I read the post from Jason Crouch earlier and let me start my saying Jason I am sorry for yours and the family's tragic loss. But I felt lead to write this post. NO ONE ELSE EVER HAS TO GO THROUGH THIS AGAIN....EVER!!!
I know that may seem like a bold statement, but it is true. In these times, everything can seem overwhelming, but there is hope. I'm placing a repeat of a post a did a while back, but I want to be totally transparent about the reason first.
Two years ago my business partner took a step of faith and opened our own brokerage. Things went well for a while, but we are all witness now to how that wentsouth very quickly. Now, we dissolved the company and went back to being agents. Things have been difficult to say the least. I have 3 children, 2 in college, a big mortgage, a car payment, mounting bills, etc....My wife and I took on extra work as much as we could bear. However, it's not enough fast enough.
The one thing we didn't do however, was give up our place in ministry. We both work within the praise ministry and are both open share leaders in a ministry called Celebate Recovery (more about that in a moment). Well things came to a desparation point for us and we had to make a decision-Do we keep the power on in the house and go without groceries until that commission check arrives? Or do we buy food that doesn't require cooking or refrigeration? Well, we paid the electric company. So there we are at night feeling the depths of despair and the doorbell rings-It was one of our fellow leaders from CR. She asked if we could help her with her car.......What she really meant was can we unload all the groceries that the whole CR ministry had provided for us. We were overwhelmed, this was from people who are facing so many problems of their own, but they loved us enough to do this for us.
This is the kind of thing God's people do for others, display His grace through their lives. Now back to the post, I beg you my brothers and sisters...please read this...I can't promise you that it will save your life or the life of someone you know and love, but I do know firsthand that it can and will make a difference.
Did you know that the industry with the highest mortality rate in our country since January 2007 was real estate related? Did you know that the second highest divorce rate also belongs to our industry? Did you know that chemical addictions, spousal abuse are all growing at an alarming rate?
I learned about these statistics and began to enquire further. I began to wonder about the toll this must be taking on homeowners in distress, suddenly unemployed construction crews, home inspectors, pool contractors, decorators. How were these good people coping? The more I focused on this issue, the more convicted I became that I could do something to help. Such arrogance on my part, I was struggling too, as if I could do anything by my own hand. After God brought me to a place of surrender and I joined a group at our church known as Celebrate Recovery. This program is a Christ-centered ministry designed to help those struggling with addictions, habits, hurts and hangups by applying Biblical principles to their lives. What an amazing difference God had made in these peoples lives! What a difference God has made in my life! Nobody is miraculously "healed", but people are better equipped to handle the difficulties that life throws at them.
I've included the 8 principles that Celebrate Recovery is based on;
CELEBRATE RECOVERY'S EIGHT RECOVERY PRINCIPLES
The Road to Recovery
Based on the Beatitudes
- Realize I'm not God; I admit that I am powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and that my life is unmanageable. (Step 1)
- "Happy are those who know that they are spiritually poor."
- Earnestly believe that God exists, that I matter to Him and that He has the power to help me recover. (Step 2
- "Happy are those how mourn, for they shall be comforted."
- Consciously choose to commit all my life and will to Christ's care and control. (Step 3)
- "Happy are the meek."
- Openly examine and confess my faults to myself, to God, and to someone I trust. (Steps 4 and 5)
- "Happy are the pure in heart."
- Voluntarily submit to any and all changes God wants to make in my life and humbly ask Him to remove my character defects. (Steps 6 and 7)
- "Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires"
- 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 to do so would harm them or others. (Steps 8 and 9)
- "Happy are the merciful."
- "Happy are the peacemakers"
- Reserve a time with God for self-examination, Bible reading, and prayer in order to know God and His will for my life and to gain the power to follow His will. (Steps 10 and 11)
- Yield myself to God to be used to bring this Good News to others, both by my example and my words. (Step 12)
- "Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires."
For more information on this program and to find a CR group near you visit http://www.celebraterecovery.com
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