I ALWAYS COPE

Why is it important to confess our sins to others and pray for each other in the process of recovery?

James 5:16 Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with. 

The prayer of others living life in recovery can be a powerful source of helping us cope. 

When I finished the Bridge Program in 1989 I became a volunteer at the Salvation Army’s Red Shield Industries in South Australia. My first Manager was a man called Peter Miller.

The first person I ever heard declare in his testimony he was a recovered alcoholic through the saving grace of Jesus Christ.

Pete had health issues. He has since gone to be with His Lord.

At times when Pete was obviously struggling I would ask him how he was doing. To which he would answer “I am coping. Sometimes I cope well, some times not so well but I always cope,”

A lesson I am so thankful I learned from knowing and watching Peter Miller live his life in personal relationship with Jesus Chris through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Prior to commencing work each day Pete insisted the staff begin the day with 15 minutes together for daily devotions and prayer. A practice I continue in my life today because I believe the power of prayer, alone and together is a source of great spiritual power that helps us to COPE with whatever life brings our way.

Gods plan will always have a sense of mystery to us, but we can always be certain He will guide us along the way and give us what we need to cope with any and every situation.

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IT DOES GET BETTER!

The suffering won’t last forever. It won’t be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good.  God gets the last word.

STEP FOUR
IN ORDER TO HELP ME CHANGE, I WILL INVESTIGATE AND RECORD WITH GOD’S HELP MY SINFUL HABITS AND ATTITUDES.

Some people fail in recovery when presented with Steps Four and Five! Take a good look at myself, and tell somebody else about it!

When I first came to recovery in 1987 via Serenity Lodge and Alcoholics Anonymous in Rockingham, Western Australia I wanted, and was willing (I thought) to go to any length to achieve it, but I wasn’t. I was incapable of taking a fearless and moral inventory of my life.

In Acts 24:25 Paul insists on right relations with God and his people, about a life of moral discipline.

I was incapable at 23 years old of living a life in a right relationship with God and with others, and a life of moral discipline. I had developed a life of lying to fit in!

2 Corinthians 12:20 says in the message, “I do admit that I have fears that when I come you’ll disappoint me and I’ll disappoint you, and in frustration with each other everything will fall to pieces—quarrels, jealousy, flaring tempers, taking sides, angry words, vicious rumors, swelled heads, and general bedlam.”

That is how I felt when I first came to recovery. I never expected to succeed in the process because my self-worth and esteem were zero. My thought at the time was “If I can last long enough to get my life a bit on track I will be in front.” ” Long enough to plan my next move.” Because at the time I had run out of places to run,

Luckily for me God gets the last word!

With my best interest at heart, He led me through a series of life lessons that led me eventually to the Salvation Army Bridge Programme in South Australia. Where He intervened and I am here today because of a decision to ‘turn my will and life over to Him.’

The changes started when I Took and honest look at me and told someone else about it.

Getting to know ourselves through a personal inventory

Listen to the podcast https://tinyurl.com/yckjtbd4
GETTING TO KNOW OURSELVES THROUGH PERSONAL INVENTORY

Step four of the Living Life Recovery 12 Steps says, “In order to help me change, I will investigate and record with God’s help – my sinful habits and attitudes.”

In order to get to know ourselves, it’s helpful to take an honest look at our own character. Taking a personal inventory allows us to identify the areas where we need to make changes and grow. By being aware of our own strengths and weaknesses, we can work towards becoming the best version of ourselves.

The process of personal inventory can be uncomfortable, but it is worth it in order to change our lives.

It is important to approach the process with an open mind and an honest heart.

Once we’ve identified the areas we need to work on, we can then create a plan to make the improvements.

Taking a personal inventory is an important step towards self-discovery and a deeper understanding of ourselves.

1. Prepare Your Heart: Psalm 86:11 “God, give me an undivided heart that I may fear your name.”

2. Pray for Guidance: “Psalm 86:11 Teach me your ways, God, and I will live by them. Lead me along the path of truth, for I praise your name.”

3. Reflect on Your Actions: Jeremiah 8:6,  “Assess your own behavior—how have you lived?”

4. Identify Areas of Improvement: Psalm 4:4 “Search your heart and be silent.”

5. Make a Commitment to Change: Deuteronomy 30:19 “Choose the right way and live.”

6. Ask for Forgiveness: 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

2023 | Day 88

I AM MAKING A DECISION TO LET GOD HELP ME CHANGE AND COMMIT TO WORKING WITH HIM TO DO SO.

Romans 4:5 “If you see the job is too big for you, that it’s something only God can do, and you trust him to do it—you could never do it for yourself no matter how hard and long you worked—well, that trusting-him-to-do-it is what gets you set right with God, by God. Sheer gift.”

When we allow God to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves, something amazing happens in our character.

_ We give up the need to control everything, to be perfect, or to figure out all the answers. Instead, we find the strength to accept our weaknesses, give up our pride, and rely on God’s perfect plan.

_ We find the inner peace that comes from knowing we are in God’s hands, trusting that He will take care of us and provide for us.

_ We become more accepting of ourselves and our circumstances, and we recognize we are part of something bigger and more powerful than ourselves.

– We become more compassionate and loving towards others because we have experienced God’s love and grace in our own lives.

Allowing God to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves is a liberating experience that can transform our character in profound ways.

