In Step 3, we declare, “We made a decision to turn our lives and our wills over to the care of God.”
This is ONE of the hardest Steps, if not THE hardest Step to apply and live out. Denial can be tough, I mean, it’s admitting I have a problem, BUT Step 3 basically says, “I’m getting out of the driver’s seat and heading to the passenger’s seat.”
I have a problem.
I can’t handle it on my own.
I need help.
God, I’m trusting YOUR plans are BETTER than mine.
I will FOLLOW you.
Wouldn’t it be GREAT if that’s how it happened? Unfortunately, like I said earlier, it’s a HARD Step, so it typically looks more like…
I don’t have a problem.
I can handle it on my own.
I don’t need your help.
I can beat this with willpower.
Relapse.
Rinse.
Repeat.
If you keep driving, you know where you’ll end up.
Stop trying to control it, you can’t.
Trust God. Give up control.
His plans are BETTER. Give Him a chance.
Let Him drive for a while (or forever).
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
3 Words That Will Change Your Life
Here are 3 words that’ll change your life…
#1 – God
#2 – is
#3 – Greater
You’re about to lose everything to an ADDICTION. God is GREATER!
DEPRESSION keeps you locked up in your bedroom. God is GREATER!
A SADNESS you can’t let go is destroying you from the inside out. God is GREATER!
HURT from your past continues to haunt you. God is GREATER!
FEAR has shut down all communication in your marriage. God is GREATER!
The list goes on and on.
We’re ALL struggling with something.
We’re ALL messed up in some way.
We’re ALL suffering through some hurt, habit, or hang-up.
Here’s the good news…in Christ, we don’t have to stay there! In Christ there’s FREEDOM. How? God, in His infinite power, overcame the grave, defeating death, and thereby asserting HIS power, HIS rule, HIS reign…and gave us LIFE.
So, regardless of what you’re going through, regardless of what you’re facing right now, know that GOD IS GREATER! God is GREATER than your circumstance and He’s ABLE to bring you through it!
What are you struggling with? Make it personal.
God is GREATER than my __________ and He’s ABLE to bring me through it!
#1 – God
#2 – is
#3 – Greater
You’re about to lose everything to an ADDICTION. God is GREATER!
DEPRESSION keeps you locked up in your bedroom. God is GREATER!
A SADNESS you can’t let go is destroying you from the inside out. God is GREATER!
HURT from your past continues to haunt you. God is GREATER!
FEAR has shut down all communication in your marriage. God is GREATER!
The list goes on and on.
We’re ALL struggling with something.
We’re ALL messed up in some way.
We’re ALL suffering through some hurt, habit, or hang-up.
Here’s the good news…in Christ, we don’t have to stay there! In Christ there’s FREEDOM. How? God, in His infinite power, overcame the grave, defeating death, and thereby asserting HIS power, HIS rule, HIS reign…and gave us LIFE.
So, regardless of what you’re going through, regardless of what you’re facing right now, know that GOD IS GREATER! God is GREATER than your circumstance and He’s ABLE to bring you through it!
What are you struggling with? Make it personal.
God is GREATER than my __________ and He’s ABLE to bring me through it!
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
A Letter to Celebrate Recovery
Hello, my name is Nick and I’m a grateful believer in Jesus Christ who struggles with pride and codependency.
LAST WEEK:
I might be biased, but I thought last week’s testimony was AWESOME! My wife and I had the great opportunity of sharing our couple’s testimony with our CR family. God is so good! He’s taken us from the wreckage of addiction and dysfunction to sobriety and freedom in Christ! He’s brought us through so much we can’t keep quiet about all He’s done and continues to do in our lives! And here’s the amazing part…He offers the same to you too!
THIS WEEK:
Sometimes in our recovery, ESPECIALLY when we’re just beginning, we hit a wall…or two…or three. Think about it. We start working the Steps. We start applying the Principles. We get into a groove, we think we know what’s up, we think we got a grip on our hurt, habit, or hang-up, and we get comfortable. Then BOOM! We hit the wall. In order to AVOID the wall, we can’t simply dodge it, because we get tired, instead we have to TURN around and walk in the opposite direction. Join us this Friday, 7p at New Life Church for a lesson on how to TURN…and IT’S CHIP NIGHT!
NEWS & UPDATES:
Hey CR, I’ve got 1 thing I’d like to discuss with you this week…
#1 Celebration Station—Celebration Station (CS) is a PRE-covery program designed for kids grades PreK5-5th. Each week 20+ kids show up and participate in this totally fun, eye-opening, life-changing program! There are 5 committed volunteers leading our children week after week through lessons on DENIAL, FORGIVENESS, and SANITY to name a few. And, by the way, they’re an AMAZING team!
Yes, you guessed it; I’m going to ask for MORE volunteers. I’d LOVE to see this team double, maybe TRIPLE in size. Let me explain why…
About 1/3 of the kids who attend CS are 4 and under. CS is for kids PreK5-5th. We do not currently have the volunteers to sustain a healthy, vibrant program for preschoolers. It might seem a bit extreme, but in order to maintain a SAFE environment, we’re going to have to turn families away. That’s anywhere from 6-7 families a week. This is why I'd LOVE to see growth in our CS leadership. MORE leaders means MORE families can participate in Celebrate Recovery.
I envision a program that is open to ANY and ALL peoples regardless of age. Our ENTIRE community is in need of recovery. People are DYING. I don’t see obstacles, I see OPPORTUNITIES. In Celebration Station, there’s a major opportunity to make an IMMEDIATE difference in someone’s RIGHT NOW as well as someone’s TOMORROW!
Will it be YOU?
If you’re interested, email celebraterecovery@nlccwv.org
THE END:
Sign up to help with Celebration Station and start making a difference in the lives of our younger generation. I want to see the HOPE of Jesus Christ flood our community and YOU can play a part!
LAST WEEK:
I might be biased, but I thought last week’s testimony was AWESOME! My wife and I had the great opportunity of sharing our couple’s testimony with our CR family. God is so good! He’s taken us from the wreckage of addiction and dysfunction to sobriety and freedom in Christ! He’s brought us through so much we can’t keep quiet about all He’s done and continues to do in our lives! And here’s the amazing part…He offers the same to you too!
THIS WEEK:
Sometimes in our recovery, ESPECIALLY when we’re just beginning, we hit a wall…or two…or three. Think about it. We start working the Steps. We start applying the Principles. We get into a groove, we think we know what’s up, we think we got a grip on our hurt, habit, or hang-up, and we get comfortable. Then BOOM! We hit the wall. In order to AVOID the wall, we can’t simply dodge it, because we get tired, instead we have to TURN around and walk in the opposite direction. Join us this Friday, 7p at New Life Church for a lesson on how to TURN…and IT’S CHIP NIGHT!
NEWS & UPDATES:
Hey CR, I’ve got 1 thing I’d like to discuss with you this week…
#1 Celebration Station—Celebration Station (CS) is a PRE-covery program designed for kids grades PreK5-5th. Each week 20+ kids show up and participate in this totally fun, eye-opening, life-changing program! There are 5 committed volunteers leading our children week after week through lessons on DENIAL, FORGIVENESS, and SANITY to name a few. And, by the way, they’re an AMAZING team!
Yes, you guessed it; I’m going to ask for MORE volunteers. I’d LOVE to see this team double, maybe TRIPLE in size. Let me explain why…
About 1/3 of the kids who attend CS are 4 and under. CS is for kids PreK5-5th. We do not currently have the volunteers to sustain a healthy, vibrant program for preschoolers. It might seem a bit extreme, but in order to maintain a SAFE environment, we’re going to have to turn families away. That’s anywhere from 6-7 families a week. This is why I'd LOVE to see growth in our CS leadership. MORE leaders means MORE families can participate in Celebrate Recovery.
I envision a program that is open to ANY and ALL peoples regardless of age. Our ENTIRE community is in need of recovery. People are DYING. I don’t see obstacles, I see OPPORTUNITIES. In Celebration Station, there’s a major opportunity to make an IMMEDIATE difference in someone’s RIGHT NOW as well as someone’s TOMORROW!
Will it be YOU?
If you’re interested, email celebraterecovery@nlccwv.org
THE END:
Sign up to help with Celebration Station and start making a difference in the lives of our younger generation. I want to see the HOPE of Jesus Christ flood our community and YOU can play a part!
Monday, February 25, 2013
Looking For Sanity In All The Wrong Places
Ok, here it is, the final chapter in our 6-Part discussion on SANITY. Do you feel like you have a greater understanding of SANITY now than when we started? I do. I encourage you whether you’re the Ministry Leader, on the BBQ Team, or attend Celebrate Recovery when your schedule allows, to write, to journal, to get INTO the material and EXPLORE it. Don’t rely on someone tossing nuggets of wisdom from the stage, instead, take the initiative to study the Scriptures and acrostics used in Celebrate Recovery. They are incredibly useful tools available to use throughout your recovery journey.
Today’s verse (and an AWESOME at that!):
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8 NIV
The Y in SANITY stands for Your Higher Power (we tried adding YHP to SANITY…but SANITYHP just didn’t make sense). YOUR higher power, not mine, not your dad’s, not your mom’s, not your best friend’s…YOUR higher power.
I’ve heard it said that you can call a doorknob your higher power and I agree, you totally can. Nobody can take that choice away from you. But (by inserting the word “but” here I’m letting you know that I don’t agree with the decision) what can a doorknob do for you? If you stumble and fall, if you turn back to old habits and find yourself lost in the crazy world of relapse…what will that doorknob do for you?
Pray to it…does it hear you?
Cry out to it…does it respond?
Reach for it…does it grab hold of you?
Don’t get me wrong, you can grab a doorknob and pull yourself up by it, but it does NOTHING on its own. It’s dead. It’s created by someone just like you and I. There’s no power dwelling within it. It’s a freaking doorknob.
You need to know there’s a God who rules and reigns in heaven and here on earth, a God who CREATED you, LOVES you, and wants nothing but the BEST FOR you! You know that feeling of despair, that longing for something, that sense of being LOST…it’s because OUTSIDE OF a relationship with God through His son Jesus, you ARE lost. God doesn’t want you to stay there. He sent His son to die on a cross and conquered death three days later so he could adopt you INTO HIS FAMILY AS A SON OR DAUGHTER. Your higher power is also your Father!
Here’s the part I LOVE…the part I get all FIRED UP about…
God didn’t say go get sober, go get over your struggle and then come to me when you’re all cleaned up and ready…NO! He says come to me AS YOU ARE! Read Romans 5:8 again. Christ died for us, that’s you and me, while we were still sinners, still lost, still stuck in our crap! God loves you AS you are, WHERE you are, and, here’s the best part, He WON’T LEAVE YOU THERE!
God is the one who gives us the ability to get BETTER. God is the one who guides us and leads us through this thing known as RECOVERY. On our own we stumble, we fall, we make the same bad decisions again and again and again, but God gives us the POWER to overcome our hurts, habits, and hang-ups!
So, what’ll it be?
Remember, it’s YOUR recovery. Don’t worry about what everyone else is thinking because they can’t help you, they can’t make you get better, they can’t fix you. You need to think long and hard about what you want to do with the rest of your life. Do you always want to remain a VICTIM or do you want to stand VICTORIOUS?
Who is Your Higher Power?
