"The morning after" and "not disqualified" are the titles of two Life Recovery Journal sharings relating to Peter's handling of denying his Master three times and his being sought out afterward by his Master to continue the work that they had started.
These great demonstrations of unconditional love are powerful reminders for me that no matter what I have done, will do or am doing, that God accepts me and wants me as a partner in His journey anyway.
The sequence of events is beautiful
-Jesus tells Peter you will deny me three times (He knew)
-Peter denies the possibility of any denial
-Peter denies Jesus three times after seeing His Master crucified
-Peter weeps bitterly (his humanity/fear won out) THIS IS THE MORNING AFTER
-Peter restarts his fishing business thinking he was disqualified even when Jesus rose.
-Jesus comes to him again when Peter is fishing and for the second time says "follow me" NOT DISQUALIFIED
The writer drew these conclusions: God's love for us does not skip a beat for any reason and God's gifts and His call (on us) can never be withdrawn!
AS WE PARTY TONIGHT TO BRING IN THE NEW YEAR, LET'S LOOK FOR THE ONE WHO LOOKS UNCOMFORTABLE AND THEN GENTLY BE WITH HER/HIM IN A DEDICATED WAY.
Happy New Year!
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Generational sharing at Christmas dinner
Photos, eating, gift opening, playing games and I notice the different perceptions of each generation from the newest on up to the great gran who is visiting from the nursing home!
GENERATION THE SENSE IN BRACKETS
-#1 generation, quiet pensive, visiting from the home (not in control and feel it too)
-#2 generation, active and interested in all three other generations (time is passing)
-#3 generation, hosting and busiest (cannot possibly complete all tasks)
-#4 generation, opening gifts and no time for wonder or ponder (what can I do next that will be most fun?)
A family at Christmas time, sharing space and being together to celebrate, to eat and to give to one another as an act of love.
May the Good Lord bless our efforts to be good functional people in a world so consumed with the movement of products, pretty bodies and performance-based worth.
Merry Christmas and may each member fully enjoy, explore and be mindful of each and every other member of his/her family!
God bless!
GENERATION THE SENSE IN BRACKETS
-#1 generation, quiet pensive, visiting from the home (not in control and feel it too)
-#2 generation, active and interested in all three other generations (time is passing)
-#3 generation, hosting and busiest (cannot possibly complete all tasks)
-#4 generation, opening gifts and no time for wonder or ponder (what can I do next that will be most fun?)
A family at Christmas time, sharing space and being together to celebrate, to eat and to give to one another as an act of love.
May the Good Lord bless our efforts to be good functional people in a world so consumed with the movement of products, pretty bodies and performance-based worth.
Merry Christmas and may each member fully enjoy, explore and be mindful of each and every other member of his/her family!
God bless!
Saturday, December 14, 2013
Evidence follows freedom
"I must give it away in order to keep it!" We mean that wherever we have been able to overcome a wrong behaviour, be it criminal, illness, addiction or whatever; when we seek out another sufferer and share our success story, we greatly increase our ability to retain the gift of freedom
The early over-comers of addiction were unsuccessful until they shared their way of overcoming with another. The more people who were helped, the further away that draw to relapse seemed to go. When we look for a way to be of service, we cannot be creating resentments the number one trigger for relapse.
I believe it is intelligent to take our serious difficulties in life and treat them as seriously as those who have overcome addiction did! When one has been freed of a vice, there is a NEW ability to serve, as the preoccupation with the vice no longer dictates life's direction. Those who choose to serve in the effort to free others seem touched by God's grace! They seem to know their freedom has been granted supernaturally and that although they do not do it for that reason, there seems nothing more satisfying than to see another find that same freedom!
The decision to seek out a hurting soul and offer a hand up is great evidence that a life has changed!
The early over-comers of addiction were unsuccessful until they shared their way of overcoming with another. The more people who were helped, the further away that draw to relapse seemed to go. When we look for a way to be of service, we cannot be creating resentments the number one trigger for relapse.
