Posts Tagged ‘New Beginning’

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Are You Watching in Hope?

Wednesday, May 23rd, 2012
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Micah 7:7: “But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.”

I sometimes struggle to watch in hope for the Lord. Do you? Yet that is how God wants us to watch.

The father of the prodigal son watched in hope for him to return. When the son returned, Luke 15:20 says, “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son.”

That is an example for us on how to watch in hope and wait for God to answer us. We can wait in confidence because the verse ends with “My God will hear me.”

Perhaps we need a job or a car, salvation of a loved one, return of a prodigal, healing from trauma, or the end of destructive behavior such as overeating, unforgiveness, drinking or drugging.

Whatever the request is, we can watch in hope, wait for God our Savior, and know that he will hear us.

Dear God, help me watch in hope for the Lord. Amen.

Application: What will you ask God for this week?

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Copyright 2010-2012, Yvonne Ortega, LPC, LSATP, CCDVCAll Rights Reserved. Used by Permission.
Yvonne is a Speaker, Author, Counselor, Cancer Survivor and
serves on the Board of Directors of Christians in Recovery.
She is the author of Finding Hope for Your Journey through Breast Cancer.
If you would like to have her speak for your organization or church, please contact her through
her website: http://YvonneOrtega.com

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Posted in Ability to Overcome, Anxiety, Assurance, Attitudes, Choices, Faith, For Friends & Family of Dysfunctional People, General Recovery, New Beginning, Pain, Pastors & Recovery Pros, Responsibility, Step 12, Step 2 | No Comments »

What are You Known By?

Tuesday, May 22nd, 2012
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Be Known By…

…what you’re for (not by what you’re against).

Today’s guidance: Be known by what you’re for (not by what you’re against).

Nobody wants to be a victim. Sometimes we pretend we’re victims, or even choose victim status, to avoid accountability, but you’re probably not actively seeking ways to be a better victim.

You don’t ever get complete control. That’s God’s job, so get over the illusion that you can control events or people. You can’t.

But you can develop influence. It’s a lot more subtle and long-term, but you can impact people and circumstances. Or you can choose to be a victim. Victims surrender influence.

There are three ways to influence what happens around you.

Consume. Other folks want your attention and your money, and they’ll do just about anything to get it. When you buy and use products and services, you encourage others to produce more of them. When you give your attention, you encourage others to do more of whatever you’re paying attention to.

Criticize. Your disapproval encourages others to do less of something, or to do it differently.

Consumers and critics can exert a certain amount of influence, but there an important “if”—these activities change things if others listen to and care about your choices and opinions. If you’re in the target audience or the right demographic, your consumer decisions might influence what’s produced. If you yell loudly enough or stand on the right platform, your criticism might cause someone to re-think.

Or maybe not, because consume and criticize are passive and reactionary. Someone else makes a choice, and you react. And if the other person doesn’t care about your response, you  have no influence. Here’s an extreme example.

I choose not to buy cocaine—nobody cares. I criticize those who produce and sell cocaine—no impact. As a consumer or critic I have absolutely no influence on cocaine production and distribution. Fortunately, there’s a third option.

Create. Creators stand for something.

Don’t criticize someone else’s idea. Develop a better one.

Don’t gripe about negative media coverage—while you continue to watch. Go out and do something that highlights and celebrates the abundant generosity and service in your community.

Don’t lament the lack of effective ministry in a particular area. Start your own, or get involved and improve what’s already happening.

Don’t tear down opponents. Create something so powerful, compelling, and attractive that your opponents will want to join.

Creating, building, standing for something—it’s hard work. It’s not a quick fix. It requires preparation, determination, and perseverance. And it requires ignoring the consumers and critics who will inevitably try to knock you off course.

Consumers and critics influence through motivation. They stand in the back and use money or power or fear in an attempt to coerce or force change and tell someone else what to do.

Creators lead. Creators show the way. They’re the risk-takers, the ones in front.

Be a creator. Be a builder.

Be known by what you’re for (not by what you’re against).

CIR Members can share their thoughts regarding this blog here
Don’t miss CIR’s Daily Article ! Dixon
Copyright 2008-2012 by Rich Dixon, All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.Rich is an author and speaker. He is the author of: Relentless Grace: God’s Invitation To Give Hope Another Chance. Visit his web site www.relentlessgrace.com

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When You’re Not Sure What To Do…

Monday, May 21st, 2012
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…help someone.

