Tag: Hope

#ThoughtForToday

27th March 2022 aeboyle 2022, March, Thought For Today Comments Off on #ThoughtForToday

Colossians 2:9-11  Everything of God gets expressed in him, so you can see and hear him clearly. You don’t need a telescope, a microscope, or a horoscope to realize the fullness of Christ and the emptiness of the universe without him.  When you come to him, that fullness comes together for you, too. His power extends over everything. Entering into this fullness is not something you figure out or achieve. It’s not a matter of ……… keeping a long list of laws. No, you’re already in—insiders—not through some secretive initiation rite but rather through what Christ has already gone through for you, destroying the power of sin.

1 Corinthians 13:13  But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation:

Trust steadily in God
Believing God exists can and will help us to recover requires consistently and steadily trusting Him regardless of what is going on in and around us,

Hope unswervingly
Unswerving hope that we will overcome whatever comes our way with His help gives us confidence that things will get better.


Love extravagantly
Love never quits. Loving God is the most important command in the Bible.

The best of the three is love.

2022 | Day Twenty Two | Verse For Today

22nd January 2022 aeboyle 2022, Devotions, January, Podcast Comments Off on 2022 | Day Twenty Two | Verse For Today

I look at my micro-self and wonder, Why do you bother with us?
Why take a second look our way?
Psalms 8:4

Have you ever thought to yourself “Why does God care what I do?” What is so important about me?

Starting on Monday is my intention to introduce a new devotional series called ‘EXPERIENCE – STRENGTH and HOPE’ Anyone who has followed this blog for any length of time will probably be saying “What’s new about that?”

My reasoning is this:

We are all probably aware of the saying “YESTERDAY IS HISTORY – TOMORROWS A MYSTERY – TODAY IS A GIFT FROM GOD.” And, the encouragement in the recovery process to ‘LIVE ONE DAY AT A TIME!’

I believe history is for remembering and learning from. The mystery of the journey of recovery is that none of us have any idea where it is going to take us. My life today is nothing like I expected it to be when I took the first step of recovery and made a decision to do something about my messed-up life. Today my life is far better than anything I could have imagined. I am thankful to God for that.

All I had to do was learn to trust Him and follow where He led me. This brings me to the latest idea for sharing in a devotional format my experience, strength, and hope.

For years now I have wanted to write an autobiography because I believe my story is worth telling. But every time I start I end up nowhere and I give up. The result is aI have lots of paperwork on different parts of my life scattered in different areas of my belongings.

Sharing my experience, strength, and hope via this blog has become for me a lifeline. But, I believe recovery is more about now than it is about then. So I want to, based on the verse for today, shared on my Facebook group try and share some of my God thoughts on the process, how I learned to apply it to my life and what I believe God has given me as the way to MOVE FOWARD.

My intention was to have it available only via podcast on livingliferecvery.com but I will be honest I don’t like the sound of my own voice So I think I am going to keep it the way it is now text to speech via my AnchorFM podcast,

I also don’t like videos of myself so maybe I never produce another video, Lets’ wait and see.

Enough of my rambling. Please enjoy today’s #VERSEFORTODAY

Verse For Today

“WE ALL LEARN FROM EXPERIENCE
– BUT SOME OF US NEED TO GO TO SUMMER SCHOOL.”

Some of us don’t understand our own experiences/ we have been so busy trying to survive. Placing one foot instead of the other we haven’t had time to take inventory on the things we have gone through, and the lessons God wants us to learn from them.

“WE CANNOT AFFORD TO FORGET ANY EXPERIENCE, HOWEVER PAINFUL THEY ARE.”

Recovery is not about forgetting our past. We all know how to cover up our emotions. Most of us have done it for so long as a protective measure we aren’t sure ourselves how we felt about the things we have gone through.

Luke 21:34-36 tells us to”Be on your guard. Not to let our expectations be dulled by parties and drinking.”

A Day is coming that is going to take us by complete surprise. Going to spring on us, everything becoming evident to us all at once.

 It tells us not to fall asleep but to be ready. To pray constantly that we will have the strength and the wits to make it through everything that’s coming and end up on our feet.”

1 Corinthians 1:25 “Human wisdom is so tinny, so impotent, next to the seeming absurdity of God. Human strength can’t begin to compete with God’s “weakness.”

Two quotes I read about strength said:

YOU WERE GIVEN THIS LIFE BECAUSE
YOU ARE STRONG ENOUGH TO LIVE IT.

God has been with each of us up until this point of our lives. He isn’t going anywhere, so we need to put our faith and trust in His strength to help us to overcome whatever life throws at us. To help us to mature and develop into the productive people He designed us to be with His help.

The second quote I read said:

WHENEVER YOU FIND YOURSELF DOUBTING HOW FAR
YOU CAN GO, JUST REMEMBER HOW FAR YOU HAVE COME. REMEMBER EVERYTHING YOU HAVE FACED, ALL THE BATTLES YOU HAVE WON, AND ALL THE FEARS YOU HAVE OVERCOME.