Four Ways to Love Others Like Jesus — Pastors.com

We can’t shepherd our churches until we learn to love people the way Jesus does.  Jesus is the best model for loving others. That’s why he tells us to do as he does:  “I’m giving you a new commandment: Love each other in the same way that I have loved you” (John 13:34 GW). 882…

Four Ways to Love Others Like Jesus — Pastors.com

Getting it wrong – consistently!

For most of my recovery journey I have tried to ‘do the right thing’ When I started posting to my blog I tried to do the righ thing’ When I commenced podcasting a couple of years ago I tried to ‘do the right thing’ Today I find myself asking the question what is the right thing?

In recovery they said “go to meetings and don’t pick up the first drink!” I did that. When I started blogging 16 years ago they said “post regularly, post topics that people want to talk about and post something that is unique.”When I started podcasting they said “cast consistently and engage your audience.”

Here I am 16 years later and I haven’t got a clue what the right thing is.

In asking the question and discussing it with my Higher Power, who is the Holy Spirit He asked me. “Back to basics. When you first came recovery and started discovering how it worked for you – what did you do?” So easy! I talked to God about it, listened to what He said and put it into practice.

With that in mind, and after talking to God about it and listening to what He said about it here’s how I want to progress in this text and audio recovery mission task:

  1. On this blog, once a week I will share a mid-week recovery message.
  2. Via my podcast I will share a weekend message of my life Living Life in Recovery.

You see what worked for me in recovery, in the early days was attendance at two Bible based services a week. One mid-week and one-weekend and putting into practice what I learned from them So that is where I am going from here.

Unless you are looking for stuff I have shared previously I would suggest you only visit this blog once a week (Wednesday), and unless you are looking to listen to stuff I have posted previously on podcast I suggest you only visit my podcast once a week also (Sunday)

I look forward to sharing with you then. What about videos some of you may say. Not sure how I will progress on that front. At the moment I am going to say monthly,

Not even sure why I am sharing this? But there you go….

2023 | Stop Telling Lies

God is not man, one given to lies, and not a son of man changing his mind. Does he speak and not do what he says? Does he promise and not come through?  Numbers 23:19

Lying in the past was a way of life to me. Not only did I lie, I also believed my lies. When I came into recovery it took time for me to decipher what the truth was about me and about my life.

Today one of my motto’s is “Always tell the truth.” No matter how bad it is or what the consequences of it may be. Today I try to live a life of ‘Integrity’ I’d like to say I am always truthful, but that would be a lie!

INTEGRYTY TAKES EFFORT

Proverbs 10:9 Honesty lives confident and carefree, but Shifty is sure to be exposed.

Proverbs 11:3 The integrity of the honest keeps them on track; the deviousness of crooks brings them to ruin.

Remember there is only one foundation, and His name is Jesus

Returning Soon

Hi All,

I apologies for the lack of posting to my blog lately.
With Christmas, New Year and business at work I haven’t had the time!

Over the last month or so I feel like I have been under personal attack from the enemy and am still in the midst of it. Can I please request prayer that I will overcome these attacks soon and get back to blogging and podcasting.

The enemy i believe is attacking me as he know what I have planned to do with God’s help. As always the Holy Spirit remains close and I am spending more time these days in conversation with Him than anything else.

Acts 9:31 says, “The church had peace and it became stronger as the believers lived in the fear of the Lord. And with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit.

It is my belief peace is coming, and in that peace and in the encouragement I will become stronger and so will my ministry – my God-given purpose to ‘DO SOMETHING FOR AND PEOPLE WITH ADDCITIONS!’

What are your foundations built on

No one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ 1 Corinthians 3:11

Progression in recovery is dependent on where we build our foundations.

When I first came to recovery in 1987 I thought (wrongly) you completed the Twelve Steps once and you were done. But it’s a lifetime journey

Failing to build enduring foundations will lead to destruction.

Many people fail in the recovery process because they don’t plan not too. Addiction is cunning, baffling and powerful. I have experienced many examples, my own included of people entering recovery with the best of intentions without thinking what’s next?

I am no expert in recovery, nor am I a pastor or a teacher, but can tell you: unless you include God you are not going to make.

In the beginning I built my foundations on the saying “don’t take the first drink and you can’t get drunk!” Which is true but on its own can lead to, and did lead to for me an existence worse than drinking. Living with the lies and the shame with no possibility of moving forward.

In 1989, thankfully I found the Salvation Army Bridge Program. Jesus, my One True Higher Power, and the foundation of my life and recovery intervened and in 2023 I am here as an example of His saving grace and mercy.

What about You!

What, or who are your foundations of recovery?

2022 | Discussion Starter #337

https://on.soundcloud.com/hwfDH5WVrmwfNTyX9

Life in recovery is not always easy

John 16:33 “In this world you will have troubles. But be brave! I have defeated the world!”

One of my favorite Bible verses. In it Jesus points out the obvious. Life is not easy, nor was it meant to be.

For most of us recovery has been a long journey of trying different things to change our lives. Some of them successful, some of them not so successful. The important thing in the process of recovery is not to give up trying.  You only fail when you stop trying.

2 Peter 3:18 Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Glory be to him, now and forever! Amen.

  • What are you allowing to get you down right now?

Prayer: Lord show me the right ways for me to live my life so I may have success in the recovery process.

2022 – Step Eleven

Joshua 1:8

We sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God. Praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry it out.

Having gone through these steps and discovering the importance of individual relationship with God through Jesus, I will try to live according to His principles and to lead others to personal relationship with Him.