Today’s verse (and an AWESOME at that!):
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8 NIV
The Y in SANITY stands for Your Higher Power (we tried adding YHP to SANITY…but SANITYHP just didn’t make sense). YOUR higher power, not mine, not your dad’s, not your mom’s, not your best friend’s…YOUR higher power.
I’ve heard it said that you can call a doorknob your higher power and I agree, you totally can. Nobody can take that choice away from you. But (by inserting the word “but” here I’m letting you know that I don’t agree with the decision) what can a doorknob do for you? If you stumble and fall, if you turn back to old habits and find yourself lost in the crazy world of relapse…what will that doorknob do for you?
Pray to it…does it hear you?
Cry out to it…does it respond?
Reach for it…does it grab hold of you?
Don’t get me wrong, you can grab a doorknob and pull yourself up by it, but it does NOTHING on its own. It’s dead. It’s created by someone just like you and I. There’s no power dwelling within it. It’s a freaking doorknob.
You need to know there’s a God who rules and reigns in heaven and here on earth, a God who CREATED you, LOVES you, and wants nothing but the BEST FOR you! You know that feeling of despair, that longing for something, that sense of being LOST…it’s because OUTSIDE OF a relationship with God through His son Jesus, you ARE lost. God doesn’t want you to stay there. He sent His son to die on a cross and conquered death three days later so he could adopt you INTO HIS FAMILY AS A SON OR DAUGHTER. Your higher power is also your Father!
Here’s the part I LOVE…the part I get all FIRED UP about…
God didn’t say go get sober, go get over your struggle and then come to me when you’re all cleaned up and ready…NO! He says come to me AS YOU ARE! Read Romans 5:8 again. Christ died for us, that’s you and me, while we were still sinners, still lost, still stuck in our crap! God loves you AS you are, WHERE you are, and, here’s the best part, He WON’T LEAVE YOU THERE!
God is the one who gives us the ability to get BETTER. God is the one who guides us and leads us through this thing known as RECOVERY. On our own we stumble, we fall, we make the same bad decisions again and again and again, but God gives us the POWER to overcome our hurts, habits, and hang-ups!
So, what’ll it be?
Remember, it’s YOUR recovery. Don’t worry about what everyone else is thinking because they can’t help you, they can’t make you get better, they can’t fix you. You need to think long and hard about what you want to do with the rest of your life. Do you always want to remain a VICTIM or do you want to stand VICTORIOUS?
Who is Your Higher Power?
Set List 2.22/24.13
TESTIMONY
Celebrate Recovery: Fridays 7p
Revelation Song—Kari Jobe
Praise You in This Storm—Casting Crowns
Redeemed—Big Daddy Weave
One Thing Remains—Bethel
SERIES: WHAT ON EARTH AM I HERE FOR? (Part 4 of 6)
Weekend Experience: Sundays 8:15, 9:45, 11:15a
Came to My Rescue—Hillsong
God You Are My God—Vertical Church
You Revive Me—Passion
Celebrate Recovery: Fridays 7p
Revelation Song—Kari Jobe
Praise You in This Storm—Casting Crowns
Redeemed—Big Daddy Weave
One Thing Remains—Bethel
SERIES: WHAT ON EARTH AM I HERE FOR? (Part 4 of 6)
Weekend Experience: Sundays 8:15, 9:45, 11:15a
Came to My Rescue—Hillsong
God You Are My God—Vertical Church
You Revive Me—Passion
Sunday, February 24, 2013
I Trust You As Long As I'm In Control
The following Scripture is the focus of today’s discussion on TRUST (the T in SANITY).
It is dangerous to be concerned with what others think of you, but if you trust the Lord, you are safe.
Proverbs 29:25 GNB
This is Part 5 of a 6 part discussion on SANITY. If you missed the previous articles, please take a moment and read them here…
Part 1 (Strength)
Part 2 (Acceptance)
Part 3 (New Life)
Part 4 (Integrity)
What do you think about this thing called trust?
Why do so many different people struggle with it?
Why do I struggle with it?
What is it about people that I simply do not trust?
What is it about GOD that I sometimes struggle to trust?
I like to THINK I trust God, yet when I act like I’M the one in control, I’m NOT trusting God, but in myself. And when it comes to trusting others? I’m too cynical. I convince myself that he or she is just going to fail or let me down, so why trust to begin with? In both cases, with God and with people, I miss the point ENTIRELY.
I can be so impatient with God that I’m willing to forego His BLESSING, in HIS time, for a mere shadow of what COULD BE, in MY time.
My view of people is so narrow that I miss out on the God who lives in them.
If that doesn’t sound like someone who is POWERLESS I don’t know what does. And it’s in this powerlessness I came to recognize that as much as I’d like to THINK I’m in control, as much as I’d like to THINK I can do it all, as much as I’d like to THINK I got this…I NEED God and I NEED others. Instead of trying to control everything, I had to stop pretending I was God and let Him do what only He can do.
If I was worried about what others thought of me, I wouldn’t be in recovery.
If I wasn’t in recovery, I wouldn’t be getting better.
If I wasn’t getting better, I’d be dead or on my way there.
As we continue in our journey, in our recovery, we learn to develop REAL friendships and when I say REAL I mean these people know all the crap from your past and don’t care because they’ve got their own and you know about it too.
Most importantly, we learn that we can trust God with more than our salvation. We learn to trust Him with our everyday lives, our every decision, our every thought, our every word. We learn that His ways are GREATER than ours. We learn that we can trust Him because He wants what’s BEST for us because ultimately He gets the glory and chances are someone else gets SAVED in the process.
That’s what TRUST can do.
Insanity will put you back into a cycle of using people and isolating yourself from any sort of meaningful relationship.
Sanity will open your heart to real intimacy, not just with others, but with the God who created you.
How are you doing with your TRUST?
It is dangerous to be concerned with what others think of you, but if you trust the Lord, you are safe.
Proverbs 29:25 GNB
This is Part 5 of a 6 part discussion on SANITY. If you missed the previous articles, please take a moment and read them here…
Part 1 (Strength)
Part 2 (Acceptance)
Part 3 (New Life)
Part 4 (Integrity)
What do you think about this thing called trust?
Why do so many different people struggle with it?
Why do I struggle with it?
What is it about people that I simply do not trust?
What is it about GOD that I sometimes struggle to trust?
I like to THINK I trust God, yet when I act like I’M the one in control, I’m NOT trusting God, but in myself. And when it comes to trusting others? I’m too cynical. I convince myself that he or she is just going to fail or let me down, so why trust to begin with? In both cases, with God and with people, I miss the point ENTIRELY.
I can be so impatient with God that I’m willing to forego His BLESSING, in HIS time, for a mere shadow of what COULD BE, in MY time.
My view of people is so narrow that I miss out on the God who lives in them.
If that doesn’t sound like someone who is POWERLESS I don’t know what does. And it’s in this powerlessness I came to recognize that as much as I’d like to THINK I’m in control, as much as I’d like to THINK I can do it all, as much as I’d like to THINK I got this…I NEED God and I NEED others. Instead of trying to control everything, I had to stop pretending I was God and let Him do what only He can do.
If I was worried about what others thought of me, I wouldn’t be in recovery.
If I wasn’t in recovery, I wouldn’t be getting better.
If I wasn’t getting better, I’d be dead or on my way there.
As we continue in our journey, in our recovery, we learn to develop REAL friendships and when I say REAL I mean these people know all the crap from your past and don’t care because they’ve got their own and you know about it too.
Most importantly, we learn that we can trust God with more than our salvation. We learn to trust Him with our everyday lives, our every decision, our every thought, our every word. We learn that His ways are GREATER than ours. We learn that we can trust Him because He wants what’s BEST for us because ultimately He gets the glory and chances are someone else gets SAVED in the process.
That’s what TRUST can do.
Insanity will put you back into a cycle of using people and isolating yourself from any sort of meaningful relationship.
Sanity will open your heart to real intimacy, not just with others, but with the God who created you.
How are you doing with your TRUST?
Saturday, February 23, 2013
No One's Looking
Read this verse.
Nothing brings me greater joy than hearing that my children are living in the truth.
3 John 1:4 PH
What does it mean to LIVE IN THE TRUTH? Whatever it means, John obviously thought it was awesome. Read that first part again. He said NOTHING brought him greater joy. Nothing is a strong word to use. Let’s take a look at it.
If you’ve stumbled upon this discussion today, I want to invite you to check out the previous articles leading up to this one. Today is Part 4 of our discussion on SANITY. Today’s letter is I and it stands for INTEGRITY.
INTEGRITY, for most of us, might as well be a cuss word. It’s one of those words that can smack you in the face, especially when you know you’re doing something you shouldn’t be doing. And don’t act like that’s never been you. Unless your name is a Jesus and 2,000 years ago you died on a cross and rose from the dead three days later, chances are you’ve done some messed up stuff. Ok, back to integrity…
What is it?
According to Dictionary.com, integrity is…adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty.
According to the Nicktionary, integrity is…when your public persona matches who you are when no one else is looking. Let me write that again, integrity is when your public persona matches who you are when no one else is looking.
I can put on a mask and fool you into thinking everything is great in my life. I know I can because I did that very thing for the majority of life. I covered my hurts and my addictions with a smile and everyone thought everything was just fine. That, however, was far from the truth. The person I pretended to be was funny, outgoing, and always seemed to be in a good mood. The person I was at home, when no one else was around, was depressed, dying in his addictions to drugs, alcohol, and pornography, angry, and verbally abusive. Something wasn’t matching up.
I wasn’t being me.
I was trying to fake it.
I was all show.
I lacked any sense of INTEGRITY.
I was not LIVING IN THE TRUTH.
Integrity is living in the truth. Can you understand why this would bring John so much joy? Living in TRUTH is living in FREEDOM. Tear off that mask. Stop acting. Stop pretending. Stop living a double life. No more hiding. No more secrets. No more sickness. No more denial.
Are you ready to finally stand up and be REAL?
Nothing brings me greater joy than hearing that my children are living in the truth.
3 John 1:4 PH
What does it mean to LIVE IN THE TRUTH? Whatever it means, John obviously thought it was awesome. Read that first part again. He said NOTHING brought him greater joy. Nothing is a strong word to use. Let’s take a look at it.
If you’ve stumbled upon this discussion today, I want to invite you to check out the previous articles leading up to this one. Today is Part 4 of our discussion on SANITY. Today’s letter is I and it stands for INTEGRITY.
INTEGRITY, for most of us, might as well be a cuss word. It’s one of those words that can smack you in the face, especially when you know you’re doing something you shouldn’t be doing. And don’t act like that’s never been you. Unless your name is a Jesus and 2,000 years ago you died on a cross and rose from the dead three days later, chances are you’ve done some messed up stuff. Ok, back to integrity…
What is it?
According to Dictionary.com, integrity is…adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty.
According to the Nicktionary, integrity is…when your public persona matches who you are when no one else is looking. Let me write that again, integrity is when your public persona matches who you are when no one else is looking.
I can put on a mask and fool you into thinking everything is great in my life. I know I can because I did that very thing for the majority of life. I covered my hurts and my addictions with a smile and everyone thought everything was just fine. That, however, was far from the truth. The person I pretended to be was funny, outgoing, and always seemed to be in a good mood. The person I was at home, when no one else was around, was depressed, dying in his addictions to drugs, alcohol, and pornography, angry, and verbally abusive. Something wasn’t matching up.
