Philippians 3:12 - 14 (NIV)
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Monday, December 31, 2007
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Leaving The Past Behind You
By Rebecca Osborn
I read this quote by Rick Warren recently that really got me thinking.
"We are products of our past, but we do not have to be prisoners of it. God's purpose is not limited by your past. He turned a murderer named Moses into a leader and a coward named Gideon into a courageous hero, and he can do amazing things with the rest of your life, too. God specializes in giving people a fresh start."
Your past is a tricky thing. It has shaped you .You are who you are today because of it. It has made you who you are. If it was difficult or painful, you cannot just cut yourself off from it. However, to be healthy, productive, and successful, you cannot stay stuck in it either.
Here are a few tips to help you break free from your past and focus on your future.
1. Choose Healthy Programming.
This may sound a bit spooky and weird, but let me explain! When you were born into this world, you were born with a "blank slate." From then on, you began receiving "programming" from your parents, teachers, church, peers, community, and media. So, a large part of your past is your programming.
As an adult with free will, you need to choose healthy, positive, healing, motivational, and inspirational programing. You need to begin reading books and listening to audio and watching movies or shows that convey the value of the human spirit and focus on the potential of mankind. This may seem awkward at first because, even though your past programming is negative and painful, you are familiar with it and even feel safe with it. But over time, you will become comfortable with positive programming. You will feel happier and you will like yourself, which will lead to more productivity and success.
CHOOSE positive, healthy, inspirational programming. Read good books, listen to good audio, watch good TV, and socialize with positive people.
2. Realise That The Past Is Over.
Another thing you need to do to get a handle on your past is to put it into perspective. Most people consider their past to be their childhood and their teenage years. OK, let's say that's 18 years. Nowadays, most people live to be 70 or 80. So that is only 25% of your life. You can CHOOSE to program yourself with positive input and make the remaining 75% of your life one that is healthy, happy, productive, and successful.
3. Realise That Your Past Does Not Determine Your Future.
It is to easy to let what has happened in the past influence what you do in the future. For example, if you failed in a certain area before and focus on that, you end up saying things in your mind like "I failed then so I will fail now," or "I am damaged goods and I will never amount to anything."
BUT You could just as truthfully say, "I choose to learn from my past. My past taught me what NOT to do. My past challenges and trials made me stronger so I can face the real world today. I went through what I did so I can help others," and so on.
Your past may have been a difficult time, but you can steps like the ones listed above to keep it from messing up your present and your future.
Your past does not have to equal your present or YOUR FUTURE.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rebecca_Osborn
http://EzineArticles.com/?Leaving-The-Past-Behind-You&id=776068
Friday, December 21, 2007
Having A Blue Christmas?
If your Christmas seems more blue than white this year, here are some tips to help you cope...
* If your family is more like Roseanne's than The Waltons, you're in good company. You're a real family and there very well may be arguments and rivalries among siblings. If Mom has always criticized you, she probably will this Christmas, too. Still, you don't have to let old patterns ruin your holiday. Remember you can't control your family members' actions, but you can control your reaction to them. This year use those challenging moments to practice forgiveness and acceptance. When all else fails, give yourself a time-out with a sympathetic listener and vent your frustrations.
* Share your time or resources with someone less fortunate. Volunteer at a homeless shelter for a day, deliver gifts to a retirement center, donate money to a worthy cause.
* Just say no! If you don't have time to do something, say so. Delegate responsibility for the `must dos' to other people...even kids can help straighten the house, take care of pets, wrap a few gifts.
* Don't judge the value of a gift by its price tag. If you give from the heart, your gift is never too small.
* Remember that things will go wrong. Kids get dirty, make noise, and argue. You may forget to buy the batteries, thaw the turkey, wrap the final gift in the back of the closet. Travel plans can go awry, dogs will jump on your party dress with their muddy paws, cookies may burn. Learn that these are minor setbacks...not major catastrophes! Practice coping with grace. Stop striving for unrealistic perfection.
* Can't be with someone you love because of divorce, death, finances, or other commitments? Find a creative way to make the holiday special. Spend time with a friend in a similar circumstance. Reach out to others who may be alone. Or, if possible, arrange to spend another day together as `Christmas.'
This Christmas try to be accepting of your feelings, your family, your shortcomings, and your desire to lead a better life. Share your love, strive for peace and good will. Reach out to your father in prayer and ask for strength to maintain your path to recovery.
