Tag: Recovery

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

Overcoming Inner Strife: God’s Possibilities

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Greed, lust, strife, envy, deception, and fear were familiar to us. Generosity, honesty, loyalty, wisdom, honor, and humility existed outside of our comfort zone. These traits seemed unattainable for those of us who seemed so deeply damaged.

We sometimes felt it was impossible to be comfortable in such unfamiliar territory.

Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.” (Mark 10:27)

Within these words of Jesus, we found our stability. We stopped beating ourselves up for failing to accomplish what no human could. We realized our New Normal was a gift from God. We could not force it or coerce it. We would not need to use our old manipulation techniques to con Him into giving us a new life.

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Tetelestai Recovery

Embracing Change: Letting Go of the Old Ways

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Thankfully, our old ways became so frustrating and futile, we finally let them go. We felt like gymnasts on the uneven parallel bars. Releasing our grip on what had previously stabilized us, sent us reeling wildly in mid-air, hoping to catch hold of the new life when it came within reach. We grabbed at anything and everything that might be it.

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Tetelestai Recovery

Finding New Life After Addiction

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Neon-colored energy streams flowing through a dark, rain-soaked city street with glowing billboards and skyscrapers.

As we called an end to our addiction, using Christ’s words, “It is finished,” our recovery took root and began to grow into a new life filled with promise. We began to detect subtle changes in our thoughts and behaviors, but they often fluctuated so rapidly, we sometimes wondered if they were real or imagined. We understood that the development of our new life would take time, but the changes we had hoped would happen quickly seemed to be taking forever. Many of our old habits, which we desperately wished would vanish, continued to linger. And some of the expectations we set for ourselves just weren’t happening.

However, we also noticed that some of our undesirable behaviors that we previously accepted as normal (or just being human) had disappeared without any effort on our part. In fact, there were some attitudes and mindsets which were so deeply ingrained in our personalities; we didn’t even think they could be removed. Yet, they disappeared without a trace, and we knew it was a God thing.

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Tetelestai Recovery

Finding Freedom from Addiction: The Impact of ‘It Is Finished’

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In the original language of the New Testament, the phrase “It is finished,” was translated from the Greek word Tetelestai. I was introduced to this word one day when I was well into my fourth year of permanent healing from addiction. I didn’t realize at the time that I was entering the phase of my recovery that would prove to be permanent.

It was through this word that I started to delve deeper into the power of the last words of Christ “It is finished.” I discovered the power of Tetelestai, during a year-long court battle which had been a residual consequence from my old life. The day I appeared in court to hear the verdict and receive my sentence, I claimed this scripture and the word Tetelestai over my case.  I was relieved by the peace it held and became willing to accept whatever God had in store for me, even if it meant a year in prison.

I prayed this scripture and acknowledged the fact that God had already redeemed me. He had made me a new creation by healing me from addiction. As I was praying that morning, God was working on the judge.  He gave the judge an insight into something that no one else had seen. To everyone’s surprise, he dismissed my case, and I walked out of there a free man.

We all knew that Jesus, my advocate, was at work in that courtroom. I also know that He delivered the insight into my judge’s mind around the same time my wife and I were praying that morning.  When the verdict was given, it seemed as if Jesus said, “’It is finished!  Let my servant, Marc get back to handling the work I’ve given him to do.”

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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

Detach from Toxic People: A Path to Emotional Freedom

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“Don’t pay attention to everything people say – you may hear someone insulting you.”

(Ecclesiastes 7:21)

Without judgment, repulsion or excuse, you gently detach 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 those who belittle or diminish another’s worth.

You remove yourself from environments which are darkened by oppression, hate, disrespect, and intolerance. You do not allow yourself to be impacted by their insults. You choose to ignore their words so you don’t get caught up in defensive arguments or become ensnared by anger and resentment.

You realize these painful experiences often bring emotional results. You don’t understand why people are so awful to each other.

In quiet times, as you vent to God in sorrowful prayers, He hears and understands.

The demeaning and insulting expressions that offend you, are the same ones that offend Him too.

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A Date With Destiny

Finding Hope in Times of Sorrow

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Sorrow may sadden your face, but it sharpens your understanding.

(Ecclesiastes 7:3)

You sense God’s presence with greater intensity during times when you are down and find it impossible to stand on your own. 

Because of this, you have learned to be grateful for your struggles, for they generate a new level of intimacy between you and your Creator.

You know God is there to help shoulder the heaviness you feel when your heart is sad and therefore, you are able to find hope even in the midst of despair. 

Through this, you gain a greater appreciation for the relationship you have with the Divine and a deeper understanding of the value of His presence.  

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Tetelestai Recovery

Transcending Addiction: A Progressive Approach

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The Tetelestai Recovery Series is a collection of faith-based recovery books written by Marc and Lori Ridenour, based on their own experience with alcoholism and drug addiction. Rooted in the biblical declaration “It is finished” (John 19:30), the series offers a faith-based approach to finding lasting freedom from addiction and the emotional wreckage that accompanies it. 

Available in Paperback, Kindle, and Audiobook formats.

Volume 1: Tetelestai Recovery: It is Finished
Introduces the core concepts of the series. It targets suffering addicts, chronic relapsers, and their loved ones. The authors provide evidence of permanent sobriety by focusing on Christ’s ultimate healing rather than the traditional life-long struggle.

You can browse this volume on Amazon.

Volume 2: Our New Normal
Focuses on the often awkward and overwhelming early stages of sobriety. This book guides readers through identifying and resolving emotional and social dysfunctions, helping them navigate fears and resentments.

https://a.co/d/04079fyX

Volume 3: Leveling Up
A lifeline designed to assist individuals in achieving long-term, lasting victory over any addiction to reach their full potential. 

https://a.co/d/06VM8Qz1

Tetelestai Recovery

Break Free from Dark Thought Cycles

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The trajectory of our future is altered by our thoughts when we base them on the perceived realities that swirl around in our brains unchecked. We may hate our pessimism and suspicion, but we can’t break out of the cycle. We may despise our long dreary days of dark thought spirals, but we can’t seem to stop them once they start.

We think about what people were saying about us behind our backs. We wonder if they really wish we weren’t around. We suspect we are going to be fired, dumped, rejected, or abandoned. We replay old conversations, trying to read between the lines so we can better prepare for a number of worst-case scenarios that are likely to befall us.

It has been said that a coward dies a thousand times, a brave man, only once.

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Our thoughts create the reality we live in, whether they align with the truth or not.

To level up, we must develop healthy thought patterns and discipline our minds to stay on a positive track. We can no longer allow our thoughts to wander aimlessly through the minefield of our worst imaginations. We must carve new pathways for our thoughts to travel. We need to keep our thoughts on the high road and pump the brakes when we are headed for the ditch.

But how?

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