The Ring and Robe Await!

How low can you go?
For many of us, it can be very low, then some.
We are good people. High capacity. But something is wrong.
When we are out of alignment in some area – living outside of God’s design – this never ends well. Never.
Sometimes it is a crash and burn – visible to all.
Sometimes it is a slow, simmering boil that depletes us of life, love, and hope.
I was in Luke 15 today. It is a story for all of us. No heart is immune.
It is about a son who wanted to do life his way.
Because we live in freedom, he was allowed to do just that.
I am allowed to do just that!
In areas big and small, when I do life “my way” and it never ends pretty.
After a few rough months, I am facing up to the fact that once again in my life, I have responded to stress with Emotional Eating – pass the potato chips and the cookies, please!
Now my pants are tight. I don’t like what I see in the mirror. I am frustrated at myself and discouraged by the work ahead of me.
What do I do now?
I have been doing a good job of beating myself up. I have made a lot of excuses. (Life has been really, really rough!) I have also been making plans on how to dig myself out of this ditch.
But every issue in our lives is a matter of the heart. The outward symptoms, the outward mess, is only a symptom of the condition of my heart.
For real hope and real transformation, the 12-Steps set me back on the path to God and where He wants me to be – in His arms. His ring and His robe await me.
Oh! The return. Will I return to the One who made me, loves me, equips me for something more.
Hosea 14 is amazing. Amazing! Let His Word speak to you today.
Then take your heart on a walk through the 12-Steps below.

Where have you stepped out of alignment for God’s best in your life?
How will you respond? Wallow and wait? Or turn and return?
Look! There’s Jesus. He’s running and His arms are open wide.

Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you. Psalm 116:7

The 12-Steps for LIFE

1. We admitted we were powerless, that our lives had become unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves, Jesus of Nazareth, could restore us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

Onward!

Welcome! We are a group that gathers around the theme, “There has to be a better way.” We find it in the 4-word mission statement, “Run hard. Rest well.”

• It is a journey into the heart of God. It comes our way through an on-going exploration of four biblical rhythms that revive, replenish and restore: Sabbath Keeping, Sleep (and other simple stress-reducers), Stillness—personal retreat, and Solitude—personal retreat.
• It is an expedition that challenges us at every turn. It convicts us in deep, tender places. It alters our priorities and plans. It’s not for the faint of heart.
• It is adventure at its best – as we learn to run the race in a power not our own.

The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace. Psalm 29:11

First time here?