Tag: Hope

Six people holding hands in a circle on a mountain during sunrise with misty hills in the background
A Date With Destiny

Developing Spiritual Gifts through Supportive Relationships

lastwordrecovery
Happy Birthday April 15
Happy Birthday April 15

“By speaking the truth in a spirit of love, we grow up in every way to Christ, who is the head.” Ephesians 4:15

You are blessed with honest friends who offer guidance to help you discover the destiny God has laid out before you. These caring souls protect you with their prayers and support you in developing your gifts and talents.

You are grateful for their impact on your life because due to these relationships, you have risen to greater heights of spiritual and personal growth.

On some occasions, you may sense that you are lost. You get an eerie feeling that you are going in circles. These are the times when your authentic friends come to your rescue. 

You do not resent their intrusion into your confusion, but rather you welcome their encouragement and support.

Your willingness to receive honest feedback offers you many unique learning opportunities. Tapping into the experience of others, you are wise beyond your years.

You are a gifted leader and can communicate directives in clear, concise, logical steps. With this God given ability, you offer honest and reliable guidance to others who are on their own quest for knowledge and enlightenment.

This comes with enormous responsibility which you do not take lightly.

As a person after God’s own heart, you understand the value of honesty, but you do not indulge in brutal honesty.  You know that you must always choose your words carefully, so they are delivered with love and received with gratitude.

Find out more about April 15th birthday people!

A Date with Destiny – April 15

Bright blue beam of light descending into a dark, jagged mountain valley with glowing flora.
Tetelestai Recovery

Harnessing Positive Energy to Overpower Cognitive Distortions

lastwordrecovery

To pull down these internal strongholds of cognitive distortion, we speak words of life, newness, clean slate, fresh start, and positive energy. We claim power and healing in the promises of God. We absorb life-giving, life-sustaining words from our spiritual siblings. We notice words of life all around us, electrifying the atmosphere with sparks of light. We generate spiritual energy when we speak these words to ourselves and our fellow travelers. Our power intensifies as we receive words of life from Sacred Text, songs of praise, prayer, and uplifting conversations.

These energy producing words are breaking through the barriers and exposing the enemy’s hiding places. Our strongholds are crumbling like the walls of Jericho as we shout praise to God. These vibrations from our vocal cords pulverize the enemy’s garrison like a jackhammer.

The simplicity of using words of life to break down strongholds and fight spiritual battles is a major breakthrough. We speak hope and healing to ourselves and each other, then watch in anticipation as the walls begin to crumble…

Continue reading
Winding dirt road with puddles reflecting a dramatic orange sunset over distant rolling hills.
Tetelestai Recovery

Understanding Trials: Building Faith and Patience

lastwordrecovery

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” James 1:2-4

As it turns out, these times when we feel spiritually depleted or disinterested are not red flags for us to fret over. They are simply tests. These temporary times when we lack inspiration or get caught up in life’s drama have no bearing on our position in Christ or our commitment to His work.

We have come to understand that the testing of our faith can never happen during good times when inspiration flows freely, we are highly motivated, and praise songs play on a loop in our heads. Times of high spiritual energy and passion are thrilling, but they can’t do the work of generating patience. Only the testing of our faith can do that…

continue reading

A narrow dirt hiking trail winds through wildflowers toward majestic, sunlit mountain peaks.
Tetelestai Recovery

Navigating Faith’s Highs and Lows

lastwordrecovery

As we release our addictions with the words of Jesus, “It is finished!” and settle comfortably into our new normal, we feel gratitude beyond words. The dysfunctions we struggled with in the past are fading in the distance. We are on firm footing and making solid progress.

Sometimes we make really good progress and are pleased with the distance we cover in such a short time. We feel that our relationship with God is in great shape, and we are motivated by our sense of accomplishment.

At other times, however, we feel as if we were trudging through mud, putting one foot in front of the other, lacking any drive or inspiration. We feel inadequate, overwhelmed, and disinterested. During these times, we don’t feel so great about our relationship with God. We assume He is disappointed with our lack of energy and enthusiasm.

