Celebrate Recovery

I spoke at a group called celebrate recovery last night. It was a group of around 15 people that meet together to basically go through a christian 12 step program. It is designed to deal with addictions and everything.

I had a particular talk about how we fall for cheap imitations of what God has designed for us. It was really weird. I got through what I was going to say in like 10 minutes or so, which for most of those reading this, would be pumped if I only talked for 10 minutes, so I began to ask God, "what do I say now?" He laid on my heart to walk through what seemed like to me, 86 different topics or so, but of course God used all those "words" to share his love.

I had them take some time and pray through some things that God was laying on their heart personally. During that time, God gave me some words to continue with which were new to me. I told them that I have fences that I put up to help me stay on the right path with God, but it is not the fences or rules that save me, it is Jesus Christ who saves me, and only he can save you. I asked if anyone wanted to follow Christ for the first time and to do it with all your heart. I had several raise their hands and led them through the prayer to follow God.

It is a little more nerve racking for me to speak in front of adults, and even more when it is a smaller group, no matter what age, but to ask the question of accepting Christ in a small group feels like I am exposing myself for some reason. Especially if I don't know the group. So when God wanted me to ask the question, I questioned God, and he told me to keep going and ask the question.

It is great to serve a God that knows everything, and everyone.

That is all He wants me to say.
Scott

Service Project

If you look to the side, there's a poll up now about what kind of service project we'd like to do.

Categories:

Food Related
e.g. Getting restaurants to donate food
Hot chocolate give-away


Education Related
ESL Classes/Tutoring
College fair
Job Fair
Book/Study Material give-away


Maintenance Related
Raking Leaves
Shoveling Snow
Picking Up Trash
Handyman


Other
Internet Cafe
Free Babysitting
Drive in Movie

Any other suggests, fill in the comments.

Remember the Past to encourage the present

Have you ever visited a national monument or a historical and sacred place that took your breath away?  

Last night we talked about Josh 3 and 4 where the Israelites crossed the water with the Ark of the Covenant stopping the flow of the water.  On the way across, 12 men, 1 for each tribe, stopped and picked up a stone to make a place to remember what God has done.  

We created our own stones last night.  We first talked about about what God has done for us and the signs of Him being in our lives, and then we took some time to write some things down, crumble them up, and make our own monument.  

If ever a day, week, month, or as mentioned last night, a year, when things are tough, and rough, and you are not sure what is going on, we can remember the footprints of God from yesterday to reassure us for today, and tomorrow.  

What are some things that you could write down as seeing God work in your past?  What are some things that when times are tough, would help you remember the Love of God?

Scott

ready to be bold?

Have you ever felt God call you do go in a certain direction or make a decision but were very afraid to do what he wanted?  Maybe you weren't sure which way was right, or even the best of the goods.

How do you make your decisions? 

In Numbers 13 and 14, Moses sent 12 spies into the land of Canaan to check it out.  He wanted to see what was there and what it was going to take to enter into the promised land.  10 spies came back and said that the land was beautiful and was ripe for the taking, but it is filled with Giants.  We are not equipped to win.  Joshua and Caleb came back and said to the scared Isrealites, their protection is gone, but God is with us.  

So many times we look at the things that God is calling us to do and we are scared.  We are not ready to step into what God is calling us to for whatever reason.  

My friends will laugh.

My co-workers will begin to ignore me.

My family and friends won't understand.

I will not be able to make it.

God not only calls us, but also supplies our needs, be it finances, courage, or other friends to fill in the gap.

If you are to look at what Joshua and Caleb did and if you were to stand up to what is difficult and what seems impossible today, what would it be?  Is it standing up to friends and telling them what God's word says?  Is it telling more people about the Gospel?  

What is it that God is calling you to be bold in?  

Welcome

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~Cara