CIR KBs

Christians in Recovery Knowledge Base article

Honesty: Telling It Like It Is

1 Corinthians 5:12-13 RSV
I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with immoral men; not at all meaning the immoral of this world, or the greedy and robbers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But rather I wrote to you not to associate with any one who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or robber—not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. “Drive out the wicked person from among you.


Scripture talks a lot about not judging others. And then, Paul comes along and commands us to judge others. It seems to contradict itself. This isn’t the kind of judgment that brings condemnation or punishment, but rather is the kind of judgment that calls into question. It is, in fact, the judgment that is done in love and demands that another believer turn away from their sin.

Matthew Henry says:

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Funhouse Mirrors: Distorted Body Images

When I was a little girl, I once went into one of those carnival funhouses with the mirrors. It was the one and only time I did so. I remember I didn’t get very far. I took one look at my distorted series of reflected images and high-tailed it out of there so fast, you could probably see my streak marks hang in the air.

Festive.

Cut to about fourteen years later: I was nineteen or twenty years old when I was, once again, standing in front of multiple mirror images. Only this time, there was no carnival- and certainly, no fun. It was, instead, just me, choosing to stand and scrutinize myself in front of my three-way mirror, picking myself apart, via my disordered eating and body image behaviors.

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How Do You Live?

Acts 17:28: For in him we live and move and have our being.

“Every woman on my dad’s side of the family has died of breast cancer except me,” a lady told me as I drove her to the airport.

I gulped before I answered. She was a miracle of God’s grace and mercy. I wondered what work God has in store for her on earth.

I told her I’m also a miracle of God’s grace and mercy. Twelve years ago I went through breast cancer treatment. Prior to my diagnosis, two cousins had died of breast cancer. My work on earth is not yet finished either.

My medical oncologist who oversaw my chemotherapy treatment had lymphoma, but she was fully alive and fully involved in the treatment of all of her patients.

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Tree Pose: Heart and Mind Balance

I admit it; I’ve tried yoga. (This is not the point in which you laugh yet).

Although, my yoga odyssey is humorous to watch (both my husband and my cats cock their heads to the side in bewilderment), it has helped me to at least address, if not practice, the concept of balance. And one pose, in particular, seems to concentrate on that goal: the tree pose. Here’s a quick rundown of that pose for those of you out there who are not bewildering your significant others and pets:

First, you stand still, while slightly shifting your weight onto your left foot. Next, take your right leg, bending your right knee, all while grabbing your right and positioning it on your inner left leg. Anyone fall down yet? Balance! Yes, wonderful, beautiful balance!

But wait, there’s more.

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What does the Bible say about Abortion?

What does the Bible say about abortion?

According to the Word of God, abortion is one of the worst murders a human being can commit. About abortion, the Scripture says, In the secret place doth he murder the innocent. (Psalms 10:8) The “secret place” is the womb of a mother. Definitely, the baby is an “innocent.” No person who is fully aware of another’s total innocence normally kills that other human being. Even wild beasts such as like lions and tigers do not kill their own kind, but rather, they fight to defend and protect them. But, today, man has made himself even lower than brute beasts by slaying innocent unborn babies.

As abortion in the sight of God is one of the worst murders, it stands to reason that the guilty ones will suffer the worst punishments.

Further, the Scripture says, Lo, children are a heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is His reward. (Psalms 127:3). If children are a heritage or reward for parents, abortion destroys God-given rewards.

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Listening More and Talking Less

Proverbs 18:2
A fool takes no pleasure in understanding,
but only in expressing personal opinion.

Proverbs talks a lot about, well, talking! I think that we often confirm who we are (whether we want to be that person or not) when we talk. Abraham Lincoln is credited with saying, “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.” And yet, we still talk. We talk in person. We talk (and text) on cell phones. We talk on the Internet. We talk, talk, talk. And a great deal of the time, we are “expressing personal opinion.”

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Principles to Remember for Chaplains & Pros

Note: Even though this was written for rescue mission chaplains, it is of value to anyone working in the recovery field.

Successful rescue mission chaplains “work themselves out of a job” – they truly succeed when the troubled people they help no longer need them. The opposite is what I call “missionizing” – the rescue mission version of institutionalization. It is possible to teach needy people to function successfully while staying in the mission, but not prepare them to live a healthy, sober life after they have left.

There are a few ways to avoid this.

A. Discover each program participants needs and help him/her to own these needs for themselves.

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Prayers for Each of the 12 Steps

~First Step Prayer~

Dear Lord,
I admit that I am powerless over my addiction.

I admit that my life is unmanageable when I try to control it.
Help me this day to understand the true meaning of powerlessness.
Remove from me all denial of my addiction.

~Second Step Prayer~

Heavenly Father,
I know in my heart that only you can restore me to sanity.

I humbly ask that you remove all twisted thought and
addictive behavior from me this day.
Heal my spirit and restore in me a clear mind.

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ACOA in the Workplace – Burnout Checklist

Are you an adult child of an alcoholic? This will help you to recognize signs of burnout.

    1. Are you constantly bothered by aches and pains?

    2. Are you often ill?

    3. Do you work overtime or take work home on a routine basis?

    4. Do you feel a responsibility to lighten the work load of your co-workers?

    5. Do you feel sensitive to or responsible for your supervisor’s mood/problems?

    6. Do you resort to manipulation to get things done?

    7. Do you avoid confrontation?

    8. Do you suppress your feelings about work situations?

    9. Do you become anxious about your supervisor’s evaluation of your performance?

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Challenges for the Recovered Who Become Recovery Staff

Note: Even though this was written for rescue missions, it is of value to anyone working in the recovery field.

Rescue missions hire many program graduates and others who have overcome addictions or have grown up in troubled families. They can be excellent examples for mission clients and usually have special compassion and understanding for those who are still hurting. On the other hand, some are hindered in their efforts to minister to others because of their own codependency . Here are a few common symptoms experienced by these “wounded warriors”:

Inability to detach.

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