Inevitably, you’re going to reach places where you feel stuck and don’t know which way to turn or what to do next. You’ll wonder about God’s purpose and whether there’s any point to it all.

Maybe you’re looking for the right person and nothing seems to be happening. Perhaps you’re seeking a job and can’t seem to get past square #1. You’ve tried everything and just don’t know what to do next.

Help someone…with no notion of what’s in it for you. Find somebody who needs what you have to offer and help them. Volunteer.

God created us for service. It’s how we’re wired. When you use your gifts and passions to help someone, you’ve living in your sweet spot. You’re intentionally moving to the space for which God designed you.

Helping fosters humility. When nothing seems to be going right, it’s easy to lose perspective. Helping someone reminds you you’re not the center of the universe.

Helping demonstrates compassion. You’re following the Bible’s repeated command to care for others.

When you help someone, you’re automatically generating in yourself the attitudes that allow you to be your very best self. You’re doing the very things for which God wired you.

When you’re stuck, that’s a pretty good place to turn. Ironically, focusing on others is likely the very best way to find your own path as well.

When you’re not sure what to do, help someone.

CIR Members can share their thoughts regarding this blog here
Don’t miss CIR’s Daily Article ! Dixon
Copyright 2008-2012 by Rich Dixon, All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.

Rich is an author and speaker. He is the author of:

Relentless Grace: God’s Invitation To Give Hope Another Chance. Visit his web site www.relentlessgrace.com

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Posted in Ability to Overcome, Attitudes, Choices, Faith, For Friends & Family of Dysfunctional People, General Recovery, Pastors & Recovery Pros, Responsibility, Step 12 | Comments Off

Restore

Monday, May 14th, 2012
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Today’s word-of-the-week…

RESTORE

Restore: return to a former place or condition.

I wrote a while back about The God Of “Re” and all the “re-” words associated with God. There’s a long list of God-related words with the common “re” prefix.

“Re” means again (repeat) or new (refresh). God is all about new beginnings. The God of “re” offers renewal, reconciliation, resurrection …

Restore is definitely a God word.

So my handcycle’s “restored”—returned to its former place in my garage. I’m happy for that outcome.

But I begin the week with gratitude that God’s entire story is about sending His son to restore us to right relationship with Him. Thanks to Jesus, we can be back where God designed us to be.

Have a great week.

CIR Members can share their thoughts regarding this blog here
Don’t miss CIR’s Daily Article ! Dixon
Copyright 2008-2012 by Rich Dixon, All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.

Rich is an author and speaker. He is the author of:

Relentless Grace: God’s Invitation To Give Hope Another Chance. Visit his web site www.relentlessgrace.com

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Fear

Thursday, May 10th, 2012
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“Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them;
for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you.
He will not leave you nor forsake you” Deuteronomy 31:6, NKJV).


Fear. Sometimes its identity is terrifyingly clear; other times it is but an unnamed, vague sense of unease. Either way, it can be a formidable enemy, one that may drive us to make unwise choices or to stand paralyzed, unable to move in any direction.

God hasn’t purposed for fear to control us in any such manner. Fear does not come from God; it is a tool of the enemy of our soul. And our faithful Lord has provided all we need to defeat it. “Be strong and of good courage,” He calls to us. “Do not fear nor be afraid.” Why? Because there is NOTHING in our lifetime that we will ever have to face on our own. The Lord our God, He is the One who goes with us, who stands with us, who fights for us, and who carries us when we are too weak to stand.

Today, whether fear whispers your name or screams its threats, stand strong, beloved, for underneath are the everlasting arms, strengthening and holding you, fighting for you and declaring victory over you. Be strong and of good courage, for God has promised NEVER to leave or forsake you. And that’s a promise you can believe in.

CIR Members can share their thoughts regarding this blog here
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Copyright 2009-2012 Kathi Macias, all rights reserved. Used by permission.
Kathi Macias is a multi-award winning writer who has authored 30 books.
“Beyond Me. Living a You-first Life in a Me-first World”

and


“Mothers of the Bible Speak to Mothers of Today”

She also writes novels:

No Greater Love

More than Conquerors

The au

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Posted in Ability to Overcome, Anxiety, Assurance, Faith, For Friends & Family of Dysfunctional People, General Recovery, New Beginning, Pastors & Recovery Pros, Step 2, Step 3 | Comments Off

Hearts And Wineskins

Wednesday, May 9th, 2012
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Jesus often rebuked those with “hard hearts.”