These times are rare, but they happen often enough to make us question our stability and resolve. We wonder if one of these periods might last so long that we will just give in and give up.

We don’t want to lose what we have gained, and we don’t want to miss the joy of the journey, so the thought of trudging through the marshy swampland of doubt, discouragement, and disagreement feels very threatening.

We love the mountaintops and the flowery meadows, but we must face the fact that dry deserts and muddy bogs are also part of the expedition. We must make peace with both if we want to get where we are going.

When the roads are easy, we feel joy in looking back to see how far we’ve come. When the roads are difficult, we seem to take one step forward, two steps back. Sometimes we slip and fall. Sometimes we just stand still and shrug. Even when we do finally get on firm footing again and start to move forward, we scold ourselves for not being stronger, more resilient, or more determined…

continue reading

A person with hands on face stands by a sunlit window while papers fly around.
Tetelestai Recovery

Understanding the ‘Suddenly’ Miracles: Lessons from Jesus

lastwordrecovery
A person with hands on face stands by a sunlit window while papers fly around.

As the believers waited in the upper room, the writer of Acts reported, “Suddenly, there was a sound like a mighty rushing wind…”

We see the word ‘suddenly’ and are reminded of those miracles we love so much. Jesus feeding the 5000 in a single afternoon; healing a blind man with mud; telling a dead girl to get up; and dozens of other stories set in a supernatural time warp, where the magic was instantaneous, and the desired results were immediate.

Obviously, Jesus was on a mission. He was out to prove that He was from God and to demonstrate the will of God by healing, delivering, feeding, and forgiving. If His miracles didn’t occur instantly, it would have been difficult for the onlookers to make the connection that Jesus was the one who had been the catalyst.

Additionally, while Jesus was in human form, the supernatural power of God did not have to travel through a flawed human to reach its destination. Perhaps His miracles were instantaneous because divine energy could flow freely through such a pure vessel. It didn’t get clogged up by the spiritual sediment and emotional toxins that the rest of us humans tend to carry. But, for whatever reason, miracles in Jesus’ day seem different than the miracles today. We rarely experience immediate, supernatural, instantaneous miracles and many of us struggle to hold onto our faith when we are waiting for our miracle to arrive…

Continue reading

Swirling trails of blue, purple, and gold light against a dark, blurred backdrop.
Tetelestai Recovery

Embracing Movement: The Journey from Here to There

lastwordrecovery
Swirling trails of blue, purple, and gold light against a dark, blurred backdrop.

In our human condition, we seem to find ourselves here, trying to get there. Then, when we finally get there, it becomes here, and a new there looms on the horizon.

We are not made to be static or immobile. We are made to move. We are designed to set goals and achieve them. We are passionate about progress and driven by ambition. However, we are often annoyed by the process.

Waiting is exhausting. Waiting is painful. Waiting is a violation of our sense of urgency. Waiting disrespects the value of our time.

continue reading

Moss-covered stone heart with golden light glowing from a large central crack.
Tetelestai Recovery

Overcoming Emotional Depletion and Finding Balance

lastwordrecovery
Moss-covered stone heart with golden light glowing from a large central crack.

When we pull away from relationships because the emotional cost is too great, we feel like a bad person. We want to follow the leadership of Jesus. We want to be the kind of person who turns the other cheek and goes the extra mile. But being that person takes its toll on our sense of well-being. Our trust turns into suspicion. Our self-sacrifice turns into self-defense and self-preservation. We become discouraged and frustrated. Our personal investments don’t always pay off and it seems pointless to throw any more emotional currency toward relationships that are bankrupting us.

With our emotional center depleted, it is easy to just shut down and go dark. For some of us, the darkness is called depression, and we struggle with thoughts of self-harm. For some of us, the darkness is shoved aside with distractions. We bury ourselves in work, entertainment, shopping, or anything else that will keep us from dealing with our unmet emotional needs.