I wasn’t being me.
I was trying to fake it.
I was all show.
I lacked any sense of INTEGRITY.
I was not LIVING IN THE TRUTH.
Integrity is living in the truth. Can you understand why this would bring John so much joy? Living in TRUTH is living in FREEDOM. Tear off that mask. Stop acting. Stop pretending. Stop living a double life. No more hiding. No more secrets. No more sickness. No more denial.
Are you ready to finally stand up and be REAL?
Friday, February 22, 2013
Getting Rid Of The Old
It’s Friday! That means, at least here in Inwood, WV, attending the BEST place to be on a Friday night…Celebrate Recovery tonight (7p at New Life Church)! It also means I’ll be continuing with our dialogue on SANITY.
If you missed the Part 1 “Sanity Starts With Strength” you can read it here.
If you missed the Part 2 “Acceptance = Freedom” you can read it here.
Here’s today’s Scripture, the foundation of what we’ll be discussing…
17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV
The N in SANITY stands for NEW LIFE.
I would like to suggest that this is the MOST IMPORTANT point to be discussed throughout the ENTIRE 52 weeks and 25 lessons of Celebrate Recovery. I say this because it represents change; it represents a new beginning, a new start, a new LIFE. Everything hinges and rests upon the decision to follow Jesus or not. This decision has the potential to radically change your right now, your tomorrow, your eternity!
When you declare Jesus is Lord, when you understand that he died on the cross for you, as you, taking your place, taking your sin upon his shoulders, when you believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead three days later, you WILL BE SAVED. Saved from what?
Yourself.
When you call out to Jesus as Savior he invades your life, filling you with the Holy Spirit, the very power that raised Christ from the dead, and from that point until the day you die he continues to shape and mold you into his likeness…in other words, God makes you into the man or woman you were MADE TO BE. As it says above, the old is GONE, the new is HERE!
You’re not a drug addict; you’re a follower of Christ.
You’re not an alcoholic; you’re a follower of Christ.
You’re not a divorcee; you’re a follower of Christ.
You’re not a victim; you’re a follower of Christ.
You’re not your financial decisions; you’re a follower of Christ.
You’re not an over eater; you’re a follower of Christ.
You’re not codependent; you’re a follower of Christ.
With Jesus there is HOPE of something NEW. With Jesus I’m not shackled by the mistakes I’ve made or the pain of what’s been done to me, I have the HOPE of being made NEW. What do I have on my own? Willpower? The ONLY thing I can expect from willpower is I WILL relapse. Insanity is settling for a life OUTSIDE OF Christ…reread 2 Corinthians 5:17…notice it says if anyone is IN Christ. Aren’t you ready to finally stop doing it? Are you ready to move forward with your life? Don’t you want to experience the abundant life God promises through His son, Jesus?
What’s holding you back?
If you missed the Part 1 “Sanity Starts With Strength” you can read it here.
If you missed the Part 2 “Acceptance = Freedom” you can read it here.
Here’s today’s Scripture, the foundation of what we’ll be discussing…
17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV
The N in SANITY stands for NEW LIFE.
I would like to suggest that this is the MOST IMPORTANT point to be discussed throughout the ENTIRE 52 weeks and 25 lessons of Celebrate Recovery. I say this because it represents change; it represents a new beginning, a new start, a new LIFE. Everything hinges and rests upon the decision to follow Jesus or not. This decision has the potential to radically change your right now, your tomorrow, your eternity!
When you declare Jesus is Lord, when you understand that he died on the cross for you, as you, taking your place, taking your sin upon his shoulders, when you believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead three days later, you WILL BE SAVED. Saved from what?
Yourself.
When you call out to Jesus as Savior he invades your life, filling you with the Holy Spirit, the very power that raised Christ from the dead, and from that point until the day you die he continues to shape and mold you into his likeness…in other words, God makes you into the man or woman you were MADE TO BE. As it says above, the old is GONE, the new is HERE!
You’re not a drug addict; you’re a follower of Christ.
You’re not an alcoholic; you’re a follower of Christ.
You’re not a divorcee; you’re a follower of Christ.
You’re not a victim; you’re a follower of Christ.
You’re not your financial decisions; you’re a follower of Christ.
You’re not an over eater; you’re a follower of Christ.
You’re not codependent; you’re a follower of Christ.
With Jesus there is HOPE of something NEW. With Jesus I’m not shackled by the mistakes I’ve made or the pain of what’s been done to me, I have the HOPE of being made NEW. What do I have on my own? Willpower? The ONLY thing I can expect from willpower is I WILL relapse. Insanity is settling for a life OUTSIDE OF Christ…reread 2 Corinthians 5:17…notice it says if anyone is IN Christ. Aren’t you ready to finally stop doing it? Are you ready to move forward with your life? Don’t you want to experience the abundant life God promises through His son, Jesus?
What’s holding you back?
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Acceptance = Freedom
If you’re just tuning in, this is Part 2 of a 6 Part discussion on the topic of SANITY. If you missed Part 1, you can find it here (and I definitely recommend reading it first).
The following is the Scripture that will guide and direct our dialogue…
Accept one another, then, for the glory of God, as Christ has accepted you.
Romans 15:7 GNB
The A in SANITY stands for ACCEPTANCE.
ACCEPTANCE, to me, is a synonym for FREEDOM. I didn’t have to GET RIGHT to GET IN a relationship with Jesus. He said, “I accept you AS YOU ARE and don’t worry, I won’t leave you there.” I was a freaking mess. What am I saying? I’m STILL a mess. I stumble and fall and in spite of knowing that God is God and I am not, I STILL try to control my situation and fix others!
Wow…I need to get in a group.
If you remember, the S in SANITY is STRENGTH and that strength is what I need, what you need, what we ALL need to overcome whatever it is we’re facing TODAY, is still haunting us from our PAST, and what we’ll face TOMORROW (oh believe me, knowing Jesus doesn’t mean life is all the sudden rainbows and unicorns…you’re still gonna go through some stuff, the difference is now you have Jesus to help you through it!). Knowing WE can’t do it on our own, God sent His son to die on a cross and then conquered death by raising him from the dead three days later. And that’s what He wants to do IN and FOR each and every one of us.
#1 He wants to raise you from the DEAD—let’s call it what it is, your struggle, your hurt, your habit, your hang-up…that’s not LIFE…that’s DEATH and God doesn’t want you to stay there, He’s not going to leave you there, He’s going to give you the STRENGTH to overcome it…He’s going to shake the dust from your bones and give you NEW LIFE (we’ll get to this later).
#2 He wants to help you through whatever you’re going through—we get HIS strength. What progress have you made on your own? You might be able to go a few days, maybe a few weeks, maybe even a few years without doing whatever you do or dwelling on whatever hurts you might have, but it’s NOT GONE, you’re not FREE FROM IT…it’s just ignored…brushed to the side or under a rug…God will DESTROY it and SET YOU FREE! When we trust in Him, He gives us the strength to keep going, to keep growing, to live a full and abundant life.
#3 He ACCEPTS you as you are, where you are—He wants to give you LIFE. He wants to give you STRENGTH. Are you ready to accept it? 2,000 years ago God painted a disturbingly beautiful picture of acceptance when His son died on a cross…in that moment God said, “I accept you as you are.” God didn’t say go overcome your struggle first THEN come to me; NO! He said come to me and I WILL SET YOU FREE FROM YOUR STRUGGLE! Read Romans 15:7 again. Christ has already accepted you! Will you accept him? Will you declare with your lips that Jesus is Lord of lords and Kings of kings? Will he be your Savior?
There are 2 sides to ACCEPTANCE. On one side there’s God and He’s already done His part. He’s already opened up His house and welcomed you in as part of His family. On the other side there’s you, me and everyone else on the earth that was, is, and will be…
Will you accept the gift of God’s salvation?
Will you accept others as Christ accepted us?
That’s OUR part…MY part…YOUR part…
That’s FREEDOM. I can’t fix myself, but God can. I can’t fix you, but God can. He sees us where we ARE and He sees where we COULD BE if we’d only surrender to His will, to His ways, and follow Him.
"God, grant me the serenity..."
The following is the Scripture that will guide and direct our dialogue…
Accept one another, then, for the glory of God, as Christ has accepted you.
Romans 15:7 GNB
The A in SANITY stands for ACCEPTANCE.
ACCEPTANCE, to me, is a synonym for FREEDOM. I didn’t have to GET RIGHT to GET IN a relationship with Jesus. He said, “I accept you AS YOU ARE and don’t worry, I won’t leave you there.” I was a freaking mess. What am I saying? I’m STILL a mess. I stumble and fall and in spite of knowing that God is God and I am not, I STILL try to control my situation and fix others!
Wow…I need to get in a group.
If you remember, the S in SANITY is STRENGTH and that strength is what I need, what you need, what we ALL need to overcome whatever it is we’re facing TODAY, is still haunting us from our PAST, and what we’ll face TOMORROW (oh believe me, knowing Jesus doesn’t mean life is all the sudden rainbows and unicorns…you’re still gonna go through some stuff, the difference is now you have Jesus to help you through it!). Knowing WE can’t do it on our own, God sent His son to die on a cross and then conquered death by raising him from the dead three days later. And that’s what He wants to do IN and FOR each and every one of us.
#1 He wants to raise you from the DEAD—let’s call it what it is, your struggle, your hurt, your habit, your hang-up…that’s not LIFE…that’s DEATH and God doesn’t want you to stay there, He’s not going to leave you there, He’s going to give you the STRENGTH to overcome it…He’s going to shake the dust from your bones and give you NEW LIFE (we’ll get to this later).
#2 He wants to help you through whatever you’re going through—we get HIS strength. What progress have you made on your own? You might be able to go a few days, maybe a few weeks, maybe even a few years without doing whatever you do or dwelling on whatever hurts you might have, but it’s NOT GONE, you’re not FREE FROM IT…it’s just ignored…brushed to the side or under a rug…God will DESTROY it and SET YOU FREE! When we trust in Him, He gives us the strength to keep going, to keep growing, to live a full and abundant life.
#3 He ACCEPTS you as you are, where you are—He wants to give you LIFE. He wants to give you STRENGTH. Are you ready to accept it? 2,000 years ago God painted a disturbingly beautiful picture of acceptance when His son died on a cross…in that moment God said, “I accept you as you are.” God didn’t say go overcome your struggle first THEN come to me; NO! He said come to me and I WILL SET YOU FREE FROM YOUR STRUGGLE! Read Romans 15:7 again. Christ has already accepted you! Will you accept him? Will you declare with your lips that Jesus is Lord of lords and Kings of kings? Will he be your Savior?
There are 2 sides to ACCEPTANCE. On one side there’s God and He’s already done His part. He’s already opened up His house and welcomed you in as part of His family. On the other side there’s you, me and everyone else on the earth that was, is, and will be…
Will you accept the gift of God’s salvation?
Will you accept others as Christ accepted us?
That’s OUR part…MY part…YOUR part…
That’s FREEDOM. I can’t fix myself, but God can. I can’t fix you, but God can. He sees us where we ARE and He sees where we COULD BE if we’d only surrender to His will, to His ways, and follow Him.
"God, grant me the serenity..."
