Spring Cleaning w/Step 4

After a long winter it is common for people to do a “spring cleaning”. Not only does this make us feel refreshed and ready for the summer, it is healthy for us in our living space. During the winter months we close living space in, sealing off windows and vents to keep the cold air out- unless you live somewhere warm of course!

The down side to closing everything down is that dust, dirt, and maybe even bacteria and germs can build up. Much of this stuff we can’t see with our own eyes, but it’s there. But when spring arrives, we open the windows, get out the cleaning supplies and maybe even do an inventory of our homes to see what we need to clean up and maybe even throw out. Sound familiar?

This is a lot like Step 4 of the 12 Steps:
Step 4. We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

“Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the LORD.” (Philippians 2:13)

Sometimes we need to take time out of our lives to do an inventory of our lives, a sort of “spring cleaning”. While we don’t have to wait until spring to do an inventory, this may be a great time to start.

Like our homes or apartments, we have a lot of “junk” that has piled up- a lot of stuff we may have been sweeping under the couch or pushing to the back of the closet. There is nothing too big or too small for God.

“Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. ” (Isaiah 59:1)

If you have never joined a Step Study, make it a point to get involved in the next one that is available. And through this process rely on God, Jesus Christ, for your courage and strength. While this may seem like a difficult task, it gives us an opportunity to put our full trust in God.

“Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. ” (2 Corinthians 1:9)

Pat- May God Bless You (don’t be a stranger now!)

CR Dudes

Our brother Pat is making a move north to the Pittsburgh area. We will miss you but know God will use you to touch people wherever you go. May God bless you and your new marriage!

And remember Pat, this will always be your home- we love you brother!

Realize I’m not God

CELEBRATE RECOVERY’S PRINCIPLE #1 of the 8 Recovery Principles from The Road to Recovery
Based on the Beatitudes

Realize I’m not God; I admit that I am powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and that my life is unmanageable.

“Happy are those who know that they are spiritually poor.”

Now that we are well into the first month of a new year, many of us have had some time to think about those “things” in our lives that we want to change. It as become commonplace for people to have a “New Year’s resolution” that may include anything from dieting, journaling, excercising, or dealing with those “hurts, hangups and habits” as we say at Celebrate Recovery on Monday night.

I can’t even count how many resolutions that I made on January 1st over the years that I either didn’t follow through on, or I just threw in the towel, like a boxing manager who knows the fight is over until the next match, or in this case, the next year. It is no wonder that I always fell short of my goals and resolutions. I wasn’t including God in the plan. I was bound for failure.

Admitting I was powerless to make all the changes in my life on my own power was a little uncomfortable at first. My pride was telling me I should be able to be strong enough, tough enough, smart enough to succeed on my own. But what I really was trying to do was play God in my life, the be all, end all to my isssues, my sin.

“A man’s pride brings him low,
but  a man of lowly spirit gains honor.” (Proverbs 29:23)

For me,  admitting I am powerless to conrol my tendency to sin on my own was a relief. For so long I thought I was just a weak person. If it was all on me and my own strength, I was doomed. By admitting my powerlessness, I attained strength through my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. There is hope! Not through man, but through the blood of Jesus who died on the cross for everyone’s sin, and rose from the dead! Amen!

Mathew 5:3 from The Message really expresses this verse, this beatitude, for me in how I came to realize these times of realizing I am not the one in control are when I gain strength in Christ:
“You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule”

So while we are at the beginning of a new year, and maybe at the beginning of a new path in recovery, by admitting our powerlessness to control our tendency to sin, we are in the process of victory- because it opens the door to Jesus. And when Jesus is invited into that place where I was trying to rule, these resolutions I am trying to conquer don’t seem so scary anymore. Walk with the King!
-Eric D.

Merry CHRISTmas!

From all of us at Celebrate Recovery, we wish you all a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year!

The Armor of God

It’s hard to believe that Thanksgiving has come and gone (as well as the leftovers), and Christmas is around the corner. And then there is only a week to get back in a semi-normal routine before New Years Eve. For most people these special days are wonderful celebrations that bring family and friends together for food, gifts, songs, and joy. But for some others, this can be a difficult time of year.

Holidays can bring up old memories that may have some painful emotions for people. For others, particularly those who are in recovery from alcohol or drugs, these can be some of the toughest times of the year in staying sober with the many office Christmas parties, family parties, and New Year’s Eve gatherings, especially for those who are new to recovery.

The important thing to know, is you are not alone. God desires us to call on Him for help, guidance, and wisdom. We should always do this, but as this Christmas season takes off, let’s make sure we put on the “Armor of God”. This is an awesome passage from Ephesians…

(Ephesians 6:10-18) “Armor of God”

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.

Isn’t that just awesome! As the next few weeks move along, stay plugged in with your CR group, sponsor, accountability partners, as well as your church family. They are part of the “armor of God”! And together, with Christ, we can have a Merry Christmas celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ or Savior- Amen!?