Our pastor used the phrase “hard hearts” in a message this weekend. He suggested that we should strive to cultivate a “soft heart.” I wondered exactly what he meant.

My dictionary defines softhearted as “tenderness of heart, capable of pity or other kindly affection.”

I’m not sure that’s exactly what Jesus had in mind.

And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins. (Mark 2:22)

I once saw a time-lapse video demonstration of this principle. A fresh new wineskin is pliable and elastic, so it can expand to accommodate the gas emitted as new wine ferments. The new wine can literally burst a brittle old wineskin.

That’s a picture of how Jesus viewed soft and hard hearts. A soft heart is like the new wineskin. It’s able to listen, assimilate new ideas and truths, and accept those who think and behave differently. A soft heart is characterized by tolerance, an open mind, and the ability to accept correction. It values people over ideas.

A hard heart demands conformity. It’s a “my way or the highway” attitude that insists on strict adherence to rules at the expense of liberty. Hard hearts refuse to acknowledge any alternative custom or opinion. Their interpretation, their revelation, is the final word in any discussion.

Hard hearts create rigid, joyless religion. They reduce Jesus to regimented lists of ideas and single-issue arguments. They value winning and being right.

Jesus condemned hard hearts by comparing them to brittle old wineskins. He came to bring a new truth that values people over rules and tolerance over blind conformity.

Jesus told us to keep our hearts flexible and open, willing to listen and be led by His spirit in surprising new directions.

I hope my heart is a new wineskin. You?

CIR Members can share their thoughts regarding this blog here
Don’t miss CIR’s Daily Article ! Dixon
Copyright 2008-2012 by Rich Dixon, All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.Rich is an author and speaker. He is the author of:

Relentless Grace: God’s Invitation To Give Hope Another Chance. Visit his web site www.relentlessgrace.com

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Adversity and Opportunity

Monday, May 7th, 2012
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I hope it doesn’t seem like I’m dwelling on a relatively minor incident, but this week’s handcycle theft provides an opportunity. Bouncing Back is, after all, partly about confronting and overcoming adversity. If we learn from small bumps, perhaps we’ll do a little better when something really big happens.

Some  observations:

“Why” would someone take a handcycle? That’s probably the most frequent question, and I asked it as well. But the search for “why” is a fool’s errand and one of the enemy’s most powerful tools.

First, there probably isn’t an answer. Likely it was a random crime of opportunity, as senseless as most other crimes. “Why” seeks rationality where it probably doesn’t exist. Accidents happen. People make foolish decisions. Mostly it’s just the way it is.

More importantly, “why” doesn’t matter, and an answer wouldn’t help. Suppose I could know the thief had a good reason for his act—would it really help? It’s like demanding a reason for a senseless disease or for my accident. If God explained why those occurred, would the pain or loss or grief be reduced?

“Why” also implies “why me” or “why you.” Those questions subconsciously point at someone else and ask “why not him instead.” I didn’t deserve to have my bike stolen, but I also didn’t deserve immunity from the consequences of a broken world. Maybe a better question is “why not me.” I haven’t earned any exemptions.

“Why” keeps me focused on the past. Better, I think, to lean on God’s promise (Romans 8:28) that all things work together for good. It won’t eliminate the grief process—nothing can do that. But it does allow us to move forward with authentic hope, a confident expectation based on faith.

This is why we prepare. We know adversity’s going to happen, somehow, sometime, in some form. When I get to know God and understand His character, when I practice walking with Jesus, I’m training. An athlete trains for the trials of competition so he can face them well. This sort of spiritual trial is similar.

Anyone can coast downhill, just as anyone can be thankful during easy times. When the hills come and adversity stares us in the face, we have the greatest opportunity to live out difficult principles.

Being real and transparent is part of this circle’s covenant, and I’m not pretending to be Pollyanna. Of course I’m angry and frustrated. Of course I feel violated and a bunch of other emotions.

But this is an opportunity to choose intentional response over reflexive reactions. It’s not about denial, it’s about acknowledging and trying to make better choices.

I want to forgive, though I don’t feel forgiving. I want to be thankful even in the places that don’t feel like it. I want to believe God will use this for good, though it sure doesn’t feel very good right now.

I want to love the person who took my bike when “loving” is about the last thing I feel.

I want to act on the hope that God will use this poor choice to soften a heart, even if I never see any evidence in the form of a returned bike.

That’s the cool thing about hope. Hope allows you to believe, despite the evidence, and then watch the evidence change.