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Sanity Starts With Strength
Here’s a bit of Scripture that’ll be guiding our discussion this morning…
1God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, 3though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah
Psalm 46:1-3 ESV
Over the next few days, 6 to be exact, I’m going to discuss the topic of SANITY and I’d LOVE for you to join the conversation, either here in the comments section or leaving comments on Facebook or even tweeting @nrscott. We’ve ALL got a story and it’s a story that NEEDS to be told, NEEDS to be heard. So, without further adieu…SANITY
Following Lesson 4 of the Celebrate Recovery curriculum the S in SANITY stands for STRENGTH. What is STRENTH…and for that matter, what is SANITY?
INSANITY is doing the same thing again and again and again expecting different results.
SANITY is making healthy, rational decisions based on truth.
STRENGTH is physical power or energy.
Let’s talk for a moment how they’re all related: insanity, sanity, and strength.
I don’t know about you, but I have a story that, at one point in my life, I wasn’t willing to share due to an insurmountable degree of guilt and shame. As a child I experienced physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. As a teenager I experienced abandonment. As an adult I struggled with drugs, alcohol, and pornography. My life has been less than pretty. Let’s call it for what it is…a MESS. Thanks to Celebrate Recovery I know I’m not alone, I'm not the only one, and chances are YOUR life has been just as messy!
As a result of the crap I went through as a kid I grew up angry and resentful and bitter and didn’t know where to turn, where to go, who to talk to, or even what to say. So, as I grew up, I turned to ALL KINDS of things to try and cover up the pain of my past…fighting, drugs, alcohol, pornography, video games, relationships, more drugs, more alcohol…you get the picture. I was POWERLESS over my past. I couldn’t control it. I couldn’t contain it. I could only ignore it and that was only for a moment. Sound familiar?
I was experiencing INSANITY and didn’t even know it! I was caught up in a crazy cycle of dysfunction that led me time and time again to poor decision after poor decision. I was killing myself and hurting everyone around me. I had no STRENGTH, but I was convinced I was strong! I thought I was handling it on my own and doing a good job!
Principle 2: Earnestly believe that God exists, that I matter to Him, and that He has the power to help me recover.
Where was this Principle when I was growing up? If you’ve asked yourself something similar, you understand the astronomical IMPORTANCE of Celebration Station (PreK5-5th) and The Landing (6th-12th).
Look back to the very top of this post and reread Psalm 46:1-3. Don’t keep reading. Stop. Go back and read.
Replace “our” with “my”
Replace “we” with “I”
Make it personal. He is a PERSONAL God. He WANTS you to make it personal.
SANITY might as well of been a foreign language. I didn’t understand it. I didn’t even know it existed until the day I finally surrendered my life to Jesus. My life wasn’t instantly changed, but my OUTLOOK was. I finally realized the void I was seeking to fill, that giant gaping hole in my life was meant for Jesus and everything else simply couldn’t measure up…which is why I kept having to go back again and again and again and again (notice the cycle).
I realized I didn't HAVE to be strong and it didn’t matter because I wasn’t STRONG ENOUGH anyways! Jesus WAS and IS my strength! Whatever it is I’ve faced in the past I can let go and turn over to him. He gives me peace. He gives me rest. He gives me STRENGTH. I was trying to carry a burden that wasn’t meant for MY shoulders which is why it weighed so heavy on me. Jesus died on the cross so I wouldn’t have to. He took it FOR me. He died AS me.
When I hold on to the pain of my past, all I’m saying is, “I’m sorry God, but the cross just isn’t enough.”
You don’t have to be afraid.
You don’t have to live in shame.
You don’t have to stay where you are.
Though the world around you may seem to be crashing down and crumbling out from under you, remember God is in CONTROL. He is YOUR very present help. He is YOUR strength.
There’s ALWAYS hope.
Maybe today’s the day you decide to take a step toward SANITY. It starts by realizing your POWERLESSNESS and God’s miraculous way of transforming your weakness into your greatest STRENGTH because He IS that strength! The first step toward SANITY is trusting in HIS ability to bring you through whatever it is your facing.
Will you trust Him?
1God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, 3though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah
Psalm 46:1-3 ESV
Over the next few days, 6 to be exact, I’m going to discuss the topic of SANITY and I’d LOVE for you to join the conversation, either here in the comments section or leaving comments on Facebook or even tweeting @nrscott. We’ve ALL got a story and it’s a story that NEEDS to be told, NEEDS to be heard. So, without further adieu…SANITY
Following Lesson 4 of the Celebrate Recovery curriculum the S in SANITY stands for STRENGTH. What is STRENTH…and for that matter, what is SANITY?
INSANITY is doing the same thing again and again and again expecting different results.
SANITY is making healthy, rational decisions based on truth.
STRENGTH is physical power or energy.
Let’s talk for a moment how they’re all related: insanity, sanity, and strength.
I don’t know about you, but I have a story that, at one point in my life, I wasn’t willing to share due to an insurmountable degree of guilt and shame. As a child I experienced physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. As a teenager I experienced abandonment. As an adult I struggled with drugs, alcohol, and pornography. My life has been less than pretty. Let’s call it for what it is…a MESS. Thanks to Celebrate Recovery I know I’m not alone, I'm not the only one, and chances are YOUR life has been just as messy!
As a result of the crap I went through as a kid I grew up angry and resentful and bitter and didn’t know where to turn, where to go, who to talk to, or even what to say. So, as I grew up, I turned to ALL KINDS of things to try and cover up the pain of my past…fighting, drugs, alcohol, pornography, video games, relationships, more drugs, more alcohol…you get the picture. I was POWERLESS over my past. I couldn’t control it. I couldn’t contain it. I could only ignore it and that was only for a moment. Sound familiar?
I was experiencing INSANITY and didn’t even know it! I was caught up in a crazy cycle of dysfunction that led me time and time again to poor decision after poor decision. I was killing myself and hurting everyone around me. I had no STRENGTH, but I was convinced I was strong! I thought I was handling it on my own and doing a good job!
Principle 2: Earnestly believe that God exists, that I matter to Him, and that He has the power to help me recover.
Where was this Principle when I was growing up? If you’ve asked yourself something similar, you understand the astronomical IMPORTANCE of Celebration Station (PreK5-5th) and The Landing (6th-12th).
Look back to the very top of this post and reread Psalm 46:1-3. Don’t keep reading. Stop. Go back and read.
Replace “our” with “my”
Replace “we” with “I”
Make it personal. He is a PERSONAL God. He WANTS you to make it personal.
SANITY might as well of been a foreign language. I didn’t understand it. I didn’t even know it existed until the day I finally surrendered my life to Jesus. My life wasn’t instantly changed, but my OUTLOOK was. I finally realized the void I was seeking to fill, that giant gaping hole in my life was meant for Jesus and everything else simply couldn’t measure up…which is why I kept having to go back again and again and again and again (notice the cycle).
I realized I didn't HAVE to be strong and it didn’t matter because I wasn’t STRONG ENOUGH anyways! Jesus WAS and IS my strength! Whatever it is I’ve faced in the past I can let go and turn over to him. He gives me peace. He gives me rest. He gives me STRENGTH. I was trying to carry a burden that wasn’t meant for MY shoulders which is why it weighed so heavy on me. Jesus died on the cross so I wouldn’t have to. He took it FOR me. He died AS me.
When I hold on to the pain of my past, all I’m saying is, “I’m sorry God, but the cross just isn’t enough.”
You don’t have to be afraid.
You don’t have to live in shame.
You don’t have to stay where you are.
Though the world around you may seem to be crashing down and crumbling out from under you, remember God is in CONTROL. He is YOUR very present help. He is YOUR strength.
There’s ALWAYS hope.
Maybe today’s the day you decide to take a step toward SANITY. It starts by realizing your POWERLESSNESS and God’s miraculous way of transforming your weakness into your greatest STRENGTH because He IS that strength! The first step toward SANITY is trusting in HIS ability to bring you through whatever it is your facing.
Will you trust Him?
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
A Letter to Celebrate Recovery
Hi, my name is Nick and I’m a grateful believer in Jesus Christ who struggles with pride and codependency.
LAST WEEK:
This past week at Celebrate Recovery my buddy, my dear friend, and accountability partner Steve brought what could be one of the BEST messages I’ve EVER heard…EVER. It was that good. Here’s a recap of his message in 5 tweets (use the hashtag #CelebrateRecovery to find other tweets relating to this dynamic, life-changing ministry)…
I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of doing the same thing again and again and again expecting a different result. I’m tired of falling back into old patterns of thinking and behavior. I’m tired of convincing myself I have all the answers and that I’ve got this thing beat. I’m tired of being tired.
“Your Higher Power” is the Y in SANITY, but, truth be told, he’s the last point, the first point, and every point in between. He is my ticket to SANITY. He’s the answer, the remedy, the cure, the [insert word that means something similar to the other words]. Jesus + nothing = EVERYTHING…you and I need to look no further than Jesus.
Insanity = believing I can do it on my own (even though I’ve failed time and time again).
Sanity = trusting Jesus has my back, is in control, and will bring me through it.
THIS WEEK:
This week I have the awesome privilege of standing beside my wife, yes, husbands, y’all need to learn to stand side-by-side with your wife (remember, you’re in this TOGETHER), and SHARE OUR COUPLE’S TESTIMONY. This year we celebrated 11 years of marriage. Of those 11 years I’ve known Jesus for 8, been clean and sober for 5, and walked TOGETHER in Celebrate Recovery for 3 of them. I’d tell you Tracey’s part, but that’s HER story not mine (you’ll have to come on Friday to hear her mess). This program has been THE SINGLE GREATEST RESOURCE we’ve used in our marriage. I’ve learned more about what it means to be a husband and a father through Celebrate Recovery than anywhere else. I want to see you there. I want to share my story with you. I want you to know that whatever it is you’re going through, no matter how high the mountain may seem, God will give you VICTORY over it!
NEWS & UPDATES:
Here are 3 things I want to share with you…
#1 Celebration Station—I am beyond EXCITED for this program! For those who don’t know, Celebration Station is a 52-Week program for kids (PreK5-5th). It’s fun. It’s engaging. It’s entertaining! It’s Celebrate Recovery for KIDS! Our children are learning to develop healthy coping skills to deal with all of life’s hurts, habits, and hang-ups. It’s PRE-covery! And every week we’re seeing 20+ kids attend (and it’s steadily growing) while parents and guardians are working their OWN program (i.e. exploring the 8 Principles, working the 12 Steps). I believe God is going to use this program to transform our community. What happens when our kids no longer look to drugs, sex, and alcohol for escape and acceptance? What happens when our kids no longer feel left out, looked over, and alone? What happens when our kids grow up…healthy?
I’ll tell you what happens, the freaking world changes because our kids grow up embracing LIFE instead of racing towards DEATH. Yes, I believe Celebration Station is going to leave a long-lasting positive impression in the hearts and minds of our children. It’s for this reason I’m asking EVERYONE I KNOW to offer up 2, 4, 6, maybe 8 or 10 hours a month (you choose) to HELP SERVE OUR KIDS. You can be the difference, whether it be with your PRESENCE or a WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT, that leads a child in the right direction.
