Addiction/Recovery
“No one thing changes everything.”—Steve Arterburn
Let’s face it: There’s no magic pill available to help us escape addiction instantaneously. It takes effort—the real work starts after we seek help.
We hoped that once we stopped using, it would be easy from then on out. But recovery is never a one-time event; we must continue to do the work. If all we do is stop using in the short-term, we’re unlikely to change in the long-term.
If we want to recover for life, we must change the way we live our life. This doesn’t happen overnight. It’s why Life Recovery is not an event but a process that involves an awareness of our thoughts, a desire to change and surrender to God. (more…)
Relationships/Marriage
“I refuse to believe the lie that I am stuck forever. I exercise my freedom to choose to do the next best thing.” – Steve Arterburn
Do you make your own decisions? Or do you let others decide for you? God wants you to make decisions in your life. He gave you a mind to use; He wants you to look to Him for guidance. You should be your own decider—not other people.
As a child, your parents made decisions for you. But now as an adult, you have the right to make choices in life. God wants you to make your own decisions and to incorporate His will and plan in every aspect of your life, including relationships. And it will help if you realize two concepts. (more…)
Relationships/Marriage
Is it hard for you to say no? If so, you may need to develop boundaries. Knowing how to say no and when to stand up for yourself can be extremely difficult, especially if you’ve been a people-pleaser in the past. It is like a muscle that needs to be built and exercised. To help you, here are some tips to learn to say no.
- Take Responsibility
You are responsible for your feelings. However, you’re not responsible for someone else’s feelings. If you feel you were not given a voice, you may feel responsible for how other people feel. And it might be hard for you to talk about your feelings. Start with someone you feel comfortable with, and practice disagreeing on small matters. This will help you gain confidence and understand how to own your truth. (more…)
Life Issues
We deny
It’s easy to ignore our issues. Like the disabled man in John 5 who waited for years by a pool to be healed, so we are looking for a magical cure to make us whole. But healing doesn’t come instantaneously. In fact, it takes hard work to stop reacting and turn to Christ who encourages us to “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk!” (John 5:8).
We minimize
Let’s face it: Our issues are huge! However, we try to make ourselves feel better by saying that they’re small. Admit the truth, and you will be on the road to recovery. The Living Bible puts it this way: “You can’t heal a wound by saying it’s not there,” (Jeremiah 6:14). (more…)