I believe it is intelligent to take our serious difficulties in life and treat them as seriously as those who have overcome addiction did! When one has been freed of a vice, there is a NEW ability to serve, as the preoccupation with the vice no longer dictates life's direction. Those who choose to serve in the effort to free others seem touched by God's grace! They seem to know their freedom has been granted supernaturally and that although they do not do it for that reason, there seems nothing more satisfying than to see another find that same freedom!
The decision to seek out a hurting soul and offer a hand up is great evidence that a life has changed!
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Developing Sharing-Power?
So we have worked a program to the best of our ability for the last 12 months.
WE recognized how powerless we were to fix ourselves with will power and we accepted that God could!
WE asked God to take over the reins in all areas moving ahead!
WE took inventory of our lives to date, realizing we had fallen short in many areas just like everyone else who dared to look, would also discover!
WE admitted or confessed the worst of ourselves to God and at least one person!
WE moved on to amend our past and ask for forgiveness from anyone we may have harmed.
WE practised regular inventory-taking (daily or weekly) and with God's help, corrected our wrongs as we went along.
WE learned the meaning of two way prayer by learning how to listen to and experience God while seeking His will and not our own!
WE sought out others with whom to share our experience, strength and hope by telling our stories of overcoming and survival wherever we felt guided to do so. We also remembered that the key to it all was that we were always at least three (God, ourself and the person with whom we shared).
The original formula really started to spread when three (God and two vets) ministered to a fourth!
In our own groups we have found that this principle holds especially true in prayer sessions where someone is asking for specific direction in an area of life. Mystically the Spirit works more powerfully when at least two persons go to a third!
GRATITUDE MEETING TUESDAY DEC 17, POT LUCK, ALL WELCOME!
CONTACT SCOTT FOR DETAILS scott@sharingtheburden.ca
So we have worked a program to the best of our ability for the last 12 months.
WE recognized how powerless we were to fix ourselves with will power and we accepted that God could!
WE asked God to take over the reins in all areas moving ahead!
WE took inventory of our lives to date, realizing we had fallen short in many areas just like everyone else who dared to look, would also discover!
WE admitted or confessed the worst of ourselves to God and at least one person!
WE moved on to amend our past and ask for forgiveness from anyone we may have harmed.
WE practised regular inventory-taking (daily or weekly) and with God's help, corrected our wrongs as we went along.
WE learned the meaning of two way prayer by learning how to listen to and experience God while seeking His will and not our own!
WE sought out others with whom to share our experience, strength and hope by telling our stories of overcoming and survival wherever we felt guided to do so. We also remembered that the key to it all was that we were always at least three (God, ourself and the person with whom we shared).
The original formula really started to spread when three (God and two vets) ministered to a fourth!
In our own groups we have found that this principle holds especially true in prayer sessions where someone is asking for specific direction in an area of life. Mystically the Spirit works more powerfully when at least two persons go to a third!
GRATITUDE MEETING TUESDAY DEC 17, POT LUCK, ALL WELCOME!
CONTACT SCOTT FOR DETAILS scott@sharingtheburden.ca
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Our newest meeting in Scarborough proves to be fascinating as we evolve into the true place for all to share safely. We were found last evening by a lady who picked up a brochure in a hospital, made a phone call, was pleased with the sound at the other end of the line and showed up. She simply said "It just all seemed to come together as it should and I believe God has guided me here tonight".
Her courage to share created a transparency in us all that allowed greater unburdening for many! The power and the sense of love and family we have with such new friends is not short of miraculous!
Two people will bring their daughters next week and we hope and pray that the age barriers will be eliminated with the power of sharing and identifying with feelings, as we sense how others have always gone before us and created a path to follow!
I have seen this identification happen in the past where an older person would speak to young people about his/her own pain in youth as he/she grew up in dysfunctional or unhealthy type atmospheres where such as addiction, mental illness or alcoholism controlled the home. Those who relate emotionally sense no age boundary as they share tears and heartfelt moments together!
SHARING POWER CREATES MIRACLES
Her courage to share created a transparency in us all that allowed greater unburdening for many! The power and the sense of love and family we have with such new friends is not short of miraculous!
Two people will bring their daughters next week and we hope and pray that the age barriers will be eliminated with the power of sharing and identifying with feelings, as we sense how others have always gone before us and created a path to follow!