One Day Inventory Retreat: Principle 7/Step 10

“So, if you think you are standing firm be careful that you don’t fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12)
Inventory Retreat: Principle 7/Step 10
Saturday, November 15, 2008 • 9 am- 1 pm*
Bring a Bible, journal, Step Study books (if you have them), calender, date books, check book, or anything that will help you through this process…
Fast 11/14 evening – 11/15 morning, we will break our fast with a potluck lunch and fellowship at noon.
Location: 4280 Watson Lane, Union Bridge, MD (the farmhouse)

*Rain Date: 11/22/08

Change, Seasons, and Stepping Stones

In my previous post I wrote about how some of the stresses that September can bring, and how the answer for peace and strength through this is the same no matter what we are dealing with- Jesus! Now that we are officially in September, have we done a heart check?

I was talking with a friend about how I have had a history of “seasonal depression”. That is, I would find myself feeling a bit low as fall and winter approached. Change can be an exciting experience, but all too many times I have found myself feeling like a stubborn mule, digging my feet into the ground, putting off taking the steps I need to take to make change happen. In the end, the changes were going to happen with or without my picking my feet up. When I look back at these transitions in my life, I see how they were like stepping stones to a new phase and walk with God.

(Job 23:10-12)
“But he knows the way that I take;
when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.
My feet have closely followed his steps;
I have kept to his way without turning aside.
I have not departed from the commands of his lips;
I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.”

Celebrate Recovery at Uniontown Bible meet every Monday night from 7 pm to 9 pm at the Uniontown Bible Church building on Clear Ridge Road. God meets with us there every Monday. Soon (only a few more weeks), we will be be meeting in a different location until the new Uniontown Bible Church building is finished. God has a plan for us, even if we can’t see it yet. God will meet with us anywhere we meet. When I focus on this truth, I am reminded of how awesome our God is. Because it is not about me, or where I want Celebrate Recovery to meet, or even when I meet with God. It is about agknowledging that God is in control, and I need to be in His will. If we are seeking God’s will for everything we do, then we can’t be doing the wrong thing.

As the season change, and the Uniontown Bible Church body takes new steps to a new building, it may not always be comfortable at first. It may be a bit stressful, and even a little scary for some of us. But God has offered us stepping stones along the way through prayer, His Word, and brothers and sisters in Christ. And together we will step across the stepping stones to a new phase and continued walk with God

Prayer Request:
For our Celebrate Recovery group to find a place to meet every Monday night from 7 pm- 9 pm that will allow us to continue our meetings until the new building is finished. Pray that we seek God’s will, and that we be open to His desire for us and our lives.

-Eric D.

Need a “Recharge”?

Do you ever find that when you are working in your recovery the time flies by faster then ever? Sometimes time seems like it is flying by so fast that I don’t take the time to do a “heart check” with God. Just taking out a little time every morning to pray and meditate on God, journaling, scripture reading and memorization can be the difference in how my day gets started- like eating a healthy breakfast (sometimes I struggle with that too!). There are several times of the year where I find this routine can be easy to get off course. And summer time, particularly August, is one of those times. People are busy with all of the fun things that summertime can bring, but the end of summer means the beginning of a new season. If you are a student, no matter what your age (I graduated college the same year as my mom!), you probably are beginning to be a bit overwhelmed with preparing yourself for classes to start in September. If you have kids in school, you are probably trying to keep up with their school supplies, class schedule, and just being an encouraging parent. Within our own Celebrate Recovery at Uniontown, we have some new Step Studies kicking off in September. And if you are an athlete, or parent of an athlete, August is the time of training, and try-outs for the sports teams- I remember how tough it was running miles every day in the hot August heat during soccer try-outs in my high school years. Some of you will have all of these things on your plate this August- wow!

With the end of summer, there may even be a little saddness looking back at another summer gone by. I know I was one of those kids who feared the month of August because I knew September was on the other side. Fortunately, I don’t feel that way today. But God doesn’t want us to fear the future.

“So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
(Isaiah 41:10)

So if you are feeling overwhelmed right now, or you know you will be soon, you are not alone. And there is nothing that is too big or would seem too small to go to God with. In fact, it is His desire to have a relationship with Him in everything we do. Celebrate Recovery has helped me in this area. It doesn’t matter what issues we are all dealing with, no matter how similar or different. Its about being in a place where I can step out of my denial, and say, “I don’t have it together, and I need help from God, and I can’t do this alone.” All of the sudden September doesn’t seem so scary anymore. Need a little recharge in the form of Jesus Christ and the encouragement of His people? Come join us on Monday nights at 7:00 pm at Uniontown Bible Church! (E.D.)

The “One anothers”

“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” (1 Peter 4:10)

The Bible tells us that all believers need to be actively involved in ministering to one another. When the body of believers are ministering to itself then it can be a healthy body, the way God intended. That is what we do at Celebrate Recovery on Monday nights at Uniontown Bible. Not only are the people who have been coming to C.R. regularly ministering to the newcomer, but we all are ministering to each other just by our participation. Whether it is a phone call from a fellow attender giving encouragement and prayer, a step study group sharing their hurts and/or hangups, or a fellowship activity such as a cookout- these are examples of the “one anothers” in our lives taking part in ministering to each other. Thats what we do best at CR- minister to each other. Here are some scripture that refers to “one another”:

(Galatians 6:2) Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

(James 5:16) Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

(1 Thessalonians 5:11) Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

(1 Corinthians 12:25) so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.