CRA Christians in Recovery (anonymous)

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.

SIMON55

Active member
Feb 15, 2019
538
193
43
MO,OK,AR
#61
"Thanks for sharing. ....Amen, brother...........my Big Book is my bible...close by."...:)
And....Twenty-Four Hours a Day.".........:)
'Praise God'
Amen and mine also brother Bingo.....but I had to get to it from the AA back door....
........ONCE....the AA steps had cleared away the past wreckage blocking the light of Gods Word from shining in.
.......We have to keep moving forward. .....MOST everything I say about AA today is from 20 yr old memory from the last time I cracked open my dusty wore out 32 yr.old AA book but..... Thank God the wisdom in that book is engraved upon my heart and mind like yesterday.......
" God forbid we forget where we came from lest we repeat the mistakes of the past"
" But for the Grace of God there go I".....!
.......only by the good grace of God and AA.....did the day come that my sanity was restored and I could lay the AA book down and move forward learning scripture with Gods book....
But.....I still also believe God used that AA book and steps to get me across that bridge!😀
" We hold these truths to be self evident"
THAT GOD COULD AND WOULD IF HE WERE SOUGHT.......! "
 

Bingo

Well-known member
Feb 9, 2019
9,219
4,755
113
#62
Amen and mine also brother Bingo.....but I had to get to it from the AA back door....
........ONCE....the AA steps had cleared away the past wreckage blocking the light of Gods Word from shining in.
.......We have to keep moving forward. .....MOST everything I say about AA today is from 20 yr old memory from the last time I cracked open my dusty wore out 32 yr.old AA book but..... Thank God the wisdom in that book is engraved upon my heart and mind like yesterday.......
" God forbid we forget where we came from lest we repeat the mistakes of the past"
" But for the Grace of God there go I".....!
.......only by the good grace of God and AA.....did the day come that my sanity was restored and I could lay the AA book down and move forward learning scripture with Gods book....
But.....I still also believe God used that AA book and steps to get me across that bridge!😀
" We hold these truths to be self evident"
THAT GOD COULD AND WOULD IF HE WERE SOUGHT.......! "
"AMEN!"
 

Attachments

SIMON55

Active member
Feb 15, 2019
538
193
43
MO,OK,AR
#63
"Thanks for sharing...God loves a cheerful 'giver' of the heart."
"And...is not Honesty the First Step to Recovery.......we believe so.".....:)
'Praise God'
Bingo.....I think you and I could hold an AA meeting by ourselves.....lol😀
 

calibob

Sinner saved by grace
May 29, 2018
8,268
5,516
113
Anaheim, Cali.
#64
Mine is falling apart now, the binding is shot but the words now are upon my heart. That binding will never be torn out. It has become a part of the circumcision of my heart. The Salvation Army used to give out 12 step Bibles. They had footnotes and references where to find every scripture regarding to step work. Alas they are no longer in print. :cry:
 

SIMON55

Active member
Feb 15, 2019
538
193
43
MO,OK,AR
#65
I took note of the moral inventory passage. This is something we all must do on a regular basis as it is the integral part of any repentance (sanctification) process. It is hard to get to where you are going if your moral compass is off-kilter. Your testimony in your personal struggle was amazing and truly inspirational. Yes, often one must first hit rock bottom before any recovery and even be contemplated. The struggle is real but God is faithful and will neither leave or forsake you.

Amen....the recovery books contain the spiritual principal as wellll.....saying......we continue to make a personal moral inventory.....
Capture+_2019-04-01-16-17-48-1.png

Capture+_2019-04-01-16-04-04-1.png
 

calibob

Sinner saved by grace
May 29, 2018
8,268
5,516
113
Anaheim, Cali.
#69
The treatment facility where I worked had on site Na/AA meetings often combined plus CA, CMA, and gay a meetings there was also Celebrate Recovery and DRA meetings at the church on the corner. Clients were required to attend 3 meetings a day every day except Sunday so they could go to church if they desired. plus alcohol, drug and re entry meetings. The shortest contract was 60 days on site.
 

calibob

Sinner saved by grace
May 29, 2018
8,268
5,516
113
Anaheim, Cali.
#71
The clients often complained we were trying to brain wash them via all the meetings. "Some of our brains need to be washed" we'd reply.
 

calibob

Sinner saved by grace
May 29, 2018
8,268
5,516
113
Anaheim, Cali.
#72
Admittedly it was for chronically ill non functional addicts and alcoholics. Re entry was how to write a resume', look for a job or go back to school etc. We served those that most of society gave up on but the 12 steps was at the center of every program. At the center of the 12 steps is a loving God leading the way.
 

calibob

Sinner saved by grace
May 29, 2018
8,268
5,516
113
Anaheim, Cali.
#73
The Lord warned us that some demons require fasting and prayer to prevent their return so let's fast from the toxic substances that hooked us and pray for insight today.
 