The road to recovery is not an easy road to travel. The journey so far for most of us has been one of problems and issues that in our own strength we have been unable to fix. The Good News   is we don’t have to fix them anymore in our own strength. God brought us this far and He wants to take us all the way to success in reshaping our lives according to his purpose for us.

2 Corinthians 12:9 says “My grace is enough; it’s all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness.

Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness.

Stop focusing on what was – Start focusing on what is and what is to come.

Matthew 12:15-21 says “Jesus, knowing they were out to get him, moved on. A lot of people followed him, and he healed them all. He also cautioned them to keep it quiet, following guidelines set down by Isaiah:

Look well at my handpicked servant; I love him so much, take such delight in him. I’ve placed my Spirit on him; he’ll decree justice to the nations. But he won’t yell, won’t raise his voice; there’ll be no commotion in the streets. He won’t walk over anyone’s feelings, won’t push you into a corner. Before you know it, his justice will triumph; the mere sound of his name will bring hope, even among far-off unbelievers.

We all know the saying:

“YESTERDAY IS HISTORY, TOMORROW IS A MYSTERY, TODAY IS A GIFT OF GOD, WHICH IS WHY WE CALL IT THE PRESENT.”

History is something to remember and learn from. The mystery of this journey of recovery is that none of us have any idea where it is going to take us. My life today is nothing like I expected it to be when I took the first step on the journey.

IT IS SO MUCH BETTER THAN I COULD HAVED IMAGINED – and, for that I am thankful to God.

Another quote I read in preparation for this message says:

“THEY SAY A PERSON NEEDS JUST THREE THINGS TO BE TRULY HAPPY IN THIS WORLD: SOMEONE TO LOVE, SOMETHING TO DO, AND SOMETHING TO HOPE FOR.”

  1. LOVE GOD AND LOVE OTHERS
  2. GET ON WITH THE LIVING THE PROCESS OF RECOVERY AS PRESENTED BY GOD
  3. HOPE AND PRAY THAT HE WILL USE YOU TO BE DIFFERENT AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Who wants to be like everybody else?

Today’s verse for the day is:

Psalm 8:4 “I look at my micro-self and wonder, why do you [GOD] bother with us? Why take a second look our way?”

2 Chronicles 6:18 Can it be that God will actually move into our neighborhood?

Acts 7:49 “Heaven is my throne room; I rest my feet on earth. So, what kind of house will you build me?” says God. “Where I can get away and relax?

God does not want to take any of us anywhere we do not need to go through the recovery process. He wants to take us and go with us to the places we need to go to become the people He created us to be. Sharing in a relaxed relationship with Him.

2022 | Day Thirteen | Morning Harmony

13th January 2022 aeboyle 2021, January, Morning Harmony, Comments Off on 2022 | Day Thirteen | Morning Harmony

We can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good. All praise to God and our One True Higher Power, Jesus Christ! God is the Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, He brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. Blessed are you who give yourselves over to God, turn your backs on the world’s “sure thing,” ignore what the world worships; The world’s a huge stockpile of God-wonders and God-thoughts.

MEDITATION
When the Holy Spirit convinces us to receive Christ we get a new perspective and a new mindset on life, We trust that God has our lives planned and He will guide us and equip us for wherever He wants us to go. Faith in God helps us to face the truth about ourselves, our lives, and our need for change. Some of us believe because Godcomforts us our problems are going to go away. We need to understand God will give us the strength, encouragement, and hope to deal with our problems.

If today you are feeling overwhelmed at what lies ahead of you, I ask you to remember God is there to help. He places in our lives other people on the same path so we can help us and they can help us move forward in the recovery process. The passage above says ‘blessed are you who give yourselves to God.’ It also says we need to turn our backs on the world’s ‘sure thing’ ACTION IS THE MAGIC WORD!

PRAYER
Just for today, God help me to turn my back on the things that seem like a shortcut to solving my problems. Give me the strength, encouragement and, hope to listen to the people you place in my life. Help me to help them where I can as they also help me on the road to recovery.


2022 | Day Five | Verse for Today

5th January 2022 aeboyle 2022, January, Verse For Today Comments Off on 2022 | Day Five | Verse for Today

Salute God’s rule, now and forever. He gave us His word and He won’t take it back. If we follow Him we will be changed forever. God says “I am keeping track of their every last sin” Amos 8:7

If we believe ‘God cares about us and He can help us regain control of our lives.” we will experience rest, beyond our own understanding. When God wanted to guarantee His promise to us He gave His word – a solid rock foundation. He can’t take it back, it can’t be changed and His promise is forever. He encourages us to grab His hope with both hands and never let go.

