Between Points A and B, there is Recovery

I want this to be concurrent with where the program's lessons are right now, in January, and that's Step 1 and Principle 1.  I also know that when He gives me an idea, I just go, or I don't.  I'm going.  As a song says, You have called me deeper / And I will go where you will lead me...  

Please don't read my words and think I have all the answers.  Think of me as a fellow traveler on the road, happy to walk beside you and encourage with shared stories, dreams, and hopes.

This is about hope, and that is appropriate for the beginning.  It's preliminary to Step 1: not the realization of it, nor the conclusion, not the end of the race.  Hope.

The newcomer has it.  That's you, hopefully.  That's me when I admit a new struggle.  They/you might not realize it, but that's what gets you through our doors.  At the very beginning.  I have realized something about me.  I'm broken.  There's something wrong with me.

I can't fix it.

I've tried.  How I've tried!  How I have fought.  How I have struggled.  How I have sought to control what I do.  I can't do it.  I fail.  I've failed.  I can't fix me.  I am part of the problem.

At that point I see Recovery.  If that's Celebrate Recovery, great!  If that's not CR but some other set of initials, like SA, SAA, AA, NA, among others. I thank God you have found its doors, and I extend the invitation that you are welcome to add CR to your list of meetings.  Recovery happens on many levels and at your own speed.

I see Recovery.  I see a group that meets with the expectation and express purpose of getting well. Recovery is hope in disguise.  I see that others struggle.  Others fail.  Others keep coming back.  There are positive examples to offset my own negatives.

I go to a meeting.  Why?  Surely I am at wit's end.  I know I can't fix me, but I have hope.  I have a seed of hope, however small, that there is an answer, even if at this point it's beyond me.

It is beyond me.

I realize I'm not God.  I admit that I'm powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and that my life is unmanageable.  (Principle 1)

My name is Joel.  I'm a grateful believer in our Lord, Jesus, the Christ.  I struggle with sex addiction and divorce.

But I have hope.  I haven't even fully internalized Celebrate Recovery's Principle 1 and everything it can and will mean in my life.

I will have many different hopes over the course of my recovery, over the rest of my life.  Some will be met during my life.  One will have to wait until after I die.  Another helps me focus on the kind of life and love and relationships I want to have.  All my hopes have to be surrendered, folded up in His arms and subject to His will.  

All hopes boil down to one quick geometric principle.  The shortest distance between two points is a straight line.  (Do we have Pythagoras to thank for that one?)  Well, it's true, and all Truth comes first from God.  I have Points A and B.  I'm at Point B, a state of loss, despair, grief.  A dwelling in the house of failure.  That's Point B.

Point A could be just about anywhere else, as long as it's a healthy place.  I'll try to keep it simple for my own sake.  Point B is who I am at the end of my rope, maybe even the end of my life if something doesn't change.  Point A is who I want to be.  I want to move toward Point A, so there's a journey to be taken.  For us, Recovery is that path, and believe me, it's the shortest distance between the two.

There is an old saying, The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. To make that first step requires hope.  I hope Point A exists.  I can't shift a muscle until I have that hope.  What's the point otherwise?

 I'm in the mud.  If there's no better place, I might as well wallow in it.  I'm that proverbial boy playing in the mud outside while there's a feast laid out in the palace.  The amusements I'm interested in as a boy are so small in comparison with what I can have as a mature man.  All mud eventually dries, and then I'm just dirty.  There's great joy in coming clean.  I dare myself to experience that.

As a song goes, We were meant to live for so much more.  As another song goes,  I dare you to move.

At the core of all this is the simple truth that of all of us humans, there is not one of us that is hopeless.  Not a single one.  We may abandon hope ourselves, we may wallow in mud outside the gates, we may dig holes for ourselves.  We may hold on so tightly to our own control that we can't grasp the rope offered to us.

My belief is that there is always a light that can never be extinguished.  I believe God made us with unquenchable hope.  We will always have the nagging thought that, as bad as things have gotten, there's a better place to go.  Have you felt that?  We may resist it.  We may bag it, lock it up, and bury it, shove it away somewhere.

We can't escape it. Why?

Because at the most basic level, the source of that hope comes from without us.  Our hope is anchored in the love that only Jesus has for us, a love that deems us worthy and balances us even though we can't do anything to tip the scales either way. 

