Archive for the ‘Faith’ tag
Holiday looking blue………
I woke up this morning and realized that the Christmas Tree my little one and I decorated will have nothing under it come christmas..... the money isn't there and yet I was able to save recycle to turn in for a gift for my little one ( she wanted a baby doll and a bike ) . But that was all I could do without asking for help. I asked if I could get into a program to make sure my little one gets something for the holidays ,but was told we were not poor enough and my H. made too much money. But all the money he makes only pays the bills to keep the house over our heads and keeps the utilities on and that is important . We do have is each other and our faith to hold this house together....and that also keeps our hearts warm.
Thanksgiving was the same and yet friends helped with some food we needed and my hubby felt we didn't need the food..... I told him to be thankful for the help we do get and to thank our friends around us..... He continues to drink on days off and that is a bothersome thing that I hide myself from...... I just find other things to do or just go someplace to stay away.....
I pray that I can hang in there and keep the faith with my own program ...... I have come too far to give up all the almost 23 years I have being sober.... January 1 2009 will be 23 years for me and I look forward to each new year....
My Hubby knows this is the highlight of my life besides being married 10 years with him..... and my 8 year old daughter....
For this Christmas I pray for one special gift and that is to have a sober house back......... to see my other half get to meetings again and find himself rather than the bottle he hides in the garage and the meds he takes with that bottle..... I want my family back so we can have the fun of doing things together without disruptions.....:a043:
Please Mr. Jesus, bring peace back in my house this Christmas.... let my family have the laughter of a sober house and not a drunk house..... let us love each other in a normal way and be thankful for the friends we have today........Amen..
Little Penguin :ghug
Thanksgiving was the same and yet friends helped with some food we needed and my hubby felt we didn't need the food..... I told him to be thankful for the help we do get and to thank our friends around us..... He continues to drink on days off and that is a bothersome thing that I hide myself from...... I just find other things to do or just go someplace to stay away.....
I pray that I can hang in there and keep the faith with my own program ...... I have come too far to give up all the almost 23 years I have being sober.... January 1 2009 will be 23 years for me and I look forward to each new year....
My Hubby knows this is the highlight of my life besides being married 10 years with him..... and my 8 year old daughter....
For this Christmas I pray for one special gift and that is to have a sober house back......... to see my other half get to meetings again and find himself rather than the bottle he hides in the garage and the meds he takes with that bottle..... I want my family back so we can have the fun of doing things together without disruptions.....:a043:
Please Mr. Jesus, bring peace back in my house this Christmas.... let my family have the laughter of a sober house and not a drunk house..... let us love each other in a normal way and be thankful for the friends we have today........Amen..
Little Penguin :ghug
It’s not my battle.
Whose Battle Is It?
by Rick Warren
?But you will not even need to fight. Take your positions; then stand still and watch the Lord?s victory. He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem . Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out there tomorrow, for the Lord is with you!? 2 Chronicles 20:17 (NLT)
*** *** *** ***
In today?s passage, God is talking to King Jehoshaphat and the Israelites. They?re about to be attacked by three enemies: the Moabites, the Ammonites, and the Meunites.
Jehoshaphat had to be worried about how his people could defend themselves in such a battle, but God knew exactly what Jehoshaphat was thinking. He said, ?You will not have to fight in this battle.? Now, that?s the kind of battle I like!
What God tells Jehoshaphat in this passage, and what he would remind us today, is this: ?The battle is not yours; it?s mine. You don?t have to fight in it.?
In other words, it?s God?s problem. Let him solve it.
The fact is if you are God?s child, then your problems are his problems. And he?s much better at fighting your battles and solving your problems than you will ever be. Your job is to trust him to work it all out. Perhaps the reason we have so many tired, fatigued, and discouraged Christians is because we think, ?It all depends on me.?
The day you resign as General Manager of the Universe, you?re going to find that it doesn?t fall apart. You can relax in faith, trusting that God is able to run things without your help.
Twice in this passage it says, ?Don?t be afraid,? and ?Don?t be discouraged.? When you face a seemingly impossible situation, don?t be afraid and don?t be discouraged. Has God ever lost a battle? No. He doesn?t lose battles.
