Hope for the Hopeless

October 24, 2016, By: Jimmy Scruggs

Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. Psalm 42:5
“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” Romans 12:12 In my men’s CR 12 step group we are starting Step 2- “We came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.” Hope is vital for this step because without it one can easily fall back into denial and hopelessness. Many of us have experienced hopelessness; that loneliness and emptiness that tells us there is no way out; we will never overcome our hurts, habits and hang-ups. If you listen to that lie long enough life gets pretty dark, lonely, isolated, and disparaging. In practical terms, hopelessness is an unwillingness to change and that can be fatal. We begin our recovery by admitting we have some problems we can’t fix. If we can’t fix them there had better be someone who can. We begin to believe that a power greater than ourselves is available to us and his name is Jesus. We start to become open to change, we become hopeful. As we continue our recovery we develop a connectedness with God and with people. We begin to see that God is doing for us what we could not and he’s using all of us to help each us to do what we can’t do alone. I heard in church over the weekend that we have a huge need to belong, to be connected. You can’t do recovery alone; you are part of something bigger than you and it takes all us doing our part to make the church the body of Christ. When you first come to CR you may not be aware that you are helping another by allowing them to do their part in helping you, and guess what, there will be a time when you will pay it forward to help the next person in need. I love paying it forward; in Church and CR, in family, and in life. I have a focus question for this week that pertains to hope and connectedness: All of us have a part to play in the body of Christ, are you open to change, to being connected? “For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” Romans 12:4-5 “Don’t you yet realize that all of you together are the temple of God and his Spirit lives in you? 1 Corinthians 3:16 Love God, love people, Jesus first! Dana Cramer

Celebrate Recovery/Crossroads Church Calendar October 24-31, 2016

Friday, October 28: Celebration/Birthday Night
  • 6 pm: Our Hospitality Team is preparing a wonderful meal for you this Friday. Please join us for dinner and fellowship.
  • 7 pm: Join us for an hour of Worship and Celebration: If you have a recovery birthday please come and share it with us.
  • 8 pm: Open Share Groups.
  • 9 pm: Solid Rock Café
A first time “The Journey Continues” Men’s 12 step group has started on Monday nights, room 140. This study is for men who have completed a 12 step study previously. Drop on in at 6:30 and check it out. A new women’s mixed issue 12 Step group has started on Wednesday nights from 6:30-8 pm in room 141. Sign up in your Friday night share groups or respond to [email protected] Questions? For more information, contact [email protected], or call the church office at 970-203-9201.