Ready to Win

Hello and welcome!

Just in case this is your first visit, let me re-introduce myself. I’m Charlene Stevens- Jenkins, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with the Veteran Health Administration, and the volunteer ministry leader for Celebrate Recovery (CR) at Live Oak Church in Hinesville, GA. I love what I do in the workplace and in my church.

CR is a Christian-based 12 Step Program where we rely on Jesus to help us work through issues, problems, habits, strongholds, setbacks, hurts, bitterness, and whatever past or current struggles we may have. In addition to the 12 Steps, we also have 8 recovery principles taken from the Bible.

We just completed Principle 5: Voluntarily submit to every change God wants to make in my life and humbly ask him to remove my character defects (Matthew 5:6), and Step 7: We humbly asked him to remove all our shortcomings (1 John 1:9). Our most recent lessons were Ready and Victory. Each week, we alternate testimonies and guest speakers in between the lessons. I believe you will learn something very valuable for yourself or for someone else.

When I think about ‘ready and victory,’ I remember when I was 10-12 years old running track with the Liberty County Recreation Department. I felt so good to win ribbons at the track meets, but before we could get the ribbons the coach made us do the hard work by training and practicing. If I was not ready, I could not win first place. No, I didn’t always win first, but I made it to the district and state championships all three years. I look back with fond memories, but of course I’m not still running 50s and 100s. I enjoy walking but I don’t run sprints anymore!

I’m on a spiritual journey where I am not competing against anyone. Truth is we can make it to the finish line together. We face challenges, obstacles, issues, problems, and setbacks. It’s so easy to get caught up in those things, become overwhelmed, weighed down, and lose sight of the final destination. I’m heaven bound, and if you are too, then we have to remember that life is not going to be easy every day.

Principle 5 and Step 7 remind me that I need to allow God to remove my character defects and shortcomings. How can He do that? First, I have to continue to do my part, which is to spend time in God’s Word to learn life’s principles and practices, seek His guidance, quietly wait for instructions, and respond in following His promptings. All of these things will help me to get rid of my tendencies and ways that cause more harm than good. When I allow God to remove my shortcomings, I will become more useful for Him and more of a light to the world. If I’m not leading people to God, where am I taking them? Also, the more I make myself ready by allowing God to remove my defects of character (those things that slow me down), THEN I am more prepared to walk in victory as I face any challenges, obstacles and difficulties. My final word of encouragement is this: Let’s keep going forward and keep our eyes on the prize (Philippians 3:14). An audience is watching us. Those who have no hope are watching us. All who are lost and need a relationship with God are watching us. Let’s not do anything to be applauded and praised by people. Let’s do what we do to give glory to God and to hear Him say, “Well done…”.

We’re excited about CR and invite you to visit with us on Mondays, 7pm to 9 pm, Live Oak Church, 296 Live Oak Church Rd, Hinesville GA.

For my other blogs, visit charlenestevensjenkins.com. Reach out if you have questions or comments. DM me. Let’s communicate. I’m here to encourage, inspire and motivate. I’m praying for you.

Perfect Timing

It's been a busy few months! My last blog was in March, and here we are in July.

Welcome to another monthly blog with an update about Celebrate Recovery (CR). If you’re new to CR, it's a Christ-centered 12-step program that helps individuals address and overcome their hurts, habits, and hang-ups. Through CR, we focus on various principles that guide us toward healing and recovery. Just as God is helping us through CR, He can help you too.

I'm delighted you’re here!

As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with the Veterans Health Administration, I volunteer as the CR Ministry Leader at Live Oak Church in Hinesville, GA. We’re currently in the seventh month of the year, focusing on Principle 4: “Openly examine and confess my faults to myself, to God, and to someone I trust” (Matthew 5:8: “Happy are the pure in heart.”). This includes Step 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.”) and Step 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.”). For more details or to find a CR near you, visit www.celebraterecovery.com.

As we move into the second half of the year, it's a perfect time to make adjustments and course corrections. In my book, "WHEN I WAS 40: Overcame Some Challenges, Still Learning and Growing," I talk about the importance of making adjustments with the help of a sponsor and accountability partners. Struggling alone can be tough, but with the support of others, we find encouragement and strength. Honesty is crucial for spiritual growth, even though facing reality can be challenging. Many of us wear masks or escape into activities that provide temporary gratification but hinder spiritual growth.

