Faith/Spiritual
Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. – Ephesians 4:32
What’s one of the hardest words in the Bible to hear? Forgiveness.
It’s painful for most people because it involves releasing someone who has hurt them. However, when someone holds onto their hurts, it is a burden that becomes very heavy. But when people learn to forgive themselves and others, it lightens their load.
Jesus came to provide a way to receive forgiveness for sins. One can be free from the weight of their regrets and mistakes, and yet, they can still struggle with the idea of extending that same release to others. They either want justice or revenge. And the offender should understand the pain they caused those they’ve hurt. (more…)
Life Issues
Going through a divorce is one of the most painful things we may ever have to face. The losses we experience seem overwhelming. But there are spiritual principles to help us heal from our past and move toward a brighter future. These Twelve Steps will enable us to work through our issues and recover from divorce.
- Recognize our powerlessness and accept God’s power to restore our broken lives. We need to acknowledge that we need someone other than ourselves to be in control. “I know that nothing good lives in me” (Rom. 7:18). (more…)
Life Issues
Do you know what a healthy relationship looks like? Knowing the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships can be extremely difficult, especially if you’ve had a pattern of unhealthy relationships. Here are six key attributes that every friendship, marriage, and relationship need.
1. Affection
Affection is one of the best ways to show love. However, if you grew up in a family where affection was not shown, it may be hard for you to show affection. When one person loves another, it is normal and healthy to show affection for each other. (more…)
Addiction/Recovery
An addiction is a lot like being on a merry-go-round, but with the exception that it’s not fun.
You turn to food, gambling, shopping, one-night stands, codependency, hoarding, or something else. The more you turn to your addiction, the more shame you feel and want to numb that feeling. So you go back to the very thing you don’t want to do. Now you’re stuck in the vicious cycle of addiction. And it’s going so fast that you don’t know how to stop.
The apostle Paul put it this way “And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t” (Romans 7:18). To interrupt this cycle of addiction, you must break free from pain, acting out, shame, and relapse that keeps you in bondage.
Here is a more in-depth look at each phase.
Pain — Before you even realize you are dealing with an addiction, you’re in pain. You feel emotional, physical, spiritual, and relational pain. These painful feelings create a longing for you to get rid of the pain. Pain and addiction go hand in hand—they feed off of each other. As your pain increases, your desire for relief increases. Recognizing you are in pain and in need of help can be the first step in recovery. (more…)
Addiction/Recovery
One fatal day, Job lost everything – his wealth, children, and even good health.
Job cried out to God by asking some challenging questions. In Job 3:11, he asked: “Why wasn’t I born dead?” In other words, Job questioned why God allowed him to go through such intense suffering.
Can you relate? Perhaps the unthinkable happened to you. You might have been emotionally, physically, or sexually abused as a child. Or, maybe you were betrayed on the deepest level when your spouse had an affair and abandoned you. Now you turn to food, drugs, sex, shopping, alcohol, or another addiction to numb your pain. You’ve prayed for God to heal you by taking away your pain. (more…)