I have seen this identification happen in the past where an older person would speak to young people about his/her own pain in youth as he/she grew up in dysfunctional or unhealthy type atmospheres where such as addiction, mental illness or alcoholism controlled the home. Those who relate emotionally sense no age boundary as they share tears and heartfelt moments together!
SHARING POWER CREATES MIRACLES
Monday, November 25, 2013
Persistent prayer is the message in today's Life Recovery Devotional. The scripture the author references is Luke 11: 5-10.
The step (11) talks of praying to improve a conscious contact with God, yet we're told the our prayers are to be for the knowledge of His will only and for the power to carry it out once we are certain of what it is! I believe God wants our best effort when that is only available with His help. Do we ask for it?
It seems to me that daily prayers asking for guidance should be the main focus along with gratitude for whatever that direction happens to be. Persistence in the "listening to God" department could be the major stumbling block for many of us. Recording, by writing our thoughts and prayer-time experiences proves to be be invaluable for several reasons. Here are but a few:
-so we don't forget what we heard in our time with God
-so we can discuss the guidance and separate the God-thoughts from our own
-so we can discuss the guidance with sharing partners
-so we can critique our activities to see if we are following God's instructions during the day
As we practice two way prayer (1-asking and 2-listening and recording) to resolve issues when in a group setting of two or more persons, we are finding the recording of thoughts and experiences (in writing by all present) to be a place where God demonstrates His power of using one person's prayer for someone's issue as a way to speak to many about a myriad of different things. When each shares her/his thoughts and experiences around the table, it feels to me like we are all being intimate with God simultaneously and our faith is growing stronger!
Thursday, November 21, 2013
As we share our burdens and as new people join us to find help for the burdens of others (friends or family members, hurt or ill), we see the direction of our focus shifting more toward prayer and we see the tremendous power in GROUP participation prayer. This is where everyone listens quietly and records all thoughts/experiences as one person prays out loud specifically for the issue of one other. When we all share our recorded notes we experience God's power to speak to so many at once about so many different things!
Our step meetings are moving us to experience God's nature in a far grander more intimate way than before. This eleventh step month is teaching me so much about humility and how important it is for me to reach ever higher to attain to it. My only other thought today is our slogan "KEEP COMING BACK" because greater things have yet to come!
I have attached a flyer for a morning event this Saturday, where a few of us will be sharing on our journey of 12 step journeys. This OPEN concept means that all are welcome, just like our own meetings. This will be a great place to learn about recovery from several perspectives (the addict. the codependent, the God seeker)!
Hope some will join Julia and me!
Old Bud shared a few of my burdens in the old days!
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
POWERLESS or powerlessness?
As we put our new "glimpse the entire Sharing The Burden program" with 4 sessions to take all steps, our focus on this "NOT IN CONTROL" of much, sets the course for the entire program!
We ask questions like:
-Do I accept that I cannot control another person?
-Is my life really manageable?
-Do I trust my feelings and make decisions based on them? What's my success rate?
-When completely alone without activity (no reading TV exercise etc.) am I comfortable?
-What triggers my emotions?
-What shames me?
-Do I seek approval?
-Do I focus on others' behaviours
-Do I offer solutions when no one has asked for them?
This searching brings many to the place where they know to varying degrees , they are not in control!
Have you tried prayer when feeling powerless or hurt?
From where, do you think you get whatever power you have?
As we put our new "glimpse the entire Sharing The Burden program" with 4 sessions to take all steps, our focus on this "NOT IN CONTROL" of much, sets the course for the entire program!
We ask questions like:
-Do I accept that I cannot control another person?
-Is my life really manageable?
-Do I trust my feelings and make decisions based on them? What's my success rate?
-When completely alone without activity (no reading TV exercise etc.) am I comfortable?
-What triggers my emotions?
-What shames me?
-Do I seek approval?
-Do I focus on others' behaviours
-Do I offer solutions when no one has asked for them?
This searching brings many to the place where they know to varying degrees , they are not in control!
Have you tried prayer when feeling powerless or hurt?
From where, do you think you get whatever power you have?
Try taking the questions into nature and ponder them!