We meet EVERY Friday from 7-9p. I’m asking you to donate 1 Friday a month. That’s 2 hours a month. That’s 4 less TV shows a month…unless your shows are an hour long, then it’s 2 less shows. Here’s the reality, our kids MATTER and I want them to have THE BEST POSSIBLE CHANCE AT A HEALTHY, PRODUCTIVE LIFE! If interested, please email me at celebraterecovery@nlccwv.org
#2 The Landing—Don’t forget to tell your friends and your friends’ friends that The Landing, our student (6th-12th) program, has extended its time to 11p. Our leaders are doing an AMAZING job to create a fun, safe environment for students to hang out on a Friday night. Get the word out. Tell at least 3 people EVERY DAY this week!
#3 E-Newsletter—I’ve been working on a NEW newsletter to send out each week. I know I’ve been posting stuff to my blog, posting stuff to Twitter and Facebook, but not everyone connects with social media…sooooooo…I’ve developed a NEW and IMPROVED newsletter that I’ll be sending out to keep you up-to-date on all things Celebrate Recovery. I’ll be sending out pictures and videos and testimonies and all kinds of stuff to ensure you know what’s going on. After you get it, please let me know what you think (I’m ALWAYS trying to make something BETTER).
THE END:
This is the end.
This is the end my friend, the end.
Seriously Nick…are you even OLD ENOUGH to know that song? Yes. Yes, I am. This week, reach out to your leaders. Call or text or message your Open-Share Leaders, your Team Leaders (Greeters, BBQ, Band, etc.), your T.E.A.M., and let them know you’re PRAYING FOR them and LOVE them and want to SERVE them the best you can! Remember, we’re in this TOGETHER! I love you CR, and can’t wait to see you this Friday, 7p, at New Life. Hey, shoot me an email (celebraterecovery@nlccwv.org) and share 5 things you’re GRATEFUL for!
LAST WEEK:
This past week at Celebrate Recovery my buddy, my dear friend, and accountability partner Steve brought what could be one of the BEST messages I’ve EVER heard…EVER. It was that good. Here’s a recap of his message in 5 tweets (use the hashtag #CelebrateRecovery to find other tweets relating to this dynamic, life-changing ministry)…
- I'm so selfish I wouldn't let my son get a stubbed toe to better your situation, but God GAVE His son.
- God is in the restoration business
- In Step 2 I discovered a realistic view of myself AND others.
- God, give us eyes to see that we MATTER to You and You have the POWER to help us RECOVER!
- Stop EXPECTING something different; instead DO something different.
I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of doing the same thing again and again and again expecting a different result. I’m tired of falling back into old patterns of thinking and behavior. I’m tired of convincing myself I have all the answers and that I’ve got this thing beat. I’m tired of being tired.
“Your Higher Power” is the Y in SANITY, but, truth be told, he’s the last point, the first point, and every point in between. He is my ticket to SANITY. He’s the answer, the remedy, the cure, the [insert word that means something similar to the other words]. Jesus + nothing = EVERYTHING…you and I need to look no further than Jesus.
Insanity = believing I can do it on my own (even though I’ve failed time and time again).
Sanity = trusting Jesus has my back, is in control, and will bring me through it.
THIS WEEK:
This week I have the awesome privilege of standing beside my wife, yes, husbands, y’all need to learn to stand side-by-side with your wife (remember, you’re in this TOGETHER), and SHARE OUR COUPLE’S TESTIMONY. This year we celebrated 11 years of marriage. Of those 11 years I’ve known Jesus for 8, been clean and sober for 5, and walked TOGETHER in Celebrate Recovery for 3 of them. I’d tell you Tracey’s part, but that’s HER story not mine (you’ll have to come on Friday to hear her mess). This program has been THE SINGLE GREATEST RESOURCE we’ve used in our marriage. I’ve learned more about what it means to be a husband and a father through Celebrate Recovery than anywhere else. I want to see you there. I want to share my story with you. I want you to know that whatever it is you’re going through, no matter how high the mountain may seem, God will give you VICTORY over it!
NEWS & UPDATES:
Here are 3 things I want to share with you…
#1 Celebration Station—I am beyond EXCITED for this program! For those who don’t know, Celebration Station is a 52-Week program for kids (PreK5-5th). It’s fun. It’s engaging. It’s entertaining! It’s Celebrate Recovery for KIDS! Our children are learning to develop healthy coping skills to deal with all of life’s hurts, habits, and hang-ups. It’s PRE-covery! And every week we’re seeing 20+ kids attend (and it’s steadily growing) while parents and guardians are working their OWN program (i.e. exploring the 8 Principles, working the 12 Steps). I believe God is going to use this program to transform our community. What happens when our kids no longer look to drugs, sex, and alcohol for escape and acceptance? What happens when our kids no longer feel left out, looked over, and alone? What happens when our kids grow up…healthy?
I’ll tell you what happens, the freaking world changes because our kids grow up embracing LIFE instead of racing towards DEATH. Yes, I believe Celebration Station is going to leave a long-lasting positive impression in the hearts and minds of our children. It’s for this reason I’m asking EVERYONE I KNOW to offer up 2, 4, 6, maybe 8 or 10 hours a month (you choose) to HELP SERVE OUR KIDS. You can be the difference, whether it be with your PRESENCE or a WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT, that leads a child in the right direction.
We meet EVERY Friday from 7-9p. I’m asking you to donate 1 Friday a month. That’s 2 hours a month. That’s 4 less TV shows a month…unless your shows are an hour long, then it’s 2 less shows. Here’s the reality, our kids MATTER and I want them to have THE BEST POSSIBLE CHANCE AT A HEALTHY, PRODUCTIVE LIFE! If interested, please email me at celebraterecovery@nlccwv.org
#2 The Landing—Don’t forget to tell your friends and your friends’ friends that The Landing, our student (6th-12th) program, has extended its time to 11p. Our leaders are doing an AMAZING job to create a fun, safe environment for students to hang out on a Friday night. Get the word out. Tell at least 3 people EVERY DAY this week!
#3 E-Newsletter—I’ve been working on a NEW newsletter to send out each week. I know I’ve been posting stuff to my blog, posting stuff to Twitter and Facebook, but not everyone connects with social media…sooooooo…I’ve developed a NEW and IMPROVED newsletter that I’ll be sending out to keep you up-to-date on all things Celebrate Recovery. I’ll be sending out pictures and videos and testimonies and all kinds of stuff to ensure you know what’s going on. After you get it, please let me know what you think (I’m ALWAYS trying to make something BETTER).
THE END:
This is the end.
This is the end my friend, the end.
Seriously Nick…are you even OLD ENOUGH to know that song? Yes. Yes, I am. This week, reach out to your leaders. Call or text or message your Open-Share Leaders, your Team Leaders (Greeters, BBQ, Band, etc.), your T.E.A.M., and let them know you’re PRAYING FOR them and LOVE them and want to SERVE them the best you can! Remember, we’re in this TOGETHER! I love you CR, and can’t wait to see you this Friday, 7p, at New Life. Hey, shoot me an email (celebraterecovery@nlccwv.org) and share 5 things you’re GRATEFUL for!
Monday, February 18, 2013
Set List 2.15/17.13
LESSON: SANITY
Celebrate Recovery: Fridays 7p
You Won’t Relent—Jesus Culture
Redeemed—Big Daddy Weave
Open the Eyes of My Heart—Sonicflood
Mighty to Save—Hillsong
SERIES: WHAT ON EARTH AM I HERE FOR? (Part 3 of 6)
Weekend Experience: Sundays 8:15, 9:45, 11:15a
With Us—Hillsong
The Church—Elevation
The Lost Are Found—Hillsong
Celebrate Recovery: Fridays 7p
You Won’t Relent—Jesus Culture
Redeemed—Big Daddy Weave
Open the Eyes of My Heart—Sonicflood
Mighty to Save—Hillsong
SERIES: WHAT ON EARTH AM I HERE FOR? (Part 3 of 6)
Weekend Experience: Sundays 8:15, 9:45, 11:15a
With Us—Hillsong
The Church—Elevation
The Lost Are Found—Hillsong
Friday, February 15, 2013
How Can I Get More?
Ever have those moments, those mornings, those can’t quite get out of bed cause it’s too cold, can’t get myself up to put away this dirty dish cause I’m so comfortable, can’t mow the lawn cause…can’t do the laundry cause…can’t…can’t…can’t…can’t…
Too many excuses.
Too many times.
Too much at stake.
If you can’t make time to do the LITTLE things, how can you expect to handle the BIG things? God says He will entrust you with MUCH once you show you can manage FEW. That means His plan is to BLESS you and continue BLESSING you so long as you’re willing and able to manage it appropriately (that means making time for the things that matter).
Maybe you’re stuck.
Maybe you haven’t felt the presence of God move in your life in years (or ever).
Maybe you’ve been praying for God to do something and it hasn’t happened yet.
Maybe you’ve been waiting to get married.
Maybe you’ve been waiting on that promotion.
I’m sure the list can go on and on and on and on, because let’s face it, we’ve all got SOMETHING. We’ve all got something we WANT, a DREAM in the making. And we want God to make it happen RIGHT NOW and He’s like, but WAIT…what have you done to show Me you can handle it?
He’s looking at how you manage your household.
He’s looking at how you handle yourself at work.
He’s looking at your parenting.
He’s looking at how you manage your finances (oh dang, Nick just said the f word).
He’s looking at how often you’re investing in others.
He's looking at what you're doing with everything He's already given you.
All the while He’s calculating whether or not you could be ENTRUSTED with more.
Can you?
If not, what needs to change?
If yes, get ready for MORE!
Too many excuses.
Too many times.
Too much at stake.
If you can’t make time to do the LITTLE things, how can you expect to handle the BIG things? God says He will entrust you with MUCH once you show you can manage FEW. That means His plan is to BLESS you and continue BLESSING you so long as you’re willing and able to manage it appropriately (that means making time for the things that matter).
Maybe you’re stuck.
Maybe you haven’t felt the presence of God move in your life in years (or ever).
Maybe you’ve been praying for God to do something and it hasn’t happened yet.
Maybe you’ve been waiting to get married.
Maybe you’ve been waiting on that promotion.
I’m sure the list can go on and on and on and on, because let’s face it, we’ve all got SOMETHING. We’ve all got something we WANT, a DREAM in the making. And we want God to make it happen RIGHT NOW and He’s like, but WAIT…what have you done to show Me you can handle it?
He’s looking at how you manage your household.
He’s looking at how you handle yourself at work.
He’s looking at your parenting.
He’s looking at how you manage your finances (oh dang, Nick just said the f word).
He’s looking at how often you’re investing in others.
He's looking at what you're doing with everything He's already given you.
All the while He’s calculating whether or not you could be ENTRUSTED with more.
Can you?
If not, what needs to change?
If yes, get ready for MORE!
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Our God Reigns
Sometimes music speaks LOUDER than words.
Our God reigns
Our God reigns
Forever Your kingdom reigns!
Our God reigns
Our God reigns
Forever Your kingdom reigns!
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Stop, Drop, and Roll...or Thank God?
Read Exodus 3. Read the ENTIRE chapter. Then read Exodus 4:1-17.
What an AMAZING story.
I believe this story will speak to you, to me, to every single person calling him or herself a follower of Christ…if we’ll let it.
I read this and can’t shake the feeling that we ARE that burning bush. Forget Moses for a moment. Focus on the bush.
It’s freaking ON FIRE.
Yet the bush isn’t burning.
It’s CONSUMED.