Bingo

Well-known member
Feb 9, 2019
9,219
4,755
113
#74
The Lord warned us that some demons require fasting and prayer to prevent their return so let's fast from the toxic substances that hooked us and pray for insight today.
"Never to forget....cunning...baffling...powerful!"...:(
 

SIMON55

Active member
Feb 15, 2019
538
193
43
MO,OK,AR
#75
The treatment facility where I worked had on site Na/AA meetings often combined plus CA, CMA, and gay a meetings there was also Celebrate Recovery and DRA meetings at the church on the corner. Clients were required to attend 3 meetings a day every day except Sunday so they could go to church if they desired. plus alcohol, drug and re entry meetings. The shortest contract was 60 days on site.

It takes a minimum I believe of 60 days treatment to lift the fog and confounding of substance abuse....or any addictive behaviors actually.
......Most people that are truly spiritually ill won't become willing to change until it becomes to painful not to!
........That is not to say some people are an exception and possess the logical sense to realize their life is spiraling downward.....
.......But.....most need that separation to dry out detoxify or abstain from whatever destructive behavior so they can accept their bottom or acknowledge their unmanageable life....and become willing.....
.......I received 60 days of full time substance abuse education and some outside meetings.......but more in house.....
.......So....I didn't actually start my 100 meetings in 100 days till after I left treatment.... those.....100 in 100 were my self applied aftercare follow up.....I was determined come hell or high water I wasn't going to waste my treatment or lose the ground I had gained.....
........I was actually thrilled to see that a strong fellowship of people struggling and suffering just like myself existed......!
.........And at last I had a sound logical explanation for my issue.....that I was spiritually Ill.....my thoughts were obsessed with my PHENOMENON OF CRAVING
AND WERE ACCOMPANIED BY AN ALLERGIC MANIFESTATION.
.......That I could not control by any willpower of my own.
.........Before reading the recovery text.....I had no belief whatsoever that there was a solution.....
........I had become resolute to accepting the fact that I was a drunkard....and probably would die an early death as one......
.........The text says we are like shipwreck survivors in that we have survived disaster to find ourselves in a life boat and have a reliance in one another through our unity of purpose ........!!!!
I functioned.....but not well by no means....I held a job paid the bills and drank a minimum of a fifth of hard liquor nightly....until I passed out or blacked out.....the sabbath was the only day I didn't drink....lol....it was detox day and laundry day.
I used other things also so I could keep going and keep drinking all night long or 3 days straight setting up playing poker.....or for fornication.....They used to stand me up in the corner and let me nap with one eye open.....so I could see If anyone was jacking with me or something of interest was occurring.....lol
.......But.....I,....Identified as an alcoholic despite all the other I also liked and partook of in mass..... and periodicly dealt in and had mass access to.....
........The Feds don't show up in your rearview because you're a DRUNK.....it's because you have to many other of the wrong kind of friends also.
........I was very very lucky....so when I came out of treatment I ran with it.....and didn't by the Grace of God fumble the ball......being charged only as a drunk....was only sheer luck!
.......As they say even though I was only 25....I had been making a decade hard run at it.....been shot at....several times.....way to many street and bar fights.....to many times escaping arrest and near death and all the garbage on the street....
........just being an adulterous fornicator can get you killed or close calls with it.....so
......It was time to put the plug in the jug before I got permanently locked up or covered up with dirt!!!😀
I was one of the sickest 25 yr olds you could imagine for 1985.....people.......
( rednecks/hillbillies ) I knew.....thought redneck jousting was funny and a great past time at 03:00 after being on a three day drunk what you do is you get one pickup at one end of main street....another at the other.
.......Then somebody in the spectator crowd waves the flag then you take off full speed at each other while firing firearms at each other!!!
.......hahaha......real funny when ya been drinking 200 proof shine for three days and you're ten ft tall and bullet proof......( NOT!!! ).....
........It don't get much more insane.......I had some biker friends also. Seen people die because they were in the wrong place....
.........I am a miracle like most people that survive the streets and their bad habits.
😀
 

calibob

Sinner saved by grace
May 29, 2018
8,268
5,516
113
Anaheim, Cali.
#76
Bill W was what we call Dual Diagnosis now. Being that he to was in and out of mental wards and was bi polar. He recognized in spite of his madness that there was more wrong that abstinence alone could not cure. Most people can't even admit to them selves the nature of our personality defects but while working the steps the true nature of our ism appears. The problem is 'ism', I self and me.

