MORAL - OK, I admit I am a little behind with this week's blog - I've been trying to find a clever way of bringing this lesson to light but the reality is, this is one of the hardest, but most rewarding lessons in our steps! I say the hardest because it is something we have avoided doing all our lives; searching our inner self.

I know when I first did the 4th step, I was scared of the pain and of admitting to someone else things in my past. But with the help of Christ, my Higher Power, I overcame the pain by confronting my hurts and especially by realizing my part in each area. ++Remember: It is important to keep your inventory balanced - it's not all just bad, but the good things you have done, also! This Moral Inventory is so important, because until we recognize the baggage, we cannot give it up to God and that is what this is all about! Being free of the baggage is what makes this the most rewarding step. Freedom from condemnation, not from God, because Christ did that, but from ourselves which opens us up to serve and live for Him! (Romans 8:1)

This is also a time when it is so important that you have someone you trust to be able to share your inventory with because we can't just bury everything or resentments can continue to grow. We will talk in the near future about sponsors and accountability partners, but for now, watch different people at your group and look for someone who you admire their walk with the Lord. You want someone who has overcome and can listen and encourage through your 4th step.

Make Time
Open
Rely
Analyze
List

Most of all, be patient with yourself! There is no timetable (within reason) :) Don't be afraid, instead anticipate the freedom and peace that comes from cleansing the past (no rear-view mirror living). Live for the future - a life that is abundant through Christ!

ACTION - Principle 3 begins "Consciously choose" - talk about action, to choose is probably one of the greatest actions we can ever take. In every area of our lives, what we CHOOSE drives how we live. The first 2 steps were the "lights, camera," and now we are ready for the "action". But what action is it? It's making a choice to turn our lives and our wills over to the care of God.

I like the familiar saying, "Let Go and let God." I hear alot of "I have Jesus as my Higher Power, but I still can't change this, or I can't change that." I'm hearing alot of "I's" being used. Letting go and letting God means "He" can change this and "He" can change that. Do you see the difference? We need to let go of everything. We can't hold on to even the littlest issue. Our Higher Power, Jesus Christ, wants a relationship with us, all of us, and what we can't do, He can!

Sometimes it's our fear, guilt, or pride that stops us, but in this relationship that Christ seeks with us, He promises us rest: "Come to me and I will give you rest--all of you who work so hard beneath a heavy yoke. Wear my yoke--for it fits perfectly--and let me teach you; for I am gentle and humble, and you shall find rest for your souls; for I give you only light burdens", Matthew 11:28-30 TLB. He promises us He will be with us throughout our lives in Philippians 1:6, "God who began the good work within you will keep right on helping you grow in His grace until His task within you is finally finished." He won't leave us! We can depend on Him, so why is it so hard to turn everything over to Him? Because we have not made the CHOICE to!

Making that choice is just the begining. The action takes place every day, one day at a time. Don't get stuck in the yesterday, and bogged down by the tomorrow (Matthew 6:34). CHOOSE THIS DAY!

A - Accept
C - Commit
T - Turn it over
I - It's only the beginning
O - One day at a time
N - Next step

Remember, you are not alone! Turn to Him, and don't forget your support group!!
2 Corinthians 4:8 says, "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed."
Psalm 147:3 "He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds."
Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."

Remember the ACTION Christ took on the cross for you! You can trust He will carry you through!

HOPE, SANITY, & TURN! - These 3 words sure have been my life for the last 4 weeks. Many of you know that I have been out getting a total knee replacement which has been very successful. I had to miss 3 weeks of meeting with you, but it was great to be back last night.

Higher Power
Openness to change
Power to change
Expect to change

Boy was I hoping Christ would bring about the change of 24/7 pain I had with my old knee and a great expectation from the new one. I knew He had to power and He did not disappoint me!

But what about the Sanity?

Strength
Acceptance
New Life
Integrity
Trust
Your Higher Power

If you know me, you know I don't just sit - I am a doer. 2 weeks after surgery, I was mopping, vaccumming, and wanted to get back to work and not rely on others for food and help (which God must have had a great laugh as He humbled me with all of your food, prayers, and help). But I was ready, the doctor said I could drive if I could get in and out of the car with my knee. So, I went out and tried it and found if I put the seat all the way back I could get in and out. Yeah! I was FREE! But my car wouldn't start. Apparently it had sat too long and the battery was dead. Instead of taking the hint that maybe I should be healing longer, I called the calvary and Pastor Rob & Pastor Josh came to jump my car. Wouldn't you know it - Saturns are not made to jump. I didn't even know where the battery was (in the trunk) but there were a couple of posts that looked good so hey, jump it. No luck. My sanity was on the line - I needed to be free. So, a friend came over after work and put in a new battery and it purred like a kitten. So, the next morning I got up, dressed and ready for work went out and started the car and what? No power steering. Apparently those "posts" weren't there for the battery and I blew 2 power steering fuses. Pastor Josh to the rescue again. In Chile, most cars are manual steering so he could take it to the shop for me. Little did he know that when power steering goes manual, it is alot tougher to turn, but he did it and $8 later I was on the road to freedom and sanity.

