Countdown to Launch!

The readers of my blog include longtime friends and family who’ve known me before and during my darkest days of sin and sexual addiction. I’ve also made many wonderful friends on my recovery journey from Houston to Abita Springs, Dallas, Sacramento and now San Jose. 

You’ve all been very supportive of my budding blog ministry to women and I thank you.

For the last 5 years I’ve spent the bulk of my time reading and studying everything I can get my hands on related to addiction recovery, spiritual growth and ministry. I’ve had a few part-time jobs and led some Bible studies along the way, started a couple of writing projects, but primarily my focus has been on preparing for ministry as I await God’s timing and direction. I don’t have a college degree; instead I go to the School of The Holy Ghost! Far better in some regards… rather than mere book knowledge; I have real world experience that will go a long way helping women who struggle with many of the same issues God has delivered me from.

Well friends, today we begin a countdown to the official launch of the Reaching Hurting Women ministry! This weekend Bill and I will be attending the Launch 501c3 Conference hosted by XXXchurch.com in Las Vegas. A conference specifically designed to help new ministries get started; led by experienced ministers who are seasoned in leadership, networking and ministry development. They only accept 20 people at each conference; so we’re very grateful to be going. XXXchurch has been on the front lines in the battle against pornography and sexual addiction for over 8 years. Pioneers in the field, they’re literally taking Jesus to the streets of ‘Sin City’- Las Vegas! 

In other news, I recently enrolled in an online seminary to become an ordained minister so I can go behind the glass partition in prisons / jails and minister to women; maybe even do some teaching. I should be completed with the course by summer or fall this year. Needless to say, things are picking up and I’m very excited!

I humbly ask for your prayers as God continues to open the doors and create partnerships that will help us to make a difference in the lives of hurting women in our world today. 

 

I look forward to updating you as things progress!

Blessings… T

The Father has delivered and drawn me to Himself out of the control and dominion of darkness and has transferred me into the kingdom of the Son of His love. – Colossians 1:13

BOOK REVIEW: Chronological Guide to the Bible

Chronological Guide to the Bible
Thomas Nelson Publishers
March 2010
$24.99
217pp




For my BookSneeze Review this month I chose the Chronological Guide to the Bible. This book is an excellent reference for any serious Bible student. Extremely user friendly with a nice form factor and feel; great color photos and charts. It’s an enjoyable study tool. As a former home school mom, I see this as a great addition to any home school Bible curriculum, and best of all the Chronological Guide to the Bible works with any Bible translation.

Rather than being divided by the traditional order of books in the Bible, the Chronological Guide to the Bible is divided into 9 Epochs of time; with handy charts for chronological reading of the Bible. Where several of the Bible’s books overlap, (i.e., 1 & 2 Samuel / 1 & 2 Kings) they are combined to tell the history in the order of their occurrence.

Most of the information is adapted from The Chronological Study Bible published also by Thomas Nelson in 2008. The benefit to using the guide over the Bible itself, I believe, is primarily simplicity of use. As far as I can tell it isn’t necessary to own both, although I chose to purchase the Bible myself so I could give an accurate review. I personally prefer to have both in my library and would encourage others to do the same.

I thoroughly enjoy studying the Bible; and because I find Biblical history fascinating I really look forward to spending more time in the Chronological Guide to the Bible.

This is an excellent reference tool I’ll use in my personal library for many years to come. Thank you Thomas Nelson and BookSneeze!
 


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Battling Resistance!

 

Spiritually and/or naturally - life is a battle. We are waging war constantly.

We all battle Resistance in some form; whether we’re starting a new company, trying to salvage our marriage, leading a project, writing a blog or just trying to clean the house.

Resistance, like a faithful friend but more of an enemy, will be there trying to keep us from doing what we need, want or are called to do.

I’m reading what’s quickly becoming a new favorite book; one I believe will be a most useful tool for many years to come:

The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield.

This book is written to help writers/artists overcome their creative blocks. But it’s really more than that. I see it as a tool to help anyone who’s trying to accomplish anything worthwhile.