CIR Members can share their thoughts regarding this blog here
Don’t miss CIR’s Daily Article ! Dixon
Copyright 2008-2012 by Rich Dixon, All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.Rich is an author and speaker. He is the author of:

Relentless Grace: God’s Invitation To Give Hope Another Chance. Visit his web site www.relentlessgrace.com

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Comfortable Or Miserable Or …?

Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012
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Last week (Are You Avoiding God?) I wrote about some guys who feared listening to God because He might ask them to do something they don’t want to do. I think they were afraid God would invite them out of their personal comfort zones. They were right.

I thought about security as I watched some families commit to difficult, dangerous missionary work. They chose to abandon comfort and safety—and they actually seemed excited about it!

I believe they discovered God’s invitation to serve in their sweet spot, that wonderful intersection of passions, gifts, and service.

“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)

To me, the point is that God doesn’t call us to drudgery and misery. He invites us to discover how to use our gifts and passions in service to others.

A full, abundant life involves hard work, sacrifice, and risk, because that’s where we experience excitement, joy, and authentic fulfillment. He absolutely invites us to leave our comfort zones, but it’s not because He wants us to be miserable.

He knows a quest for comfort at all costs is a waste of life.

CIR Members can share their thoughts regarding this blog here
Don’t miss CIR’s Daily Article ! Dixon
Copyright 2008-2012 by Rich Dixon, All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.Rich is an author and speaker. He is the author of: Relentless Grace: God’s Invitation To Give Hope Another Chance. Visit his web site www.relentlessgrace.com

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Are You Avoiding God?

Friday, April 27th, 2012
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What’s stopping you from following your dream?

That’s the question I asked as the guys at the retreat prepared for a day of mountain biking, hiking, 4-wheeling, and rock climbing. I challenged them to talk with their companions about the fears that get in the way.

One particular response was particularly revealing. “I’m afraid if I really listen to God, He might tell me to do something I don’t really want to do.”

What a wonderful—and brutally honest—insight. It’s an interesting twist on a common complaint.

Lots of folks grumble that God never speaks to them. What if the real problem is that we’re afraid to listen? What if we intentionally keep God at a distance to avoid disrupting our self-created illusion of security?

Most of the guys around the fire that night agreed. We seek to serve—when it’s convenient, when it fits into the schedule. We want to finish well—but we need to guard the 401(k).

We want to follow—on our terms.

What if we’re not-so-secretly afraid that Jesus was serious when He said, “If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26-27)

What if our efforts to follow Jesus in a safe, sanitary manner actually cause us to avoid God because we’re afraid of what He might say?

I stated my goal on Friday night: I wanted to pose some questions that might create a bit of internal dissonance, prompt conversations, and cause each guy to lose a few minutes of sleep. Sunday morning brought several mostly good-natured complaints, and demands for extra coffee, from men who didn’t sleep quite as much as planned.

I intended challenging questions. I didn’t plan on answers that would keep me awake.

Are you avoiding God because you’re afraid of what He might tell you?

CIR Members can share their thoughts regarding this blog here
Don’t miss CIR’s Daily Article ! Dixon
Copyright 2008-2012 by Rich Dixon, All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.

Rich is an author and speaker. He is the author of:

Relentless Grace: God’s Invitation To Give Hope Another Chance. Visit his web site www.relentlessgrace.com

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Can I be Perfect?

Thursday, April 26th, 2012
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I spent the past few days speaking at a retreat in Moab, Utah. It was a perfect weekend.

I’m thinking about “perfect” because of a particular scripture passage:

“Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect”. (Matthew 5:48)

That seems a bit unrealistic. I understand God’s perfection, but how can Jesus possibly expect me to match God’s flawless nature?

The Greek word teleios, translated “perfect,” means “full, needing nothing for completeness.” It’s different than our notion of perfection which implies a total absence of defects. It’s more about being what’s intended and completely fulfilling a purpose. In The Message the same passage clarifies:

“In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.”

This weekend wasn’t free of blemishes. But it did complete its intended purpose.

You and I can’t avoid errors. We’ll fail and stumble.

But we can grow up. We can live generously and graciously toward others. We can strive to live out our God-created identities.

We can’t achieve perfection. We can seek to be perfect.

CIR Members can share their thoughts regarding this blog here
Don’t miss CIR’s Daily Article ! Dixon
Copyright 2008-2012 by Rich Dixon, All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.

Rich is an author and speaker. He is the author of:

Relentless Grace: God’s Invitation To Give Hope Another Chance. Visit his web site www.relentlessgrace.com

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