* If your family is more like Roseanne's than The Waltons, you're in good company. You're a real family and there very well may be arguments and rivalries among siblings. If Mom has always criticized you, she probably will this Christmas, too. Still, you don't have to let old patterns ruin your holiday. Remember you can't control your family members' actions, but you can control your reaction to them. This year use those challenging moments to practice forgiveness and acceptance. When all else fails, give yourself a time-out with a sympathetic listener and vent your frustrations.
* Share your time or resources with someone less fortunate. Volunteer at a homeless shelter for a day, deliver gifts to a retirement center, donate money to a worthy cause.
* Just say no! If you don't have time to do something, say so. Delegate responsibility for the `must dos' to other people...even kids can help straighten the house, take care of pets, wrap a few gifts.
* Don't judge the value of a gift by its price tag. If you give from the heart, your gift is never too small.
* Remember that things will go wrong. Kids get dirty, make noise, and argue. You may forget to buy the batteries, thaw the turkey, wrap the final gift in the back of the closet. Travel plans can go awry, dogs will jump on your party dress with their muddy paws, cookies may burn. Learn that these are minor setbacks...not major catastrophes! Practice coping with grace. Stop striving for unrealistic perfection.
* Can't be with someone you love because of divorce, death, finances, or other commitments? Find a creative way to make the holiday special. Spend time with a friend in a similar circumstance. Reach out to others who may be alone. Or, if possible, arrange to spend another day together as `Christmas.'
This Christmas try to be accepting of your feelings, your family, your shortcomings, and your desire to lead a better life. Share your love, strive for peace and good will. Reach out to your father in prayer and ask for strength to maintain your path to recovery.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Shopping Spree or Shopping Addiction?
Shopping could be called one of America's favorite pastimes, but what happens when it spirals out of control, and in some cases, becomes an addiction?
Compulsive shopping and spending is defined as inappropriate, excessive, and out of control. Sometimes referred to as "shopoholism," shopping addiction can wreak havoc on your life, your family, and your finances.
So what are some of the signs that shopping has crossed the line and become an addiction? What should a concerned family member or friend look out for when they think shopping has become a problem?
* Spending over budget. Everyone goes over budget at times, but if it's a consistent behavior you or your loved one could be in trouble.
* Compulsive buying. If you go shopping for one pair of shoes and come out with 10, it could signify a problem.
* It's a chronic problem. Addictions are continuous problems. They're more than two or three months of the year, and more than a once-a-year Christmas shopping spree.
* Hiding the problem. Like other addictions, Shopoholics will hide their purchases because they don't want their significant other to know. They may have secret credit card accounts, too. Because this problem affects mostly women, as alcoholism affects mostly men, husbands will all of sudden be told their wife is $20,000-$30,000 in debt and they are responsible, and many times, this comes out in divorce
* A vicious circle. Some people will take their purchases back because they feel guilty. Debt may not be an issue because they're consistently returning things, but a problem still exists.
* Impaired relationships. Problems in relationships can occur because the person spends time away from home to shop, covers up debt with deception, and emotionally and physically starts to isolate themselves.
If you, or a loved one, has lost control of spending habits now is the time to turn to Celebrate Recovery for help. Our goal is to no longer rely on our dysfunctional, compulsive, and addictive behaviors as a temporary "fix" for our pain. We apply the 12 steps of recovery based on the scriptures, to experience healing and stronger relationships with others and God.
Meetings are Wednesdays at 7:00 P.M. You're invited to come to a safe place of fellowship and caring where you will have the opportunity to find joy, serenity, and the peace of God restored in your life.
Come and celebrate God's healing power!
Compulsive shopping and spending is defined as inappropriate, excessive, and out of control. Sometimes referred to as "shopoholism," shopping addiction can wreak havoc on your life, your family, and your finances.
So what are some of the signs that shopping has crossed the line and become an addiction? What should a concerned family member or friend look out for when they think shopping has become a problem?
* Spending over budget. Everyone goes over budget at times, but if it's a consistent behavior you or your loved one could be in trouble.
* Compulsive buying. If you go shopping for one pair of shoes and come out with 10, it could signify a problem.
* It's a chronic problem. Addictions are continuous problems. They're more than two or three months of the year, and more than a once-a-year Christmas shopping spree.
