Keep the Faith!

Ephesians 5:15 encourages us to 'be very careful how you live, making the most of your time.'
Each and every one of us is going through tough times right now, but God is getting ready to bless you in a way that only He can.
Keep the Faith.
Father, I ask You to bless my friends, relatives and those that I care deeply for, who are reading this right now. Show them a new revelation of Your love and power. Holy Spirit, I ask You to minister to their spirit at this very moment. Where there is pain, give them Your peace and mercy. Where there is self-doubt, release a renewed confidence through Your grace. Where there is need, I ask you to fulfill their needs. Bless their homes, families, finances, their goings and their comings. In Jesus' precious name. Amen.

To My Sisters In The Lord

There comes a time in every woman's life when she has to take a close look at herself. Not at her circumstance, not at what she did, not how unfair life is, or at who made you do it. She has to just look at herself...

Have you ever admired a woman who has been through changes in her life? Or have you made up in your mind that she is just messed up. Before you make this mistake, take a closer look. A woman who has endured the most unusual life is someone of wisdom, someone who has been chosen by God to go through things that have made her stronger.

Think of all the great women in the Bible: Mary Magdalene, Ruth and Naomi, the woman with an issue of blood, and Esther, to name a few. Mary was a prostitute, a very uneasy woman. But by the time Jesus was done with her, she was His closest follower. Esther was unfortunate in marrying an abusive man, but by the time God was done with her, she had married one of the wealthiest men in the land!

Women are so quick to beat the next one down instead of trying to hold her up. Before you wonder, ' What's up with her?' ask yourself, 'What's up with me?' That woman could be my mother, sister, aunt, in-law, stepmother, niece, grandmother, great-grandmother, neighbor, friend, or co-worker, etc. That woman could be ME.

Women are the carriers of life, not the channels of death. Let's build and encourage each other, as did Ruth and Naomi. Pass this to all the women in your life. Encourage and love, forgive and forget, and trust that the woman that receives this will be touched in some way.

God bless you and your family. We all fearfully and wonderfully made in Him! Know today that you are sincerely loved!

Emotional Maturity

The mature person has developed attitudes in relation to himself and his environment which have lifted him above "childishness" in thought and behavior.

My Mind Is My Garden

My Thoughts Are My Seeds,

I Will Harvest

Either Flowers or Weeds.

Some of the characteristics of the person who has achieved tru adulthood are suggested here:

1. He accepts criticism gratefully, being honestly glad for an opportunity to improve.
2. He does not indulge in selfpity. He has begun to feel the laws of compensation operating in all life.
3. He does not expect special consideration from anyone.
4. He controls his temper.
5. He meets emergencies with poise.
6. His feelings are not easily hurt.
7. He accepts the responsibility of his own acts without trying to "alibi."
8. He has outgrown the "all or nothing" stage. He recognizes that no person or situation is wholly good or wholly bad, and he begins to appreciate the Golden Mean.
9. He is not impatient at reasonable delays. He has learned that he is not the arbiter of the universe and that he must often adjust himself to other people and their convenience.
10. He is a good loser. He can endure defeat and disappointment without whinning or complaining.
11. He does not worry unduly about things he cannot help.
12. He is not given to boasting or "showing off" in socially unacceptable ways.
13. He is honestly glad when others enjoy success or good fortune. He has outgrown envy and jealousy.
14. He is open-minded enough to listen thoughtfully to the opinions of others.
15. He is not a chronic "fault-finder."
16. He plans things in advance rather than trusting to the inspiration of the moment.

Last of all, we think in terms of spiritual maturity.

1. He has faith in a Power greater than himself.
2. He feels himself an organic part of mankind as a whole contributing his part to each group of which he is a member.
3. He obeys the spiritual essence of the Golden Rule: "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."

Alcoholics Anonymous

Christians by Maya Angelou

Christians

"A woman's heart should be so hidden in Christ that a man should have to seek Him first to find her."

When I say... "I am a Christian" I'm not shouting "I'm clean livin'" I'm whispering "I was lost, Now I'm found and forgiven."

When I say... "I am a Christian" I don't speak of this with pride. I'm confessing that I stumble and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say... "I am a Christian" I'm not trying to be strong. I'm professing that I'm weak and need His strength to carry on.

When I say... "I am a Christian" I'm not bragging of success. I'm admitting I have failed and need God to clean my mess.

When I say... "I am a Christian" I'm not claiming to be perfect, My flaws are far too visible but, God believes I am worth it.

When I say... "I am a Christian" I still feel the sting of pain.. I have my share of heartaches, so I call upon His name.

When I say... "I am a Christian" I'm not holier than thou, I'm just a simple sinner Who received God's good grace, somehow! Pretty is as Pretty does... but beautiful is just plain beautiful!

TODAY IS BEAUTIFUL CHRISTIAN SISTERS DAY

by Maya Angelou

AA AKRONYMS

EGO - Edging God Out
AA’s R US - Alcoholics Anonymous Recovery Unity Service
NEW - Nothing Else Worked
ISM - I Sponsor Myself
BS - Before Sobriety
NUTS - Not Using The Steps
RID - Restless, Irritable and Discontent
RID - Redefine Innermost Design

HALT - Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired
Honest, Active, Loving, Tolerant
Hope, Acceptance, Love, Tolerane

HELP - Hope, Encouragement, Love and Patience
BATH - Behavior, Attitude, Thinking and Habits
FINE - Feeling Insecure, Numb and Empty
Free, Independent, New and Energetic
CRAP - Carry Resentments Against People
CARE - Comforting And Reassuring Each other
LET GO - Leave Everything To God Okay
CALM - Can Anger Leave Me?
CHAOS - Can’t Handle Another Overwhelming Situation
FAITH - Finding Answers In The Heart
Fantastic Adventures In Trusting Him
For An Instant Trust Him
Facing All In Trusting Him
DEAD - Drinking Ends All Dreams
BEST - Been Enjoying Sobriety Today
BATH - Behavior, Attitude, Thinking, Habits

TRUST - Try Relying Upon Steps and Traditions
Teaching Recovery Using Steps and Traditions

THINK - The Happiness I Never Knew
TEAM - Together Everyone Achieves More

TIME - Things I Must Earn

HOW - Honest, Open, Willing

HOPE - Hang On, Pray Everyday
Help Open People’s Eyes
Happy Our Program Exists
Helping Other People Everyday
Hearing Other Peoples’ Experience
Heart Open; Please Enter

ABC - Acceptance, Belief, Change
KISS - Keep It Simple…..Surrender
PACE - Positive Attitudes Change Everything
PUSH - Pray Until Something Happens
YANA - You Are Not Alone

FEAR - False Evidence Appearing Real
Failure Expected And Received
Face Everything And Recover
Frustration, Ego, Anxiety, Resentment
Forever Escaping And Retreating

FEEL - Feel, Experience, Express, Let go
SIT - Stay Into Today
SLIP - Sobriety Loses Its Priority
FIT - Faith, Intuition, Trust
PUT - Patience, Understanding, Tolerance
BUT - Being Unconvinced Totally
WHO - Willingness, Honesty, Open-minded
WHO ME? - Willingness, Honesty, Open-minded, Must Exist
YANA - You Are Not Alone
SWAT - Surrender, Willingness, Acceptance, Trust
RATTLE - Remember Always That Terrible Last Evening
BOGGLE - Bad Or Good, GOD Loves Everyone

CHANGE - Choosing Honesty Allows New Growth Everyday
Can Help Attract New Gifts and Energy

GRACE - Gently Releasing All Conscious Expectations
PEACE - Providing Experienced Attitude Changes Everyday
Praying Energetically Always Creates Ease
ACTION - Any Change Toward Improving One’s Nature
ANGER - Any No-Good Energy Rising
DENIAL - Don’t Even Notice I Am Lying
PROGRAM- People Relying On God Relaying A Message
WISDOM- When Into Self Discover Our Motives
WILLING- When I Live Life I Need God
SPONSOR - Sober Person Offering Newcomer Support Of Recovery
SOBRIETY - Stay Oerson Bffering Recovery Is Everything To You
FAILURE - Fearful, Arrogant, Insecure, Lonely, Uncertain, Resentful Emtpy
RACING - Real Alcoholics Centered Inward Needing God
STEPS - Solutions To Every Problem in Sobriety
GIFTS - Getting It From The Steps
GIFT - God Is Forever There

CARDS - Call your sponsor
Ask for help from your Higher Power
Read the Big Book
Do the Twelve Steps
Stay active in your group

(taken from http://www.sobrietycoach.com/index_files/Pages790.htm)