RECOVERY-LIGHT-LIFE

"The dark does not destroy the light; it defines it.  It's our fear of the dark that casts out our joy into the shadows."           Brenee Brown "The truth will set you free."           Jesus Free from what, exactly?  And what truth?  Well, let's talk about that.  As a child growing up, did you ever hear "You should be ashamed of yourself!"  Actually, I don't ever remember hearing that, but for some reason I felt it.  Maybe some of you heard that a lot, and hearing that began to define how you felt about both yourself and others.  Or maybe you were just ignored. like you didn't matter.  Maybe you suffered some kind of abuse, and then felt that you were just a victim to other people, and maybe even to God.  We have all suffered some trauma, either "Big T" trauma or "small t" trauma...we cannot escape it.  I wrote earlier about the re-discovery of my identity...who I am really am...and how that both changed my life and bec

  "That doesn't work for me."           Jerri Jorgensen "First, be charitable to others and myself - equally.  This includes giving others unconditional love-as Jesus would-no matter how much we might disagree with their choices.  It also means I must love and respect myself. "Second, God gave me a voice, and he expects me to use it appropriately and respectfully, with the guidance of the Spirit... "Third and most important, God's love is perfect, absolute and unconditional, and the Savior's redemptive Grace is real."           Anita Stansfield     "I Can Choose Joy with God" Disclaimer...I write this only from my personal experience and study.  Obviously I'm not a therapist or an expert, and I like to say that the only things I know for sure are what I've experienced.  So...I am only an expert in my own recovery. In our Thursday night Addiction Recovery Program couple's meetings, we use two manuals..."Healing Through