* Hiding the problem. Like other addictions, Shopoholics will hide their purchases because they don't want their significant other to know. They may have secret credit card accounts, too. Because this problem affects mostly women, as alcoholism affects mostly men, husbands will all of sudden be told their wife is $20,000-$30,000 in debt and they are responsible, and many times, this comes out in divorce
* A vicious circle. Some people will take their purchases back because they feel guilty. Debt may not be an issue because they're consistently returning things, but a problem still exists.
* Impaired relationships. Problems in relationships can occur because the person spends time away from home to shop, covers up debt with deception, and emotionally and physically starts to isolate themselves.
If you, or a loved one, has lost control of spending habits now is the time to turn to Celebrate Recovery for help. Our goal is to no longer rely on our dysfunctional, compulsive, and addictive behaviors as a temporary "fix" for our pain. We apply the 12 steps of recovery based on the scriptures, to experience healing and stronger relationships with others and God.
Meetings are Wednesdays at 7:00 P.M. You're invited to come to a safe place of fellowship and caring where you will have the opportunity to find joy, serenity, and the peace of God restored in your life.
Come and celebrate God's healing power!
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Managing the Holidays
Christmas, end of year reflections, decorations, good food, family time, holiday music, gifts...'tis the season to celebrate! For many of us it can also be a time of year when memories of loved ones we've lost come pouring into our minds, feelings of sadness can overwhelm us, and stressful situations with our friends and families are magnified. These feelings can trigger us into comprising our recovery.
Depression
It's not unusual for depression to accompany the anxiety of the holiday season. Because depression can make recovery difficult, extra care should be taken to deal with it as soon as the symptoms are detected. Call your accountability partner or ministry leader, attend a Celebrate Recovery, get some exercise! Depression is real and it hurts,with God's help you can feel better.
Stress
Holidays are stressful for many of us. Stress is your body's reaction to internal and external change. For most people, the holidays involve a great deal of change. Changes may be little: perhaps you have a lot of guests coming and you'll have to rearrange various rooms in your house. And changes may be huge: maybe this is your first holiday without one of your parents, your spouse, or children.
Don't underestimate the impact of those "little" changes. Stress can build up quickly, making you vulnerable to your specific triggers.
Stress might cause a relapse or, at least, halt your recovery for a while. As with depression, it's important to be aware of what's going on inside. You know right now that the next couple of weeks will be stressful. You can't control everything that will happen, but you can learn how to cope with your reactions.
We can't prevent most changes in life, and we probably wouldn't want to! The holidays can be a wonderful time of celebrating and being in the company of good people. Since you cannot prevent change and, therefore, cannot prevent stress, you'll want to learn the many ways you can cope with stress.
Grief
You may find yourself grieving during the holidays for any number of reasons. We grieve if a loved one dies, but other major losses may cause grief as well. Family relationships may produce intense emotions. Maybe one of your children will be away during the holidays this year. Maybe there was a family conflict during the year, and you won't be seeing certain relatives. Many situations like these can produce feelings of emptiness and loss.
For whatever reason you may be grieving, it's important to learn about grief and how you can cope with the situation. Don't underestimate the impact grief may have on you during a particular day. Reach out to family members and friends who may have experienced the same loss.
Loneliness
Holidays may produce intense feelings of loneliness, particularly because so many of us have ideals of what the "perfect" holiday should be. It's possible to feel lonely even with a group of people, particularly if that one special person is missing from the group.
Loneliness can hit hard and quickly. Don't think of yourself as immune from such feelings. Additionally, loneliness is an emotion that feeds depression. Think about where you will be this holiday season and how it will make you feel. Even if you will be alone during part of the holidays, you can plan ways to make yourself comfortable. One idea is to have several phone numbers of “buddies” available to call. Tell your support friends and your accountability partner that you might be calling during a specific time.
If you're looking for a safe place to share your struggles, strengths, hurts, and hopes with others, Celebrate Recovery may be for you. In a Christ-centered recovery
process, we work to overcome our negative and addictive behavior through community, scripture, and worship. For more information please contact John at 314-974-0873.
Celebrate Recovery meets Wednesday nights at 7:00pm at the McKnight Road Church of Christ in St. Louis, Missouri. Everyone is welcome! Please join us.
Depression
It's not unusual for depression to accompany the anxiety of the holiday season. Because depression can make recovery difficult, extra care should be taken to deal with it as soon as the symptoms are detected. Call your accountability partner or ministry leader, attend a Celebrate Recovery, get some exercise! Depression is real and it hurts,with God's help you can feel better.
