"So Much To Be Thankful For"

Dear Big Sis....

When I think of where I was a year ago, I am astonished at how much I have grown in my relationship with the Lord, my family and my entire outlook on life that has been totally revived because of an awesome, God-based program called "Celebrate Recovery." It is a recovery program based on eight principles from the Beatitudes...

When I began my journey, I was totally feeling isolated and so paralyzed with fear that I did not know exactly what was happening to me. I had experienced so many multiple losses that my grief was tremendously overwhelming. I felt like I was slipping into a very lonely state of seclusion. I went to the classes for about three months and thought maybe this program was not for me because the topics of conversation were hitting too close to home, making me feel very uncomfortable and anxious. I stopped going for a few months because I went on vacation but when I returned, I started feeling even worse by not attending the meetings.

Avalon-Orphans of God

This amazing, powerful song was played before my Celebrate Recovery class last Monday...It spoke volumes to me....I felt the Lord's loving arms enfold me with such comfort. I hope and pray that this song will comfort anyone who is in need of being comforted...God is the Great Comforter!

Celebrate Recovery - 30 Days

Big Sis, last night I attended my 4th week of Celebrate Recovery and received my 30 day Recovery Chip for attendance. The weather out here in Texas had turned bitterly cold and I had almost talked myself out of going to the meeting like I always do every Monday night but 15 minutes before the class started, I was on my way there. My biggest struggle is with depression, anxiety and fear due to multiple losses so I really have to push myself and just go and do it afraid... As the meeting began with prayer, we were treated to live music this time. I could really sense the presence of God there as we all sang praise and surrender songs to the Lord to help us heal. If I had stayed home I would have greatly missed an opportunity to witness yet another moving, inspirational testimony of brokenness which led to victory by one of the leaders who gave her testimony back in 2008. She felt compelled to tell her story again which gave all the newcomers a real sense of hope. As she courageously and bravely bore her soul, there was not a dry eye in the audience. She ended her testimony by saying that she will always be a work in progress and expressed how truly blessed she is to be loved and accepted by her Celebrate Recovery family.

We were then dismissed and asked to attend our individual meetings. I am in a group called Hurts, Hang-ups and Habits. We are seated in a circular formation and we first begin with prayer. We introduce ourselves, express that we are Great Believers in Jesus Christ and then briefly state why we are there. We go around the room again, one by one to discuss what we are feeling. Some of the women had victories to share. Others discussed how there week had been going.

My "Celebrate Recovery" Journey-First Step

Big Sis, I know that you are aware that I have been recently laid off and unemployed for the past 4 months. I am not regimentally getting up at 5:00 a.m. anymore so that I can get all "stressed out" rushing to fight the traffic for an hour commute. I also do not have to put up with all of the irate "crazies" at the last place of my employment in the high-stressed position that I held for the past 3 years. I really should be doing a "Happy Dance" about all of this wonderful new freedom that has been bestowed upon me due to "budget cuts" but don't get me wrong, although I do enjoy the schedule of "not having a schedule" to maintain for the time being to catch my breath, I completely feel like a "fish out of water." A job certainly should never define who you are but when you are working you feel "purposeful" and "useful."