Here we are in the final hours of 2023. It’s a good time to reflect on what we’ve learned as we prepare to move into what’s ahead. Be it a new day or a new year we can start fresh. What an opportunity. I am grateful to God for each new day and new year.
December’s Celebrate Recovery (CR) lessons were 24 Yes and 25 The Seven Reasons We Get Stuck. What a powerful ending to the year, and a launching pad for something new. Can you say ‘yes’ to a new beginning?
Each month we were blessed to hear lessons, testimonies, and recovery stories that helped us to step out of denial, lean in to hope, and confess and admit our sins. We’ve ended the year with Principle 8: Yield myself to God to be used to bring this good news to others, both by my example, and by my words; and Step 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.
This has been such an amazing journey. None of us is perfect, but we keep coming back to CR each week because we find strength and encouragement in one another. We are growing and thriving!
By the way, CR is a Christ-centered 12 Step program with 8 Recovery Principles taken from the Beatitudes in the book of Matthew. CR is offered by over 35,000 churches in the world and millions have found freedom from hurts, habits, and hang ups.
I’m glad that we wrap up the year around the Christmas season. In last month’s blog, I mentioned how different life would be if we would all keep God at the forefront of our thoughts and minds every day. I want to expound on that concept a little more because many people only focus on the love of Jesus during Easter and Christmas. Wouldn’t our lives be so much different, more joy-filled, more purposeful, more Christlike if we had a daily habit of putting God first? If each of us made time to reflect, we would come up with a list of areas in our lives to seek God’s help and to be more grateful. This transformational walk begins with a relationship with Jesus Christ. If you want that, all you have to do is call on His name. Acts 2:21 tells us that everyone who calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved. Jesus is waiting and wants to give you freedom. Once we accept Him, we can begin to walk in that new life. Yes, a fresh new beginning. CR helps us to do that one day at a time. Our growth is a witness that the same God helping us is able to help everyone who comes to Him. We can all share that Good News with someone else. That’s what Principle 8 and Step 12 of Celebrate Recovery is all about. We want the world to know that Jesus has the power to help with ANY hurt, addiction, habit, issue or hang up. You name it, Jesus can handle it. Today is gonna be a good day!
You can join us at our weekly meeting on Monday, January 8 from 7-9 at 296 Live Oak Church Rd, Hinesville GA. In the meantime, reach out to a sponsor, accountability partner, spiritual mentor.
To find a meeting near you, visit www.celebraterecovery.com and select 'Locator.' Thank you for reading my blogs and for sharing them with others. Visit www.charlenestevensjenkins.com. Let’s communicate. I’m still here to encourage, inspire and motivate. I’m praying for you. God Bless!