Yes! I am one of THOSE people!

Back in 2010, after going through an ectopic pregnancy and almost ending my marriage, a friend reached out to me and told me about this thing called CR.  I was intrigued, but also a little confused.  Celebrate Recovery.  Recovery.  A 12-step program.  Like what alcoholics go to?  Something for drug addicts?  Boy, I felt like you'd have to have some serious issues to need something so involved. 

I spent over two years after being introduced to it, just pondering the questions.  Assuming I didn't "really" need it.  It wasn't until after my world was rocked by learning some things that my husband had been hiding that I honestly thought to be serious about it.

  Even with the questions and the idea that is was more than what I really needed, I gave it a chance anyway.  What could it hurt?  If anything, I would realize how much I really didn't need it and could just stop any time I wanted.  But, what I found, was that I was surely in desperate need of recovery.

Most people do hear about Celebrate Recovery and assume its for severe alcoholic or drug addicts.  They don't see past the word Recovery.  Just like I didn't, at first.

Celebrate Recovery is for ALL people.  If you breath, chances are, you'd benefit from CR.  Every single person has faced some form of hardship in their lives, and we all struggle in some area - at some point.  We all have something in our lives that separates us from God, even if it's something small.  CR is made for EVERY.SINGLE.THING that people face.

Struggle with rejection or self-esteem issues?
Ever been the victim of domestic or sexual abuse/violence?
Struggle with food or eating disorders?
Struggle with anger, depression or anxiety? or any other social/mental disorder?
Struggle with money or material things?
Struggle with your spouse, family or friends (in any way)?
Have you lost a loved one or had your heart broken?
Do you worry more about making others happy than being happy yourself?
Are you living a sexually immoral life (porn, cheating on spouse, sex before marriage, etc)?
Do you live in fear of weird things?

Is there ANYTHING - at all - that seems to weigh on your mind or heart that hinders your relationship with Christ, or hinders your life in any way?  If so, Celebrate Recovery is the place to go to find healing for that!  It may seem small to you, but any issue in our lives is HUGE to our God, and He wants to help us with it.  He doesn't want anything in the way of His relationship with us!

On the Celebrate Recovery webpage, Rick Warren has a message for us.  A small piece of his message reads:

       "The Bible clearly states “all have sinned.” It is my nature to sin, and it is yours too. None of us is untainted. Because of sin, we’ve all hurt ourselves, we’ve all hurt other people, and others have hurt us. This means each of us need repentance and recovery in order to live our lives the way God intended."

That small portion of what he says, really says it all.

The best thing about CR is that it is completely based on the Bible, God's word. 

I've found that when I tell people I attend CR, I get looks or responses that make me feel like I'm being judged.  Also, many who have assumed that I go for alcohol or drug related issues.  Then there are some who admit they have "issues" but then say that those things aren't bad enough for them to go to CR.  Well, like I said, it may seem minor to us, but all of our issues are MAJOR in God's eyes.  Why let any issue, no matter how small it may seem, keep us from having the fullest relationship with Him possible?

I am so very thankful for CR and the healing I've found in my recovery!  I am in recovery multiple things, and have found amazing support and love through my struggles.  I didn't think I was in need of CR.  I thought that my issues were minor and could be dealt with in counseling or just on my own, because they really aren't THAT bad. 

However, I have realized that counseling wouldn't have done me much good. It didn't do me any good, I tried.  I tried medication and every thing else that didn't ever help anything.  It's because I didn't know how to truly work through things, to face them, find and admit my own part in them and then make amends for it, or to forgive others.  CR has taught me how to do all of that. 

Learning how to work through things, facing them, accepting any responsibility that I have and making amends to people I've hurt has honestly made me a different person.  Plus, learning to forgive others has been HUGE!!!  Plus, add that there is a support network of people that understand and can help when things get tough, I can't imagine where I would be without CR!

Really, though... there isn't a person alive who wouldn't benefit from CR.  I pray that word of this program spreads and that people see that this program isn't just for severe issues, it's for every single person, everywhere!  I am okay with being on of "THOSE" people because it has strengthened my relationship with Christ, has allowed me to mend broken relationship from the past, as well as create new relationships that are stronger than relationships of the past! 

Won't you join the amazing healing with us???  For more information, or to locate a group near you, go to the Celebrate Recovery website!

Sinful Living

A topic I've felt very affected by over the last year is willful sin.  Isn't part of being a Christian about wanting to stop living in sin, as much as possible?  If we justify our sin to ourselves, we are letting our flesh win over Christ.  We are being more loyal to the world and our own flesh than to Christ.

Yeah, go ahead and remind me of the judgment rule.  But I am not judging anyone, especially since I have a habit of justifying my own sin and just asking forgiveness for it later.  We all do it, and I feel very led and convicted to do my best to knock that off and to pay more attention to what I am doing and not allow sin to deceive me.  Whether it be the music I listen to, the way I treat others or what I watch on TV.  I am far from perfect in any of these areas, but I have made a lot of changes.  And I hope I continue to make changes as Christ moves me to do so.

James 4:17 says: So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin. 

James 3:13 says: If you are wise and understand God's ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.

James 1:22-25 says: But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says. Otherwise you are only fooling yourselves.  For if you listen to the word and don't obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror.  You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.

James 2:14 says: What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don't show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?

I used to believe that I could watch tv or movies, as long as I didn't act out what I was seeing or letting it "affect" me.  I used to believe that I could read certain books but if I didn't let it cause me to sin in a physical manner, I was okay.  I felt the music I listened to wasn't going to affect my heart.  I even felt that the things I say were okay, as long as I asked God to forgive me after having said them.  However, I have recently been very convicted otherwise.  I have to control my eyes, just as I should be controlling my tongue.


Matthew 6:22-23 says: "Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is bad, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!"

The eyes cause us to sin too.  If we are looking at vile or vulgar things, we are just as sinful as a person who is doing vile or vulgar things.  The worst part of it, we are unaware of how bad it is and that makes it that much worse.  Though, if we are aware and do nothing about it, doesn't that make it even worse than being unaware?

I've realized that when I am watching vile and vulgar things, I have vile and vulgar thoughts.  Whether or not I actually act on them is not the point.  In Matthew 5, it is explained that anger is just as sinful as murder (verse 22) and lust is just as sinful as adultery (verse 28).  So, if I am seeing vile and vulgar things, which cause me to think vile and vulgar thoughts, I am being sinful.  Whether or not I act on them is pointless since my thoughts are already just as bad as the actions.


In Psalm 101, David speaks of how he wants to live.  Verses 2-4 say: I will be careful to live a blameless life - when will you come to help me? I will lead a life of integrity in my own home. I will refuse to look at anything vile and vulgar. I hate all who deal crookedly; I will have nothing to do with them. I will reject perverse ideas and stay away from every evil.

This is how I want to live.  I know that I have a lot in my life that I need to change, and I am changing!  I have stopped watching some tv shows I used to watch because of the content.  I have chosen not to read certain books or watch certain movies due to content.  And I continue to feel led to let go of new things all the time. 

I am very thankful for a loving, forgiving Father that will forgive me when I sin.  Though, I am also very thankful for Him giving me the desire to live in as little sin as I can.  I strive to be more like Christ.  I want try hard to live a sinless life, even though I know I will always fail.  I do not want to purposely live a sinful life just because I know He will forgive me, I want to live a life that shows my devotion to my God and His commands! 

Yes, I am well aware I will fail.  I will continue to sin and will never live a completely sinless life.  It is impossible to do so.  I just choose to try harder, sin less and do my best to be more Christ-like each day!