Good Morning CR Family,

I hope everyone has had a great week so far.  Don't forget to tune in to CR Friday Night Live Tonight at 6:30pm.  Tonight's topic is "You might be co-dependent if...." You can tune in by following this link CR Youtube Channel Link.    Also, if you haven't had a chance to sign-up for the virtual open share groups that start at 7:30pm tonight.  The links can be found below in the announcements.  Have a great day

Announcements:

1. If you are in need of prayer, please send your prayer requests to CelebrateRecoveryatCrossroads@gmail.com and we will forward those on to our celebrate recovery prayer team. The Crossroads Church Prayer team would also love to pray for you, so when you send your E-mail, please note if you are okay with us forwarding your prayer request to the church.
2. Fridays at 6:30pm, We are hosting "CR Friday Night Live."   To subscribe to our youtube channel  please click on the following link and select the subscribe button.  CR Youtube Channel Link .  There will be a song or two of worship and then a short recovery based dialog between a couple of CR members.  This will be streamed on youtube. 
3. Fridays we will be hosting on-line open share group meetings at 7:30pm.  There will be one mixed issues group for men and one mixed issues group for women. Men's Open Share Group Sign-Up Link / Women's Open Share Group Sign-Up Link.  These meetings will take place using the Zoom App.  In order to participate you will need a tablet, smart-phone or computer with camera.  In order to ensure confidentiality of these meetings everyone who participates will need to find a private room to set up, have their camera on, so others can see that there is no one else in the room and they will also need to wear a pair of headphones so that they are the only ones that can hear.  This is a free app and you can download it on google play, apple app store or through your web-browser on your computer. For help on how to join a Zoom meeting please click on the the following link, which will take you to their support web-site Zoom Set-Up Help

Blessings,
James U.

Recovery Thought of the Day - June 11th

Good Morning CR Family,

Below you will find today's Recovery Thought of the Day from Perry C!

The Cure

Have you ever been talking with a friend or loved one, said something and wished you could take it back the moment it escaped your lips? It happened to me last night.  I said something that was true but harsh and the minute it came out of my mouth, I thought wow that was severe and insensitive.  I wish I hadn’t said that.  When I got off the phone, I knew I needed to apologize. But I got busy, it was late, and I went to bed.

This morning, one cup of coffee down I am spending time with God and bingo the Holy Spirit reminds me of my offense from last night. Step 9 and its Biblical principle came to mind. “We made direct amends to such people whenever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.” “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar.  First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift,” Matthew 5:23-24. Hmm, I really should call my friend and apologize. 

Then all the rationalizing happened.  My comment was not about the person I was speaking with…no one is perfect… my hip was hurting me when I said it, she most likely didn’t even notice my comment....in fact she has probably already forgotten what I said.  Really, those are my excuses?

People in recovery are skillful and great at lying and rationalizing to ourselves.  Come on now, this is all of us. But making amends, being willing to say, I was wrong, please forgive me is the only cure to moving on in life, free and forgiven.  Forgiveness is the path of healing. Facing our past, forgiving ourselves and those who have hurt us as well as God who allowed it to happen and then making amends for our part is the only lasting solution to sin.  Forgiveness breaks the cycle and allows relationships to heal.

So, hey I got to go and make a phone call.  To my accountability partners, please check in on me and hold me accountable, make sure I apologized to my friend and asked her to forgive me. It takes a tribe, we need one another.

Who will you call today to make an amend?

Announcements:

1. If you are in need of prayer, please send your prayer requests to CelebrateRecoveryatCrossroads@gmail.com and we will forward those on to our celebrate recovery prayer team. The Crossroads Church Prayer team would also love to pray for you, so when you send your E-mail, please note if you are okay with us forwarding your prayer request to the church.
2. Fridays at 6:30pm, We are hosting "CR Friday Night Live."   To subscribe to our youtube channel  please click on the following link and select the subscribe button.  CR Youtube Channel Link .  There will be a song or two of worship and then a short recovery based dialog between a couple of CR members.  This will be streamed on youtube. 
3. Fridays we will be hosting on-line open share group meetings at 7:30pm.  There will be one mixed issues group for men and one mixed issues group for women. Men's Open Share Group Sign-Up Link / Women's Open Share Group Sign-Up Link.  These meetings will take place using the Zoom App.  In order to participate you will need a tablet, smart-phone or computer with camera.  In order to ensure confidentiality of these meetings everyone who participates will need to find a private room to set up, have their camera on, so others can see that there is no one else in the room and they will also need to wear a pair of headphones so that they are the only ones that can hear.  This is a free app and you can download it on google play, apple app store or through your web-browser on your computer. For help on how to join a Zoom meeting please click on the the following link, which will take you to their support web-site Zoom Set-Up Help

Blessings,
James U.

