Celebrate Recovery; the words that describe it

We are celebrating two years of Celebrate Recovery at Cottonwood this week. I've been thinking about that all week, ready to share some thoughts with you all.

When we started Celebrate Recovery, we did not know much about it. A friend told me about it. I checked it out and felt that God was leading me toward this. I went to the elders, shared my burden to provide ministry for those struggling and hurting, got permission and support. A few of us went to the CR in Brownwood to visit, spent some time with the leader there. It was mid summer, and we felt that we couldn't waste any time, we needed to get this started. That August, we began preparing and training. I was overwhelmed with the number of people that showed up to help, this seemed to strike a chord with many people. We learned what C.R. is and how to do it, we prayed and did everything we could to prepare, then we opened the doors. And we have been blessed!

There are a number of words that come to mind when I think of C.R.:

Grateful. I am so very very grateful to be a part of this ministry. I am overwhelmed when I consider everything that God has done in these 2 years. I am grateful for every one of our volunteers. Many of the people who help with C.R. now were at the very first meeting. I appreciate them all sooooo much. That includes my husband. He had no burden for CR, no idea of what it is or what it would be, but he was willing to join me and lead worship. I am grateful for every person that has come to CR these last two years grateful for new friendships, soooo grateful for having the opportunity to see God at work, to see people being transformed, growing, being set free, restored...

Family. I had few expectations of CR. Really, only that God would work because I knew He had put it on our hearts. One thing I did not expect was the sense of family we have. Since the very beginning. In those first weeks, before we really started, when it was just us volunteers coming together every week, we experienced being family. Very precious.

Acceptance. This was the key word from the beginning. We made the decision that every one who comes through those doors would know that they are accepted, welcomed, no matter what. We committed to receive without ever judging or condemning. I have heard many people say that the first time they came, they felt accepted for who they are, without the need to put up walls or pretend to be something they are not. The result is that every one of us feel it. When I stand up to teach, I feel completely comfortable. I am going to do my very beat to follow God and share what he gives me, and do it the best way I can, but I’m not perfect, not great, just willing, and I just feel accepted.

Commitment. The first week we met with just volunteers, I said that we would be here every Thursday night until the Lord comes back! I have heard people repeat that many times.  I have seen a level of commitment that is rare. The leaders are here every week. If someone is sick or out of town, I know about it. I know that many times we have leaders, including worship leaders, who are here when they don't feel like it. Tired, sick, down, frustrated...but they are here. Man, that is amazing.

Love. Love is a word that is so overused that I almost didn't use it. But I have to. We love each other. Not a mushy, "Love you!" kind of love, but a love that is profound, deep, and real. I have seen this demonstrated over and over. Many times, I hear of a need of one of the CR family, in the context of what is being done to meet the need. “Someone needs a car, so a few of us are getting money together to try to help him get one.”  “Someone is moving, so we are meeting Sat.morning to do the work”...”I was worried about Wilbur, so I called and found out he is not doing well”...amazing how love is shown in very practical ways. 

Tools. I have learned that to walk in freedom we need tools. Jesus promised freedom, and He is ready to help us walk in it, but it is sometimes not so easy. CR steps are tools. CR share group is a tool. I have learned a lot of tools in these 2 years. CR curriculum has been very helpful, provides a lot. I have seen the need for more help, found a lot of tools out there that are helpful for specific issues. These tools have helped us go deeper and further in some areas.

Newness. There is a freshness and newness about CR. Often, we see a new person walking up the sidewalk, looking like they don't want to be here, looking tired and weary. After a few weeks, they are walking with a spring in their step, a smile on their face, ready to come, excited. Not healed and whole and free, but making progress. They are experiencing something new.  God said that he is in the business of making everything new, and we are seeing Him do that. 

Of course, freedom, health, recovery. I believe that we are finding new freedom every week. Jesus said that He came to set us free. He came to give us a life that is abundant. He wants each of us to be free to be the person that He created us to be. He died so that we can live, but not just exist. LIVE. He said that he will give us his joy, that we can have full joy with Him. He promises a peace that passes understanding, a life that is full of purpose, that is satisfying. He plans for us to have confidence. He said that perfect love casts out fear. His love is perfect, so he came to cast out all fear. He said to come to him when we are tired and weary and our load is too much for us. He said He will take our load and give us rest. CR brings to mind all of I shared those things at our last CR meeting of the year (CR year begins Oct 1, so this week was the end of the CR year.) I asked if there were other words that describe Celebrate Recovery, and here are some of the answers.