There?s an important phrase in verse 17. God tells Jehoshaphat, ?Take your positions and stand firm.? What does it mean to stand firm? It means to have a mental attitude of quiet confidence. It is never God?s will for you to run from a difficult situation. I?ve discovered that when I run from a difficult situation, inevitably God always brings it back around and gives me another chance. Why?
Because God wants us to learn ? and he wants to teach us through experience ? that in every situation he is sufficient. He is competent and capable and he will meet our needs in that situation. Don?t be afraid; fear is the opposite of faith.
You stand firm on two things:
The character of God ? He?s faithful. He does not bring us this far just to let us down. He doesn?t bring you out on a limb and then cut off the limb. Have faith in the nature andcharacter of God.
The truth of his Word ? God?s Word is faithful. You can count on the promises found in the Bible.
Stand still. Remember Who the battle belongs to. Trust that he is able to deliver you. And then watch him do it!
© 2008 Purpose Driven Life. All rights reserved.
I just love the part about not being the general manager of the universe...so true!
by Rick Warren
?But you will not even need to fight. Take your positions; then stand still and watch the Lord?s victory. He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem . Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out there tomorrow, for the Lord is with you!? 2 Chronicles 20:17 (NLT)
*** *** *** ***
In today?s passage, God is talking to King Jehoshaphat and the Israelites. They?re about to be attacked by three enemies: the Moabites, the Ammonites, and the Meunites.
Jehoshaphat had to be worried about how his people could defend themselves in such a battle, but God knew exactly what Jehoshaphat was thinking. He said, ?You will not have to fight in this battle.? Now, that?s the kind of battle I like!
What God tells Jehoshaphat in this passage, and what he would remind us today, is this: ?The battle is not yours; it?s mine. You don?t have to fight in it.?
In other words, it?s God?s problem. Let him solve it.
The fact is if you are God?s child, then your problems are his problems. And he?s much better at fighting your battles and solving your problems than you will ever be. Your job is to trust him to work it all out. Perhaps the reason we have so many tired, fatigued, and discouraged Christians is because we think, ?It all depends on me.?
The day you resign as General Manager of the Universe, you?re going to find that it doesn?t fall apart. You can relax in faith, trusting that God is able to run things without your help.
Twice in this passage it says, ?Don?t be afraid,? and ?Don?t be discouraged.? When you face a seemingly impossible situation, don?t be afraid and don?t be discouraged. Has God ever lost a battle? No. He doesn?t lose battles.
There?s an important phrase in verse 17. God tells Jehoshaphat, ?Take your positions and stand firm.? What does it mean to stand firm? It means to have a mental attitude of quiet confidence. It is never God?s will for you to run from a difficult situation. I?ve discovered that when I run from a difficult situation, inevitably God always brings it back around and gives me another chance. Why?
Because God wants us to learn ? and he wants to teach us through experience ? that in every situation he is sufficient. He is competent and capable and he will meet our needs in that situation. Don?t be afraid; fear is the opposite of faith.
You stand firm on two things:
The character of God ? He?s faithful. He does not bring us this far just to let us down. He doesn?t bring you out on a limb and then cut off the limb. Have faith in the nature andcharacter of God.
The truth of his Word ? God?s Word is faithful. You can count on the promises found in the Bible.
Stand still. Remember Who the battle belongs to. Trust that he is able to deliver you. And then watch him do it!
© 2008 Purpose Driven Life. All rights reserved.
I just love the part about not being the general manager of the universe...so true!
Women’s 12 steps - Step II
Step Two
Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
The key ideas in step 2 are faith and sanity. Faith includes the ideas of belief and trust. Many of us enter recovery thinking that nothing and no one can be trusted. We may be skeptical about belief in a Higher Power. We often feel confused about what we believe. We may have learned from bitter experience that many people cannot be trusted.
Trusting someone can feel risky, yet step 2 asserts that in order to recover, we need to find someone or something we can trust. Step 2 asks us to entertain the possibility that help is available, that we cannot and need not relay only on our EGO selves to break from our addiction. We are not told who or what this power is. Instead, we are invited to explore for ourselves and make up our own minds. Coming to believe means setting aside our illusion of control and opening ourselves to the possibility of support.