Monday, November 18, 2013
I am writing-Sharing The Burden's steps to emotional sobriety in four one hour sessions POWERLESS, IDENTIFICATION, PRAYER, SHARING. A complete view of a proven support program for the hurting with exponential possibilities!
It is my hope that this effort will demonstrate the huge possibility for healing from any emotional pain by starting with this compressed view of our program and quickly taking the steps that have saved thousands physically, morally and spiritually since the 1930's. Our slogan "Keep Coming Back" sets the tone for a meaningful life with new purpose built-in!
The original process designed for alcoholism was able to achieve a documented success rate of 75% for a disease which was deemed incurable and hopeless up to that point.
Our program follows these pioneers and proves that the original way of supporting the hurting, regardless the illness, is the way to achieve the highest rate of success. In other words, the fundamentals were sound and can be used successfully today by anyone who will commit to a simple way of practical living combined with balanced spiritual relating.
Come to our existing meetings any time. You will always be welcome and never out of place! Check our website for meeting times and come back to the blog for updates on our progress with the 4 week intro-program mentioned above!
It is my hope that this effort will demonstrate the huge possibility for healing from any emotional pain by starting with this compressed view of our program and quickly taking the steps that have saved thousands physically, morally and spiritually since the 1930's. Our slogan "Keep Coming Back" sets the tone for a meaningful life with new purpose built-in!
The original process designed for alcoholism was able to achieve a documented success rate of 75% for a disease which was deemed incurable and hopeless up to that point.
Our program follows these pioneers and proves that the original way of supporting the hurting, regardless the illness, is the way to achieve the highest rate of success. In other words, the fundamentals were sound and can be used successfully today by anyone who will commit to a simple way of practical living combined with balanced spiritual relating.
Come to our existing meetings any time. You will always be welcome and never out of place! Check our website for meeting times and come back to the blog for updates on our progress with the 4 week intro-program mentioned above!
 |
| Founder and son Sean working it together! |
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Well friends we are into the "Experiencing God" theme for November in keeping with our step 11, where we seek a conscious contact with God by praying and listening.
In both meetings this week members went over the piece entitled "How To Listen To God". This can be found at the bottom of the opening page on our website should you wish to read or print it out. We agreed that, in upcoming meetings this month, we would experiment as groups with the concept of praying (for a specific answer to an issue) and recording separately, in writing, all of our thoughts images and experiences that take place during the prayer process. We also have requests from some of you to do this privately at times to be arranged, outside the meetings.
For those of you who participate, expect to be amazed! I have never been involved in this, without someone in the group finding an answer to some mystery of one type or another!
Our fundraising campaign is not meant to put pressure on you in any way! We are simply looking to expand and we need help! You folks especially know whether our support system is of value or not and if you can help, we will issue tax receipts for income tax purposes! Feel free to give my name and contact information to anyone who wants information about Sharing The Burden, its goals and dreams!
See you Tuesday at TOB in Markham or Wednesday at Wexford in Scarborough!
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Increasing the Spiritual experience!
Sharing our experiences of God, whatever that means to our readers, is the focus of the 11th month this year at STB. We will record in writing (small groups working together) to demonstrate the effectiveness of the written word in our prayer lives. All I can say from experience and having prayed this way many times with many different people, is that, the process truly demonstrates a valid way to listen to God.
Read the following "How To Listen to God" and let me know your thoughts as you experiment on your own with the philosophy!
https://docs.google.com/viewer?pid=sites&srcid=ZGVmYXVsdGRvbWFpbnxzaGFyaW5ndGhlYnVyZGVufGd4OjUzZjM1NTFlMTkwOTczZQ&docid=3b1aff2456ce2ff90951751c8178b31d%7C3adcaeaa8ddf9058c3bcb33902c2ce31&a=bi&pagenumber=1&w=800
Read the following "How To Listen to God" and let me know your thoughts as you experiment on your own with the philosophy!
https://docs.google.com/viewer?pid=sites&srcid=ZGVmYXVsdGRvbWFpbnxzaGFyaW5ndGhlYnVyZGVufGd4OjUzZjM1NTFlMTkwOTczZQ&docid=3b1aff2456ce2ff90951751c8178b31d%7C3adcaeaa8ddf9058c3bcb33902c2ce31&a=bi&pagenumber=1&w=800
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Back to blogging the step work as it changes me...
