Family – A Good Place to Start
September 23, 2009
Daily Devotional, September 18th
Posted to Genesis 37:4 on Sep 14, 2009 at 02:43 PM
Genesis 37:4
His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers; and so they hated him and could not speak to him on friendly terms.
“Family ties”
Thwack! The sound signaled trouble. With our parents gone, my sister and I had started a mashed potato fight instead of doing the dishes. Chasing her down the stairs with tinfoil box in hand, I was determined she wouldn’t win even though I was younger. The strains of victory died, however, when an unseen door met with her glasses. We were going to get it for sure.
Designed by God to give us a sense of our identity, family is one of the first places we discover what we like, what we’re good at, and how to relate to others. It’s also where we first experience conflict. Even in the strongest of families, we go through hurts that cause us to believe wrong things about ourselves.
In reading the story of Joseph, we often focus on what Joseph suffered because of his brothers’ jealousy. While this story is an important lesson in forgiveness (Genesis 50:20-21), it also demonstrates how family issues strike deep at the heart.
The firstborn of Jacob’s favorite wife (30:22-24), Joseph was the honored son, and his brothers knew it (v.4). It’s one thing to face a parent’s disapproval because you didn’t do your homework. Imagine feeling as if you’re a disappointment just because you were born to the wrong woman (v.2). Believing Jacob had rejected them in preferring Joseph, his brothers retaliated by stripping him of his coat and his dignity (vv.20-24).
From the beginning of creation, family relationships have been difficult (Genesis 4:8). Relational issues are inevitable. Working through the sin nature of man, the enemy pits family members against each other (Micah 7:6). Responding to the hurt by hurting others only continues the cycle. Putting our hearts in alignment with God’s, however, allows healing and restoration to begin (Luke 1:17). —Regina Franklin, Our Daily Journey
CLICK HERE to visit OurDailyJourney.org
A Message of Hope – and a Plan of Action
July 12, 2009
Addiction forges its own chains of pain and problems that grow with each day and seem impossible to overcome. If you, or someone you know, are a captive of addictive behavior, the Word of God and New Heart Place have both a message of hope and a plan of action. Anyone can be set free from addictive behavior, can experience victory in Jesus, and become an overcomer in life! The key is to identify the root cause of your problem and instead of running away from it, run to God! Do this, and your mind and spirit will be renewed; and no matter what you struggle with, you will find freedom in Christ!
Testimony of God’s Overcoming Addiction Power
July 6, 2009
Hello my name is Richard, and this is my testimony of God’s overcoming addiction power:
My mother loved myself and my siblings, and as a single parent did the best she could to provide for all of our needs. Sometimes providing for us included moving; different neighborhoods, different towns, and even different states. I had changed schools at least eight times before I was thirteen. I always felt like an outsider and that I did not fit in. Having quality friendships was difficult. I had finished elementary school with exceptional grades. That changed as I entered middle school. I made friends with the wrong people, I skipped school, and ultimately began smoking marijuana and drinking. My mother moved me to my Grandparents home and I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior for the first time. My life changed.
I missed my family and returned to Portland. I believed things would be different, but they were not. By the time I was sixteen I had experimented with hard drugs and dropped out of school. I began working full time, which afforded me to continue in the same lifestyle and at that age it was very appealing, my life was out of control. At nineteen I went through my first treatment program, passed the ASVAB test, and went into the Army. I was finally on the right track. I left all of my former life behind thinking a change of environment would solve the problem. However, I began to drink, and eventually was using cocaine again. I returned home to Oregon. In Portland the same people were still doing the same activities, nothing I wanted to be a part of, I requested a transfer to Washington to be near my family. I knew that if I just had the support of my family and church everything would turn out all right.
The problem was not the environment, or the circumstances, or the friends, it was me. Read more
Why People Don’t Recover
June 29, 2009
Why People Don’t Recover
The reasons why people do not seek help for their problems are as many and varied as the people themselves. But here are some of the common obstacles to pursuing and maintaining recovery:
1. Problem behavior attracts longed-for attention.
2. The pain isn’t great enough—yet.
3. Fear of launching into the unknown.
4. Someone is enabling the addiction (message to the enabler: stop it!)
5. Fear of exposure. Guilt is private but shame is public. The only answer is openness and making amends for the past. This resolves the guilt and robs shame of its power.