This step also asks us to admit that we have done some insane things in our unmanageable lives. We are not necessarily mentally ill?indeed, we very likely are not the ?crazy? women we may have feared we were. Maybe we grew up in ?crazy-making? families and came to doubt our perceptions of reality. Maybe we did insane things?harmful to ourselves or others..because of our addiction. The traditional AA definition of insanity is ?doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results.? Step 2 invites us to step onto a different path; for by living differently, we can expect different results.
In this chapter, you will explore the idea of belief?what does it mean to believe something? You will also have a chance to think about what you believe. Then you will look back at your life to identigy things you may have done that felt ?insane?, as well as forward into the future to envision the sanity you want.
QUESTIONS TO FOLLOW LATER TONIGHT :Val004:
Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
The key ideas in step 2 are faith and sanity. Faith includes the ideas of belief and trust. Many of us enter recovery thinking that nothing and no one can be trusted. We may be skeptical about belief in a Higher Power. We often feel confused about what we believe. We may have learned from bitter experience that many people cannot be trusted.
Trusting someone can feel risky, yet step 2 asserts that in order to recover, we need to find someone or something we can trust. Step 2 asks us to entertain the possibility that help is available, that we cannot and need not relay only on our EGO selves to break from our addiction. We are not told who or what this power is. Instead, we are invited to explore for ourselves and make up our own minds. Coming to believe means setting aside our illusion of control and opening ourselves to the possibility of support.
This step also asks us to admit that we have done some insane things in our unmanageable lives. We are not necessarily mentally ill?indeed, we very likely are not the ?crazy? women we may have feared we were. Maybe we grew up in ?crazy-making? families and came to doubt our perceptions of reality. Maybe we did insane things?harmful to ourselves or others..because of our addiction. The traditional AA definition of insanity is ?doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results.? Step 2 invites us to step onto a different path; for by living differently, we can expect different results.
In this chapter, you will explore the idea of belief?what does it mean to believe something? You will also have a chance to think about what you believe. Then you will look back at your life to identigy things you may have done that felt ?insane?, as well as forward into the future to envision the sanity you want.
QUESTIONS TO FOLLOW LATER TONIGHT :Val004:
Language of Letting Go - Nov. 24 - Surrender
You are reading from the book The Language of Letting Go
Surrender
Surrender means saying, "Okay, God. I'll do whatever You want." Faith in the God of our recovery means we trust that, eventually, we'll like doing that.
Today, I will surrender to my Higher Power. I'll trust that God's plan for me will be good, even if it is different than I hoped for or expected.
From The Language of Letting Go by Melody Beattie ©1990, Hazelden Foundation.
Surrender
Surrender means saying, "Okay, God. I'll do whatever You want." Faith in the God of our recovery means we trust that, eventually, we'll like doing that.
Today, I will surrender to my Higher Power. I'll trust that God's plan for me will be good, even if it is different than I hoped for or expected.
From The Language of Letting Go by Melody Beattie ©1990, Hazelden Foundation.
Giving it back
I believe in a higher power: to me, it's called Life. Underneath it all, there is Life. And I have faith in Life. It permeates each of us, linking our existence and experience, holding up mirrors that show that we are simply different points of view of a greater essence that makes us One.
We need each other. I think that is a blessing. It gives us meaning. And, with any luck, it fills us with gratitude, planting the seed that allows us to give of ourselves unconditionally.
So thank you... for giving so very much :)
:a194:
We need each other. I think that is a blessing. It gives us meaning. And, with any luck, it fills us with gratitude, planting the seed that allows us to give of ourselves unconditionally.
So thank you... for giving so very much :)
:a194:
JFT November 22
November 22
Foundation first
?As we begin to function in society, our creative freedom helps us sort our priorities and do the basic things first.?
Basic Text, p. 83
????=????
No sooner do we get clean than some of us begin putting other priorities ahead of our recovery. Careers, families, relationships?all these are part of the life we find once we?ve laid the foundation of our recovery. But we can?t build a stable life for ourselves before we do the hard, basic work of laying our recovery foundation. Like a house built on sand, such a life will be shaky, at best.