Stress
Holidays are stressful for many of us. Stress is your body's reaction to internal and external change. For most people, the holidays involve a great deal of change. Changes may be little: perhaps you have a lot of guests coming and you'll have to rearrange various rooms in your house. And changes may be huge: maybe this is your first holiday without one of your parents, your spouse, or children.
Don't underestimate the impact of those "little" changes. Stress can build up quickly, making you vulnerable to your specific triggers.
Stress might cause a relapse or, at least, halt your recovery for a while. As with depression, it's important to be aware of what's going on inside. You know right now that the next couple of weeks will be stressful. You can't control everything that will happen, but you can learn how to cope with your reactions.
We can't prevent most changes in life, and we probably wouldn't want to! The holidays can be a wonderful time of celebrating and being in the company of good people. Since you cannot prevent change and, therefore, cannot prevent stress, you'll want to learn the many ways you can cope with stress.
Grief
You may find yourself grieving during the holidays for any number of reasons. We grieve if a loved one dies, but other major losses may cause grief as well. Family relationships may produce intense emotions. Maybe one of your children will be away during the holidays this year. Maybe there was a family conflict during the year, and you won't be seeing certain relatives. Many situations like these can produce feelings of emptiness and loss.
For whatever reason you may be grieving, it's important to learn about grief and how you can cope with the situation. Don't underestimate the impact grief may have on you during a particular day. Reach out to family members and friends who may have experienced the same loss.
Loneliness
Holidays may produce intense feelings of loneliness, particularly because so many of us have ideals of what the "perfect" holiday should be. It's possible to feel lonely even with a group of people, particularly if that one special person is missing from the group.
Loneliness can hit hard and quickly. Don't think of yourself as immune from such feelings. Additionally, loneliness is an emotion that feeds depression. Think about where you will be this holiday season and how it will make you feel. Even if you will be alone during part of the holidays, you can plan ways to make yourself comfortable. One idea is to have several phone numbers of “buddies” available to call. Tell your support friends and your accountability partner that you might be calling during a specific time.
If you're looking for a safe place to share your struggles, strengths, hurts, and hopes with others, Celebrate Recovery may be for you. In a Christ-centered recovery
process, we work to overcome our negative and addictive behavior through community, scripture, and worship. For more information please contact John at 314-974-0873.
Celebrate Recovery meets Wednesday nights at 7:00pm at the McKnight Road Church of Christ in St. Louis, Missouri. Everyone is welcome! Please join us.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
You don’t have to overspend to celebrate the holidays!
Even for people who aren’t compulsive spenders, the holidays are often an excuse to ”blow the budget,” take on more debt, and go overboard on gifts for our friends or family. If overspending during the holidays is one of your patterns, now’s the time to develop an action plan! Remember: Being in recovery means becoming more responsible for our actions.
Before heading out to the mall this year, make a list of the ways you’re powerless over spending and shopping. Reflect on the ways your life has become unmanageable due to your overspending. Pray for strength to combat your weaknesses. Share your concerns with your accountability partner. Come to our weekly Celebrate Recovery meetings. Create a spending plan and commit to not exceeding your budget. Substitute a gratitude list for your usual shopping list. Finally, during your daily time with God, meditate on the true meaning of the holiday season.
Before heading out to the mall this year, make a list of the ways you’re powerless over spending and shopping. Reflect on the ways your life has become unmanageable due to your overspending. Pray for strength to combat your weaknesses. Share your concerns with your accountability partner. Come to our weekly Celebrate Recovery meetings. Create a spending plan and commit to not exceeding your budget. Substitute a gratitude list for your usual shopping list. Finally, during your daily time with God, meditate on the true meaning of the holiday season.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Dealing with Loss
You've heard the expression that "time heals all wounds." Unfortunately, in most cases it isn't true. No doubt you know people who are still carrying hurts from 30 or 40 years ago. The truth is - time often makes things worse. Wounds that are left untended fester and spread infection throughout your entire body. Time only extends the pain if the problem isn't dealt with. Celebrate Recovery can help you deal with your pain and loss. Our group is made up of people just like you, people who understand what you're experiencing. Together we share comfort and encouragement in a safe place where we can experience God's healing power. Join us Wednesdays at 7:00pm at the McKnight Road Church of Christ.
James 4:7-8
...obey God. Stand up to the devil. He will run away from you. Come near to God, and he will come near to you.
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