Are you ready to embark on a journey with me? Pack up your controlling habits, trust issues, co-dependency, guilt, self-blame, hurts, regrets, and heartaches. Although you will take these with you in the beginning, by the end of this year, I hope you have shed them all along the way. We are about to start on a journey of healing, redemption, and restoration. Are you ready?
If you have been a reader for long, you know a little about my story of God's healing power in my life. You know I have lived with the aftereffects of growing up with an alcoholic dad and repeated bad habits as a result. You also know my husband, Patrick, is an alcoholic in recovery (16 months free!). You know I am also a recovering co-dependent with trust issues, a retail self-medicater, and a control freak.
So what exactly is recovery anyway? That, my dear friend, is what the next year will answer for you! The next twelve months will take you along my path as I recount the steps (12 of them) God led me through to recovery from my controlling habits, trust issues, co-dependency, guilt, self-blame, hurts, regrets, and heartaches. I will show you how I have found freedom!
We will begin with the first step on January 9—Admitting. I will guide you from there on my journey and share with you how I have found the freedom only God can give. So grab your "stuff" and come along with me, won't you? If you haven't already, make sure and pick up your FREE copy of My Journey Journal©. You can pick it up here. (subscriber password required)
There are several worthy organizations dedicated to helping others realize freedom from their issues. To learn about them you can click my "Get Help" page. Each one offers the 12 steps to recovery. These are adapted from the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. AA is an organization that has been helping addicts for over 75 years (and counting). As a result of AA, other organizations have been developed to help with families of alcoholics and addicts. Churches began to recognize there was not only an issue with addictions to chemical substances, but also with things like pornography, shopping, co-dependency, past sexual abuse, among other things. Several churches have formed their own recovery programs to help fellow Christians with their needs. I have had the privilege of being involved in such organizations and I can tell you, with God's guidance, they have changed my life.
If you suffer from the aftereffects of living with an addicted family member or you have other issues in your past or present, then a recovery program is a blessing. If you are feeling as though you want to be around others who understand, I urge you to find a recovery program near you.
Come back next week and join me on the journey! We are in this together!
Romans 5:3-5
"...And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us."
Think About It:
Do you have controlling habits, trust issues, co-dependency, guilt, self-blame, hurts, regrets, and heartaches you would like to get rid of?
Are you ready to take a step of faith and discover the healing power of Jesus?
Download the January Reading Plan (subscriber password required) and Read Proverbs 16:3 , John 16:33, and Romans 8:26.
Journal About it: