God is moving in CR

  By Rodney Holmstrom, Celebrate Recovery at Fellowship Bible Church, Rogers, Ministry Leader,  February 23, 2021 “So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight.”  2 Corinthians 5:6-7 ESV Why hasn’t it happened yet?  Why can’t I see the change or the thing I’ve been praying for?  Is anything really changing or happening? One of the greatest expressions and evidence of the fruits God is growing in us is our ability to rest in Him even when we can’t or haven’t seen what we are praying for or longing for come to fruition yet.   Walking with courage being grounded in our faith shows that even though we can’t see that breakthrough in our recovery as we’d like; we haven’t experienced the restoration in that relationship; or maybe we are still waiting to receive something we have been praying for to make life better. We know through our faith that God is in it and worki...

 By Carl Kimbro, Fellowship Bible Church Celebrate Recovery Devotional Team, 2/17/21 Nothing strikes fear in my wife and my hearts more than a long drive on a family road trip. It's not the long hours that drives the fear. It's knowing that as soon as those seat belts click into place those well-mannered children will turn into wild, uncivilized maniacs. "Are we there yet?” "She's touching me!" If patience is a virtue, these are the times when I am virtue-less. I like to think that I grow wiser with age, and after adopting our grandchildren, it would be easier the second time around, but Cheryl and I found we still need wisdom and help. Our granddaughters have been through a lot – abandonment at one and three years old, parents in prison, and the recent death of their mom whom they had not seen or heard from in five years. With her death, died their dream of reuniting with her. Our experience raising kids did not prepare us for this, and we knew we couldn’t ...

By Eric Hutchinson, Fellowship Bible Church Celebrate Recovery ministry TEAM Training Coach, 2/10/2021 Take a moment and hold a book up to your face, just inches away. What do you see? It’s huge, isn’t it? When you hold a book that close to your face you can’t see anything else but the book, and it looks insanely big. That’s kind of like life. When troubles come or there is a tragedy in my life, everything else takes a back seat, and all I can see is this big huge problem. Last year we all dealt with a global pandemic, nationwide rioting, and then the presidential election. Personally, I was struggling financially, and it seemed there was no relief in sight. Those events and problems were like this huge thing, inches from my face that seemed to block my vision and tried to keep me from seeing anything else. However, I am a member of this small community called Celebrate Recovery, maybe you’ve heard of it. They teach that I am NOT God, and that I need to admit that I am powerless agains...

By Carl Kimbro, Fellowship Bible Church Celebrate Recovery Devotional Team, 2/3/21 Six years ago I sat in Celebrate Recovery watching all the “happy people” celebrating as they picked up their chips. I thought there was no way I could ever be that happy. In my own tortured mind I was sure there was no hope for me. That I would be forever identified with my struggles and sin.  The psalmist wrote in Psalm 73:26; “ My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever .”  Over time, I became very active in all parts of Celebrate Recovery. When I joined a Step Study Group, that was when the healing really began. With the help of Celebrate Recovery, I learned that failure doesn’t have to be forever. I learned to trust God as my source of strength. When I put my trust in God, I took my eyes off of myself and looked to Him for my redemption.  God showed me that I needed to stop trying to fix my problems on my own and let Him deliver ...