Yet it’s still there, untouched, unharmed.
I would like to suggest THAT’S how we are to live. We are to be so CONSUMED by the Spirit of God that people don’t see US, but CHRIST living in us.
Are you living this way?
Am I living this way?
Stop right now. Stop everything you’re doing and pray. Pray for God to CONSUME you. Pray to be OVERWHELMED by the presence of God. Pray a prayer of SURRENDER. Let go. Give it all.
What an AMAZING story.
I believe this story will speak to you, to me, to every single person calling him or herself a follower of Christ…if we’ll let it.
I read this and can’t shake the feeling that we ARE that burning bush. Forget Moses for a moment. Focus on the bush.
It’s freaking ON FIRE.
Yet the bush isn’t burning.
It’s CONSUMED.
Yet it’s still there, untouched, unharmed.
I would like to suggest THAT’S how we are to live. We are to be so CONSUMED by the Spirit of God that people don’t see US, but CHRIST living in us.
Are you living this way?
Am I living this way?
Stop right now. Stop everything you’re doing and pray. Pray for God to CONSUME you. Pray to be OVERWHELMED by the presence of God. Pray a prayer of SURRENDER. Let go. Give it all.
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
A Letter to Celebrate Recovery
Hi, my name is Nick and I’m a grateful believer in Jesus Christ who struggles with pride and codependency.
LAST WEEK:
Can I use the word “riveting”? I think that’s a good descriptor for Erik’s testimony. I mean I was drawn in hook, line, and sinker (for all you fishing people). I LOVE stories of overcoming. I LOVE stories of victory! I LOVE stories of hope and freedom and new life! I can’t help but feel like I’m hearing my OWN story every time someone else shares. I’m like, “Yup, I remember that…oh and that too…uh-huh I did that…” and on and on. It’s GREAT! Not that someone has had to go through the same crap I went through…NO…it’s GREAT that I’m NOT alone! I’m surrounded by people who are just as jacked up as I am. We’re ALL struggling with some hurt, habit, or hang-up. Yes, ALL of us…don’t believe me? Read Romans 3:23. Take it up with God, I’m just delivering His message.
THIS WEEK:
What brought you to Celebrate Recovery? What inspired you to walk through those doors? What was happening…IS happening in your life that you simply wanted to stop? On the flipside, what is it that’s keeping you away? What is it about that thing that you don’t want to stop? This Friday, Steve (our fearless Ministry Leader), will share one of the BEST lessons of the year: SANITY. We all want it, but few know how to get it or where it is. For most of us, SANITY is more like a unicorn or fire-breathing dragon…it’s fantasy…it’s made up…it’s not real.
That’s because we’re stuck in the cycle of INSANITY. Yes, the cycle, as in never-ending. We do the same things over and over and over and over again, expecting different results each time. THAT’S insanity. Learn how to break FREE from the bondage of whatever it is you’re struggling with. It’s time to LET GO. It’s time we learned how to actually LIVE.
NEWS & UPDATES:
Here are 5 things I want to share with you…
#1 It’s Step Study Time—tonight (Monday, February 11, 6:30-8:30p) we launched another Step Study, giving us 5 total (1 open; 3 closed). That means 60 people are learning how to find healing from past hurts, present habits, and embrace God’s future promises! I’m PUMPED to see the transformation, the radical life change that takes place, the freedom that is found, the healing that is experienced, the leaders that are developed. It’s so EXCITING! If you’re a lady or a woman or a girl over 18 and you’re interested in participating in the Step Study, please email celebraterecovery@nlccwv.org
#2 It’s Soon to Be Step Study Time Again—I’m in the planning stage, as in choosing a night of the week, to launch a new MEN’S Step Study. My hope, my plan, and my prayer are to have this group launched within 2 weeks. I don’t know about you, but I’M ready to be in a Step Study again. I NEED the accountability and WANT the friendships. If you’re a dude and interested in participating in a Step Study, please email celebraterecovery@nlccwv.org (it’s about a 1 year commitment and the books cost $17).
#3 Celebration Station is BOOMING!—Our Celebration Station is continuing to grow week after week after week. Since it launched on January 4, we’ve seen 2-3 new students each week. That’s AWESOME! Hold on, this part’s even BETTER, this means there’s a great OPPORTUNITY to serve and be a part of this dynamic program that we’ve seen some incredible life change take place (HELLO! One of the boys asked to be baptized AND his mom did as well!!). If you’ve always wanted to be a part of something BIG, a part of something that’s leaving a last IMPRESSION, a part of something that is just AWESOME…then Celebration Station is the place to be. I’d love to see 6-7 MORE leaders sign up! All our volunteers are background checked for the safety of our kids. If interested, please email celebraterecovery@nlccwv.org (tell your friends, like ALL of your friends).
#4 The Landing Has Landed—Yes! This is another area that I’m super EXCITED about! Here’s why, our leaders have decided to extend The Landing from 9p all the way to 11p. So, now our students will be able to hang, chill, play, eat, pray, study, share, grow, and be challenged each week from 7-11p. They’ve extended The Landing by 2 hours to provide a SAFE place for students (6th-12th) to hangout on a Friday night. The basketball hoops come down. The table fills up with snacks. The music turns up REALLY loud. And the rest is just AWESOME! Send someone a text and let them know all about it!
#5 Cleaning Up Is the Hardest Part—No, I’m not talking about detox, I’m talking about leaving the building in BETTER shape than when we arrived. That’s right! I said it! Clean up! Pick up a broom! Grab a mop! Stack some chairs! Take out the trash! Wash some dishes! Do other stuff! I want to give a BIG thanks to all the people who hung out last week to clean up and a BIGGER thanks to Ken and Regina for hanging back to ensure the kitchen was left in tiptop shape. This is NOT a task that should be left in the hands of a few, but tackled by a LOT. If we all pitched in, it wouldn’t take but 10-15min (which is FAR LESS than the 45-60min we normally stay after). Imagine Uncle Sam is pointing his finger saying, “I Want You!” only my name is Nick.
THE END:
Principle 2: Earnestly believe that God exists, that I matter to Him, and that He has the power to help me recover. How are you doing with this Principle? I want to hear from you. Email me at celebraterecovery@nlccwv.org
LAST WEEK:
Can I use the word “riveting”? I think that’s a good descriptor for Erik’s testimony. I mean I was drawn in hook, line, and sinker (for all you fishing people). I LOVE stories of overcoming. I LOVE stories of victory! I LOVE stories of hope and freedom and new life! I can’t help but feel like I’m hearing my OWN story every time someone else shares. I’m like, “Yup, I remember that…oh and that too…uh-huh I did that…” and on and on. It’s GREAT! Not that someone has had to go through the same crap I went through…NO…it’s GREAT that I’m NOT alone! I’m surrounded by people who are just as jacked up as I am. We’re ALL struggling with some hurt, habit, or hang-up. Yes, ALL of us…don’t believe me? Read Romans 3:23. Take it up with God, I’m just delivering His message.
THIS WEEK:
What brought you to Celebrate Recovery? What inspired you to walk through those doors? What was happening…IS happening in your life that you simply wanted to stop? On the flipside, what is it that’s keeping you away? What is it about that thing that you don’t want to stop? This Friday, Steve (our fearless Ministry Leader), will share one of the BEST lessons of the year: SANITY. We all want it, but few know how to get it or where it is. For most of us, SANITY is more like a unicorn or fire-breathing dragon…it’s fantasy…it’s made up…it’s not real.
That’s because we’re stuck in the cycle of INSANITY. Yes, the cycle, as in never-ending. We do the same things over and over and over and over again, expecting different results each time. THAT’S insanity. Learn how to break FREE from the bondage of whatever it is you’re struggling with. It’s time to LET GO. It’s time we learned how to actually LIVE.
NEWS & UPDATES:
Here are 5 things I want to share with you…
#1 It’s Step Study Time—tonight (Monday, February 11, 6:30-8:30p) we launched another Step Study, giving us 5 total (1 open; 3 closed). That means 60 people are learning how to find healing from past hurts, present habits, and embrace God’s future promises! I’m PUMPED to see the transformation, the radical life change that takes place, the freedom that is found, the healing that is experienced, the leaders that are developed. It’s so EXCITING! If you’re a lady or a woman or a girl over 18 and you’re interested in participating in the Step Study, please email celebraterecovery@nlccwv.org
#2 It’s Soon to Be Step Study Time Again—I’m in the planning stage, as in choosing a night of the week, to launch a new MEN’S Step Study. My hope, my plan, and my prayer are to have this group launched within 2 weeks. I don’t know about you, but I’M ready to be in a Step Study again. I NEED the accountability and WANT the friendships. If you’re a dude and interested in participating in a Step Study, please email celebraterecovery@nlccwv.org (it’s about a 1 year commitment and the books cost $17).
#3 Celebration Station is BOOMING!—Our Celebration Station is continuing to grow week after week after week. Since it launched on January 4, we’ve seen 2-3 new students each week. That’s AWESOME! Hold on, this part’s even BETTER, this means there’s a great OPPORTUNITY to serve and be a part of this dynamic program that we’ve seen some incredible life change take place (HELLO! One of the boys asked to be baptized AND his mom did as well!!). If you’ve always wanted to be a part of something BIG, a part of something that’s leaving a last IMPRESSION, a part of something that is just AWESOME…then Celebration Station is the place to be. I’d love to see 6-7 MORE leaders sign up! All our volunteers are background checked for the safety of our kids. If interested, please email celebraterecovery@nlccwv.org (tell your friends, like ALL of your friends).
#4 The Landing Has Landed—Yes! This is another area that I’m super EXCITED about! Here’s why, our leaders have decided to extend The Landing from 9p all the way to 11p. So, now our students will be able to hang, chill, play, eat, pray, study, share, grow, and be challenged each week from 7-11p. They’ve extended The Landing by 2 hours to provide a SAFE place for students (6th-12th) to hangout on a Friday night. The basketball hoops come down. The table fills up with snacks. The music turns up REALLY loud. And the rest is just AWESOME! Send someone a text and let them know all about it!
#5 Cleaning Up Is the Hardest Part—No, I’m not talking about detox, I’m talking about leaving the building in BETTER shape than when we arrived. That’s right! I said it! Clean up! Pick up a broom! Grab a mop! Stack some chairs! Take out the trash! Wash some dishes! Do other stuff! I want to give a BIG thanks to all the people who hung out last week to clean up and a BIGGER thanks to Ken and Regina for hanging back to ensure the kitchen was left in tiptop shape. This is NOT a task that should be left in the hands of a few, but tackled by a LOT. If we all pitched in, it wouldn’t take but 10-15min (which is FAR LESS than the 45-60min we normally stay after). Imagine Uncle Sam is pointing his finger saying, “I Want You!” only my name is Nick.
