Tag: Divine Destiny

Tetelestai Recovery

Why Unmet Emotional Needs Can Deplete Us

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We sometimes struggle in our relationships. We are confident, capable, and intelligent, yet the difficulty of certain interpersonal pressure makes us feel inadequate, insecure, and inferior. We sometimes invest ourselves in human connections but end up feeling depleted and exhausted. When our emotional needs are ignored, we feel short-changed. We need a place to find replenishment when our emotional pool runs dry.

We sometimes invest our emotional energy into relationships that consume us. We invest generously, with hopes of a healthy return, but face bitter disappointment when the dividends are given to another. Even when we invest into a mutually compatible relationship, we may still fail to see any substantial gains to our emotional portfolio.

We feel as if our investments should be growing and gaining in value but unfortunately, our emotional energy just does not replenish itself. Other human beings will not and cannot replenish us. Emotional needs are a problem. They have been a part of our lives, long before we knew what to call them.

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Tetelestai Recovery

Awakening Your Hidden Talents

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Meditation Moment                

  • Name some unique traits or interests that you remember having when you were younger:
    • Examples: Unique ideas or inventions, building things, taking things apart, making people laugh, helping friends with homework, caring for pets, etc.
    • Other Traits: exceptionally sensitive and empathetic, compassionate, attentive to detail, energetic and enthusiastic, strong-willed, etc.
  • What was the most common use of your imagination when you were young?
    • For example: Developing new and better ways of doing ordinary tasks, writing stories, creating artwork, playing musical instruments, singing, inventing new games, improving old games, developing team strategies, etc.
  • Are there unique qualities and talents buried inside you that God is telling you to call back to life?
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Tetelestai Recovery

Healing from Emotional Tar Pits: Fuel for the Future

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Astronaut standing near a bubbling dark toxic crater surrounded by animal skeletons in a rocky canyon

In the natural realm, we knew that all dead things did not fossilize. Some decomposed and turned into fuel. We realized it was no different in the spirit realm. We had spoken the words of God to our hard hearts and fossilized past. We watched as He brought our dead dreams back to life.

But we were also faced with the dilemma of what to do with the decomposing compost heap of our past, which should never be called back to life? What of the crimes, the addiction, the lost relationships, and wasted years? We certainly didn’t wish to see those carcasses rising up like zombies from the swamp.

Through this conflict, we discovered the significance of fossil fuels. As the hardened skeletal remains were good for a resurrection, the fossil fuel, made from decomposing waste, could be purified, and used as fuel to propel us into our destiny. A criminal history could be transformed into the fuel which would activate a prison ministry. A struggle with addiction and relapse could fuel a new recovery program. A failed relationship could provide the energy for personal growth in matters of romance and respect…

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Tetelestai Recovery

From Disappointment to Destiny: Finding Purpose Again

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In time, we became willing to enter our own valley of dry bones (Ezekiel 37) to speak life over what had been dead for so long.

We found the lifeless remains of enthusiasm, which had been suffocated by disappointment. We found fossils of unfinished projects, which might have been profound, had we not given up. We unearthed splintered fragments of gifts, talents, and abilities which had become casualties of our own sense of inadequacy.

Rather than viewing the carnage as evidence of a wasted life, we began to see it as dry bones coming back to life. By faith, we saw a powerful future rising up from the wreckage of our past.

In our New Normal, we spoke life over anything which reeked of death. In our New Normal, we commanded our dead dreams to rise up in service to our King. We did not think this was too much to expect, for we had been given the resurrection power of Christ. We had been urged to follow in the footsteps of our Creator, who…

“Gives life to the dead and calls into existence things that don’t yet exist.”  (Romans 4:17)

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Tetelestai Recovery

Earning Respect Instead of Demanding It: A New Perspective

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Warrior in armor and elf in hooded cloak shaking hands surrounded by magical energy

Our New Normal offered many pleasant surprises. Some of our upgrades were unfamiliar, yet welcome. We enjoyed becoming an honorable person. We were delighted to be viewed as trustworthy. We stopped demanding respect and began earning it. We appreciated the new opportunities God sent our way. We looked in amazement at the doors which stood open in front of us. We looked with gratitude at the doors which had closed behind us.

The glaringly obvious issues had been removed with Jesus’ words, “It is finished!” and once we began moving out of our active addiction, much of the chaos connected with our former lifestyle settled down. We looked to the future with hope and knew that God was working out the more subtle issues, one at a time, little by little…

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Tetelestai Recovery

Finding God’s Purpose: Overcoming Personal Weaknesses

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We found relief in knowing that it was His pleasure to make us into the people He designed us to be.

“For God is working in you, giving you the desire and power to do what pleases Him.” 

(Philippians 2:13)   

   

Since time did not exist in the spiritual realm, we held fast to our faith that somewhere in time, His work in us had been completed.

“I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

(Philippians 1:6)

We claimed our territory in the New Normal, assured that He would drive out our defects, one issue at a time.

“Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of your territory.”

(Exodus 23:30)

We became confident in God’s declaration that He had gifted us with the proper tools and traits to become functional in the land of our New Normal.

“God gives life to the dead and calls things into existence that do not exist.”

