Mental Health/Emotions

“I wish I could be happy…”

But let all those who take refuge and put their trust in You rejoice; let them ever sing and shout for joy, because You make a covering over them and defend them; let those also who love Your name be joyful in You and be in high spirits. Psalm 5:11


Again, as day five of this eating disorder awareness week continues, we are confronted with another toxic theory: happiness can be attained via pursuing our image wishes. We often chase and erect our thin idols, to the detriment of our awareness that they were never created to satisfy. They will only fail us.

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“I wish I was acceptable…”

Since thou wast precious in my sight… I have loved thee… Isaiah 43:4


Our eating awareness week continues with acceptability. Indeed, there is the pervasive lie out there which tells us how beauty equals acceptance.

And, certainly within our culture, we are inundated with more than enough evidence that this theory is “fact.” Look how we fawn over Hollywood, the fashion world and particular image aesthetics. We are convinced “the beautiful people” are more valuable, more relevant and definitely more accepted than anyone who is not fitting that criteria.

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Workshop: Heart Hunger-Letting Jesus Satisfy Our Deepest Spiritual Needs

Download Worksheet for Session

hungryforjesus Abba Father
YOU are a Good Good Father
and You love us
with an everlasting Love
a love we cannot fully comprehend
but we can believe
and grow in
and learn from
Member #6 an d find healing and strength
new understandings
mercies new
every morning
grace sufficient
Thank You Holy God for this chance to meet with others
and to grow in YOU as we seek YOU
for who YOU are
in Your might y name
Name above ALL Names
we pray

hungryforjesus Hello from Ottawa, Canada the frozen north, eh

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Are You Completely Broken?

Commit your works to the Lord
And your plans will be established. Proverbs 16:3


Making My Plans
My recovery journey began over a year ago in the dark early morning hours. My alcoholic dad had passed away the month before and I couldn’t see past the grief and regret left behind. For weeks, God tugged at my heart, but initially I ignored him. I began to slowly see how Patrick’s alcoholism was effecting me. Deep down I knew, but I chose to stuff my feelings.

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Overcoming Co-dependency and Attempting to Control

“Behold, I am going to send an angel before you to guard you along the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared.” Exodus 23:20


I have a problem. Realizing I have a problem was not easy for me. From the outside looking in, I’ve always been the girl who had it all together. I had a plan and nothing would veer me away from it. Control over people, situations, and outcomes is the tool I used to cope with my deep problem. Shopping and racking up debt is how I covered up my emptiness.

Step one of my recovery journey began with admitting I have a problem with co-dependency and controlling others. I admitted I am powerless over my addictions, brokenness and sinful patterns—that in my own power my life is unmanageable.

I’ve not always walked the Christian walk. Days passed by without me giving much thought to how God figured into my life. Years came and went without prayer, obedience, or thankfulness. A Bible sat on a bookshelf gathering dust. Instead, I concerned myself with my expectations of others. This, of course, only led to disappointments. I constantly searched for material “stuff” to fill the gaping hole in my heart. The thrill of the sale item or shiny new thing lasted only a short time, then I was back feeling empty again.

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Our Light of Life

As I reached to turn on the little lamp beside my bed this morning, I remembered that there have been a couple of times when I pulled the chain that the light flickered and went out. I had to replace the bulb because it no longer gave out any light. Thank God that we have a light that will never flicker or go out and His name is Jesus.

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. John 8:12 KJV

He is the light of the world and the light of life. He is the precious Son of God and His name is above all names. He is to be respected, cherished, adored, loved, honored, obeyed and held in the highest esteem. There is no other name like the name of Jesus. It is an honor and privilege just to think about Him, much less say His name.

Many times we walk in the darkness of the world by becoming involved in pornography. I have received emails from people whose hearts are broken because they have loved ones who have become addicted to this terrible thing. People who have been trapped in this addiction not only hurt their loved ones, they hurt Jesus. Yet, we are not to judge and condemn. That is God’s right. We are to pray for these people because God loves them as much as He loves us.

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Blame or Stewardship?

“Blame holds us back. Responsibility moves us forward. Constant self-blame is just as irresponsible as insisting that others are always to blame.” ~Thom Rutledge


For those of us struggling with addiction and disorder, it is not too long before we encounter blame. It is an insidious creature; it is virtually impossible to escape.

Since our addictive natures are usually heavily intertwined with other complicated life issues, like abuse and trauma, blame often surfaces as a coping device, used to enable us to simply function in our lives. Survival is as far as we can go; healthy flourishing appears to be an out of reach luxury.

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Weary? His Tender Touch

All of us have times in our lives when we grow weary because of difficult situations and all of the struggles and conflicts of our lives. We need Jesus to renew our enthusiasm and our energy. We can depend on Him to restore our determination, our strength, our joy and our enthusiasm with His tender touch of compassionate love. Our Saviour really cares about us and He longs to see us happy. He is waiting for us to come to Him so that He can once again tell us how much He loves us and how precious we are to Him. Thank You, Jesus, for loving us.

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Reasons for Not Worrying

George MacDonald tells of a castle in which lived an old man and his son. Though they owned the castle, they were yet very poor. They could scarcely get enough bread to keep them from starving. Yet all the time there was great wealth, which, if they had known about it, would have supplied all their wants. Through long generations there had been concealed within the castle—very valuable jewels, which had been placed there by some remote ancestor, so that if he or any of his descendants should be in need, there would be something in reserve.

For a long time the old man and his son suffered for lack of food, not knowing of the hidden treasures. At last, however, they learned in some way of the jewels, and instantly their distress was ended. Yet all the years of their pinching poverty, these treasures had lain there, ready to furnish comfort, if only they had known of them.

This story illustrates the case of many Christians. They are living in

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Perception – a Major Element of Addiction

For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he… Proverbs 23:7

I like to play with words and phrases. A particular one recently popped up in my mind: “the benefit of the doubt.”

We’ve heard this expression before. It denotes largesse, a generosity to not write off a person or circumstance so quickly. As it rolled around in my spirit, its opposite phrase sprung to life: the detriment of certainty.

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23

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