Look up! Look up!

In the film Les Miserable we see a compelling scene, The prison guard, Javert says: "Now bring me prisoner 24601, your time is up and your parole's begun. You know what that means? The prisoner Valjean responds: "yes, it means I'm free." Javert, "No! It means you get your yellow ticket-of-leave; you are a thief" "Look down, look down You'll always be a slave Look down, look down You're standing in your grave" As I was watching this scene unfold I could not help but think about my life. When Christ came into my life, my identity went from a life of being a slave to junk & looking down in shame and pain, to a life of a new identity that didn't just give me a "ticket-of-leave" but a eternal life of true freedom. The enemy will try to lie to me and say I am still that old person, but Christ says otherwise. What a gift we have been given to not just have our salvation but also a new power in Him to face our life's struggles and pain. He died for me & paid my ransom, keeping me from the death sentence I was facing. In the words of Jean Valjean, "Freedom is mine The earth is still I feel the wind I breathe again" Isn't that good news to hear? We don't have to walk with our struggles alone anymore! We can be brought into spacious place and breathe like never before! “The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you; they are full of the Spirit & life." John 6:63 I am thankful for tools like Celebrate Recovery that point me to new LIFE in Christ & give me guidance to come out of slavery to my addictions, struggles and junk. He changed my name from shame, addict, worry wart, lost, etc, to His beloved & found son. Today, let's, Look up, look up You're now walking in His grace Look up, look up, He will give you better days! Come see us at Celebrate Recovery and step out of the grave and into His grace, mercy, and new exciting plan for your life. Rodney Holmstrom