Before we begin putting all our attention to rebuilding the detailed framework of our lives, we need to lay our foundation. We acknowledge, first, that we don?t yet have a foundation, that our addiction has made our lives utterly unmanageable. Then, with the help of our sponsor and our home group, we find faith in a Power strong enough to help us prepare the ground of our new lives. We clear the wreckage from the site upon which we will build our future. Finally, we develop a deep, working familiarity with the principles we will practice in our continuing affairs: honest self-examination, reliance upon our Higher Power?s guidance and strength, and service to others.
Once our foundation is prepared, then we can go full steam ahead to put our new lives together. But first we must ask ourselves if our foundation is secure, for without our foundation, nothing we build can stand for long.
????=????
Just for today: I will take care to lay a secure foundation for my recovery. Upon such a foundation, I can build for a lifetime in recovery.
Foundation first
?As we begin to function in society, our creative freedom helps us sort our priorities and do the basic things first.?
Basic Text, p. 83
????=????
No sooner do we get clean than some of us begin putting other priorities ahead of our recovery. Careers, families, relationships?all these are part of the life we find once we?ve laid the foundation of our recovery. But we can?t build a stable life for ourselves before we do the hard, basic work of laying our recovery foundation. Like a house built on sand, such a life will be shaky, at best.
Before we begin putting all our attention to rebuilding the detailed framework of our lives, we need to lay our foundation. We acknowledge, first, that we don?t yet have a foundation, that our addiction has made our lives utterly unmanageable. Then, with the help of our sponsor and our home group, we find faith in a Power strong enough to help us prepare the ground of our new lives. We clear the wreckage from the site upon which we will build our future. Finally, we develop a deep, working familiarity with the principles we will practice in our continuing affairs: honest self-examination, reliance upon our Higher Power?s guidance and strength, and service to others.
Once our foundation is prepared, then we can go full steam ahead to put our new lives together. But first we must ask ourselves if our foundation is secure, for without our foundation, nothing we build can stand for long.
????=????
Just for today: I will take care to lay a secure foundation for my recovery. Upon such a foundation, I can build for a lifetime in recovery.
Inspiration for those who need something positive.
I have a link that I go to very day to read a poem to give myself something to think about during my day. So I decided to start a thread of things that are important to me and if you have something to add, by all means post it here.
May we all be a flower:
The Flower in Me
© By Amanda K. Girard
I am like a flower
Not sure of when I will die.
Not sure of when I will grow back again
When I am crushed with pain and cry.
I am not sure if I can hold myself up
When I ache with unbearable pain.
What do I do when my petals fall off?
Do I go find them out in the rain?
What do I do when I'm not given enough water, to make it through the day?
What do I do when I look up in the sky?
And the sun doesn't show a ray?
I stand as tall as a flower would,
As long as I possible can.
I will stand and show my colors,
That is what I plan.
I may drupe and my petals may fall,
But that won't stop me from growing.
My love, honesty and beauty,
I will keep showing.
I am like a flower,
Strong and supreme.
I may be trampled on,
But I will never lose faith in my dreams.
May we all be a flower:
The Flower in Me
© By Amanda K. Girard
I am like a flower
Not sure of when I will die.
Not sure of when I will grow back again
When I am crushed with pain and cry.
I am not sure if I can hold myself up
When I ache with unbearable pain.
What do I do when my petals fall off?
Do I go find them out in the rain?
What do I do when I'm not given enough water, to make it through the day?
What do I do when I look up in the sky?
And the sun doesn't show a ray?
I stand as tall as a flower would,
As long as I possible can.
I will stand and show my colors,
That is what I plan.
I may drupe and my petals may fall,
But that won't stop me from growing.
My love, honesty and beauty,
I will keep showing.
I am like a flower,
Strong and supreme.
I may be trampled on,
But I will never lose faith in my dreams.
Language of Letting Go - Nov. 15 - Benefits of Recovery
You are reading from the book The Language of Letting Go
Benefits of Recovery
There are two benefits from recovery: we have short-term gains and long-term gains.