Recovery Thought of the Day - June 9th

Good Morning CR Family,

Below you will find today's Recovery Thought of the Day from Perry C!

Hit Bottom More Than Once

In the world of recovery in order for change to happen we have to hit bottom.  We hit bottom when we know that our life is not working.  When we are out of control with our addictions, full of pain, toxic relationships and we have finally had it. We hit bottom when we reach the end of our rope, wave the white flag and give up.  When all our attempts to change have not worked and all we’ve done has produced the same unhealthy results. Our bottom is that point where we finally get fed up with being beat up by ourselves and mistreated by others.  Then and only then, at the point of complete surrender are we ready to enter recovery, work all 12 of the steps, be recreated and find peace of mind.

I’ve come to believe this surrender and letting go is needed not just once when we hit bottom but throughout our entire journey of recovery.  Each step takes courage, bravery and dying to the old self.  We have to daily let go and submit to working the next step before us.  This is what means to “trust the process.” Stay committed to the present challenge. Let God work in us.   

There are a few things that will help us move through the steps. First is to surround ourselves with people in recovery who have victories in a few areas and are making progress.  They give us hope and help us see how the process of recovery works. That is why CR stresses we all attend Friday nights and Monday 12 step groups.  We need to be around others further along the journey, it is critical to our healing.  Secondly, reject all old negative ways of thinking (I’m a loser, unlovable, beyond healing etc.) and renew our minds by filling it with truths found in scripture and being told to us by our sponsor, 12 step leaders and accountability partners. This is precisely where the battle rages, in our minds.  Will we reject the old thoughts and submit to accepting the new truth?  Peace and joy are ours, but we have to fight for them. It is so worth it you guys.  I want us all to live the very best life we can!  How bad do you want that?  Then do the work and we'll be right here with you.

Announcements:

1. If you are in need of prayer, please send your prayer requests to CelebrateRecoveryatCrossroads@gmail.com and we will forward those on to our celebrate recovery prayer team. The Crossroads Church Prayer team would also love to pray for you, so when you send your E-mail, please note if you are okay with us forwarding your prayer request to the church.
2. Fridays at 6:30pm, We are hosting "CR Friday Night Live."   To subscribe to our youtube channel  please click on the following link and select the subscribe button.  CR Youtube Channel Link .  There will be a song or two of worship and then a short recovery based dialog between a couple of CR members.  This will be streamed on youtube. 
3. Fridays we will be hosting on-line open share group meetings at 7:30pm.  There will be one mixed issues group for men and one mixed issues group for women. Men's Open Share Group Sign-Up Link / Women's Open Share Group Sign-Up Link.  These meetings will take place using the Zoom App.  In order to participate you will need a tablet, smart-phone or computer with camera.  In order to ensure confidentiality of these meetings everyone who participates will need to find a private room to set up, have their camera on, so others can see that there is no one else in the room and they will also need to wear a pair of headphones so that they are the only ones that can hear.  This is a free app and you can download it on google play, apple app store or through your web-browser on your computer. For help on how to join a Zoom meeting please click on the the following link, which will take you to their support web-site Zoom Set-Up Help

Blessings,
James U.

Recovery Thought of the Day - June 8th

Good Morning CR Family,

Please the the Recovery Thought of the Day below from Dana C.

CR Monday: We Are in This together

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5: 14-16

Brokenness, we have all experienced it at some point in our lives. But what do we do with our brokenness is the question? Stay in it and suffer needlessly or work to over come it and move forward in our lives. That’s what we do in Celebrate Recovery, we enlist Gods help and in community we move thorough it and move on. As we recover, we learn the value of helping others on their journey. Not content in just serving others but being deeply engaged with them as we travel this road of recovery, our walk with Jesus.

Which leads me to my next opportunity as I walk this road with Jesus. The question for me today is this:  Am I a light only to those in recovery, or my family or church, or workmates and friends. Is God calling me to be a light to everyone? I think he is and this is where opportunity exists to make and even bigger impact for Jesus.

Gregory Boyle (from Richard Rohr’s Daily Meditation) put it this way: It would seem that, quite possibly, the ultimate measure of health in any community might well reside in our ability to stand in awe at what folks have to carry rather than in judgment at how they carry it.  Often, we strike the high moral distance that separates “us” from “them,” and yet it is God’s dream come true when we recognize that there exists no daylight between us. Serving others is good. It’s a start. But it’s just the hallway that leads to the Grand Ballroom.