(Romans 4:17)

  1. What defect has God taken away that you never thought possible?
  2. What defect has God removed that you didn’t even realize was a defect?
  3. What defect has God removed which made you feel as if you lost a part of yourself?
  4. What defect would you like God to remove now?
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Tetelestai Recovery

From Addiction to Redemption: My Journey

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I suffered from anxiety all  my life and didn’t know what to call it. I self-medicated with drugs and alcohol, which only made the problem worse. I ended up hitting bottom in the worst way and was facing prison. Thankfully, I didn’t run. I did my time and that is where I met Jesus. I continued progress after my release and recently celebrated 17 years clean and sober.

Since leaving prison, God has placed people in my path who would help me in my journey. One was a doctor who understood addiction and provided me with safe, legal, non-addictive medication that relieved my anxiety. Later, God brought a man into my life who was also in recovery. He had found Jesus and sobriety while incarcerated several years earlier and was currently hosting AA and NA meetings in our local jail. We eventually married and now enjoy a life that is better than we ever imagined possible. We owe all credit to Jesus who gathered up our shattered lives and restored us to sanity.

Through our journey and subsequent prison ministry, we wrote the book, Tetelestai Recovery: It is Finished, which details our journey into the freedom and recovery found in the final words of Jesus, “It is finished!”

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A Date With Destiny

Living in the Moment: Trust God’s Timing

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Countryside hills showing winter snow, spring flowers, summer greenery, and autumn foliage.

“The water continued to go down.  By the first day of the tenth month the tops of the mountains could be seen.”

(Genesis 8:5)

You are a grateful person who sees logic and organization in the way God sets precise timing for each moment of life.

 You do not spend your days lamenting the past, or worrying about the future. Instead, you choose to live in the moment and wait for God’s signal to tell you when the time is right to move forward. 

You can see in nature that seasons change according to God’s plan and perfect timing.  Seasons of dormancy usher in new growth and seasons of harvest give way to times of rest.

By waiting for God’s guidance, you can rest assured that your progress will be sure and steady. There will be times of waiting. There will be times of forward movement. Each step is scheduled for a specific season in your life which has been prearranged by God.

 You do not squander your life away by overwhelming your days with busyness. You enjoy each and every season, knowing that change is constant, and timing is everything.

You observe the stress and pressure on those who view time as an opponent to be overpowered, rather than a friend on which to lean.

You rely heavily on God and His timing to give you guidance and structure. You are relieved that there are times of waiting and preparation because this insures you do not have to take on everything at once.

You realize that some of the seasons of life are like the bitter winds of winter. These days are difficult and hard to endure. Sometimes the waiting is unbearable, but when the time is right, a warm gentle breeze breaks the icy chill and ushers in the colorful array of new growth. 

Therefore, you practice gratitude. You know that is what will get you through the difficult seasons when days are dark and minutes pass like hours.

Even though the waiting may seem endless and harsh, you know that if you wait for God to move first, you will always be in the right place at the right time.

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A Date With Destiny

Building Community Through Collaborative Service

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“They urgently pleaded with us for the privilege to participate with us in service to the Lord’s people.”

(2 Corinthians 8:4)

You understand the value of teamwork and are a firm believer in the increased productivity which results from having unified goals.

You excel at inspiring group participation. You are gifted at organizing projects and are known for being able to generate a sense of camaraderie amongst your colleagues. 

Not only do you share your inspiration, but you also share your success. You never keep the accolades to yourself. All team effort is received and enjoyed equally among all who participate.

In this passage, the believers wanted to joined forces with the early church leaders to help the ones who were struggling with financial, political, and legal issues because of their faith. The problem which began as a crisis, ended as an outrageously profitable experience for all involved. It was a windfall beyond their wildest expectation. This teamwork provided a sense of satisfaction and purpose for everyone who worked together for the common good of all.

This one event gave these young believers a solid sense of reliance on Jesus and on each other. This would serve them well in the years to come.

Like those trailblazers of ancient times, you value the bonds of trust which develop through teamwork.

You are not afraid to ask for help. You thrive on brainstorming and problem-solving endeavors. You are energized by the camaraderie of joint efforts and you thrive in collaborative groups.

You are a capable, dedicated teammate. You are also competitive and intense. You love to see your team win. You are you are passionate about victory celebrations and love to share in the rewards for a job well done.

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A Date With Destiny

Learning from Noah: Why Waiting Matters

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“So, the floodwaters gradually receded from the earth.”

(Genesis 8:3)

There are times when you are ready to move into a new phase of your journey, but you have not been given the signal that it is time to move forward. Like Noah waiting for the water to subside, you may have to be patient and wait before taking the next step.

As the anticipation about an exciting new project build, the wait can sometimes seem unbearable. However, without a signal from God that the time is right, an otherwise successful mission might become a disastrous mess.

If Noah had skipped the waiting period and began unloading the ark as soon as the rain stopped, the passengers and animals might have all perished in the flood waters.

While the ark was not the most desirable place to be, it was the safest. It may have been quite smelly and dirty, but it was the right place for Noah to wait. In time, the waters receded, but it was a gradual process which required great patience.

Even though the waiting might have been tedious and boring, it was necessary. Noah may have been ready, but the earth was not. 

Similarly, you also experience times when you are ready to take on a new assignment, but the new assignment is not ready for you.

Although waiting is often more difficult than the work itself, it is an essential element in your success.

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