, I will be moving to Rwanda for 3 years within the next couple of months. I look back and see how God worked through Celebrate Recovery, freeing me from the burdens so I could be all His and relinquish everything so He could get inside and go to work. I still have to work at it every day. God recently presented an opportunity for me to make a 15-year-old amends. I think He is still working on cleaning out the junk to make room for the Jamie that I need to be to serve Him with my whole heart.

Because of Celebrate Recovery, I had the tools and the spiritual eyes to be able to see what I was carrying around and the boldness to admit to this person that I needed their forgiveness. I don’t want to ever go back to the old Jamie. Go God!

He uncovers the deep things of darkness and brings dark shadows into the light. Job 12:22 NCV

Grateful believer,

Jamie

God used this place to change me

It was probably close to 7 months AFTER my first night at CR that I actually wanted to be here.  It finally clicked – God was working in me and I could feel it & see it.  I was enjoying meeting new people, I loved the worship service, I loved the encouragement I received, I liked going to open share and actually talking, I just loved all of it!  I met some amazing women who became my accountability partners, and I had a sponsor that was attentive and eager to help me heal! 

I remember driving to CR that night and being so excited to get there, it was the first night I really, truly wanted to be there!!  I had just sat down to eat dinner and my husband called, he was working in Midwest City and had locked his keys in his truck and he needed me to come unlock his truck for him.  I’ll be honest, I was ticked.  This is the first night I really wanted to be at CR and I just wanted to worship and hear the testimony and I didn’t want to leave.  (Insert pity party here.)  Ugh…I jumped on I-35 and headed to Midwest City, while driving I was mumbling to myself in frustration and cranked K-love to try to get in a better mood. 

While driving I had an Ah-Ha moment, Satan didn’t want me at CR.  God was using this CR place to change me and Satan wasn’t thrilled with the changes he was seeing!  He loved the old me.  He knew getting me out of there would get my mind off the healing and take my focus off my desire to be there, once I figured out his (Satan’s) plan I just laughed out loud.  When I showed up to help my husband I was cracking up, and I was so excited that I figured all this out, I was rambling and talking really fast telling him how Satan had done all this to get me out of CR and that’s the reason why he locked his keys in the car and I was just so excited that it had happened.  My husband just looked at me wide eyed, shaking his head (giving me that you’re crazy nod) and said, “Well good, I’m glad I could help.”  I unlocked his truck and jumped back on I-35 and walked in right when the testimony was starting.  Satan didn’t win and I was pumped!

Now, almost 2 years later, I still have to remind myself of this story sometimes.  I don’t always walk in the door on Friday night with a smile on my face, but then I stop and remind myself GOD used this place to change me.  To be honest, I don’t always want to be here on a Friday night - but then I stop and remind myself GOD used this place to change me.  I can’t forget that, I can’t forget why I keep coming back.    I come back because it’s a place that I see friends, a place where I’m comforted, a safe place to share, a place that keeps me accountable, and a place that I can encourage others.  God used this place to change me – and THAT’s why I keep coming back.

Grateful Believer,

Karyn

We must not become tired of doing good.  We will receive our harvest of eternal life at the right time if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9