Celebrate Recovery - Brookland

02/19/2023

My CR Forever Family makes sure that when I drop to my knees, they are also there to pray with me. Join us. www.crbrooklanddc.org

01/30/2023

It's never too late to make a change. Let Christ be the Higher Power that can help you recover from your hurts, habits and hang ups! Join a Celebrate Recovery near you today.
Just don't quit before the miracle happens.
Www.crbrooklanddc.org

03/19/2022

Scripture defeats the Mole

“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness.” -2 Timothy 3:16

I remember a time Chrissy and I stumbled into one of those “grease fire” arguments — and suddenly I was spewing flames from my mouth. Whoa — timeout! I decided to take out the trash to give myself a pause. Once outside, I whispered the scripture, “Be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry” from James 1:19, repeating the instruction to myself three or four times before I went back inside. I apologized for my anger and Chrissy and I were able to discuss our issue in more productive tones. We have all been there right?

When I’m in the shower, I’ve found that it helps to call out scriptures such as “Live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature” (Galatians 5:16). When the lure to linger over a woman’s low-cut blouse hits me, I remind myself of the deal I have to cut with God; “I made a covenant with my eyes” (Job 31:1). When Chrissy asks me whether I’m going to do anything about the odorous and unwanted mounds of dog p**p in the backyard, I quote to myself Jesus from Matthew 20:28, “Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.”

Countless times, I have found that calling out scriptures catapults me past the temptation and prevents me from making the ever-famous slip that the mole is seeking to induce. Psalm 37:30-31 says (with my added emphasis) “The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks what is just. The law of his God is in his heart; his feet do not slip.”

God’s man speaks the scriptures into his daily challenges specifically to guard against taking a tumble. Staying silent leaves the struggle in the back alleys of our minds.

Father, thank you for your word, it is the sword of our armor.

02/17/2022

Jim: Character or Comfort

“Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flows the springs of life. Proverbs 4:23

At a men’s retreat, we surveyed 550 men with the following question: What causes you to disconnect from God on a continual, habitual, or fatal basis? More than 90 percent of the men indicated (anonymously) that lust, p**n and sexual fantasy were their top reasons for spiritual disconnection. Many men took advantage of the survey’s anonymity to reveal their involvement in love affairs, their compulsive addiction to p**nography, and the inner struggles that plague their consciences and drain their spirits. Shockingly, more than fifty men at the retreat admitted that they were having — or have had — an extramarital affair. Equally shocking was the fact that the majority of the men were serving in key leadership positions throughout the church.

My point? You are not alone when you admit that you have something less than sexual integrity. At a staff Christmas party, Derek’s wife witnessed firsthand the bonds he had formed with several ladies at work. They acted as if she weren’t even there — by now they talked with him and even placed their hands on him. He hadn’t stepped over the physical line with them but his wife didn’t see this as acceptable behavior. Actually, it gave her the ammunition she needed to spring her own ambush and subsequent departure from the marriage.

Men, we are watchmen who must stand guard and diligently screen what we allow into our hearts for consumption. Otherwise, the full cycle of good intention, failure, and guilt repeats itself and will keep repeating itself until a final, painful event that leads to devastation. The big issues that impact our spiritual health and relationships require more than just abstaining from certain behaviors or words. It is an issue of the heart, mind, and soul.

Father, thank you for the strength given to protect my sexual integrity.

02/08/2022

Spiritual Sonic Booms

Don’t lose your grip on Love and Loyalty, tie them around your neck; carve their initials on your heart. Proverbs 3:3 MSG

If you watch film of the modern fighter aircraft on the verge of mach1, you see a kind of halo around the aircraft. It’s both mysteriously odd and beautiful. The halo encapsulates the pilot and plane, signaling a transition from sub sonic to supersonic, from resistance to release. The phenomenon parallels our Spiritual breakthroughs of the heart. We have moments of transition, of progress and of growth where God’s Holy Spirit encapsulates our commitment to Christ and raises it to new levels. But, we must persevere in our pursuit of Christ, withstand failures, try again and rally others to help us get in position to make that transition. Major breakthroughs require dogged determination.

In our request to experience power and freedom that total loyalty to Jesus provides God’s man, we are bound to encounter problems, obstacles, challenges and doubts about ever being free of our sinful and dark desires. We are peppered with passion for God mixed with doubts about ourselves, Spiritual forces and unseen obstacles. And yet, our allegiance to the cross of Christ and our desire to honor drives us forward and keeps us risking again and again for Jesus in the face of a determined opposition.

As turbulent as your commitment to Christ might be, recognize those shock waves as an indication that you’re on the verge of a new spiritual plateau. Progress may seem slow but with Gods’ help through the Holy Spirit, who guides you, the transition will happen. You zero in on the obstacles and discover God’s solutions realizing the more turbulence you sense; the closer you are to the next spiritual breakthrough.

Jesus, you have allowed me to go from resistance to release, you are so awesome. As Home Depot’s slogan says, “let’s do this.”

01/26/2022

11/06/2021

Each morning as I wake up, not only do I listen to the song of birds but also to the whisper of my best friend. All through this I have been able to maintain my sanity through listening to songs , attending and letting become my best friend! Wouldn't you want to know more about your best friend? And his friends? Let's watch and read the !
I felt so blessed I was inspired by the to write this !

10/27/2021

A crammed schedule. Burning the candle at both ends. Not slowing down. Regularly, I’m preoccupied with the “noise” of the day and too busy for God.

How am I to cultivate my relationship with God if I don’t spend alone time with Him? I must always remind myself (even though I fail a lot), it’s so important to spend dedicated time listening to what God is saying (the word) as well as spending alone time with him in prayer (communication with Jesus).

“The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Exodus 14:14 NIV

09/06/2021

If you had limited time on earth, this list could very well be your road map to happiness! Remember, life is not a dress rehearsal :)

09/06/2021

We should never be surprised by sin. God looked into such filth to find a struggling wretch—one that looked just like me.

His love and compassion wasn’t deterred by all my junk. He yanked me from the pit and put my feet on the rock. Then, He washed me clean.

“I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.” Psalms‬ ‭40:1-2 NLT‬‬

09/03/2021

Are you that man or woman “given to anger”? When you’ve had a bad day, is it your spouse or kids who share in the day’s suffering because you lash out at them?

Don’t be a hypocrite, judge yourself by the same standard with which you judge others. It is easy to put the blame on others, when you might be the one with the short fuse.

“Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man, lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.”
Proverbs 22:24-25 ESV

08/10/2021

We feel those at some point in our busy lives, whether we are already believers or not!
But He TELLS US, very clearly, in Joshua 1:9 , Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

08/03/2021

Join us in celebrating the freedom of being forgiven! Let's watch it together on zoom or at Margot Hall of .

07/31/2021

Jesus lived a dangerous faith. He touched lepers. Showed grace to prostitutes. And stood bravely in the face of danger. Then he told us we could do what he did—and more.

And that’s why when praying, we can’t settle for simply asking God to bless our food or “be with us today.” We’re told in the Bible that we can “come boldly to the throne of our gracious God.” Hebrews 4:16a NLT

Our prayers matter. How we pray matters. What we pray matters. Our prayers move God.

07/26/2021

07/02/2021

Sin isn’t simply found in someone’s actions, but within that person. We can have knowledge about God without actually knowing him. Even demons have knowledge of God, but it isn’t saving knowledge.

Does your life match your words? Is the truth really in you?

“If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth.” 1 John 2:4 NLT

06/07/2021

It is so easy to lose hope. Life can be hard. Life can be distracting. Life can leave you sad. Life can leave you discouraged.

We can learn from the psalmist, who apparently experienced some of the same troubles we have walked through in life. “Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God!” Psalms‬ ‭42:11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

With hope in front of us, we can lift our eyes and focus past the struggle.

05/24/2021

It’s hard to imagine that Jesus, the Son of God, went through spiritual difficulties. He did. Even though you may feel far from God and feel like He’s left you alone, you’re not alone and never will be.

God has never left you, never will leave you, and is indeed closer than your breath. Sometimes a storm in your life is what will blow you to the place you are longing to be.

“So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” Hebrews‬ ‭4:16‬ ‭NLT‬‬