Although you may not recognize it yet, you’re a much more valuable person than you used to be. Because of the heartache you’ve endured and your willingness to take a hard look at the painful events surrounding your abuse, you have learned recovery skills that will help you live life more successfully. Unlike most, you [...]
Archive for December, 2008
Keep Your Eyes Open
Posted in Abuse, Anger, Behavior, Betrayal, Bitterness, Burn Out, Care, Christian, Dysfunction, Emotions, Evangelical, Forgiveness, God, Healing, Hurt, Jesus Christ, Love, Low Self-Esteem, Pain, Pride, Purpose, Recovery, Religious Abuse, Shame, Wounds on December 29, 2008 | 1 Comment »
“Take Up Your Cross and Follow Me.”
Posted in Abuse, Amazing Grace, Behavior, Burn Out, Care, Christian, Denial, Forgiveness, God, Healing, Jesus Christ, Love, Pain, Purpose, Recovery, Religion, Religious Abuse, Scriptures, Self-Absorbed, Spirituality, Wounds on December 27, 2008 | 2 Comments »
The following entry came from an Australian woman who sent a comment for Pushing Jesus. The entry is long but worth reading. It makes me feel like what I’m doing is worthwhile-Jack.
Hi Jack – Dianne here
I have been contemplating Jesus crucifixion over the Christmas period, and I just posted this reflection on my blog site [...]
Value Beyond Yourself
Posted in Abuse, Amazing Grace, Anger, Betrayal, Bitterness, Care, Christian, Depression, Dysfunction, Emotions, Evangelical, Forgiveness, God, Guilt, Hatred, Healing, Jesus Christ, Low Self-Esteem, Purpose, Recovery, Religious Abuse on December 27, 2008 | 1 Comment »
The emphasis of each day’s reading has been about you. The purpose of each reading has been introspective—on taking a close look at the painful events surrounding your abusive situation—on helping you move past the place where you were used, abused, and discarded. It has been absolutely necessary to do so. Without taking a penetrating [...]
God’s in Control
Posted in Abuse, Addiction, Anger, Behavior, Bitterness, Christian, Dysfunction, Emotions, Forgiveness, God, Hatred, Healing, Hurt, Jesus Christ, Love, Low Self-Esteem, Pain, Patience, Pride, Purpose, Recovery, Religious Abuse, Scriptures, Self-Absorbed, Shame, Spirituality, Worldview on December 23, 2008 | 1 Comment »
Jesus lived a very simple life. Nothing about it was grandiose, and He made no attempt to exalt Himself—that’s for certain. He was perfectly content to leave the outcome of His work in His Father’s hands, which is exactly what we are learning to do in recovery—one day at a time. Christ wasn’t wealthy, and [...]
Be Exceptional in Ordinary Things
Posted in Behavior, Emotions, God, Healing, Jesus Christ, Love, Pride, Purpose, Recovery, Religious Abuse, Value on December 22, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
There’s something in each of us that wants to be heroic, to be noble, and above all, to be admired. It’s part of human nature—a characteristic common to all. Having completed the 11 STEPS, perhaps the thought has occurred to you that your time has finally come—your time to shine in the sun—to be acclaimed [...]
The most delightful fruit comes from a garden well impregnated with cow manure
Posted in God on December 21, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
THIS IS PART 1 OF A COMMENT SENT BY A READER IN AUSTRALIA, WHICH IS WELL WORTH READING:
Hi Jack,
Dianne Here – this is really a letter to you so may not be relevant to post. I am now linked to your site so I get your updates. I like what you are writing.
I [...]
As We Forgive Others
Posted in Abuse, Anger, Behavior, Bitterness, Denial, Dysfunction, Emotions, Forgiveness, God, Hatred, Healing, Hurt, Jesus Christ, Love, Patience, Pride, Religious Abuse, Wounds on December 20, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
There’s a final piece to the forgiveness puzzle—a piece which is critical. When you hold on to un-forgiveness, when you refuse to release your blame and your resentment, you are hurting yourself more than you realize. In the Lord’s Prayer, it says:
Forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those
Who have trespassed against us.
There’s no getting around [...]
Forgive Your Abuser
Posted in Abuse, Behavior, Betrayal, Bitterness, Dysfunction, Emotions, Forgiveness, God, Hatred, Healing, Love, Pain, Pride, Purpose, Recovery, Religious Abuse, Self-Absorbed, tagged Resentment on December 18, 2008 | 2 Comments »
In the depths of despair, you can learn, really learn, about life—about who you are. When you’ve been crushed, discarded, and ridiculed, all pretentiousness leaves you. God makes certain of it. You cease being puffed up and arrogant. You become reduced to practically nothing emotionally, and your heart is broken. Even your countenance seems to [...]