We can't fix a broken brain with a broken brain fortunately we have a guide in the steps and elders in the rooms that have gone through it. Most of us don't share out of condemnation but from experience. Eventually after the fog lifts we arrive at a place where experience, strength and hope shared by others seems valuable to our corrupted minds and a new beginning becomes visible beyond the self inflicted damage and a new hope I call faith is tangible.
 

Bingo

Well-known member
Feb 9, 2019
9,219
4,755
113
#77
"Back in the day....worked hard...drank hard!...:) 10614270_351127628381105_5067771948193839072_n - Copy.jpg
 

Bingo

Well-known member
Feb 9, 2019
9,219
4,755
113
#78
It takes a minimum I believe of 60 days treatment to lift the fog and confounding of substance abuse....or any addictive behaviors actually.
......Most people that are truly spiritually ill won't become willing to change until it becomes to painful not to!
........That is not to say some people are an exception and possess the logical sense to realize their life is spiraling downward.....
.......But.....most need that separation to dry out detoxify or abstain from whatever destructive behavior so they can accept their bottom or acknowledge their unmanageable life....and become willing.....
.......I received 60 days of full time substance abuse education and some outside meetings.......but more in house.....
.......So....I didn't actually start my 100 meetings in 100 days till after I left treatment.... those.....100 in 100 were my self applied aftercare follow up.....I was determined come hell or high water I wasn't going to waste my treatment or lose the ground I had gained.....
........I was actually thrilled to see that a strong fellowship of people struggling and suffering just like myself existed......!
.........And at last I had a sound logical explanation for my issue.....that I was spiritually Ill.....my thoughts were obsessed with my PHENOMENON OF CRAVING
AND WERE ACCOMPANIED BY AN ALLERGIC MANIFESTATION.
.......That I could not control by any willpower of my own.
.........Before reading the recovery text.....I had no belief whatsoever that there was a solution.....
........I had become resolute to accepting the fact that I was a drunkard....and probably would die an early death as one......
.........The text says we are like shipwreck survivors in that we have survived disaster to find ourselves in a life boat and have a reliance in one another through our unity of purpose ........!!!!
I functioned.....but not well by no means....I held a job paid the bills and drank a minimum of a fifth of hard liquor nightly....until I passed out or blacked out.....the sabbath was the only day I didn't drink....lol....it was detox day and laundry day.
I used other things also so I could keep going and keep drinking all night long or 3 days straight setting up playing poker.....or for fornication.....They used to stand me up in the corner and let me nap with one eye open.....so I could see If anyone was jacking with me or something of interest was occurring.....lol
.......But.....I,....Identified as an alcoholic despite all the other I also liked and partook of in mass..... and periodicly dealt in and had mass access to.....
........The Feds don't show up in your rearview because you're a DRUNK.....it's because you have to many other of the wrong kind of friends also.
........I was very very lucky....so when I came out of treatment I ran with it.....and didn't by the Grace of God fumble the ball......being charged only as a drunk....was only sheer luck!
.......As they say even though I was only 25....I had been making a decade hard run at it.....been shot at....several times.....way to many street and bar fights.....to many times escaping arrest and near death and all the garbage on the street....
........just being an adulterous fornicator can get you killed or close calls with it.....so
......It was time to put the plug in the jug before I got permanently locked up or covered up with dirt!!!😀
I was one of the sickest 25 yr olds you could imagine for 1985.....people.......
( rednecks/hillbillies ) I knew.....thought redneck jousting was funny and a great past time at 03:00 after being on a three day drunk what you do is you get one pickup at one end of main street....another at the other.
.......Then somebody in the spectator crowd waves the flag then you take off full speed at each other while firing firearms at each other!!!
.......hahaha......real funny when ya been drinking 200 proof shine for three days and you're ten ft tall and bullet proof......( NOT!!! ).....
........It don't get much more insane.......I had some biker friends also. Seen people die because they were in the wrong place....
.........I am a miracle like most people that survive the streets and their bad habits.
😀
"Thanks Simon for sharing!.....Boy, Howdy............Were we not sick and nuts...lol.....:)