The short-term gains are the things we can do today that help us feel better immediately.
We can wake up in the morning, read for a few minutes in our meditation book, and feel lifted. We can work a Step and often notice an immediate difference in the way we feel and function. We can go to a meeting and feel refreshed, talk to a friend and feel comforted, or practice a new recovery behavior, such as dealing with our feelings or doing something good for ourselves, and feel relieved.
There are other benefits from recovery, though, that we don't see immediately on a daily or even a monthly basis. These are the long-term gains, the larger progress we make in our life.
Over the years, we can see tremendous rewards. We can watch ourselves grow strong in faith, until we have a daily personal relationship with a Higher Power that is as real to us as a relationship with a best friend.
We can watch ourselves grow beautiful as we shed shame, guilt, resentments, self-hatred, and other negative buildups from our past.
We can watch the quality of our relationships improve with family, friends, and spouses. We find ourselves growing steadily and gradually in our capacity to be intimate and close, to give and receive.
We can watch ourselves grow in our careers, in our ability to be creative, powerful, productive people, using our gifts and talents in a way that feels good and benefits others.
We discover the joy and beauty in ourselves, others, and life.
The long-term progress is steady, but sometimes slow, happening in increments and often with much forward and backward movement. Enough days at a time of practicing recovery behaviors and piling up short term gains leads to long-term rewards.
Today, I will be grateful for the immediate and long-term rewards of recovery. If I am new to recovery, I will have faith that I can achieve the long-term benefits. If I've been recovering for a while, I will pause to reflect, and be grateful for my overall progress.
From The Language of Letting Go by Melody Beattie ©1990, Hazelden Foundation.
Benefits of Recovery
There are two benefits from recovery: we have short-term gains and long-term gains.
The short-term gains are the things we can do today that help us feel better immediately.
We can wake up in the morning, read for a few minutes in our meditation book, and feel lifted. We can work a Step and often notice an immediate difference in the way we feel and function. We can go to a meeting and feel refreshed, talk to a friend and feel comforted, or practice a new recovery behavior, such as dealing with our feelings or doing something good for ourselves, and feel relieved.
There are other benefits from recovery, though, that we don't see immediately on a daily or even a monthly basis. These are the long-term gains, the larger progress we make in our life.
Over the years, we can see tremendous rewards. We can watch ourselves grow strong in faith, until we have a daily personal relationship with a Higher Power that is as real to us as a relationship with a best friend.
We can watch ourselves grow beautiful as we shed shame, guilt, resentments, self-hatred, and other negative buildups from our past.
We can watch the quality of our relationships improve with family, friends, and spouses. We find ourselves growing steadily and gradually in our capacity to be intimate and close, to give and receive.
We can watch ourselves grow in our careers, in our ability to be creative, powerful, productive people, using our gifts and talents in a way that feels good and benefits others.
We discover the joy and beauty in ourselves, others, and life.
The long-term progress is steady, but sometimes slow, happening in increments and often with much forward and backward movement. Enough days at a time of practicing recovery behaviors and piling up short term gains leads to long-term rewards.
Today, I will be grateful for the immediate and long-term rewards of recovery. If I am new to recovery, I will have faith that I can achieve the long-term benefits. If I've been recovering for a while, I will pause to reflect, and be grateful for my overall progress.
From The Language of Letting Go by Melody Beattie ©1990, Hazelden Foundation.
speaking of sponsors
i have a great sponsor, she is a loving kind woman. i know the steps have worked for her and she works the program.
but her mother is in the hospital, and we havent been talking on the regular days (in about 2 weeks). i emailed her and she is going to send me step 3 but ifeel like i need constant supervision and support.
im going through withdrawls from my ex, this is the longest weve never talked, and im trying to exstinguish my obsession and work on myself but man between recovery, grad school, work, band, counseling, trying to find a job, network, etc. etc. i am exhausted to work on myself. when im happy i dont want to bring myself down and when im sad (which is more of the case) im too tired and emotionally worn, stressed, stuck sad etc. i need help and support. i have more confusion than faith, and more regrets, guilt, and nostalgia than i have serenity, peace, hope.