The Purpose Behind the Pain
Posted in Abuse, Addiction, Anger, Behavior, Bitterness, Denial, Drugs, Dysfunction, Emotions, Forgiveness, God, Hatred, Healing, Hurt, Jesus Christ, Love, Pain, Prayer, Purpose, Religion, Religious Abuse, Wounds, tagged Alcoholism on December 15, 2008 | 1 Comment »
Recognizing the purpose in your painful, abusive experience may be very difficult, but it’s there, waiting to be discovered. You simply have to search for it—like you would a misplaced piece of valuable jewelry. Like the lost jewelry, it should never be far from your mind; and when you find it, your relief and joy [...]
INTRODUCING STEP 8
Posted in Behavior, Care, Christian, Denial, Emotions, Forgiveness, God, Healing, Hurt, Jesus Christ, Purpose, Recovery, Religious Abuse, tagged Trust on December 14, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
I share my experience with a trusted friend, and I confess to God the exact state of my heart.
We live in a society where intimacy is virtually nonexistent. We have drifted so far from it that few even know what it is. If you ask someone to define intimacy, for example, the definition would more [...]
Set Yourself Free
Posted in Abuse, Anger, Betrayal, Bitterness, Dysfunction, Emotions, Forgiveness, God, Hatred, Healing, Jesus Christ, Love, Pain, Recovery, Religious Abuse, Revenge, tagged Add new tag, Wisdom on December 13, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
When you stop blaming people and circumstances for your lot in life, you’re at the threshold of wisdom—God’s wisdom. It’s when you begin to think soberly rather than being self-centered. You are not a victim and you never were one. Everything that has occurred has had a purpose, including your abuse. Sooner or later, you [...]
Your Pain Has Purpose
Posted in Abuse, Behavior, Emotions, Forgiveness, God, Guilt, Healing, Hurt, Jesus Christ, Love, Low Self-Esteem, Pain, Prayer, Purpose, Recovery, Religious Abuse, Worldview, Wounds on December 11, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
I’ve consistently maintained that knowing and acknowledging the truth will set you free—the truth about your abuse and the truth about yourself. I believe this with all of my heart. For me, there was purpose in each of the painful experiences of my life. None have weakened me. I’m stronger because of each failure and [...]
Adversity Makes You Stronger
Posted in Abuse, Addiction, Anger, Behavior, Bitterness, Denial, Dysfunction, Emotions, God, Healing, Hurt, Jesus Christ, Love, Purpose, Recovery, Religious Abuse, Scriptures, Wounds on December 11, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Adversity makes you stronger—not a little stronger, substantially stronger. It’s like bodybuilding. Muscles need to be torn down before they can be rebuilt. The Scriptures call this pruning, and God prunes each of His children—some more than others.
I needed pruning, and God is in that business—big time. Once I learned to accept—and even welcome—adversity rather [...]
Breaking the Cycle of Dysfunction
Posted in Abuse, Addiction, Anger, Behavior, Betrayal, Bitterness, Forgiveness, God, Healing, Hurt, Jesus Christ, Pain, Purpose, Recovery, Religious Abuse, Wounds on December 10, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
I humbly ask God to change anything He wishes, and I ask Him to heal my pain. Because God forgives us as we forgive others, I forgive my abusers.
Environmentalists tell us everything we do leaves an imprint on the earth, either positively or negatively—either friendly or unfriendly. It’s the same with our moral actions. We [...]
Your Life Has Purpose
Posted in Abuse, Addiction, Amazing Grace, Behavior, Bitterness, Burn Out, Denial, Depression, Dysfunction, Emotions, God, Guilt, Hatred, Healing, Hurt, Jesus Christ, Love, Low Self-Esteem, Pain, Patience, Pride, Purpose, Recovery, Religious Abuse, Revenge, Self-Absorbed, Spirituality, Wounds on December 9, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
No matter how far down the devastating road to destruction you have traveled, you can choose to turn your life around. As long as there is breath in your lungs, you can return to a loving God—a God who will welcome you back with open arms. You can choose God’s way over self-defeating behavior—love over [...]
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Welcome! My name is John Watts, but you can call me 'Jack.'
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