THE END:
Principle 2: Earnestly believe that God exists, that I matter to Him, and that He has the power to help me recover. How are you doing with this Principle? I want to hear from you. Email me at celebraterecovery@nlccwv.org
Monday, February 11, 2013
Set List 2.8/10.13
TESTIMONY
Celebrate Recovery: Fridays 7p
Glorious Day—Casting Crowns
You’re Everywhere—Third Day
Happy Day—Steve Fee
You Won’t Relent—Jesus Culture
SERIES: WHAT ON EARTH AM I HERE FOR? (Part 2 of 6)
Weekend Experience: Sundays 8:15, 9:45, 11:15a
One Thing Remains—Bethel
How He Loves—John Mark McMillan
Came to My Rescue—Hillsong
Unending Love—Hillsong
Celebrate Recovery: Fridays 7p
Glorious Day—Casting Crowns
You’re Everywhere—Third Day
Happy Day—Steve Fee
You Won’t Relent—Jesus Culture
SERIES: WHAT ON EARTH AM I HERE FOR? (Part 2 of 6)
Weekend Experience: Sundays 8:15, 9:45, 11:15a
One Thing Remains—Bethel
How He Loves—John Mark McMillan
Came to My Rescue—Hillsong
Unending Love—Hillsong
Friday, February 8, 2013
Isolation Brings Devastation
Ever start something, but for whatever reason, you don’t finish it?
You diet. Then you don’t.
You run. Then you don’t.
You exercise. Then you don’t.
You read. Then you don’t.
You pray. Then you don’t.
You serve. Then you don’t.
You love. Then you don’t.
You clean. Then you don’t.
The list goes on and on (and that’s only a FEW of things I’ve started, but didn’t finish).
I don’t think we go into the situation saying to ourselves, “I can’t wait to stop doing this,” before we even start. If we didn’t WANT to do it, we wouldn’t START it. But it’s hard. It’s difficult to keep going, to stay motivated, to remain focused on the GOAL and not get caught up in the process.
I could share Scripture with you that tells you to KEEP GOING! You know…run the race…don’t give up on meeting with one another…HE began the work and HE’LL finish it, but I want to go a different route this morning.
I would suggest that the things you’re giving up are the things that’ll cause the GREATEST harm to YOUR life and lives of OTHERS around you. Granted there are things you SHOULD be giving up (pornography, alcohol, drinking, abuse, the affair, etc.), but for many of us we choose to walk away from the stuff that BRINGS LIFE NOT STEALS IT!!
We stop attending the local church.
We stop reading the Bible.
We stop praying.
We stop serving.
We stop attending recovery meetings.
We die.
We cannot do life ALONE! Isolation brings devastation. We fall back into old habits and hurts because we’ve eliminated any sort of accountability. There’s no one to ask, “How are you?” There’s no one to say, “I love you.” There’s no one.
You can stop LOTS of things, but don’t stop getting in the company of the people who CARE about you, LOVE you, and want to see you get BETTER, reach your potential, and CHANGE THE WORLD!
Stop killing yourself and hurting the people around you.
Stop running FROM people and starting running TO them.
Choose life.
You diet. Then you don’t.
You run. Then you don’t.
You exercise. Then you don’t.
You read. Then you don’t.
You pray. Then you don’t.
You serve. Then you don’t.
You love. Then you don’t.
You clean. Then you don’t.
The list goes on and on (and that’s only a FEW of things I’ve started, but didn’t finish).
I don’t think we go into the situation saying to ourselves, “I can’t wait to stop doing this,” before we even start. If we didn’t WANT to do it, we wouldn’t START it. But it’s hard. It’s difficult to keep going, to stay motivated, to remain focused on the GOAL and not get caught up in the process.
I could share Scripture with you that tells you to KEEP GOING! You know…run the race…don’t give up on meeting with one another…HE began the work and HE’LL finish it, but I want to go a different route this morning.
I would suggest that the things you’re giving up are the things that’ll cause the GREATEST harm to YOUR life and lives of OTHERS around you. Granted there are things you SHOULD be giving up (pornography, alcohol, drinking, abuse, the affair, etc.), but for many of us we choose to walk away from the stuff that BRINGS LIFE NOT STEALS IT!!
We stop attending the local church.
We stop reading the Bible.
We stop praying.
We stop serving.
We stop attending recovery meetings.
We die.
We cannot do life ALONE! Isolation brings devastation. We fall back into old habits and hurts because we’ve eliminated any sort of accountability. There’s no one to ask, “How are you?” There’s no one to say, “I love you.” There’s no one.
You can stop LOTS of things, but don’t stop getting in the company of the people who CARE about you, LOVE you, and want to see you get BETTER, reach your potential, and CHANGE THE WORLD!
Stop killing yourself and hurting the people around you.
Stop running FROM people and starting running TO them.
Choose life.
Thursday, February 7, 2013
You Gotta Make People Jealous of Salvation
Last night I had the AWESOME opportunity to attend the Jesus Culture night of worship and ministry. I use the word AWESOME because, well, it was. It was one of those moments when you’re so wrapped up in Jesus that you gotta fight off the presence of God to NOT experience it. Like, you couldn’t help it. You were in. He was there. That’s that.
Serving as a Worship Pastor I’m drawn to the music, I’m drawn to the arts, and as fantastical as all that was the thing that stuck out the most from last night wasn’t the music, wasn’t the smoke and lights, wasn’t the thunderous screaming and worship from the huge crowd…it was a simple phrase spoken by Scott Thompson, Associate Leader at Bethel Atlanta. Here’s what he said…
“You gotta make people jealous of salvation.”
I couldn’t shake it.
I couldn’t get his words out of my head.
It was like his words were meant for me, like the Holy Spirit grabbed his head, turned it towards me, and breathed these words from out his mouth TO me.
Immediately I started thinking of Jesus’ words, calling his people, his followers, believers to be the SALT and LIGHT of the world (Matthew 5:13-16).
What makes someone JEALOUS?
They want it.
They gotta have it.
They’ll do whatever it takes to get it.
They might even hate you and despise you for it.
They'll plot.
They'll scheme.
They'll take it from beside your bed when you're not looking.
Are you giving people reason to WANT to know Jesus?
Serving as a Worship Pastor I’m drawn to the music, I’m drawn to the arts, and as fantastical as all that was the thing that stuck out the most from last night wasn’t the music, wasn’t the smoke and lights, wasn’t the thunderous screaming and worship from the huge crowd…it was a simple phrase spoken by Scott Thompson, Associate Leader at Bethel Atlanta. Here’s what he said…
“You gotta make people jealous of salvation.”
I couldn’t shake it.
I couldn’t get his words out of my head.
It was like his words were meant for me, like the Holy Spirit grabbed his head, turned it towards me, and breathed these words from out his mouth TO me.
Immediately I started thinking of Jesus’ words, calling his people, his followers, believers to be the SALT and LIGHT of the world (Matthew 5:13-16).
What makes someone JEALOUS?
They want it.
They gotta have it.
They’ll do whatever it takes to get it.
They might even hate you and despise you for it.
They'll plot.
They'll scheme.
They'll take it from beside your bed when you're not looking.
Are you giving people reason to WANT to know Jesus?
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Red Light Green Light
Red light means STOP.
Green light means…?
What DOES the green light mean?
Most would say it means GO.
I say MOST because not everyone acts like they believe this to be true.
Have you ever been driving and ended up behind a car that, for whatever reason, was STOPPED at a green light? Seriously?!? Why the heck isn’t this car moving? I got places to go, people to see, and things to do. HONK! CUSS! HONK! CUSS! HAND GESTURE! HONK!
You know the green light means GO, but they obviously do not. And because you know it means GO, you feel as if you’re missing an opportunity, you’re stuck when you should be moving. GO!
But what if the situation gets flipped around a bit. Let’s stop looking at the car in front of us, let’s stop looking at the people around us, and let’s take an honest look at ourselves. What are some areas in YOUR life that God has shown you the GREEN light, but you haven’t moved? You’ve prayed. You’ve asked for His guidance. You’ve asked for Him to open some doors. And when He did…
You didn’t move.
Your car is still parked.
The difference between God and you…He’s not honking, He’s not cussing, He’s not flipping you the bird and honking some more. He’s waiting. He’s holding the door open.
God said to do it; why aren’t you moving?
God said it’s yours; why haven’t you taken it?
God’s done His part; what about yours?
Green light means…?
What DOES the green light mean?
Most would say it means GO.
I say MOST because not everyone acts like they believe this to be true.
Have you ever been driving and ended up behind a car that, for whatever reason, was STOPPED at a green light? Seriously?!? Why the heck isn’t this car moving? I got places to go, people to see, and things to do. HONK! CUSS! HONK! CUSS! HAND GESTURE! HONK!
You know the green light means GO, but they obviously do not. And because you know it means GO, you feel as if you’re missing an opportunity, you’re stuck when you should be moving. GO!
But what if the situation gets flipped around a bit. Let’s stop looking at the car in front of us, let’s stop looking at the people around us, and let’s take an honest look at ourselves. What are some areas in YOUR life that God has shown you the GREEN light, but you haven’t moved? You’ve prayed. You’ve asked for His guidance. You’ve asked for Him to open some doors. And when He did…
You didn’t move.
Your car is still parked.
The difference between God and you…He’s not honking, He’s not cussing, He’s not flipping you the bird and honking some more. He’s waiting. He’s holding the door open.
God said to do it; why aren’t you moving?
God said it’s yours; why haven’t you taken it?
God’s done His part; what about yours?
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
A Letter to Celebrate Recovery
Hello, my name is Nick; I’m a grateful believer in Jesus Christ who’s in recovery for pride and codependency.
LAST WEEK:
I believe each and every lesson we share and teach and explore at Celebrate Recovery is the BEST lesson that you could EVER hear! Each lesson has the insane potential to radically transform your situation, to make your life BETTER! This past week I discussed the idea of HOPE. HOPE is…
Higher Power
Openness to change
Power to change
Expect to change
Nobody wants to stay the same. Nobody walks through the doors of a recovery meeting thinking to themselves, “I just want to stay the same. I hope I never change.” No! We ALL want to get better! We ALL want to be set free from our anger, depression, resentment, bitterness, unforgiveness, addictions, hurts, habits, and hang-ups. We ALL want to experience FREEDOM and JOY and a FULL life! It all starts with HOPE.
Who is YOUR higher power? Does he or she have a name or is it merely a thing? A doorknob will get you in and out of a room. A phonebook will help you find a friend. A lamp will give you light. These things are HELPFUL, but we need RESCUE. These THINGS are not going to SAVE you, RESCUE you, PICK YOU UP when you’re down…they will not CHANGE YOUR LIFE! If you want to experience CHANGE, if you want a NEW LIFE, you gotta meet a dude named Jesus. He loves you. He died for you. He changes EVERYTHING (including you!).
HOPE begins with Jesus and ends with…well…it NEVER ends!
THIS WEEK:
I’m so EXCITED for the testimony this week! My buddy Erik will be sharing his story of overcoming the struggles that so many of us face, that lead to so many of us feeling as if life is over, nothing will ever get better, I’m stuck, I’m lost, I’m worthless…then in steps Jesus (the dude I mentioned earlier) and EVERYTHING CHANGES! Come out and hear how Erik found HOPE and how you can too! Friday at 7p
NEWS & UPDATES:
Here are 4 things I want to share with you this week…
#1 BBQ Team—Each week our BBQ Team (which has consisted of 2-3 people each week) prepares a meal to share with the community for FREE. Read that part again…2-3 people…and it’s FREE! I would LOVE to see this team grow to 5, 6, 10 people! Growing a TEAM grows PEOPLE. We learn to work together, supporting one another, fulfilling the call and purpose in our lives to SERVE others! Do you have a passion for cooking? Serving food? Organizing? Cleaning? If so, I want YOU to join the team! Email me at celebraterecovery@nlccwv.org or sign up to serve here.