Home Base. When we were kids and played Hide & Seek, you hide and you’re scared, until you get to run to home, and you are safe. That’s what CR feels like.

Valued. At CR everyone is valued for who they are.

Unstuck. I’m not stuck in my addiction any moren.

Fulfilled. Serving in CR makes me feel fulfilled.

Real Church. This is what church is supposed to be.

Forgiven. 

A buffet. Everything you could want is here, and lots of it.

Learning to love.

Hope.

Fun. We didn’t expect that!

Refreshing. Sometimes I am really tired when I come and I feel great after our worship.

Transparent. No hiding, we are open and honest.

In the past two years, I have seen God work in our lives. I have seen some be saved; receive the gift of eternal life by giving their lives to Jesus. I have seen many people set free from addictions. Some who were depressed, grieving,  and broken hearted are walking in joy. Some have been freed from fear, from worry, from anger, from bitterness. I am so excited, so happy, so grateful. I am so blessed to be a part of CR. God is not through. He has plans for next year that we can't even imagine yet.

We are all ready to start the new year!

I KNEW Laughter was good for you!

I just finished a very interesting book by Dr. Caroline Leaf, The Gift in You. The book deals with how our brains operate, how “toxic” thoughts create a chain reaction with emotional and physical responses that make rob our health and happiness. Maybe I can write more about the book another time, but right now, I am eager to share her great insights on the health benefits of laughter.

It releases an instant flood of feel-good chemicals that boost the immune system. Amost instantly, it reduces levels of stress hormones. A really good belly laugh can make cortisol drop by 39%, adrenalin by 70% and the “feel good hormone,” endorphin, increase by 29%. It can even make growth hormones skyrocket by 87%! Other research shows how laughter boosts your immune system by increasing levels of immunity and disease-fighting cells…

In fact, according to research, laughing 100 to 200 times a day is equal to 10 minutes of rowing or jogging!…

Laughter quite literally dissolves distressing toxic emotions because you can’t feel mad or sad when you laugh. When you laugh and have fun, endorphins are released which make you feel so great and at peace, those toxic thoughts can’t get out of your brain fast enough. Fun protects your heart because when you laugh and enjoy yourself, your body releases chemicals that improve the function of blood vessels and increase blood flow, protective against heart attack.  Fun reduces damaging stress chemicals quickly, which, if they hang around in your body for too long, will make you mentally and physically sick. Fun and laughter also increase your energy levels.

Scientific proof that “A cheerful heart is good medicine”                          Proverbs 17:22

Special Earrings

Lately, I picked up some old earrings and began wearing them regularly. There is a sweet story that makes these earrings special.

For ten years, when we were a young family, Les and were in a VERY strict, conservative, legalistic church. I often refer to this as our cult years. Maybe it was  a cult, maybe not, but we found ourselves under a great deal of pressure to conform to certain standards.

In this group, the women dressed in an ultra conservative manner. We only wore dresses or skirts, wore no make-up and no jewelry, except simple wedding rings. Even using products like skin cream seemed a worldly thing to do. The worst part of this environment was the extreme focus on the church. At a time when we should have been learning to love each other and nurturing our children, all of our energy went into serving this church.

One day, right in the middle of our years with this group, my husband Les walked in with a gift for me. (We did not celebrate Christmas or birthdays for adults, so receiving any kind of gift was very unusual.)  When I opened the small box, I was shocked to see a pair of diamond post earrings. This was shocking to me for several reasons. First, I did not wear jewelry. It was against our religious beliefs! I surely did not wear expensive, fancy jewelry. Besides the religious things, there was also the money. We didn’t have any. It took everything we had to raise three children on one income. We barely could pay our mortgage, car payment, and other necessities (which included tithe and offerings).  The diamonds were tiny, but, still, diamond earrings were certainly a very extravagant gift.

Les was so proud of that gift. And I was so proud to wear them. I wore them every day, and with no guilt whatsoever. So what if no one else wore earrings, my husband gave them to me and he wanted me to wear them. A few years later, he bought a pair of hoops that go with the posts. I haven’t worn them much the last few years, because, since we left the superconservitivecultishkindofchurh, he has bought me a lot of other, more flashy earrings.  But, recently, I brought them out and have been enjoying them again.