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posted
I've heard some good things about this program, so I thought I'd create a thread as a resource for sharing info.


http://www.celebraterecovery.com.au/index.php

I thought it was a 12-step program. Not exactly. Jesus is the higher power and it's based on 8 steps as follows:

Eight Recovery Principles based on the BEATITUDES
by Rick Warren



1. Realize I’m not God; I admit that I am powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and my life is unmanageable.
”Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor.” Matthew 5:3

2. Earnestly believe that God exists, that I matter to Him, and that He has the power to help me recover.
”Happy are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Matthew 5:4

3. Consciously choose to commit all my life and will to Christ’s care and control.
”Happy are the meek.“ Matthew 5:5

4. Openly examine and confess my faults to God, to myself and to another person whom I trust.
"Happy are the pure in heart." Matthew 5:8

5. Voluntarily submit to any and all changes God wants to make in my life.
"Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires." Matthew 5:6

6. Evaluate all my relationships, offer forgiveness to those who have hurt me and make amends for harm I’ve done to others when possible, except when doing so would harm them or others.
"Happy are the merciful" Matthew 5:7 "Happy are the peacemakers" Matthew 5:9

7. Reserve a daily time with God for self-examination, Bible reading, and prayer in order to know God and His work for my life and gain the power to follow His will.

8. Yield myself to be used by God to bring this good news to others, both by my example and by my words.
“Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires.”
Matthew 5:10
 
Posts: 1091 | Registered: 05 April 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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i see this as a wonderful recipe for daily living..for ALL people.. but then i guess the human condition is always in need of healing and recoverySmiler

nice thread shasha.... thanks for posting...
 
Posts: 281 | Registered: 19 October 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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For the U.S. website, drop the au (Australia): http://www.celebraterecovery.com/

They do actually use a 12 Steps model, but I like that they are predicated on the 8 Principles, based on the Beautitudes.

The 12 Steps, along with Biblical reference, are:

1 We admitted we were powerless over our addictions and compulsive behaviors, that our lives had become unmanageable. (Romans 7:18 - I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.)

2 We came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. (Philippians 2:13 - For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.)

3 We made a decision to turn our lives and our wills over to the care of God. (Romans 12:1 - Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship.)

4 We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. (Lamentations 3:40 - Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord.)

5 We admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. (James 5:16 - Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.)

6 We were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character. (James 4:10 - Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.)

7 We humbly asked Him to remove all our shortcomings. (John 1:9 - If we confess our sins, he is faithful and and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.)

8 We made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all. (Luke 6:31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.)

9 We made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. (Matthew 5:23-24 - Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.)

10 We continue to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it. (1 Corinthians 10:12 - So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!)

11 We sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, praying only for knowledge of His will for us, and power to carry that out. (Colossians 3:16 - Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.)

12 Having had a spiritual experience as the result of these steps, we try to carry this message to others and to practice these principles in all our affairs. (Galatians 6:1 - Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore them gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.)
 
Posts: 226 | Location:  | Registered: 03 December 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Thanks, Kristi, for posting the correction and this wonderful summary.

Looking over the steps, I recall how much Romans 12:1, step 3, marked a pivotal turning point in my journey. Somehow I just knew that I had to offer my body as a living sacrifice to God. It's a prayer that puts me in my place, and it tends to release me from any strivings to do or be something. Even in the midst of the worst suffering, I find that prayer profoundly effective because it reminds me I'm not in control and He has a purpose.
 
Posts: 1091 | Registered: 05 April 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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quote:
Originally posted by faustina:
i see this as a wonderful recipe for daily living..for ALL people ...


Yes, I agree. You don't have to be an addict to see the truth and wisdom in this model for daily living.

Hope you're doing well, Christine. Smiler

Happy New Year!
 