These needs keep us running from one relationship to another; one career path to another; one church to another; one substance to another. We play the blame game, accusing our parents, our partners, or our culture. We know we have unmet emotional needs, so we are naturally drawn toward people and situations that promise to meet them. Of course, it is only a matter of time before they fail us. No human can fully meet our deep emotional needs. It is a painful lesson we have to learn time and time again, until we begin to understand what it means to level up.

We must accept the fact that no human being is equipped to completely fulfill another human being’s emotional, spiritual, and psychological needs. It is just not possible. And it is not their fault.

To level up, we must set aside our petty resentments about how others fail us. We must admit, we are foolish to think they won’t. They are human too!  

From this new perspective, we begin to see Philippians 4:19 much differently. God promises to meet all our needs. Not just physical and spiritual, but emotional as well…

continue reading

Bright sunbeams radiating through gnarled tree branches in a moss-covered forest.
A Date With Destiny

Rejecting Violence: Embracing Integrity and Authenticity

lastwordrecovery
Happy Birthday March 31
Happy Birthday March 31

Proverbs 3:31

“Don’t be jealous of people who use violence and don’t choose to be like them.”

Knowing that evil comes in many forms, you trust the Spirit to guide your intuition.

Maintaining a firm sense of right and wrong, you reject the evil presence of hatred and prejudice. You shun pride and arrogance. You see through deception and prefer to surround yourself with people who are authentic.

You avoid paths that lead to drama and chaos. Your sense of self is deeply rooted in your desire to do the right thing. You live by a set of standards which are aligned with God’s will and your own personal integrity.

Without judgment, repulsion or excuse, you simply detach yourself from people who exhibit little concern for the pain they cause, or the negative impact they have on their fellow humans.

You do not join in with others who belittle or diminish another’s worth. You remove yourself from environments which are darkened by oppression, hate, prejudice, and intolerance.

Evil offends you deeply. You don’t understand why people are so cruel to each other.  In times of conflict, you seek God’s protection, so you don’t fall prey to this temptation yourself.

In quiet times, as you vent to God in heartfelt prayers, He hears and understands. This evil that grieves you, grieves Him too.

read more about March 31
A Date With Destiny

Embracing Struggles: Discovering God’s Presence in Adversity

lastwordrecovery

The Lord cares deeply about you and comes to your rescue whenever you ask for His help.

God sees that some of the things you go through are difficult. You know that help is required if you are going to be able to withstand the pressure and come through to the other side, unscathed.

With the calm reassurance of angels at your side, these struggles do not leave you weakened. Instead, you emerge from difficult predicaments with a newfound awareness of your position in God’s family.

You sense His presence of with greater intensity during times when you are down and finding it impossible to stand on your own.  Because of this, you have learned to be grateful for your struggles, because they generate a new level of intimacy between you and your Creator.

Because you know He is there to carry the heaviness you feel after having been wronged, He enables you to move freely into forgiveness where healing can be found. 

Assured that the Creator of the Universe is interested in what happens to you, and is willing to help whenever you ask, your confidence is solid and no earthly problem can shake it.

learn more about march 25
A Date With Destiny

3/21 Finding Freedom in God’s Grace: Letting Go of Guilt

lastwordrecovery

1 John 3:21…”Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence.”

You lead a carefree life because you release your mistakes and weaknesses into the safe grace of God.

When regret or guilt trouble you, they immediately become the next topic of conversation with God. You talk with your Heavenly Father throughout the day about the issues which plague your thoughts. As you share your memories with God, you find a sense of release. Your thoughts are turned toward His forgiveness and mercy, rather than your own failures and remorse.

You receive clemency from Christ, which wipes the slate clean. You understand this is not a once-in-a-life-time free pass, but it is a gift of grace, providing you with a fresh start whenever you need one, throughout your entire life.

When you talk things out with God, regrets are resolved, and guilt is eliminated.

Knowing that Christ has liberated you from any past mistakes, you are overwhelmed with gratitude rather than guilt.

learn more about march 21