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THE TWELVE LIFE RECOVERY GIFTS :: CLARITY

REACHING HURTING WOMEN MINISTRIES OFFERS FOUR THEMES FOR CONTEMPLATION EVERY MONTH OF THE YEAR.
EACH OF THE POWER-PACKED THEMES ARE A 12-MONTH STUDY SERIES ASSIGNED TO A SPECIFIC FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH BEGINNING IN JANUARY. IN MONTHS WITH FIVE FRIDAYS I’LL BE REVIEWING TOUCHING INSPIRATIONAL MUSIC. COME ALONG. LET’S LEARN SOME NEW THINGS TOGETHER!
For my addiction recovery work this year I’m going through The Twelve Gifts of Life Recovery by Stephen Arterburn and David Stoop. On the third Friday of each month in 2021 I will be sharing the blessings God brings us to honor our choices and encourage our recovery journey. This is the fourth post in the series. Today we are learning about the gift of clarity.

“The gift of clarity could be defined as the absence of denial–even the absence of a need for denial. Instead, there is a transparency, even purity, in how we present ourselves and see ourselves.” ~ The Twelve Gifts of Life Recovery

When we are actively struggling with our addiction or compulsions we are living in denial or a false sense of reality. Usually we think of denial as a way to fool others. But really denial is designed to distort our thinking so that we won’t confront the problem at hand. Only after the Light of Christ shines His love and healing grace on our lives can we have any hope of coming to the transforming clarity that recovery gifts to us.

Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. ~ 1 Corinthians 13:12

In recent days I’ve been in put in a position where my commitment to sobriety was tested. Thank God I passed those tests.  And I not only passed them, but I came away from each situation with a stronger resolve than ever that there is absolutely no turning back!

Everything I have worked for during these past 16+ years of life recovery is not worth a few minutes to try to satiate a temporal, insatiable physical desire. Thank God for His gift of clarity that continues to help me stay focused on the truth of what is important in my life, not only for me, but for my family.

“When we are actively in recovery, we receive the gift of seeing things with clarity, and the truth comes back into focus.” ~ The Twelve Gifts of Life Recovery

Contemplate the gift of clarity in your life with this beautify song by For All Seasons. Remember if your life isn’t good, God’s not finished with it yet!

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THE HOLY SPIRIT :: FRUIT – LOVE AND JOY

REACHING HURTING WOMEN MINISTRIES OFFERS FOUR THEMES FOR CONTEMPLATION EVERY MONTH OF THE YEAR.
EACH OF THE FOUR POWER-PACKED THEMES ARE A 12-MONTH STUDY SERIES ASSIGNED TO A SPECIFIC FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH. IN MONTHS WITH FIVE FRIDAYS I’LL BE REVIEWING TOUCHING INSPIRATIONAL MUSIC.
On the second  Friday of each month in 2021 we’re studying the Holy Spirit. We will learn who the Holy Spirit is, about His gifts and fruit given to us as believers and how to walk those out in our life each day. This is the fourth post in The Holy Spirit Study series.

While the gifts of Holy Spirit are virtues, the fruit are the resulting moral actions that flow from those gifts. With the help of Holy Spirit we are able to walk in these fruit during our daily lives and display them to those around us. In today’s post we will focus on the fruit of love and joy.

But the fruit produced by the Holy Spirit within you is divine love in all its varied expressions: joy that overflows, peace that subdues, patience that endures, kindness in action, a life full of virtue, faith that prevails, gentleness of heart, and strength of spirit. ~ Galatians 5:22

LOVE is key. Without it nothing we do matters.

But earnestly desire and zealously cultivate the greatest and best gifts and graces (the higher gifts and the choicest graces). And yet I will show you a still more excellent way [one that is better by far and the highest of them all—love]. ~ 1 Corinthians 12:31 

Love heads up the list of all the fruit of the Spirit. It is not only the foundation, but holds all the other fruit together. Love is the greatest manifestation of God’s Presence in our lives. If we are not having regular personal contact with God in His Word, prayer and worship, this fruit will be missing in the action of our life.  Without love our faith doesn’t mean anything.

CONFESS LOVE OVER YOUR LIFE TODAY (from 1 Corinthians 13)

“I am patient and kind. I am not envious or boastful, rude or haughty. I’m not self-seeking. I don’t insist on my own way. I’m not touchy or fretful. I never fail because God’s love is in me!”

JOY in abundance overflows from His Presence!

With triumphant joy you will drink deeply
from the wells of salvation. ~ Isaiah 12:3

God puts His joy in us when we’re born again. Unlike the temporary happiness the world has to offer, joy isn’t dependent on outward circumstances. Rather it’s a powerful force that resides in us and overflows in abundance as we continue in personal contact with God by His Word, worship and prayer. The more fellowship we have with Him, the more joy will flow in our life.

CONFESS JOY OVER YOUR LIFE TODAY (from 2 Corinthians 2:14)

“I’m not moved by my circumstance or what I see. I am only moved by God’s Word and He always brings me to victory. I choose praise and thanksgiving. I choose joy today!”

Stay in close personal contact with God each day to walk in the abundance of the fruit of love and joy in your life. Be intentional to spend time with God in His Word and participate in some form of worship and prayer time. When we do we will find our levels of love and joy will increase exponentially.

Today we have two videos to top off our post! These songs will get the love and joy fruit of the Spirit energies flowing in your life. Turn it up for: Real Love by Hillsong Young and Free and Joy by For King and Country.