Romans 5:5 says, "And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts..."  (Read 5:6-9 too, while you're there).  A love that we can't get rid of because it doesn't depend on us.  We are worthy of that love just because He says so.  Believe this.  He wants you.  You have worth to Him.

But you don't have to start there.  When the infinite is too much to consider, start small.  There's a better place to be.  There's a better person to become.  Shift a muscle.  Take a step.  I hope you will move.

Grateful Believer,

Joel T.

CR Canceled Due to Inclement Weather

Attention Forever Family,

Due to the inclement weather we have received, CR will be canceled on Friday, December 6.  As much as we would love to see your wonderful, smiling faces, we would prefer you to stay safe and warm.  If you are in need of support in your recovery, please contact your sponsor and/or your accountability partners.  Or if you're in need of prayer, you may send your request to CelebrateRecovery@mrcc.org.

Be safe out there!

Grateful Believer,

Bryant Stone

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)

The Hidden Key to Success

We all know recovery isn’t a quick fix, right? So you’re probably thinking there isn’t a secret to a successful recovery too, right?  Wrong!  There is a secret and it’s a pretty easy one too, ready?...... Get Involved!  I started my first step study in 2007, but I didn’t go on Friday nights.  I didn’t think it was for me.  After I graduated I “moved on.”  Then in 2009 I had a friend who wanted to go on a Friday night so I went.  I signed up for another Step Study.  I started helping with Common Grounds.  Then I helped clean up.  I helped with our annual Anna’s House fundraiser. 

I kept getting more and more involved.  The more I got involved the more reasons I had to be there each Friday night.  I had signed up for this or that so I had to be there.  The more I was there the more I heard inspirational testimonies or lessons.  The more I showed up and pitched in the more I began to truly care about the people I was working with.  The more I cared about the people the more I wanted to be there on a Friday night!

With participating more and developing real relationships I was working my recovery in a way I wouldn’t have been able to without doing that.  When I hit a speed bump in my recovery I am able to use the things I’ve learned Friday nights and the relationships I built serving to help me get over them. 

Get involved.  There are so many opportunities: Dinner Team, Common Grounds, cleaning up, leading a small group, leading a step study, serenity prayer, hugger, and principle reader.  There are also a ton of other things you could do – things we don’t even do now, do you see a need?  Come up with a way to meet that need and volunteer to start it!  Are you currently a leader who has been doing the same service for years?  Branch out, try something new!

Also- if you see someone who has leadership potential then help them get involved!  Often it just takes being asked for someone to step up.  If you know a man who would make a great small group leader or a woman who has a great testimony, encourage them to use their gifts!

-Grateful Believer

Andrew

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

Why Attend Celebrate Recovery?

My name is Bryant and I’m a grateful believer in our Lord, Jesus Christ.  I struggle with lust, overeating, total honesty, and am recovering from a divorce.

For many of you this is probably your first time reading the CR blog.  If that’s the case, welcome!  Whether this is your first visit to the CR blog, or you’ve been following the posts for a while, my guess is that some of you reading might have heard about Celebrate Recovery before but aren’t exactly sure why you need to “celebrate recovery”.  You might have heard about CR from your friend who talks about his/her strange love of Friday nights.  Maybe you have noticed the signs outside of Memorial Road’s church building, the MRCC Celebrate Recovery Facebook group, or the link on Memorial Road’s website.  Or perhaps you were one of the lucky ones who were blessed by hearing a testimony shared in chapel this semester.  Whatever the case, you probably have heard of CR before, but you don’t really know what the program is all about and you’re trying to get a feel on what to expect before making that first step to attend on Friday nights.  If this describes you and you’re thinking “Oh no – he’s on to me!!” don’t worry.  We’ve all been there, myself included.

The first time I attended CR I was incredibly nervous and had no clue what I was getting myself into.  I made that long journey across the parking lot, through the doors, and into God’s hands.  I didn’t know I was in His hands, but I can assure you that He was with me that night!  But if you’re thinking that I had only heard about CR one time before jumping on the recovery train, you are incorrect.  It actually took me about 6 years before I decided I should go.

