God is moving in CR

Good morning! How are you today? Feeling alone? Are you feeling down about something? Do you have a heavy burden you are carrying or is there something that has you scared? Come closely, I have something to tell you.... "You are precious in my sight and I love you. Do not be afraid, for I am with you." Isaiah 43:4-5 Rodney Holmstrom

It's been said, "Real happiness is cheap enough, yet how dearly we pay for its counterfeit." Boy isn't that true?! In one corner, we hear a voice that is all about misery, thievery, death, and destruction...a counterfeit. In the other, happiness, blessing, life, (a rich and satisfying life) and restoration. (John 10:10 ) Two distinct voices, two distinct messages. Which voice do I listen to? For too long I listened to the counterfeit. When I first took my moral inventory I realized just how much of my sin was blocking me from hearing His voice. When I couldn't hear His voice, there was only one other voice to hear & and I paid dearly for that counterfeit. When I have unresolved junk (sin) in my life, it is impossible for me to hear my Fathers voice. In following this process I was able to remove the barriers that were blocking me from hearing the Father's voice, direction and path for my life. This is the time I chose to say, "...

What does it mean in principle 2 to "earnestly" believe? Some other words you could use are sincerely, soberly, or thoughtfully. What would happen if you took that risk? What if you decided right now to earnestly (sincerely, soberly, and thoughtfully)  believe that He is a powerful God? What if you believed that He has the strength to help you thru any and all things no matter what? What if you could believe that someone as broken as us could really matter to such a big God?  I can tell you what would happen; life change, freedom, hope, and a renewed purpose in your life. You see it is when we make this choice in our life that real change begins. This is the point where we say "God, I need Your help. Please take this burden from me. I am ready to trust You as I surrender this to You. Aren't you glad to know that He does this free of charge? We don't have to "earn" that love, just "earnestly" seek Him and believe.  Now that...

A friend of mine was sharing recently about going to do a routine CT scan heart check-up. The nurse began preparing him for the CT scan by asking a few routine questions. She asked him, "Do you have high cholesterol? His response? "Not anymore." "Do you have high blood pressure? His response? "Not anymore." "Do you smoke cigarettes or drink alcohol?" His response? You guessed it, "Not anymore!" The nurse, a little perplexed and very curious, finished the CT scan and then asked "How did you change all those things?" He said, "I turned my alcohol, nicotine, eating disorder and many other character defects over to GOD, through Celebrate Recovery. Because of those changes it lowered my blood pressure and cholesterol." Even bigger, he said, "I now have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and walk daily with Him with hope with a changed heart." Needless to say, the nurse was blown away and couldn't hel...

Last night at CR during the blue surrender chip, I talked about the reality of how much love we have from the Father.  Many of us have believed the lies that this "one thing" is what will cause God not to love me anymore. However, God's Word says that we are more than conquers thru Christ Jesus.  I am so grateful for all those who courageously shared a piece of their story to bring hope to those individuals stuck in that lie. I am grateful to the many who Ignored that lie & stepped forward to pick up their chip and begin their journey of hope.  I saw a quote that read, "A year from now you will wish you had started today." Many started today and I can't wait to see what this year brings them. Change is possible. Even though I get older with each day, seeing life change never does. Have a great day! Rodney Holmstrom

"Well if I don't attempt it then you can say I failed." The thought process of a perfectionist can be so crippling. Due to the fear of failure we can get so stuck in our muck. " You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don’t try."  Don't allow that fear to keep you stuck in your past or present. God has a better future in store for you. But you gotta take that first step in humility. Remember perfectionists, it's not about being perfect, but about steady progress with lots of trips along the way. “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. -1Peter 5:6” “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.”  ―  Dr. Seuss ,  Oh, the Places You'll Go! Which direction will you choose today? Rodney Holmstrom

Listening to the rain this morning reminds me of an old proverb that reads:  “The rain does not recognize anyone as a friend; it drenches all equally."  I can't believe today marks 4 years since my mom's passing.  A year after she passed away I asked a dear friend if the pain ever subsides, do the tears ever stop flowing? His response, "do you ever praise God in the pain?" That sounded like an oxymoron to me. He went onto say that "the fact that you hurt so much means that you have a heart that loves so much. Thank God that you have a heart that is not hardened and knows how to love." Here was the biggest thing he said though, "you are loved even more by the Father. Whatever you are feeling, feel it and don't fight it. Growing thru this is better than getting thru this." As I look at the last 4 years, I am reminded that I have a heart that loves and most importantly that I am loved by the King.  Just like the rain that fall...

"I can do this in my own." "I don't need anyone else's help." It can be humbling to ask someone for help in our life but so very necessary. Look at the example of Jesus in this passage. "...and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime.   7  Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her,  “Please give me a drink.”  John 4:6-7 Did you catch that? Jesus, fully God, yet fully man who could have gotten His own drink of water, but didn't. Instead He asked for help. What's amazing is that because He reached out for help, ministry happened. He was able to minister to this lady like He wouldn't have otherwise. Read thru the rest of chapter 4 and you will see what I mean. It was Abraham Lincoln that said,  "Whatever you are, be a good one." Just don't forget you can't do it alone. You may rob someone else of a ministry opportunity to serve and love you as they...

How are you feeling today? I mean really feeling? Are you struggling? Are you hurting? Maybe you are dealing with the aftermath of some pain from things that have happened to you beyond your control. Or maybe some poor choices you have made that have you hurting badly. "You suffer from smoke produced by the firewood you fetched yourself." Lord knows I have been on both sides of the fence on those. We are two kinds of people, either we are being hurt by others choices, or we are hurting others by our choices. Usually they are synonymous. Here's the good news though friend, God is not going to allow you to walk this struggle alone. In fact in Isaiah 49:16 God says, "See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me." Wow! No matter what pain you may be feeling, God is holding onto us with His Almighty hand.  Our lord understands our pain, and can sympathize in our weaknesses and temptations cause He experie...