6. Pride.
7. “Praying for a miracle” when God wants you to take some action.
8. Seeking a quick fix.
9. Despair.
10. Physiological or biochemical dependency.
11. Fear of failure.
12. Fear of rejection.
13. Fear of change.
14. Running from reality.
15. False sense of happiness. During an episode of addictive behavior, everything feels great.
16. False sense of power.
17. Fear of insanity if separated from your fix.
Recovery program teaches grads to beat addiction
June 27, 2009
Clothed in dress pants, sundresses and fancy shirts, 106 people walked down the center aisle of the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries auditorium Friday to celebrate a new beginning.
Many said they were moving forward from battling drug addiction, homelessness and emotional issues.
They were among a class of 389 graduates to complete a recovery program at the faith-based organization that offers shelter, skills training and substance abuse treatment for homeless people and those recovering from drug addiction.
To graduate, participants had to be drug- and alcohol-free for at least 90 days.
“It has changed me immensely,” said graduate Mark Williams. “It’s changed my attitude, my awareness, my acceptance that I’m a recovering addict.”
Williams, 51, of Highland Park said the program allowed him to take computer hardware and software classes at Wayne County Community College after receiving treatment for his drug addiction.
The DRMM has spent about $16 million annually since the program started in 2007 to provide relief and educational opportunities for participants, said Chad Audi, the nonprofit organization’s president.
“Anybody who is in need, we are willing to help them,” Audi said. “We give them the tools to become productive citizens.”
Helen Brewer, 51, of Detroit said the program not only helped her fight a drug and alcohol addiction, but she learned customer service and culinary skills. Since joining the program last year, Brewer was hired as a cashier and preparation cook for a Popeyes restaurant.
“I learned my spirituality … and how to deal with the public,” Brewer said. “It brought me closer to my family.”
Contact NICQUEL TERRY: 313-222-8774 or nterry@freepress.com.
Residential Aftercare – New Heart Place
June 26, 2009
New Heart Place gives men an opportunity to rebuild their lives with a new start in a safe environment while they learn how to re-engage into society. New Heart Place is an inpatient facility (Residential Aftercare) set out in a very quiet area in Snohomish outside of town. It offers a quiet and tranquil environment for these men to live.
The program lasts for one year and the focus is on living a Christ-Centered-life and learning to live without addictions. They attend regular groups and have to be able to make the commitment for the entire time. These men are given the opportunity to learn a trade and are placed in job opportunities as well once they are ready for this step.
There are so many treatment facilities out there, but none that have the opportunity’s that we offer. Many of the local Intensive Outpatient programs have low success rate. Most go back out and relapse quite soon after treatment. Our men are showing a good rate of success. They are not only staying clean from drugs and alcohol, but they are becoming strong men of God.
Restoration and Relapse
June 25, 2009
Spiritual Transformation
In aftercare treatment planning, one must include a clear plan of restoration. This plan must include a great deal of accountability and ongoing oversight. Relapse and recidivism rates for addicts still remain relatively high after completion of treatment. One must be on guard to discern the role of spiritual transformation in the life of the addict. Addicts will say—and genuinely believe, along with many others supporting the addict—that they have committed or recommitted their lives to Christ, that God has forgiven their sin, and they have been healed from their addictive desires.
The implication is that if the therapist continues to insist on strong accountability or a need for continued treatment, they are doubting the power of God to change lives. This is very difficult bind for Christian counselors. On one hand we must seriously believe in the power of God to heal and change lives, while also being aware that healing is almost always a gradual process. Furthermore, the Christian counselor knows as well as anyone the subtle power of sin and the ways of the world to tempt the addict to use again. Even in the midst of the healing process, offenders can and do experience relapse—some relapse numerous times—but eventually establish control over the problem.
We must balance the need to affirm healing in the offender with appropriate concern for the reality of relapse and renewed addiction. The church, as a community of grace and healing, looks to the hope of the gospel for the power to change the behavior of addicted persons, to heal the wounds of the their victims, and to provide reconciliation with the body of Christ.