Posts: 1091 | Registered: 05 April 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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thanks for asking Shasha.. i am doing much better.. following the prescribed as noted above and going to mass daily, and hanging out with my granddaughter who makes me smile.. amazing how good for the soul a 3 year old is..


happy new year to you as well!
love christine
 
Posts: 281 | Registered: 19 October 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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quote:
Originally posted by Shasha:
Looking over the steps, I recall how much Romans 12:1, step 3, marked a pivotal turning point in my journey. Somehow I just knew that I had to offer my body as a living sacrifice to God. It's a prayer that puts me in my place, and it tends to release me from any strivings to do or be something. Even in the midst of the worst suffering, I find that prayer profoundly effective because it reminds me I'm not in control and He has a purpose.

You're welcome, Shasha, and thank you for this reminder.

That'one of my addictions right there, "striving" to do and be, thinking I have to.
"Perfectionism" is another. There are myriad mindsets/beliefs that I think this program will be helpful to help exorcise. Addictions are not just in chemicals. I think we all (or the majority) have some addictions. So, no shame/stigma in the need for a "Recovery" program.

They have a regular Celebrate Recovery meeting and then they host a Step Study session on another evening of the week. I think I will get involved in that when they start a new session. They take one step a month for 12 months and then have a graduation (though I think they use another term) at Easter.

Kristi
 
Posts: 226 | Location:  | Registered: 03 December 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I have been to 12 Steps meetings in the past and I must say that the Celebrate Recovery group that I am fellowshipping with is so much more healing. I listened to another testimony last night from a woman from another area church and I was so moved by her that I had to go find her, thank her and hug after. She had a childhood history remarkably similar to my own. The courage with which she told her story inspired me. There is an incredible acceptance for everything and anything a person is dealing with. And it is truly wonderful that there is such a variety of persons fellowshipping and sharing/working through together, verses all with the same issue(s). I think it helps to alleviate the fishbowl effect that can occur is groups where everyone is dealing with like issues. Everyone is enriched by the differences they may not normally encounter. Truly wonderful.

Kristi
 
Posts: 226 | Location:  | Registered: 03 December 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Kristi,

Oh, how your posts touch my heart, and echos some of my story... I don't comment all that much, but I do pray, you move me... I believe it was Deann who said that she was learning to be gentle with himself, such wise words & yet hard to do...

This message has been edited. Last edited by: gail,
 
Posts: 173 | Location: East Lansing, MI | Registered: 18 July 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I wrote this in my journal yesterday, I feel strange sharing it, yet I wanted to be clear about what what I identify with in your story.


Today I feel tender towards myself when I remember the leg braces and clunky brown shoes I had to wear as a child, tender for the shame I couldn't articulate, tender for the left handed child who was forced to write with my right hand, tender for that fearful child who wet my pants in first grade, and tender towards the child whose IQ was so low that they wanted to place me in special education, tender for the sexual abuse that spun me crazy, tender for the moments when I was scared silly when my dad would go on one of his drunken rages, tender for the confusion & guilt & rage that I carried for so many years... It goes on & on, Jesus was folding me into His tenderness and gracing my heart to be tender towards myself... I pray that you will be tender towards yourself, it is a lovely space... Blessings
 
Posts: 173 | Location: East Lansing, MI | Registered: 18 July 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Gail,

What a wonderful idea to express parts of your story in this manner; it's like poetry, very creative. I breathe in the word "tenderness" and ahhhh, relaxation within occurs. Thank you!
 
Posts: 6 | Registered: 04 February 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Oh, Christ wounded tender...
raised now in glorious splendor...

How You poured out your merciful grace,
by giving me a glimpse of Your tender face.

How You showed me You are not angry anymore,
that You love the wounded repentant whore...

Tender towards the anxiety I have felt,
tender with gratitude when that fear would melt.

Tender so tender that You suffered for me,
and tender with hope that one day I'll be free.

Tender for every little abused child,
so tender for those who grow up unruly & wild.

Tender for all caught in the trap of the past,
tender for how they have been harassed.

Tender for those whose wounds remain,
tender for those crying out in pain.

Tender Jesus only you can supply,
inner-healing for all who cry...
tender remembering:
You asked the Father, why?

Oh tender Lord, may I remember the wounds that bled,
when I fall into self contempt and the critic shouts in my head.

Tender when I recall Your words from the cross,
and all You suffered to gain in your loss...