To aid in our spiritual growth, we've learned the importance of conducting a spiritual inventory. Just as periodic inventory helps in managing a home, business, or ministry, an honest spiritual inventory involves examining both the good and the bad aspects of ourselves. This thorough examination is necessary for spiritual growth and involves asking God to search our hearts as well (Psalm 139:23-24: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test my thoughts. Point out anything you find in me that makes you sad, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”).

Earlier this month, one of our leaders taught Lesson 12 on Confession. Although confession might evoke feelings of guilt, being completely honest ultimately leads to positive outcomes. Recognizing our faults and shortcomings is essential for receiving God’s forgiveness. As part of the A, B, C’s of Salvation—Admit that you have sinned, Believe in Jesus, and Confess that Jesus is Lord—confession is crucial for salvation and continued spiritual growth.

This past Monday, one of our leaders courageously shared her testimony, highlighting the importance of confession in healing and recovery. It's the perfect time to find what you need.

This coming Monday, we will discuss "Admit," the final lesson before moving to the next principle. I invite you to join us for CR meetings on Mondays from 7-9 pm at 296 Live Oak Church Rd, Hinesville, GA.

Thank you for being here! You can find my other blogs at www.charlenestevensjenkins.com. If you have any questions or comments, please reach out. Let’s communicate. I'm here to encourage, inspire, and motivate. I'm praying for you.

Making Faith Turns

Making faith turns is not always easy, but worth it

Welcome! I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with the Veterans Health Administration. I also volunteer as the Celebrate Recovery Ministry Leader at Live Oak Church in Hinesville GA. If you’ve been keeping up with my blogs, you know I’ve been writing a lot about Celebrate Recovery (CR). Why? Because I know people find freedom from hurts, habits and hang ups in CR, and I love sharing that news! CR is a Christ-centered 12-Step Program that is changing lives all over the world.

We're into the fourth month of 2024, and our recent CR lessons are life-changing! In March, two of our CR leaders taught Lessons 5 - Turn and Lesson 6 - Action. We covered Principle 3: "Consciously choose to commit all my life and will to Christ’s care and control. “Happy are the meek.” (Matthew 5:5); and Step 3: We made a decision to turn our lives and our wills over to the care of God. “Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God-this is your true and proper worship.” (Romans 12:1).

CR taught me that turning my life over to Jesus was a once-in-a-lifetime commitment. And I made that conscious decision when I was 13; however, turning my will over to Him requires a daily recommitment. That’s not to say, it doesn’t "take" the first time; it means we make life choices every day based on the principles of Christ, and I desire to live an abundant life in Him. As CR emphasizes, we have to make a decision to walk in alignment with the Spirit of the LORD every day. I’m walking out this intention one day at a time with the frame of mind to follow Christ. Every decision and every choice to live fully is what I call a faith turn!

Are you ready to base every decision and every choice on pleasing God? Do you feel stuck in a cycle of self sabotage, sin, and trauma and you really don’t know what to do next? The first step in stopping the cycle is to choose to follow Jesus’ principles for living. Recognize your need to be saved by believing in and accepting Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. If you and I could have lived “good enough” to save ourselves, there would have been no need for Jesus to die. All of us have sinned and fallen short, as written in Romans 3:23. Since nothing but the shedding of His blood could wash us and make us clean, all you and I have to do is believe. That’s what the CR Action lesson is all about: Believing that Jesus died on the cross and rose again and accepting God’s free forgiveness.

I invite you to make a faith turn today and choose Jesus as your Lord and Savior. This is the best decision of your life! You can pray right now where you are. God is waiting to hear from you. This is not a religion but a relationship with God. You should then start gathering with other believers to study the Word and grow your faith. Start making faith turns everyday.

If you have any questions, reach out. Let’s communicate. I’m here to encourage, inspire and motivate. I’m praying for you.

If you’re new, thank you for stopping in and checking out my blog. All others can be found at www.charlenestevensjenkins.com.

To learn more about CR, visit www.celebraterecovery.com and select Locator to find a group near you. Locals can join us Mondays, 7-9 pm at 296 Live Oak Church Road, Hinesville GA. We look forward to seeing you!