I have some work to do to get to the point that there exists no daylight between me and my brother and sister. In this regard I have been in the hallway but I need to open the door wide to the grand ballroom, let go of the biases I have, to see people as my equal, not better or worse, but loved by God all the same.

Reverend Howard Thurman: Co-Founder of the first interracial church in America, circa 1944:

What had I learned about love? One of the central things was that the experience of being understood by another was of primary importance. Somewhere deep within was a “place” beyond all faults and virtues that had to be confirmed before I could run the risk of opening my life up to another. To find ultimate security in an ultimate vulnerability, this is to be loved.

Announcements:

1. If you are in need of prayer, please send your prayer requests to CelebrateRecoveryatCrossroads@gmail.com and we will forward those on to our celebrate recovery prayer team. The Crossroads Church Prayer team would also love to pray for you, so when you send your E-mail, please note if you are okay with us forwarding your prayer request to the church.
2. Fridays at 6:30pm, We are hosting "CR Friday Night Live."   To subscribe to our youtube channel  please click on the following link and select the subscribe button.  CR Youtube Channel Link .  There will be a song or two of worship and then a short recovery based dialog between a couple of CR members.  This will be streamed on youtube. 
3. Fridays we will be hosting on-line open share group meetings at 7:30pm.  There will be one mixed issues group for men and one mixed issues group for women. Men's Open Share Group Sign-Up Link / Women's Open Share Group Sign-Up Link.  These meetings will take place using the Zoom App.  In order to participate you will need a tablet, smart-phone or computer with camera.  In order to ensure confidentiality of these meetings everyone who participates will need to find a private room to set up, have their camera on, so others can see that there is no one else in the room and they will also need to wear a pair of headphones so that they are the only ones that can hear.  This is a free app and you can download it on google play, apple app store or through your web-browser on your computer. For help on how to join a Zoom meeting please click on the the following link, which will take you to their support web-site Zoom Set-Up Help

Blessings,
James U.

Recovery Thought of the Day - June 7th

Good Morning CR Family,

Please see below for today's Recovery Thought of the Day:

Grief and Unfinished Hurt

Over the past week I have been reading an amazing book that was gifted to me called: "From Wild Man to Wise Man," by Richard Rohr.  Today I would like to share a small passage that really resonated with my in my own recovery journey.

"You see, the "grieving mode" is quite different than the fixing mode, the controlling mode or even the understanding mode of life.  The male had to be shown how to live and feel grief, or he would spend all his life in these other three, which is what has largely happened.  Grief, as I define it, is simply unfinished hurt."

Wow... It was like he was talking straight to me.  I had never really thought of grief from that perspective before, but I have found it to be true.  Before recovery, every time that I was hurt, rather than facing it, I would ignore it and stuff it down.  When my Mom unexpectedly passed away at the age of 50, rather than working through that grief, I did my best to ignore it. After being subjected to infidelity and a failed first marriage, same thing...  The result of my unprocessed grief showed up in my life in many ways: trust issues, anger issues, acting out in my addition when those feelings of grief surfaced, planning out everything to the n-th degree (trying to control my life) as so on.

The fact of the matter is, working through grief is hard, it hurts.  Working through the 12 steps can hurt and is not always fun. The result of working through pain, as hard as it may be, is healing and restoration.  On the other end, the result of not dealing with our internal hurts is on-going hurt the rest of our lives and more than likely hurting others while we are at it.

What is an unfinished hurt that you are holding on to?

Announcements:

1. If you are in need of prayer, please send your prayer requests to CelebrateRecoveryatCrossroads@gmail.com and we will forward those on to our celebrate recovery prayer team. The Crossroads Church Prayer team would also love to pray for you, so when you send your E-mail, please note if you are okay with us forwarding your prayer request to the church.
2. Fridays at 6:30pm, We are hosting "CR Friday Night Live."   To subscribe to our youtube channel  please click on the following link and select the subscribe button.  CR Youtube Channel Link .  There will be a song or two of worship and then a short recovery based dialog between a couple of CR members.  This will be streamed on youtube. 
3. Fridays we will be hosting on-line open share group meetings at 7:30pm.  There will be one mixed issues group for men and one mixed issues group for women. Men's Open Share Group Sign-Up Link / Women's Open Share Group Sign-Up Link.  These meetings will take place using the Zoom App.  In order to participate you will need a tablet, smart-phone or computer with camera.  In order to ensure confidentiality of these meetings everyone who participates will need to find a private room to set up, have their camera on, so others can see that there is no one else in the room and they will also need to wear a pair of headphones so that they are the only ones that can hear.  This is a free app and you can download it on google play, apple app store or through your web-browser on your computer. For help on how to join a Zoom meeting please click on the the following link, which will take you to their support web-site Zoom Set-Up Help

Blessings,
James U.