We now meet in two separate locations and we are prepared to set up interested parties with their own "Sharing The Burden" support meeting.
Requirements are minimal: a place to meet, finances for a number of start up books and at least two interested people. Most importantly we must meet and have a few meetings together, either at your location or at our existing meetings in Markham,Ontario or Scarborough Ontario, before proceeding to start another.
We must remember that as a fellowship with NO REQUIREMENT for qualification, the direction of a meeting can be shifted very easily and in order for the meetings to produce maximum results regarding healing and recovering, the basics of chairing principles of a successful 12 step meeting must be in hand. Every meeting will still take on a unique flavour due to its participants and the burdens they share, yet the promises of spiritual change will happen regardless!
Note also for any 12 step members of existing fellowships, we are in NO WAY WHATSOEVER in competition with any one of them and we suggest, you will likely always find them as useful as they are today in your lives. We are registered with Alcoholics Anonymous New York and have received permission to adapt the 12 steps as we have done and use them to help people in any way we can. Ours is a support system for all who are interested in our way of working the adapted steps. We use various existing 12 step literature as well as The Life Recovery Bible system with its tools and aids. The previous experience of our members in various existing 12 step orgs has made the evolvement of STB possible, without it, we could not have been successful! For that we are immeasurably grateful!
It is of utmost importance to STB and its board of directors that our position be understood. We believe the future of 12 step recovery may well reside in the various existing orgs being able to get along well together without affiliation. Our recent day called "Sharing Heals You and Me" was successful only because many members of various 12 step fellowships found it appropriate to share their experience strength and hope with each other on a common platform. The idea was simple, share wider to deliver the gift of 12 steps to a wider audience.
October (month 10) therefore step 10 is our focus for the month.
Have a look at these two links and you may get a better idea where we at Sharing The Burden (STB) are coming from.
http://youtu.be/xAO2u099jh0
http://youtu.be/R5Fk7t0zGvo
Existing meetings Tuesday evening The Olive Branch Community Church Markham, ON Canada
Wed. evening Wexford United Church Scarborough ON, Canada
Scott@sharingtheburden.ca
Requirements are minimal: a place to meet, finances for a number of start up books and at least two interested people. Most importantly we must meet and have a few meetings together, either at your location or at our existing meetings in Markham,Ontario or Scarborough Ontario, before proceeding to start another.
We must remember that as a fellowship with NO REQUIREMENT for qualification, the direction of a meeting can be shifted very easily and in order for the meetings to produce maximum results regarding healing and recovering, the basics of chairing principles of a successful 12 step meeting must be in hand. Every meeting will still take on a unique flavour due to its participants and the burdens they share, yet the promises of spiritual change will happen regardless!
Note also for any 12 step members of existing fellowships, we are in NO WAY WHATSOEVER in competition with any one of them and we suggest, you will likely always find them as useful as they are today in your lives. We are registered with Alcoholics Anonymous New York and have received permission to adapt the 12 steps as we have done and use them to help people in any way we can. Ours is a support system for all who are interested in our way of working the adapted steps. We use various existing 12 step literature as well as The Life Recovery Bible system with its tools and aids. The previous experience of our members in various existing 12 step orgs has made the evolvement of STB possible, without it, we could not have been successful! For that we are immeasurably grateful!
It is of utmost importance to STB and its board of directors that our position be understood. We believe the future of 12 step recovery may well reside in the various existing orgs being able to get along well together without affiliation. Our recent day called "Sharing Heals You and Me" was successful only because many members of various 12 step fellowships found it appropriate to share their experience strength and hope with each other on a common platform. The idea was simple, share wider to deliver the gift of 12 steps to a wider audience.
October (month 10) therefore step 10 is our focus for the month.
Have a look at these two links and you may get a better idea where we at Sharing The Burden (STB) are coming from.
http://youtu.be/xAO2u099jh0
http://youtu.be/R5Fk7t0zGvo
Existing meetings Tuesday evening The Olive Branch Community Church Markham, ON Canada
Wed. evening Wexford United Church Scarborough ON, Canada
Scott@sharingtheburden.ca
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