Wounder/ Wounded

At some point in our lives, we can all relate to the lyrics of a song Paul Colman (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dgrigf-Ca48 ) released a few years back.

Here I am
In a river of questions
Can I pour my heart out to a listening ear?
I see this life
Its valley's and mountains
And I think of all the roads that brought me here

I've questioned my reasons
The life I'm living
I've questioned my ability
To judge wrong from right
I've questioned all the things that I've ever called certain
My race, my religion, my country, my mind.

But the one thing I don't question is You
You really love me like You say you do
You really love me like You say you do

We all have these questions, don’t we?  The questions become overwhelming to the point of obsession or “paralization” to those who are in the bondage of addiction. 

Men and women in the bondage of addiction who have lied, manipulated and used others to satisfy their addiction; men and women who have suffered verbal and physical abuse or been betrayed by someone they trusted – individuals covered with the “cow manure of life” and are now convinced they are unlovable.  They are certain that neither God nor another individual could love them! 

The good news is that no matter what you have been told; no matter what has been done to you, or no matter what you have done to others, God loves you!  He can’t help it – it is in His DNA; His character!

The clearest explanation of God’s attribute of ‘love’ is found in 1John4.8, 10, 12, &16 (my emphasis)

“But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.  No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.  We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.”

God’s love is perfect, unconditional love.  Humanity often evaluates God’s love by comparing it to human’s love.  Frankly, there is no human being that can fully comprehend the love of God.  We can’t help it; as imperfect humans, we are limited in our understanding of something perfect. 

A hard lesson for most humans is to accept the truth of Scripture when it states:

“And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children?  He said,

‘My child, don’t make light of the LORD’s discipline,
and don’t give up when he corrects you.
For the LORD disciplines those he loves,
and he punishes each one he accepts as his child. 

As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all.”  (Hebrews 12.5.-8)

Even by human standards, love without discipline is not love.  Love without discipline is enabling!

Physical and emotional abuse is NOT discipline; it is cruel and in-human.   

Now that you know that God’s discipline is part of His perfect love, how will you respond?  What will you do differently in your life?

Suggested Action Points:  (select one of the following suggestions)

Ø  Thank the Lord every day for the next 10 days for loving you with His perfect love.

Ø  Read and meditate on Romans 5.1-11.

Ø  Admit to God your mistakes.

Ø  Ask forgiveness from those whom you have lied, manipulated, or hurt.

That's enough... for now. 

Tired of all the Cow Manure?

Domestic violence.  Child abuse.  Pornography.  Drunken drivers killing others.  Drug abuse.  Drug related deaths.  Sex scandals.  Corruption. 

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!   Tired of all the B***S***?!!   Want to change the world? 

It starts with YOU!  (and me)

Here are three truths we must all embrace if we truly want to change the world as we know it:

1.        God loves you.

2.       God has a plan for your life.

3.       God will use YOU to change the world. 

Follow Remedy’s blog during the month of January if you want to know more about these truths and how to put them into ACTION.

Uphill both ways!

Deuteronomy 11.10-12

¹⁰ For the land you are about to enter and take over is not like the land of Egypt from which you came, where you planted your seed and made irrigation ditches with your foot as in a vegetable garden. ¹¹ Rather, the land you will soon take over is a land of hills and valleys with plenty of rain—¹² a land that the Lord your God cares for. He watches over it through each season of the year!

These words were given to the Israelites as they were about to cross the Jordan River and enter the Promised Land – an unfamiliar place they had not yet inhabited.  (This picture is not the Jordan; it is the North Platte here in WYOMING.)

Today, we have entered an unfamiliar place we have not yet inhabited – 2012! 

What lies ahead for us?  What new experiences will we have?  What needs will arise?  What challenges will come our way?  What joys will overwhelm us?  What sorrow will permeate our beings?

This unfamiliar place is “a land of hills and valleys.”  So often we wish that life was all “downhill” or “flat.”  But the hills are necessary.  It is the exertion of the climb that makes us stronger.  And, paradoxically, it is the storms that form over the hills that bring rain and new life to the valleys.

Despite the challenges, questions and uncertainties we have, we enter into this unfamiliar place knowing that it is “a land that the LORD your God cares for… and watches over.” 

We enter into 2012 trusting God “through each season of the year.” 

People get ready ...

When life seems “just wrong,” what can you do to make it “right”? 

Remedy offers biblical principles for hope, healing, and freedom

from substance abuse and

other destructive behaviors. 

Remedy meets every Thursday from 6.30 to 8.30

in the Well @ Element.

Our first gathering of the broken, abused, and hurting

is February 2^nd. 

A Gift

A collection of pithy sayings

in a book called “Daily Reprieve”

A note from a role model

saying “post these on Remedy’s Facebook page”

A brief salutation on the first page signed

 “Continuing the journey,

Dayle Eastman”

A deep sense of sincere appreciation

for a gift from a wise man’s  heart.

Dry Drunk

A “dry drunk” is someone who has given up drinking and drugging

but has not made any internal or emotional changes –

 they stay the same but the substance is gone.

Or it can be someone who is abstinent and on a progressive path of recovery but has slowly returned to chaotic and unrealistic thinking.

If this is you, you have entered the “Extreme Danger Zone.”  

 Don’t wait for someone to come to you –

 be proactive and seek help

from someone you know and trust! 

Happiness

Another one of my favorite movies is Tombstone.  After settling in Tombstone, Wyatt Earp (Kurt Russell) takes his stud for a ride in the hills outside of town.  By chance, he encounters the beautiful Josephine Marcus (Dana Delany) riding her mare through the same hills.  Together, they ride the hills and plains for a while then stop to rest.  As they sit resting, Josephine looks into Wyatt’s eyes and asked, “Are you happy?”  He responds, with a snort, “What kind of a question is that?” 

I think that is one of the questions we all ask of ourselves and to those we care about in life.  So, let me ask you – are YOU happy?  What would make you happy? 

Martin Seligman, known as the founder of positive psychology, in his work entitled Authentic Happiness: Using Positive Psychology to Realize Your Potential for Lasting Fulfillment, offers his thoughts on eight factors of happiness.

                        Money – materialistic people are not happy.

                        Marriage – married people are happier than single individuals.

                        Sociability – happy people tend to lead a “rich and fulfilling social life.”

                        Gender – “Women are both sadder and happier than men.” (what?! J )

Religion – “Religious people are consistently shown to be happier and satisfied with life   than nonreligious…”

Illness – “Illness does not affect satisfaction or happiness…”

Climate – climate has no effect  on happiness

All the above factors account for 8 to 15 percent of our happiness.  What makes up the other 85 to 92 percent?  According to Seligman, it is

Character! -  “happiness has little to do with pleasure, and much to do with developing personal strengths and character.”

Character is made up of universal virtues found in every culture past and present – and I might add, future!  Character includes the qualities of wisdom, knowledge, courage, love, humility, and spirituality.  We achieve these characteristics cultivating and nurturing personal strengths such as valor, integrity, sharing, kindness, sacrifice, and patience.

The apostle Paul says this about character development:

Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.   And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us (Romans 5.3-5, NIV).