"Father forgive them they know not what they do"
tenderly crying out when You were pierced through...

And O so tender I am when I rest in You...
 
Posts: 173 | Location: East Lansing, MI | Registered: 18 July 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Hi Gail,

It is "beautiful." Thank you for sharing you with us.

Sharing, like that, from my heart is something I want to do more of. It is so "real," "honest," "alive."

I think that the more we do this, visting these spaces and places within us, God's/Christ's love is healing those false selves, revealing more of the authentic self/Self.

I think this happens whether we do it privately, or publicly as you have here. But there is such an added dimension when one shares such things publicly (where it is safe to do so, like here, or in a Celebrate Recovery group). I think that when the aspects/faces of the false self (shame, guilt, less than feelings, and the host of others - in our case -that come along with abusive situations) are revealed and exposed in an environment where only love and acceptance is reflected/mirrored, they fall away all the more. For, in the face of a Christian community witnessing us as we do, they just simply lose more of their hold on us, as we come to see that while this (whatever) may have been a part of my experience of life, "this is not who and what I really am." Instead, we find God filling us with His love, as He was doing as you wrote in your journal.

I had received an email response from my analyst late on Friday afternoon, reminding me of just this, to be "gentle" with myself. So, going to CR that evening and hearing this woman's testimony was a gift. You should have seen the conviction of joy with which she spoke ("God Loves Me," resounded through her words).

Later, in small group (gender specific, whereas the large group is both sexes), there were two other regular woman (the speaker did not stay) who also had childhood histories of sexual abuse. One of these ladies (only more recently beginning to heal) did introduce herself and what she was dealing with in the past week, but she felt unable to speak this night when her time came around for the longer sharing. As it turned, we both were dealing with similar issues this week. I felt certain after that God used what I shared of my own journey (being further along) to encourage and strenghten her, for she then came to hug me, as I hugged the speaker.

So, I did get my gift of gentleness that night, wished for me by my analyst, for hugging and being hugged by these women was like hugging and being hugged by my own self. Several times through the remainder of my overnight work shift, I thought of these woman and our hugs...and tears streamed from my eyes, feeling that through our sharing, God was moving me (and they, I would guess) to greater gentleness/tenderness...love.

In Phil's book, "God, Self and Ego," (that I mentioned in another thread) he tells of a book by Fr. John Powell that was very helpful to him, by way of affirming the value of healthy "self-love." I've not read it yet, but I did receive it already and look forward to reading it, "Fully Human and Fully Alive."

I think life/the world (and even our skewed interpretations of the bible) teaches us to not love ourselves, but to be lovers of others, first. I think we can and often do get the whole idea of serving and self-sacrifice wrong, to where it is becomes an issue of self-deprecation and not self-love. This, even though we have heard or read that one cannot give or reflect true love to another unless one first have that love within themselves. In this case, what we give is often not true love, but more likely based on some dysfunctional dynamic taken on in our childhood conditining ... "conditional" love. I believe God wants us to have unconditional self-love, for we can then reflect that love to others.

I got wordy!

But, thank you, again, Gail, for sharing your experience of tenderness with me/us. It does speak also to my heart! And I am going to make it my duty to be again gentle with myself tonight.

with love,
Kristi
 
Posts: 226 | Location:  | Registered: 03 December 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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quote:
Oh, Christ wounded tender...
raised now in glorious splendor...

Thank you for this, Gail. What a treat to find it just after posting my message! I am going to print it! Where is it from?

Kristi
 
Posts: 226 | Location:  | Registered: 03 December 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Kristi,

There is so much beauty in your words that I don't know how to respond... Mere words just wont capture what is going on in me right now!
Off the top of my head it comes to me that God is truly giving you beauty for ashes, you do speak from the heart, such wisdom. Thank-You for being brave & vulnerable.
BTW I ordered a bunch of prayer cards from that site you shared with me and have had a bit of fun passing them around. Much love to you, Gail

Thanks Deann, you gave me a little courage to post the poem I wrote yesterday...
 
