Celebrate Recovery at Believers Church
Jim and I have actually been in the “recovery ministry” for 10 years, along with many called and gifted friends that we honor, love and appreciate beyond words.
We and our CR family have experienced personal healing ourselves as well as being part of the healing of countless others. .
“The first step to any spiritual awakening is demolition. We cannot make headway with God without first tearing down the accumulated junk in our lives.”
There’s a lot of demolition going on in the lives of the participants of C.R. And therefore there is also spiritual awakening for those who are willing to be honest with their issues, confess, repent, and then, do the gutsy stuff; make amends to those we have hurt and forgive those who have hurt us. It’s hard and sometimes excruciatingly painful, but the freedom and joy that is the result is exactly why Jesus Christ died for us. Why would we settle for anything less?
When our “demolition” began, I had no idea what God was doing and it was certainly excruciating at times. I questioned God; why, and why now? This is the scripture from the Message Bible that He showed me.
Jeremiah 29:11 says; “I know what I’m doing, I have it all planned out, plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.”
We would not be in this ministry today and be honored to walk with others as their “demolition” begins if we had not ourselves gone through the same process.
God did know what he was doing, he didn’t abandon us and he has given us the future we had hoped for. He is faithful!
All it takes is one step, the 1st Step; “We admitted we were powerless over our addictions and compulsive behaviors, that our lives had become unmanageable.”
Jim and I were given the opportunity to share our joint testimony 3 times in the last 10 days. Is it hard, absolutely? But I know no better way to make the enemy sorry he ever messed with us than our story being the doorway to someone else’s recovery. I know without a doubt that God had a least one person there who needed to hear what God had done in us and through us. It’s our God stories that he uses to bring hope and encouragement to others who may be walking through similar experiences.
Rev. 12:11 says: “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.”
More than just thanking you for your prayer and financial support, I want to dare you to do something. No,,,, I double dog dare you to examine your life through the Celebrate Recovery lens, starting with CR Step 1. I promise you, if you do, and really work it, your life will be transformed into more of who God intended you to be from before the foundation of the earth.
If you’re breathing, you do have issues. God wants you to be completely free. “We’ve all sinned, we’ve all fallen short…”
We love you.
Jim and Pam