 “Do we have to stare death in the face to make us stand up and confront Resistance? Does Resistance have to cripple and disfigure our lives before we wake up to its existence? How many of us have become drunks and drug addicts, developed tumors and neuroses, succumbed to painkillers, gossip, and compulsive cell-phone use, simply because we don’t do that thing that our hearts, our inner genius, is calling us to? Resistance defeats us. If tomorrow morning by some stroke of magic every dazed benighted soul woke up with the power to take the first step toward pursuing his or her dreams, every shrink in the directory would be out of business. Prisons would stand empty. The alcohol and tobacco industries would collapse, along with the junk food, cosmetic surgery, and infotainment businesses, not to mention pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, and the medical profession from top to bottom. Domestic abuse would become extinct, as would addiction, obesity, migraine headaches, road rage, and dandruff.

“Look in your own heart… a still small voice is piping up, telling you as it has ten thousand times, the calling that is yours and yours alone. You know it. No one has to tell you. And unless I’m crazy, you’re no closer to taking action on it than you were yesterday or will be tomorrow. You think Resistance isn’t real? Resistance will bury you.” – Steven Pressfield

What is Resistance?  

According to Mr. Pressfield here are some of the characteristics of Resistance: 

• It's the enemy within.
• Tells us anything to keep us from our work.
• Never sleeps.
• Plays for keeps.
• Most powerful at the finish line.
• Self-Medication.

“…any act that rejects immediate gratification in favor of long-term growth, health, or integrity… any act that derives from our higher nature instead of our lower… will elicit Resistance.” – Steven Pressfield

To counter act Resistance, Mr. Pressfield says the writer / artist must be a professional: show up every day no matter what, be committed for the long haul, master the craft or technique, accept pay for the labor, realize the stakes are high and real, not over identify with the job, keep a sense of humor, and receive praise or blame due.

Personally, I find the above lists easy to relate, to not just as a writer dealing with procrastination when my computer is staring me in the face each day; but in every area of my life…

Exercise

Eating properly

Going to bed on time

 Drinking 80oz of water every day!

Simply, fighting all temptations big or small…

I will take on Resistance and his seedy little game.

Do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord, no matter what happens. Remember the great reward it brings you. Patient endurance is what you need now, so you will continue to do God’s will! Then you will receive all that He has promised. –Hebrews 10:35-36

I'm determined, with God’s help, to be a professional at life…

• To show up every day no matter what.
• To be committed for the long haul.
• To realize the stakes are high and real.
• To keep a sense of humor.
• To receive praise or blame due.
• To keep God’s Word close to my heart and mind.
• To fight the good fight of faith!

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. –Hebrews 12:1

QUESTION: Where do you feel the most resistance in your life?

Surrender

One of the biggest challenges for the recovering person is getting to the place of surrender. Not only is this important, it is critical to the recovery process. This can be a tough, especially for those of us who are stubborn and willful! Before we will truly surrender we may have to go to the darkest of all places, possibly near death. What does it mean to surrender your life? Who or what are we surrendering to? The sense of not knowing can be paralyzing for some. We can't go back but we can't go forward either. We're stuck sinking in our own quicksand of uncertainty and doubt. How can we save ourselves? Can we save ourselves?

Webster defines surrender: to yield to the possession or power of another; to give oneself up to an influence, to abandon or relinquish; to resign; submit.

When I read Webster's definitions I see myself walking in sin and addiction having already surrendered; just to the wrong side. I had yielded my power and abandoned myself to my addiction and the evil forces driving it. Usually, when we think of surrendering, we think of a criminal surrendering to the police with their hands up; or perhaps in the old westerns and war movies -- someone waving the white flag of surrender to the opposing forces. In these situations the surrendering party believes they have given up any hope of victory. These are good images of surrender because that is exactly what we must do when we surrender. We have to give up. But when we surrender we actually have hope for real victory.

