Where Have You Come From?

While reading a devotional recently God reminded me not to forget where I’ve come from; to remember all He has graciously brought me through.
I’m not talking about the horrible life of sin and self-destruction from years past, although that’s definitely something I never want to forget. I’m talking about the fresh, even seemingly small victories.   
I believe it’s critical not only to our future successes, but the successes we are currently walking in, that we remember what God brought us out of and remain grateful at all times.
Today I’m struggling with, what may seem like a silly problem, but I’m grateful even for the struggle because it is visible evidence of God’s blessing on our lives…
After living in a hotel room for the last year and a half with basically nothing to maintain, I’m having trouble transitioning back to the real world and the daily routines of running a home. Our new house is easily 10 times bigger than our little hotel room, and honestly a bit overwhelming.
I pushed through October’s move in, buried with boxes to unpack. Then came the holiday hustle… shopping, decorating, entertaining and house guests. I was running a marathon and literally lost 15 lbs!
Now that all the celebrating is over and the new year brings normality of life, I find myself hibernating in my bedroom, not living in this beautiful house God has given us.
In fact, when my best girlfriend from New Orleans was visiting in December, I told her I wanted to decorate our master bedroom like a hotel suite; with a beautiful TV console/dresser, a love seat sofa and a small table with chairs next to the fireplace. Laughingly, Whitney said, You can take the girl out of the hotel but you can’t take the hotel out of the girl. So true.
Some friends in one of my small groups prayed for me last week, so today I am doing better. 
I’m determined:
When I start to feel like everything is too much to handle…
I will stop and praise God for all He has done for me and my family.
When I beat myself up for not having the projects planned 2 years ago completed right away…
I will thank God for the resources to do them and trust His perfect timing for each project.
When overwhelmed with organizing drawers and cabinets…
I will thank God for the opportunity to give items away that can be a blessing to others.
I will take everything one day at a time.
He led them straight to safety, to a city where they could live. Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for all his wonderful deeds to them. -Psalm 107:7-8

Playing with Fire

Temptations are tricky. They sneak up on you when you least expect it. You’re going along, thinking you’ve got it all together and then…

WHAM!

A big fat temptation hits you!

Well, that’s not exactly true. We may be going along alright, but somehow, we’ve let an old thought or pattern creep back in. We become complacent or simply lazy with our boundaries.

Either way, it’s very dangerous.

In October my daily 12 Step devotional focuses on Step 10

We continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.

So far the readings have hit home. Hard!

Check out these samples:

Dealing with Anger: Deal with short-term anger before it turns into long-term destruction.

Preventing Relapse: Only God’s Word will help us continue in recovery and avoid the devastation of relapse.

Dangerous Pride: Even the pride we feel in recovery can set us up for temptation and relapse.

Spiritual Exercises: Continued inventory will keep us spiritual fit and strong in the face of temptation.

Personal Boundaries: Honest inventories help us maintain boundaries important to recovery.

Positive Thoughts: What we keep in our mind and heart determines what we do and say.

Perseverance: We cannot win the race for recovery by going just part of the way.

No Shortcuts: On our journey toward recovery, shortcuts are only stepping stones to a relapse.

Daily Recovery: We will always be tempted by our old lives; but we need not always fall prey to them.

Needless to say, I’ve been doing some serious reflecting.

I don’t know about you, but an enticing temptation is not worth what it could cost me; all the ground I’ve gained in my marriage and my family, not to mention my health and my very life. More than anything, I don’t want to compromise the testimony I have today.

It’s time to reassess boundaries. Put back up the concrete barriers that can protect my heart, mind and soul.

Make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. – Romans 13:14