i dont want to bother her during this difficult time, but its a really difficult time for me too (albeit not comparable to what shes going through, but this is my life and my feelings). i feel like i might need a sponsor who lives near me and can be more available...
its hard though because her son and daughter in law are my best friends and i dont want things to be weird, or hurt her feelings.
i dont know how to tell her i might need more attention etc.
do you think i should stick it out, or what, or how to talk about it????
but her mother is in the hospital, and we havent been talking on the regular days (in about 2 weeks). i emailed her and she is going to send me step 3 but ifeel like i need constant supervision and support.
im going through withdrawls from my ex, this is the longest weve never talked, and im trying to exstinguish my obsession and work on myself but man between recovery, grad school, work, band, counseling, trying to find a job, network, etc. etc. i am exhausted to work on myself. when im happy i dont want to bring myself down and when im sad (which is more of the case) im too tired and emotionally worn, stressed, stuck sad etc. i need help and support. i have more confusion than faith, and more regrets, guilt, and nostalgia than i have serenity, peace, hope.
i dont want to bother her during this difficult time, but its a really difficult time for me too (albeit not comparable to what shes going through, but this is my life and my feelings). i feel like i might need a sponsor who lives near me and can be more available...
its hard though because her son and daughter in law are my best friends and i dont want things to be weird, or hurt her feelings.
i dont know how to tell her i might need more attention etc.
do you think i should stick it out, or what, or how to talk about it????
JFT–Fear or Faith–11/10/08
Fear Or Faith?
"No matter how far we ran, we always carried fear with us."
Basic Text, page 14
For many of us, fear was a constant factor in our lives before we came to Narcotics Anonymous. We used because we were afraid to feel emotional or physical pain. Our fear of people and situations gave us a convenient excuse to use drugs. A few of us were so afraid of everything that we were unable even to leave our homes without using first.
As we stay clean, we replace our fear with a belief in the fellowship, the steps, and a Higher Power. As this belief grows, our faith in the miracle of recovery begins to color all aspects of our lives. We start to see ourselves differently. We realize we are spiritual beings, and we strive to live by spiritual principles.
The application of spiritual principles helps eliminate fear from our lives. By refraining from treating other people in harmful or unlawful ways, we find we needn't fear how we will be treated in return. As we practice love, compassion, understanding, and patience in our relationships with others, we are treated in turn with respect and consideration. We realize these positive changes result from allowing our Higher Power to work through us. We come to believe - not to think, but to believe - that our Higher Power wants only the best for us. No matter what the circumstances, we find we can walk in faith instead of fear.
Just for today:
I no longer need to run in fear, but can walk in faith that my Higher Power has only the best in store for me.
Page 328
:ghug
Copyright © 1991-2008 by Narcotics Anonymous World Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved
"No matter how far we ran, we always carried fear with us."
Basic Text, page 14
For many of us, fear was a constant factor in our lives before we came to Narcotics Anonymous. We used because we were afraid to feel emotional or physical pain. Our fear of people and situations gave us a convenient excuse to use drugs. A few of us were so afraid of everything that we were unable even to leave our homes without using first.
As we stay clean, we replace our fear with a belief in the fellowship, the steps, and a Higher Power. As this belief grows, our faith in the miracle of recovery begins to color all aspects of our lives. We start to see ourselves differently. We realize we are spiritual beings, and we strive to live by spiritual principles.
The application of spiritual principles helps eliminate fear from our lives. By refraining from treating other people in harmful or unlawful ways, we find we needn't fear how we will be treated in return. As we practice love, compassion, understanding, and patience in our relationships with others, we are treated in turn with respect and consideration. We realize these positive changes result from allowing our Higher Power to work through us. We come to believe - not to think, but to believe - that our Higher Power wants only the best for us. No matter what the circumstances, we find we can walk in faith instead of fear.
Just for today:
I no longer need to run in fear, but can walk in faith that my Higher Power has only the best in store for me.
Page 328
:ghug
Copyright © 1991-2008 by Narcotics Anonymous World Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved
