Victim Mentality

Do you live with a victim mentality? Some ways to decide if you have a victim mentality are: a)everything is always someone else's fault for bad things that happen to you b) you wait for something to go wrong because you have an attitude of "Bad things always happen to me". (if you have a bumper sticker or your motto is "if it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all" you fall into this category.) or c) you blame others for your circumstances - when something happens you don't take responsibility for your own actions. A victim mentality appearance consists of poor posture, slumping in a chair, not making eye contact with others, mumbling when speaking, walking with eyes downcast, it shows in how your carry and present yourself.
In order to overcome, we must take responsibility for every action and circumstance in our lives. Although you can't control the circumstances, YOU CAN CONTROL YOUR RESPONSE.
A victim mentality is bound by unforgiveness - any past hurt, wrong, choices, or abuse.
We HAVE to get to a place where our circumstances do not affect our joy. Every one of our lives should affect and infect other people. We cannot do this with a victim mentality. We have to make a conscious decision whether we are God's worrier or God's warrior. Which one do you plan to be?
Remember, Forgiveness Sets The Prisoner FREE!
Nothing but the mercy of a gracious loving God can set us free from our anguish. God's love is unfailing; His purposes clear; His righteousness, unquestionable. When we come to God with our pain or setbacks, we gain a new perspective, when we ask Him.
Let's get busy and allow God to do the work in each one of us. Let's start today.....see how many people you can affect and infect, starting right now.
See you Tuesday,
God Bless,
Laura S.

Bondage of Unforgiveness

We would like to thank Scott Trower for being a guest speaker at Celebrate Recovery. He did an outstanding job. In case you missed it, he spoke about the bondage of unforgiveness. How you can be so close to the cross yet not quite reach the full potential because of unforgiveness in your life. He spoke of areas in his own life in which he had to deal with unforgiveness and the freedom that he received once Christ enabled him to be able to forgive. He also describes unforgiveness to be like an emotional cancer that consumes your entire body.
If you are dealing with unforgiveness of any kind, now is the time to ask God to help you overcome. He's waiting, all you have to do is ask.
God Bless,
Laura S.

Wise Words Bring Healing

How do you make your spouse feel? Proverbs 12:18 tells us "Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing." Do you make cutting, hurtful remarks that make your spouse feel inferior? Or do they bring healing and acceptance to them?
Men -- when you admire other women, be it by looking at other women, making comments about them, whistling, or whatever it is you may do.....I want you to know, all of these things make your wife feel inferior. As though she isn't good enough for you. Rather than feeling acceptance......she feels rejected and ashamed.
Women -- the same goes for us! Making 'innocent comments' about other men; the way he is built, how muscular he is, or how attractive he is......all of these things are out of bounds in a marriage!!!!
We should NEVER make our spouses feel inadequate or ugly.
Matthew 5:28 "But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust in his eye has already committed adultery with her in his heart."
Ladies, don't let the wording fool you. This verse goes for each one of us too.
Old testament law said it was wrong for a person to have sex with someone other than your spouse. (Exodus 20:14) But in Matthew 5:28, JESUS says that even the 'desire' to have sex with someone other than your spouse is mental adultery, so it is sin. If the ACT itself is wrong, so is the INTENTION!!!
Fulfillment cannot be if there is absence of complete acceptance between you and your spouse. And that acceptance begins with a single-minded focus on your mate --- just exactly as he or she is.
Blessings on every marriage!
Laura S.

Boldness

Do you display boldness when you come before the throne of God?
God stands between us and our need, waiting to help us. It is for this reason, the Bible says, "So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it." Hebrews 4:16 NLT
This verse does not tell us, He will help us only in certain circumstances. It doesn't matter what we are going through, we will find grace to help us when we need it. We may have problems at work, home, marriage, or with our children. God's grace covers us, we just have to be willing to accept it, and it has to be His way, not our own. During our hard times, our faith tends to dwindle. The antidote for this is the living Word of God. It has the power to penetrate the deepest denial. God knows everything about us, even the things we try to hide from ourselves. We can count on Him to expose the problems and needs we face in this recovery program.
God Bless,
Laura S.

New Flyers

We have new Celebrate Recovery flyers! This saturday morning (April 8) we will have a neighborhood canvass. I hope to see all of you there. We will canvass from 10 until noon. We will meet at the church at 9:45. We want to let as many people know about CR as possible.
God wants to heal all of our hurts, habits, and hang-ups; to set us free to live the lives He has in store for us. Don't miss this wonderful oppurtunity to share the awesome and mighty things God wants to do!
God Bless,
Laura S.