DON'T FORGET THE PAST!

Today I want to thank God for my past!

As a recovered alcoholic it is sometimes easy to forget where we came from, where we are now and how we got here!

Recently in my Spiritual life I am experiencing changes. Changes I am not necessarily comfortable with but I know are necessary. I also know God has it all under control and the changes will become 'The Norm' in His time.

Our past is important because:

• It influences our future - I spoke with someone today about the incredible difference God has made in my life since I became a Christian and the fact that because they were so big I know God expects big things from me. Once upon a time that would have terrified me but today, even though sometimes it makes me uneasy, I am content in knowing that when the time comes He will give me all that I need to do whatever it is He wants me to do.
  
  
• It is a reminder of the Grace of God in my life - knowing where I am now and where I was is a very humbling experience because I know by myself I would not be here living the life I am today. It by His Grace that I get to live daily and experience life daily.
  
  
• It is a helpful lesson for today - There are times in all of our lives where we drift back into the old way of thinking, old way of acting and at those times the Holy Spirit can intervene in our lives and teach us how God wants us to live.
  

Today I thank God for my past because it was that past that led me to be the person I am today!

CONFESSIONS

My enemies will retreat when I call to you for help.

This I know: God is on my side!

Psalm 56:9

There is a misconception that being a nice person is all we can aim for. Some obtain this through concentration on their churchianity. Some try turning their back on the nastiness of the past and make niceness their main aim. It is hard to work out the bad and good within ourselves. Ever since Adam and Eve fell for the notion of being 'as gods' and pulled away from the true God all of us have the same desire and are ready to try and achieve it. Self-reliance in deciding what is good and what is evil either achieves self-glorification or confusion which can cause us to turn to God. God directs us to the mirror, where we view of our ugly selves. beyond that view He shows us a view of the life-changing Saviour, Jesus Christ. In Romans 7:18, Paul says " I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.I want to do what is right, but I can’t" He made this confession knowing his need of Jesus Christ. Like Paul we too need to confess our inability to change on our own and put our trust in Jesus. Once we begin to call for God's help and keep turning to Him our lives begin to be transformed into the lives that He wanst us to live.

God can and will overcome all the hurdles that we face in recovery. But he requires that we confess our sins to Him. Not for His benefit but for ours - by speaking it we understand it and by understanding it we can know how to overcome it with His help.

Running Away

Jonah 1:1,3 One day long ago, God's Word came to Jonah, Amittai's son: But Jonah got up and went the other direction to Tarshish, running away from God. He went down to the port of Joppa and found a ship headed for Tarshish. He paid the fare and went on board, joining those going to Tarshish—as far away from God as he could get.

When we decide to let God have His way with us, big things are going to happen, some of them uncomfortable. After a few of them happen, many of us opt to go back to our comfort zones, afraid to continue God's way because we don't understand what is happening.

Jonah clearly heard God and knew what was required; instead of following God he chose to run in the opposite direction.

In life also sometimes watch unhappily as others run away from life's responsibilities. When we do we are like Jonah caught in a storm and feel any move we make will be unsafe. We expect something to swallow us up and cause us to have a turbulent future. Or we can feel like we want to quit, want to be thrown overboard. The reality of life is. it is uncomfortable.

Jonah ran away because he didn't want to be what God wanted him to be. He thought by hiding he could avoid making any tough decisions and avoid his responsibilities. But there is nowhere we can hide from God! Where can you hide from the One who made everything?

As we travel through recovery, 'come to believe in a Power Greater than ourselves' and 'turn our wills and lives over to His care' Let us not hide and shirk our responsibilities but 'accept God's plan for us' and 'enjoy every good thing He has ins store for us'

About Living Life Recovery

Whilst a member at the Ferntree Gully Salvation Army I participated with the Church in the '40 Days Of Purpose' series designed by Pastor Rick Warren.

As part of the 40 Days I was given the position of 'Small Group Coordinator' and in that capacity was invited by a member of the Church who stuttered to come to his stutter support group and talk to his small group about them attending his small group during the campaign.

During the meeting a time was given to pause and reflect on 'how to deal with their stutter and overcome obstacles in their lives'. During this time I had time to reflect on my own life and God spoke to me and and asked "Why are you not helping people with addictions?"

Following that meeting I committed to God to do something to reach those still suffering from the negative effects of addiction and other compulsive behaviours. I then began looking for Christian Recovery material to use for this purpose. I purchased Christian Recovery material from Saddleback Church in the form of Celebrate Recovery material and proceeded to prepare to begin a Christian Recovery Ministry. During preparation God made it clear he wanted to do something different and so one day sitting at the kitchen table at home God gave me the vision for Living Life Recovery. At that time he also gave me the Logo and the slogan 'Recovery is about living life.. Living life is more than just recovery..'

Since then I have been preparing for LLR and waiting on God to show me the steps He wanted taken with it. In 2008 Living Life Recovery is now a reality.

Run every Wednesday night from 6:30pm at my current church
Belgrave South Baptist Church

We join together for:

• Fellowship (sharing soup)
• Worship (singing songs together)
  
• Teaching (studying the Twelve Steps and their daily application in our lives)
  
• Sharing (talking about the One true Higher Power and how we intereact with him personally

Today I am glad that a number of years ago I committed to God to do what He wants me to do and because of it the lives of others will be changed.

If you want to know more visit http://livingliferecovery.com
or email me at aeboye@livingliferecovery.com