Recovery Thought of the Day - June 4th

Good Morning CR Family,

Please see below for today's Recovery Thought of the Day from Perry C:

No Change is Too Small

US Navy Admiral, William McRaven, delivered a speech in which he stated, if you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.”  I love that.  Look for things in our lives upon which we can exert influence and do it. And it’s okay to start small.  The success of doing a small task provides a sense of accomplishment that motivates us to do another small task.  Truth is, it’s often the little changes in life that matter.  Saying I love you to your spouse, going out and looking for a job (again), being kind, showing up for a friend, saying no to violence, being generous or patient with a child or co-worker.  Every small change produces a new outcome.

In recovery change is essential.  If we don’t change, we will continue to get the same unfulfilling, painful results that brought us into recovery in the first place.  Just like the Admiral said, the change does not need to be impressive or substantial, it can be as small as making your bed.  Sometimes in recovery we fall into the trap of having grandiose ideas of the changes we want to see manifested in our lives and forget the importance of starting small and doing the little things.  When we make small changes in our daily routine, we learn to accept change as a normal part of our growth cycle and are less likely to resist it.  And making small changes makes it easier to make big changes when we need to do so.

Jesus taught, “If you are faithful in the little things, more will be given to you,” Luke 19:17.  So today, be sober, make your bed and start to change your world.

Announcements:

1. If you are in need of prayer, please send your prayer requests to CelebrateRecoveryatCrossroads@gmail.com and we will forward those on to our celebrate recovery prayer team. The Crossroads Church Prayer team would also love to pray for you, so when you send your E-mail, please note if you are okay with us forwarding your prayer request to the church.
2. Fridays at 6:30pm, We are hosting "CR Friday Night Live."   To subscribe to our youtube channel  please click on the following link and select the subscribe button.  CR Youtube Channel Link .  There will be a song or two of worship and then a short recovery based dialog between a couple of CR members.  This will be streamed on youtube. 
3. Fridays we will be hosting on-line open share group meetings at 7:30pm.  There will be one mixed issues group for men and one mixed issues group for women. Men's Open Share Group Sign-Up Link / Women's Open Share Group Sign-Up Link.  These meetings will take place using the Zoom App.  In order to participate you will need a tablet, smart-phone or computer with camera.  In order to ensure confidentiality of these meetings everyone who participates will need to find a private room to set up, have their camera on, so others can see that there is no one else in the room and they will also need to wear a pair of headphones so that they are the only ones that can hear.  This is a free app and you can download it on google play, apple app store or through your web-browser on your computer. For help on how to join a Zoom meeting please click on the the following link, which will take you to their support web-site Zoom Set-Up Help

Blessings,
James U.

Recovery Thought of the Day - June 3rd

Good Afternoon CR Family,


For today's Recovery Thought of the Day, check out Pastor Ryan Howell's Daily Drop of Hope from Monday (Pastor Howell Daily Drop of Hope Video Link).  This week his them is one liner prayers.  The one from Monday was " Guide My "Fill in the Blank" on paths of Righteousness for your name's sake."  As you listen, think about what needs to go into the blank space of that prayer.

On another note, it came to my attention yesterday that the sign up link for the women's open share group meeting was not working.  It is now fixed if you want to get on and sign up for the women's virtual open share group meeting this Friday at 7:30pm.

Announcements:

1. If you are in need of prayer, please send your prayer requests to CelebrateRecoveryatCrossroads@gmail.com and we will forward those on to our celebrate recovery prayer team. The Crossroads Church Prayer team would also love to pray for you, so when you send your E-mail, please note if you are okay with us forwarding your prayer request to the church.
2. Fridays at 6:30pm, We are hosting "CR Friday Night Live."   To subscribe to our youtube channel  please click on the following link and select the subscribe button.  CR Youtube Channel Link .  There will be a song or two of worship and then a short recovery based dialog between a couple of CR members.  This will be streamed on youtube. 
3. Fridays we will be hosting on-line open share group meetings at 7:30pm.  There will be one mixed issues group for men and one mixed issues group for women. Men's Open Share Group Sign-Up Link / Women's Open Share Group Sign-Up Link.  These meetings will take place using the Zoom App.  In order to participate you will need a tablet, smart-phone or computer with camera.  In order to ensure confidentiality of these meetings everyone who participates will need to find a private room to set up, have their camera on, so others can see that there is no one else in the room and they will also need to wear a pair of headphones so that they are the only ones that can hear.  This is a free app and you can download it on google play, apple app store or through your web-browser on your computer. For help on how to join a Zoom meeting please click on the the following link, which will take you to their support web-site Zoom Set-Up Help

Blessings,
James U.