The key element in the process of true surrender is accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior. Unless and until we have done that we are trying to do everything in our own power and we know how that works - it doesn't! We must first humble ourselves before God, fall on our face and confess our sins; acknowledge Jesus' death on the cross and receive God's mercy and forgiveness. Jesus Christ took the pain we suffer in addiction to the cross. Why should we want to continue to carry that ourselves? Healing begins immediately when we give ourselves over to Him and let him carry our burdens for us.

Surrender means to relinquish control over what we consider ours: our property, our time, our "rights". To properly surrender to God we are simply acknowledging that what we "own" actually belongs to Him. But not just what we own, what we think and do also are His. He is the Giver of all good things. Also, the degree in which we surrender determines the degree in which we grow in our character. So if we are still holding on to something, by not surrendering it to God, that can inhibit our potential for spiritual growth and full recovery.

Similar to salvation, surrender is a gift we receive from God; we can't will it for ourselves. But also like salvation, the gift of surrender requires a response from us: acceptance. And there must be fruit: a changed life! Actually living a life surrendered to God is so much easier than trying to do it on our own. But it is a daily choice, sometimes moment by moment, with every breath. So stop right now and do a few deep breathing exercises...God's way in, my way out... You may not be happy about it right now, but in the bigger picture of life, you'll be glad you chose to surrender your pain, your addiction, your life -- to God.

So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. -- I Peter 5:6-7



Originally posted September 14, 2008

Who's Writing Your Story?

I follow Michael Hyatt's blog (CEO Thomas Nelson), where he recently recommended a book.

I was unfamiliar with the author, but because I take Michael's advice very seriously, I ordered the book.





A Million Miles in a Thousand Years:
What I Learned While Editing My Life
by Donald Miller
$19.99
Thomas Nelson Publisher
ISBN 978-0-7852-1306-2









This book caught me completely by surprise; and is now one of my top 10 books! I'm so taken by this book, I already want to reread it. I want to buy a case and pass them out to all my friends.

It's funny, profound, entertaining, thought provoking but most importantly -- life changing!

Maybe you're in a low point of your life.

Maybe not.

Maybe your life is going great with no conflicts.

Either way, this book is a must.

It's an easy, fast read that will catch you laughing out loud at the wonderful stories Don lives to tell.

What makes this one of my favorite books?

Simply - it made me look at my life in a completely different perspective and see that I have the ability to partner with God and write my own story.

"A story is a character who wants something and overcomes conflict to get it." -Donald Miller

We may feel like we're a million miles and a thousand years away from being able to live what we believe is our "true story."

But whose fault is that?

We don't have a story because we are lazy. We don't want to turn off the TV, get off the couch, and put away the Cheetos.

We don't see that God is allowing our character (us) to experience conflict that pushes us to become better people.

"Somehow we realize that great stories are told in conflict, but we are unwilling to embrace the potential greatness of the story we are actually in. We think God is unjust, rather than a master storyteller." -Donald Miller

I don't usually have to go too far to find the conflict in my life, it seems to come looking for me.

The big question is:

What am I doing with that conflict?

"One of the reasons we fail to acknowledge the brilliance of life is because we don't want the responsibility inherent in the acknowledgment. We don't want to be characters in a story because characters have to move and breathe and face conflict with courage.

... we can be unwilling victims rather than grateful participants." -Donald Miller

What's Your Story?

Are you in conflict today but trying to numb the pain of it by depending on something or someone?

Or you pressing through the conflict to find the resolution/freedom/joy that waits on the other side.

"It's a good calling, then, to speak a better story. How brightly a better story shines. How easily the world looks to it in wonder. How grateful we are to hear these stories, and how happy it makes us to repeat them." - Donald Miller

Let's not be lazy and allow our life story to pass us by.

Let's partner with God to help tell His story through us.

Guest Blog Posted @XXXchurch!

I'm excited to announce my first column as a guest blogger on www.XXXchurch.com is posted! You can check it out at the link below:

It's Not Always the Husband