While I was attending OC I saw my struggle with lust increase.  I heard that there was a great place to go on Friday nights at Memorial Road where I can take off my masks and start addressing my bad habits.  “A recovery group?  Is that really where I’m at?  What if there’s someone there who recognizes me?  What if I recognize someone else?  What are we going to do – just stand around, sing Kumbaya, give each other hugs and say ‘It’s ok’?  Is someone going to repeatedly tell me ‘It’s not your fault’ until I give in and cry?”  These questions filled my head.  I clung on to them as if I were constantly preparing to defend my stance against anyone who said I should check out CR.  I reasoned that I had my habits under control.  Even though I had that feeling deep inside of me, that “God feeling”, telling me I should take a look into attending at least one Friday night meeting, I would convince myself otherwise.  After six years of struggling with my hurts, hang-ups, and habits, here I am!  I still struggle with my three h’s, but the difference now is that I’m not doing it alone!  I have a Christian family who understands that I have daily temptations and accept me for being an imperfect human.  I have a safe place to go to be encouraged when I’m feeling heavy with sorrow.  I have spirit-filled people with whom I can share my weekly joys and victories!

So why should you attend Celebrate Recovery?  While it’s true that I don’t know you or your spiritual battles; I don’t know your past and all the stuff you have been through; and I don’t know the sacrifices you would have to make if you started to attend CR on Friday nights.  What I do know is that you are God’s beloved child.  Let me make you read that again:  you are God’s beloved child.  You DESERVE to be loved by God.  You are WORTHY of God’s love.  No matter what!  I have never, and I truly mean never, felt the love of God like I have while attending Celebrate Recovery.  There is a presence there that is incomparable; one that is only recognized as being the love of God.  And I guarantee you’ll notice it.  It may not be on your first night there, but as you continue to make CR a regular part of your week I have no doubt that you’ll see what I’m talking about.  All rhyming aside, give it a shot!  Come visit this upcoming Friday night.  If it makes you more comfortable, bring a friend!  And if you come at 6pm, you’ll get a wonderfully delicious and FREE dinner!  I mean who doesn’t like free food, right??

I look forward to seeing you there!

 Grateful Believer,
Bryant

God's Got This!

All of my life, I have had a paralyzing fear of public speaking. In fact, I have avoided things that I desperately wanted to do, when I discovered that public speaking would be involved. So, it is not surprising that up until about 6 months ago, I would have sworn that I would NEVER give my testimony. I specifically asked people on multiple occasions, to stop asking me to do so, because it was never going to happen. But something happened last August that began changing my heart.

I had the privilege of attending the annual Celebrate Recovery Summit in California. One of the very first speakers stood up, and started describing his journey into becoming an inspirational speaker. Now, let me just say, that I have ALWAYS believed that God speaks to me through others. So, this gentleman starts talking about how he went into the radio-industry, because he never had to talk in front of a visible audience. He too was deathly afraid of public speaking. And then he said something I will never forget. He said, "God uses people too" and began describing that God will place people and situations in your life, in order for you to receive a specific message. God put someone special in his life, that started his journey from overcoming his intense fear, to traveling around the country and using his story to inspire others. THAT day, God placed THAT man in my life, to tell me that it was time to share my story. And for the first time, I literally felt God breathing into me, the words that I needed to say.

That very day, I made the commitment to share my testimony, and I trusted God to deliver the message that He wanted, and not that I wanted. This isn't to say that I was suddenly relieved of fear, because I definitely wasn't. But God always placed the perfect people in my life to encourage me at just the right time, and to help relieve any insecurity or fear that I was feeling. One of my step-study sisters sent me a simple text almost everyday that said "God's Got This." This reminded me on a daily basis, to let go of my control and fear. I was also reminded on several occasions, that this was not MY story to tell, it was GOD'S. I was merely a vessel. Lastly, I was assured that any insecurity or fear that I was feeling, was not from God. Satan did not want me to share this story, and he was prepared to throw anything in my path, that would've kept me from doing so.

Two weeks ago, I finally did it!! I stood in front of a large group of people, and shared my story. My ugly, dirty, sad, redemptive, joyful, and beautiful story. And something incredible happened! People still loved me! I could not believe the out-pouring of love that I felt. Somehow, I pictured that I would feel ashamed after sharing the darkness of my past. To be honest, I have never felt as secure in who I am, as I felt that night. Since then, I have received countless phone-calls, text-messages, and emails, thanking me for sharing my story. I have been blessed by hearing how my testimony has touched other people's lives. God has truly taken my mess, and made it His message! And I hate that I kept that message to myself for so long!

If you've never given your testimony, PLEASE consider doing so! No matter what your hurt, habit, or hang-up, there will always be someone that God puts in your path who NEEDS to hear your story! And stop worrying...God's Got This!!

Grateful Believer,
Amy