Addiction/Recovery
Throughout life, there are obstacles to overcome. Addiction is certainly no exception. The journey to sobriety can be long, and obstacles will inevitably arise. Will you go over, under, or around them? Or will you stop and give up? It is all too easy to relapse and fall back into addiction. The good news is that life is full of choices. And Christ makes victory possible. “Despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us” (Romans 8:37, NLT).
To avoid relapse, be on the lookout for—and overcome-—the following six obstacles. (more…)
Addiction/Recovery
One in 8 children live in households with at least one parent who has a substance abuse disorder, according to the National Alliance for Drug Endangered Children. A child who grows up with a parent who has an addiction must deal with it as best they can—even if it means developing unhealthy ways of coping that lead into adulthood and are hard to let go of.
But where there seems to be no way, God can make a way! Isaiah 43:19b (NLT) says, “I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.”
Here are some common struggles adult children of addicts face, and how to overcome them. (more…)
Relationships/Marriage
What are some of the elements of building a solid friendship?
Strong friendships withstand the test of time and are authentic. One must take down their mask that hides their true self from others. A relationship that is real includes both a person’s strengths and weaknesses. It’s essential to be open, vulnerable, honest, and sincere with others. And share struggles with a friend. When individuals share their struggles with grace-filled friends, they find that they accepted regardless of their faults, and they experience the joy of acceptance.
Friendships do not happen automatically—they must be cultivated. It’s easy to lose friends by neglecting to stay in touch with them. Spending time together is required; as often as possible, keep in touch with each other. Make the phone call or text to initiate getting together with each other. After all, friends are committed and devoted to one another.While it is a natural tendency to withdraw from others, it can often become unhealthy. Taking a break from people is fine occasionally, but isolation is deadly. Remember, solitary confinement is one of the worst punishments devised by mankind. (more…)
Relationships/Marriage
What is gaslighting? It’s a form of emotional abuse where the perpetrator makes the victim feel as if they are losing touch with reality. The term originated in 1938 from the British play, Gaslight; and then with the film adaptation in 1944, which portrayed the story of a woman whose husband manipulated her into believing she was slowly going insane.
Gaslighting is subtle; a gaslighter uses their words to control. After all, words are powerful. Proverbs 18:21 says, “The tongue can bring death or life.”
Most people, however, don’t know they are victims of gaslighting. What about you? Would you know if someone were gaslighting you? Here are 7 warning signs: (more…)
Relationships/Marriage
“If you are living in isolation because of shame, God wants you out of hiding and into the arms of a healing community.”- Steve Arterburn
Have you been isolating yourself? Are you ashamed of your struggles? Has it been hard for you to connect with others? One thing that will either make or break your recovery is connection. You are more likely to succeed in recovery when you choose to connect. But isolating, withdrawing, and separating is dangerous. Why? There are three reasons why isolation is dangerous.
Reason 1: Isolation hurts your relationship with God.
When you go off course, you tend to run from God. We’ve all made mistakes; we’ve all done things we’ve regretted. (more…)