Posts: 173 | Location: East Lansing, MI | Registered: 18 July 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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quote:
Originally posted by KristiMarie:
quote:
Oh, Christ wounded tender...
raised now in glorious splendor...

Thank you for this, Gail. What a treat to find it just after posting my message! I am going to print it! Where is it from?

Kristi

i wrote it yesterday...
 
Posts: 173 | Location: East Lansing, MI | Registered: 18 July 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Oh, Gail!

First, I went gooseflesh, when I read, "I wrote it yesterday." It is truly beautiful! "Your" beauty shines through it! I'm still goosefleshed, joyous for our sharing here, joyous for this blossoming of creativity inside of you.

Ummm, I'd better ask then... May I have your permission to share it, say (verbally) during my turn to speak at a CR meeting? Other than this, I'll just keep it for personal reflection.

And, second, I must admit, that I am new to taking in such beautiful compliments as you also have given me. Thank you, Gail. I guess I want to be careful to not be haughty, remembering that all gifts come from God.

I love that website. It's the best site for prayer cards, IMO, and they are very generous with what they end up sending, aren't they?!

Kristi
 
Posts: 226 | Location:  | Registered: 03 December 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Yes, they are great & generous!

I hope Phil doesn't mind our gushfest, cause i have to gush one more time, then I promise I will be quiet: oh, girl... you bless me! i don't know if i feel shy about saying i wrote that or if it is shame...probably a little mixture of both, i have been marked/scarred by my dad's name calling... as you said so well in your post, the fallout from our abuse is not who we are!!! still learning that at 56 yikes! And yes, of course you can share it.
 
Posts: 173 | Location: East Lansing, MI | Registered: 18 July 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Gail,

I love your poem. Thank you so much for sharing it.
 
Posts: 6 | Registered: 04 February 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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quote:
Originally posted by KristiMarie:
... I listened to another testimony last night from a woman from another area church and I was so moved by her that I had to go find her, thank her and hug after...
How wonderful to hear that there is this warmth in your group. And giving hugs after deep sharing...only women can do stuff like that--this is one of the reasons why I like being female.

----
post-script...just coming back in to say I hadn't yet read your longer post above on the hug-feast when I wrote this....must have picked up on the hugging energy Smiler
 
Posts: 1091 | Registered: 05 April 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Hi Gail,

I loved reading your poem--your sharing is evidence of God's loving through you...

I LOVE seeing the Church do what Jesus asked us to do...
 
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Gail, I don't think Phil will mind the gush-fest Smiler And I am grateful for our sharing.

Shasha, it is a good group. I am thankful.

Kristi
 
Posts: 226 | Location:  | Registered: 03 December 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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quote:
Originally posted by gail:
Oh, Christ wounded tender...


Gail, that is beautiful and beautifully written. Thank you from me, as well.
 
Posts: 578 | Location: east coast, US | Registered: 20 July 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Catching up on things as I've been away all weekend.

Lovely poem, Gail. That gentleness and tenderness you describe is so characteristic of Jesus. Your words give testimony to a deep inner healing. I thank you for sharing it with us.
 
Posts: 3955 | Location: Wichita, KS | Registered: 27 December 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I just want to come back and echo what was said above regarding the tenderness and gentleness of Jesus, shown in the words of your poem.

You may have read in the other thread where I wrote that reading your poem this morning brought tears to my eyes. Just after reading your poem, I'd turned to Matthew 11:28-30. What I write here comes from the Amplified version, which I like for the added meaning it offers, shown in parenthesis:

28: Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls]. 29: Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest (relief and ease and refreshment and blessed quiet) for your souls. 30: For My yoke is wholesome (Useful, good - not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant), and My burden is light and easy to be borne.

Together, they just really spoke to me, as I saw your poem being reflected in this piece of scripture, hence the litany of prayer that came in my tears, as I saw how the path I had been involved with (guru and else) was not at all these. Quite the contrary, it was intrusive and pressing (demanding). I felt Jesus was showing me His gentleness through both your poem and this piece of scripture I ended up turning to.

So, let me please turn around your words: "You have blessed me," with your poem. Jesus has blessed me through what He gave you.

Thank you,
Kristi
 
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