But was it the right sanity? Did I trust my Higher Power or just do what I needed to do for my benefit. Of course I didn't trust Him. I was in control (lol) and look what happened. I didn't TURN to Him and trust Him to be in control. We need to learn to TURN to Him first, in all things in our lives if we want to keep our SANITY!

Trust
Understand
Repent
New life

Thank You, Lord, for catching me up on these lessons. It doesn't matter how long you've been in recovery, we constantly need reminders! We also need each other as I am well aware of after missing 3 meetings. Don't get out of the habit of meeting together as it says in Hebrews 10:25. Thank you to all who respond to this blog with encourgement and special writings. You guys are awesome!

Powerless - Part 2
Somedays it seems the world is crashing down around and there is nothing we can do about it. It's frustrating to say the least. Thus the value in the Serenity Prayer:

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardship as the pathway to peace.

Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is,
Not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life,
And supremely happy with Him forever in the next.
- Reinhold Niebuhr

It is for this reason that we continually turn over our "stuff" to Him who has the power.

On another note, wasn't Tuesday awesome! The dinner (thanks Bill & Amir), the worship, a packed room! 2 Cakes celebrated (congratulations Cindy & Lana), and the friendships!!! I am blessed with this group and an so proud at how you are all stepping up to the plate! Please pray for Natalie whose Mom was just diagnosed with Swine Flu and for a quick recovery and protection for Natalie and her family. Thank you all for the support as I go into surgery Tuesday for my total knee replacement. Talk about feeling powerless! Larry will be substituting on this blog while I am out so I encourage you to keep checking in for new posts and new comments. Someone might just have something to say that you need to hear! God bless all!

Powerless - not a word we like to hear or own up to. It's safe to have power, it's comforting, easy, and sooo addicting! But most of the time it just gets us in trouble! We think we can do things better than anyone but when it doesn't work, we can get devastated. Our hurts, hang-ups, and habits become more than they were and we are out of control.

Our lesson last night on Powerless reminds us that we are not God. Our lives have become unmanageable, buried in denial. I am reminded of this greatly in many situations going on in my life right now that I have no control over and it kills me! But, I know where my power comes from, my higher power, Jesus Christ. "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible" Matthew 19:26

In taking the 4 actions: 1) Stop denying the pain; 2) Stop playing God; 3) Start admitting our powerlessness; and 4) Start admitting that our lives have become unmanageable, we open ourselves to God so He can begin His work in us. We need to stop doing (as John Baker says, we are not human doings, but human beings) and we need to start being - being still. Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God."

Pride
Only ifs
Worry
Escape
Resentment
Loneliness
Emptiness
Selfishness
Separation

How has pride stopped you from asking for and getting help to overcome your hurts, hang-ups, and habits?

The word Denial a lot of times gets forgotten after moving beyond the first step. I find that even after 17 years of sobriety there are many events that occur in our daily lives which can bring us back to denial - even to wondering about our sobriety. A death of a loved one, a relationship gone wrong, personal health/finances, etc. How we handle these situations every day is determined on whether we truly surrendered, or understood denial in the first place. As we look forward to next week's lesson on Powerless, how are we doing on the first lesson?

Romans 7:21-25 says, "So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God--through Jesus Christ our Lord!"

Denial

You know, it’s interesting how, in many instances, we have no problem owning up to things that are wrong in our lives. Sometimes we even consider some of our ways, though wrong, to be cool in the eyes of others - a badge of “look at me".

DENIAL is a most crucial part of our recovery. You can say, “Yeah, I’m an alcoholic, but who isn’t” and say, “I’ll stop drinking” and think your done. But what about the “fear inside of failure” or “guilt” or “worry”? We think if we don’t look at those, no one will notice. Aren’t we kidding ourselves? We may quit drinking, but to avoid those other feelings, or the things we are hiding, we take on another “hurt, hang-up, or habit.”

On this first step in recognizing denial, remember your Higher Power, Jesus Christ. What you can’t do, He can! John 8:32 “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Jesus tells us in John 14:6 that He is the “way, the truth, and the life”.

Let Jesus help you as you begin this journey.

DENIAL

Disables our feelings
Energy lost
Negates growth
Isolates us from God
Alienates us from our relationships
Lengthens the pain

In what areas of your life are you now beginning to face the truth and break the effects of denial?

Welcome to our new CR blog! We've just celebrated our 3rd year and I am excited to have this venue to continue the support and unity of our group, not only for our current members, but for those who may find themselves in need of help with hurts, hang-ups and habits that our Higher Power, Jesus Christ, can change!

II Corinthians 5:17 says “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” Celebrate Recovery is a 12-step Christ-centered program that helps this process in growing our relationship to Christ as He changes our lives. Whether your issue is with addiction, co-dependency, pornography, sexual abuse, grief, loneliness, Christ can bring the change, if you let Him. We work the 12 steps along with 8 Biblical Principles which allows us to turn our lives over to Him, to become manageable where there was chaos.

So, each week we will bring an application to the steps we study in our large group and allow a chance for you to share how God is working in your lives and/or share with each other for support. I encourage everyone to take advantage of this opportunity between meetings to be in contact whenever you need to.