Now, somebody read that, recognized how I mentioned the word FREE, not once, but TWICE and are still wondering…why did he say that…he didn’t talk about it. Well, please allow me a few moments to address that very thing. Each week we offer the meal for FREE. Entire families are eating TOGETHER (and it’s the ONLY time they get to all week!)! For some, it’s the only REAL meal they eat all week. It’s FREE. But nothing is without COST. Let me say that again, it’s FREE, but not without COST. There’s a donation bucket, but too often it’s overlooked. If I was actually in there, chances are I would overlook it too (I’m not perfect). We need to change this! I’ll go to Wendy’s or 5 Guys or Buffalo Wild Wings and drop $10-15 without blinking, but when it comes to the donation bucket my well has run dry. If we’re going to see this area of our Friday night meeting continue forward, if we’re going to continue providing a meal for our community, we gotta take OWNERSHIP of it and BE the difference! Something’s gotta CHANGE! Will it be you? If you’d like to make a one-time gift or recurring gift to the CR BBQ Team contact me at celebraterecovery@nlccwv.org
#2 Step Studies—Oh it’s that time again! Right now, there are over 20 ladies working through the 12 Steps and 8 Principles AND 10 guys doing the same (I mentioned the ladies first because there’s MORE and I dig that!!). Step Studies are the HEART of the program! It’s where we learn to get real and stay real. NEXT WEEK, on Monday, February 11 (6:30-8:30p) we’re launching another Women’s Step Study and (hopefully…possibly…maybe) another Men’s Step Study. If you make the decision to join a Step Study (which outside of the decision to follow Jesus is the BEST decision you’ll ever make…or second best) your life will NEVER BE THE SAME! If interested in signing up or participating in a Step Study, please email me at celebraterecovery@nlccwv.org
#3 I Love You—Somebody needed to hear that.
#4 Home Run the Movie—It’s coming! Mark your calendars for Friday, April 19th (I’m going to be conflicted since this IS the night our Celebrate Recovery meets) Home Run the Movie premieres NATION-WIDE…including MARTINSBURG, WV! This movie is going to change the landscape of CR. I believe we’re going to see a wave…a monsoon…a (insert GIANT thing) of people make their way through the front doors because they were introduced to the program IN the movie. People are going to be set FREE! How AWESOME is that?!? Be praying for it. Plan on who you’re taking to it on OPENING WEEKEND. Heck, buy tickets and give them away!
THE END:
I can’t wait to see you this Friday. Join me and continue praying for Erik as he prepares to share his testimony. Join me and continue praying for the people you’ve met, the friends you’ve made, and the people you no longer see at Celebrate Recovery. Reach out to someone this week. Let’em know you CARE!
LAST WEEK:
I believe each and every lesson we share and teach and explore at Celebrate Recovery is the BEST lesson that you could EVER hear! Each lesson has the insane potential to radically transform your situation, to make your life BETTER! This past week I discussed the idea of HOPE. HOPE is…
Higher Power
Openness to change
Power to change
Expect to change
Nobody wants to stay the same. Nobody walks through the doors of a recovery meeting thinking to themselves, “I just want to stay the same. I hope I never change.” No! We ALL want to get better! We ALL want to be set free from our anger, depression, resentment, bitterness, unforgiveness, addictions, hurts, habits, and hang-ups. We ALL want to experience FREEDOM and JOY and a FULL life! It all starts with HOPE.
Who is YOUR higher power? Does he or she have a name or is it merely a thing? A doorknob will get you in and out of a room. A phonebook will help you find a friend. A lamp will give you light. These things are HELPFUL, but we need RESCUE. These THINGS are not going to SAVE you, RESCUE you, PICK YOU UP when you’re down…they will not CHANGE YOUR LIFE! If you want to experience CHANGE, if you want a NEW LIFE, you gotta meet a dude named Jesus. He loves you. He died for you. He changes EVERYTHING (including you!).
HOPE begins with Jesus and ends with…well…it NEVER ends!
THIS WEEK:
I’m so EXCITED for the testimony this week! My buddy Erik will be sharing his story of overcoming the struggles that so many of us face, that lead to so many of us feeling as if life is over, nothing will ever get better, I’m stuck, I’m lost, I’m worthless…then in steps Jesus (the dude I mentioned earlier) and EVERYTHING CHANGES! Come out and hear how Erik found HOPE and how you can too! Friday at 7p
NEWS & UPDATES:
Here are 4 things I want to share with you this week…
#1 BBQ Team—Each week our BBQ Team (which has consisted of 2-3 people each week) prepares a meal to share with the community for FREE. Read that part again…2-3 people…and it’s FREE! I would LOVE to see this team grow to 5, 6, 10 people! Growing a TEAM grows PEOPLE. We learn to work together, supporting one another, fulfilling the call and purpose in our lives to SERVE others! Do you have a passion for cooking? Serving food? Organizing? Cleaning? If so, I want YOU to join the team! Email me at celebraterecovery@nlccwv.org or sign up to serve here.
Now, somebody read that, recognized how I mentioned the word FREE, not once, but TWICE and are still wondering…why did he say that…he didn’t talk about it. Well, please allow me a few moments to address that very thing. Each week we offer the meal for FREE. Entire families are eating TOGETHER (and it’s the ONLY time they get to all week!)! For some, it’s the only REAL meal they eat all week. It’s FREE. But nothing is without COST. Let me say that again, it’s FREE, but not without COST. There’s a donation bucket, but too often it’s overlooked. If I was actually in there, chances are I would overlook it too (I’m not perfect). We need to change this! I’ll go to Wendy’s or 5 Guys or Buffalo Wild Wings and drop $10-15 without blinking, but when it comes to the donation bucket my well has run dry. If we’re going to see this area of our Friday night meeting continue forward, if we’re going to continue providing a meal for our community, we gotta take OWNERSHIP of it and BE the difference! Something’s gotta CHANGE! Will it be you? If you’d like to make a one-time gift or recurring gift to the CR BBQ Team contact me at celebraterecovery@nlccwv.org
#2 Step Studies—Oh it’s that time again! Right now, there are over 20 ladies working through the 12 Steps and 8 Principles AND 10 guys doing the same (I mentioned the ladies first because there’s MORE and I dig that!!). Step Studies are the HEART of the program! It’s where we learn to get real and stay real. NEXT WEEK, on Monday, February 11 (6:30-8:30p) we’re launching another Women’s Step Study and (hopefully…possibly…maybe) another Men’s Step Study. If you make the decision to join a Step Study (which outside of the decision to follow Jesus is the BEST decision you’ll ever make…or second best) your life will NEVER BE THE SAME! If interested in signing up or participating in a Step Study, please email me at celebraterecovery@nlccwv.org
#3 I Love You—Somebody needed to hear that.
#4 Home Run the Movie—It’s coming! Mark your calendars for Friday, April 19th (I’m going to be conflicted since this IS the night our Celebrate Recovery meets) Home Run the Movie premieres NATION-WIDE…including MARTINSBURG, WV! This movie is going to change the landscape of CR. I believe we’re going to see a wave…a monsoon…a (insert GIANT thing) of people make their way through the front doors because they were introduced to the program IN the movie. People are going to be set FREE! How AWESOME is that?!? Be praying for it. Plan on who you’re taking to it on OPENING WEEKEND. Heck, buy tickets and give them away!
THE END:
I can’t wait to see you this Friday. Join me and continue praying for Erik as he prepares to share his testimony. Join me and continue praying for the people you’ve met, the friends you’ve made, and the people you no longer see at Celebrate Recovery. Reach out to someone this week. Let’em know you CARE!
Monday, February 4, 2013
Set List 2.1/3.13
LESSON: HOPE
Celebrate Recovery: Fridays 7p
Like A Lion—David Crowder*Band
Happy Day—Steve Fee
Your Love Never Fails—Jesus Culture
You Won’t Relent—Jesus Culture
SERIES: WHAT ON EARTH AM I HERE FOR? (Part 1 of 6)
Weekend Experience: Sundays 8:15, 9:45, 11:15a
Home—Phillip Phillips
Forever Reign—Hillsong Live
Cornerstone—Hillsong Live
Celebrate Recovery: Fridays 7p
Like A Lion—David Crowder*Band
Happy Day—Steve Fee
Your Love Never Fails—Jesus Culture
You Won’t Relent—Jesus Culture
SERIES: WHAT ON EARTH AM I HERE FOR? (Part 1 of 6)
Weekend Experience: Sundays 8:15, 9:45, 11:15a
Home—Phillip Phillips
Forever Reign—Hillsong Live
Cornerstone—Hillsong Live
Friday, February 1, 2013
Recovery Happens When Words Turn To Action
Recovery is that word, that thing that we all THINK we know something about, yet fearfully keep it just out of reach from discovering what it REALLY is. It’s something for THOSE people. It’s for ADDICTS. It’s for people struggling with DRUGS and ALCOHOL. Besides, if I was to participate, what would people think of ME? Now excuse me, I have some PORNOGRAPHY to watch, some FOOD to overeat, some MONEY to overspend, people I need to HATE, ANGER I need to let out, DEPRESSION to sulk in…
You get the picture.
I was no different. I was invited to help launch a CR a few years ago and my initial response was, “I’m sober, I don’t need recovery.” Whatever the HABIT was, I had stopped it. I was past it. I was over it. It no longer had control over me. What purpose would RECOVERY serve in my life?
I imagine many of us have asked this very question. We’ve all THOUGHT about attending. We’ve all WONDERED what’s really happening. We all want to get BETTER. I’m pretty sure I can say, with 100% certainty, that I’ve never met a person who wanted their situation to get WORSE.
And that’s what recovery is…it’s about getting BETTER. It’s about getting OVER life’s hurts, habits, and hang-ups. It’s about finding FREEDOM from the things that hold us back from experiencing the abundant life Jesus promised.
So, what is recovery?
It’s healing.
It’s hope.
It’s freedom.
It’s getting better.
It’s giving back.
It’s growing into the man or woman God wants you to be.
It’s taking a stand.
It’s breaking generational curses.
It’s smashing the cycle of dysfunction.
It’s learning to love yourself enough LIVE.
It’s you.
It’s me.
It’s family.
It’s Jesus.
You get the picture.
I was no different. I was invited to help launch a CR a few years ago and my initial response was, “I’m sober, I don’t need recovery.” Whatever the HABIT was, I had stopped it. I was past it. I was over it. It no longer had control over me. What purpose would RECOVERY serve in my life?
I imagine many of us have asked this very question. We’ve all THOUGHT about attending. We’ve all WONDERED what’s really happening. We all want to get BETTER. I’m pretty sure I can say, with 100% certainty, that I’ve never met a person who wanted their situation to get WORSE.
And that’s what recovery is…it’s about getting BETTER. It’s about getting OVER life’s hurts, habits, and hang-ups. It’s about finding FREEDOM from the things that hold us back from experiencing the abundant life Jesus promised.
So, what is recovery?
It’s healing.
It’s hope.
It’s freedom.
It’s getting better.
It’s giving back.
It’s growing into the man or woman God wants you to be.
It’s taking a stand.
It’s breaking generational curses.
It’s smashing the cycle of dysfunction.
It’s learning to love yourself enough LIVE.
It’s you.
It’s me.
It’s family.
It’s Jesus.
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