What is so Great About Celebrate Recovery?

One of the greatest things about Celebrate Recovery (CR) is the fact that is for anything.  You don't have to have a drug problem though many come to it for that very reason.  You don't have to have an alcohol problem though many come for that, too.  You don't have to have a sexual addiction though a surprising number come for that.  You can have a marriage problem which almost anyone married has.  You could have an eating addiction or disorder which is a lot more common than you realize.  You could suffer from co-dependency which I’m finding most people have.  You could have a hurt from your childhood or past relationships which I think everyone does to some degree.  You might have issues with your children which any parent does at some stage of their childhood.  You might have a bad habit of stealing.  Or you have just plain old pride that gets in everyone's way.  That hits every single person.  Anyone could benefit from CR because all it is doing is trying to get to the root of your problems and get your walk with Christ right.

What more could you ask for?  It helps to clean out the junk in your life and cleans out those rooms that we lock away and try to look at because they are so disgusting.  But the house will never be clean because the mold and mildew will spread to the other rooms quietly and deadly.  We have to bleach those rooms by allowing God to come in and clean it all out.  He is the ultimate housekeeper.  You don’t have to worry about anything getting missed if you are truly letting Him clean it all out.  CR is one of those tools to do just that.

Our group is growing as more and more realize that CR is for all of life's problems.  We have many with drug and alcohol problems but even they are discovering that that is not their real problems.  They have to go much deeper.  We are celebrating just a week or two of some people not cutting themselves.  We celebrate those “small” victories, because they are not small.  They are huge.  Any day that someone can go through and conquer their demons is a celebration.  Any day they cannot conquer is a day of prayer and support.

I highly suggest that you take a look at the material of CR.  You will be surprised and you will find that you might need this wonderful Bible study that goes so much further than normal studies.

Lesson 5 - Turn

This lesson starts you on step 3 which states: We made a decision to turn our lives and our wills over to the care of God.

Now at first glance, some of us would quickly say that we already have done this.  After all, I've been a Christian my whole life.  Yet, I got into my lesson like a good student does and I realized that there was more to that statement than I first realized.

"How has relying on your 'own understanding' caused problems in your life?"  Ouch!

Maybe I haven't given Him everything.  I have to hang my head in shame.  So many times I try to do it all my way.  I want to be in charge of my daily life instead of letting Him have it.  Have I given my heart and soul to Him?  Yes.  Have I given Him my daily life?  A humbling No.

In James we are told not to plan for tomorrow without conferring with God and relying on Him for whatever comes.  I've tried to trust in Him.  I've tried to start my day asking Him what He wants me to do.  But the rush of the day starts so fast.  I feel like I live in the life of "Cheaper by the Dozen."  Where can I find the peace to find time with God to give it to Him?  Who says I have to find the peace first before going to the Peace Giver?  That doesn't make sense.


I need to rethink this step.  I need to look deep and see where all those hidden corners are that I've kept from Him.  I need to be more honest and humble to give it ALL to Him.

Can Co-Dependency be Forced on Someone?

If you've been following along, you will know that I suffer from co-dependency. Acknowledging it is the first step of recovery, but what if the world is out to stop you?

My co-dependency is with my husband who is ADD and my family on both sides. I finally realized what was happening and began the Celebrate Recovery program. I've been doing good, but I've been getting frustrated. No matter how hard I try to get out from under this burden, it seems that the world is out to stop me. Now, I'm realistic to know that there is always a way out but at the moment I think that I'm too caught up in it to see it.

I need to be more organized yet just when a day arrives that I've got it all together we are called to a four hour meeting. Now I am three days behind on my house chores, work projects, and need to catch up with the kids' work. So, I take the next day. Low and behold, a phone call comes. There is an emergency and we have to come. It is an emergency and we go. The next day is finally THE day to breath and take care of our responsibilities that are being ignored. A phone call comes from a friend we have not spoken to in years. Then someone drops by and stays for a few hours to visit. There goes that day again.

This is where I personally begin to pull my hair out. I'm constantly criticized about the condition of my house. it is never clean enough. I forget things. Well, I can't get the house clean because my job demands some time from me, the emergencies pop up and we cannot avoid them, how do you tell someone to go away when they come for a visit. Some of the same people who criticize me are the reason that I cannot seem to get it done.

It seems that my co-dependency is forced on me. I know that I have a choice, but so many times I really don't. I was called into a meeting yesterday that I tried to get out of because I did have some very important things that needed to be addressed. I was told that in no uncertain terms that I had to be there. End of discussion. Now, I did find out that I had to be there, but now I'm even more behind in my other responsibilities.

I think that I'm beginning to see where I need an outside person to help direct me when I'm too much in the middle of it all and cannot see it. I had that long meeting that was mandatory and my son is now angry that we have to do things today that we should have done yesterday. Not my fault, yet I end up dealing with the fallout and have to try to piece it all back together. That's where I lose it. The co-dependency then becomes my life. I am always at the mercy of everyone else's schedule and moods. My schedule has to come second and my moods are the issues.

See what co-dependency is? It leads many people to drinking and using drugs. They feel like they have no place to go. They feel like there is no way out. And to be honest I feel like that most of the time. But I do know that there is a way out. I've got to give more of the issue to God and let Him guide me. I'm told too much by the world and the family that I have to be the one in control and get all this done. Yet, I have to admit that I am powerless and only God has the power to save me.

Please save me, God. I want to know that I am a person that You love and care for instead of the person that belongs to everyone around me. I need to know that I can follow my calling and not be the mother or slave to others. I need to focus more on You. Please help me. Show me where I can make that time to grow closer to You. Show me where I can say no and not disrupt the universe. Show me when to submit and when to object. Show me where You want me to go and not where others do.