Grab Hold of Hope

10th November 2021 aeboyle 2021, Discussion Starters, November Comments Off on Grab Hold of Hope

#VerseForToday

Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you. Psalms 39:7

The Lord is the source of all hope because He understands our pasts, guides us in the present and knows our future.

I’m glad from the inside out, ecstatic; I’ve pitched my tent in the land of hope. I have committed myself heart and soul to what God promised my ancestors. May the God of green hope fill you up with joy, fill you up with peace, so that your believing lives, filled with the life-giving energy of the Holy Spirit, will brim over with hope!

Remember that your bodies are created with the same dignity as the Master’s body. With Gods kind of hope to excite us, nothing can hold us back. The Message is as true among you today as when you first heard it. It doesn’t diminish or weaken over time. Speak encouraging words to one another. Build up hope so you’ll all be together in this, no one left out, no one left behind. I know you’re already doing this; just keep on doing it. God can’t break his word. And because His word cannot change, His promises are likewise unchangeable. We who have run for our very lives to God have every reason to grab the promised hope with both hands and never let go.

It is time to stop worrying about the things we can do nothing about

4th August 2021 aeboyle 2021, August, Devotions, Thought For Today Comments Off on It is time to stop worrying about the things we can do nothing about

Hebrews 6:12 Knowing what lies ahead for you, you won’t become bored with being a Christian nor become spiritually dull and indifferent, but you will be anxious to follow the example of those who receive all that God has promised them because of their strong faith and patience.

The battles ahead of us assure us that our lives going forward are going to be anything but dull and indifferent. No two days from here on are going to be the same as we grow and mature spiritually. However, the degree of involvement we have moving forward is entirely up to us. How we fill our days from here on defines our destiny. God urges careful selection on what we do from here. Wrong attachments could be our downfall, as for some of us they have in the past. We need to learn to repel our inward drive urging us to follow our self-centered interests.

Responding to the call of Jesus to step up and step out in following Him is the beginning of an adventurous but difficult journey. There will be opposition, it will not always be easy. The ‘Good News‘ is He promises us are His supportive care and His marvelous presence in our daily living. Following Him will earn us extra attention from the evil one. We can be assured he will try to convince us following his way is more interesting and more rewarding than following God’s way.

There will be hard times. Harmful remarks may be heard, hurtful practices may be aimed at us. It will not be a bed of roses. But it is the best way, the only way. It is not boring: it is fulfilling. It is a partnership with Jesus Christ. The difference between sobriety and recovery is Serenity:- Proverbs 3:5-6  Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Philippians 4:7  You will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

The Serenity Prayer in its first request to God says: “Grant me Serenity to accept the things I cannot change.” Jeremiah 29:11  says “I know the plans I have for you ………. They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” It is time to stop worrying about the things we can do nothing about and start concentrating on the things God is doing something about in and through our lives.

WILLINGNESS TO LET GOD CHANGE ME

5th June 2021 aeboyle 2021, June, Step 6 Comments Off on WILLINGNESS TO LET GOD CHANGE ME
AFTER DISCOVERING MY SINFUL HABITS AND ATTITUDES AND CONFESSING THEM, I AM NOW WILLING TO LET GOD CHANGE ME.

Welcome to Living Life Recovery and the end of the first week of the Step 6 series for 2021. Through this series, it is my hope people will listen to the weekly podcast and visit the website each day. The purpose of the series is to give people some Biblical understanding of the Twelve Steps of Living Life Recovery. Steps based on the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous but worded differently because early in my recovery I did not feel The Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous went far enough. I had to reword the based on the Twelve Steps I received from The Holy Spirit back in 2005.

Step six in my experience has one purpose. It is for us to be willing to allow God to make the changes He knows are necessary in our character in order for us to be used by Him to help others still suffering from the negative effect of their own addictions and compulsions or the addictions and compulsion’s of a family member or friend.

I do apologise tonight was meant to be a video but I am not feeling like setting up a camera and sitting in front of it (big week back at work after being on leave) That being said feel free to listen to the podcast attached if you prefer listening more than reading.

The Twelve Steps are a process. Numbered one to twelve for a reason and this step requires prior to completing it you have completed the steps before it. Especially Steps four and five.

DISCOVERING MY SINFUL HABITS
Step 4: In order to help me change, I will investigate and record with God’s help – my sinful habits and attitudes.

CONFESSING MY SINFUL HABITS AND ATTITUDES
Step 5: On completion of my list of sinful habits, I will confess them to God and to someone that I trust. 

I read this quote this week which I think fits in with our subject today:

I knew Jesus, He was very precious to my soul, but I found.
something in me that would not keep patient, sweet, and
kind. I did what I could to keep it down, but it was there. I
sought Jesus to do something and when I gave Him my will
 He came to my heart and took all that would not be patient
and He shut that door.

Step Three says ‘I am making a decision to let God help me change and commit to working with him to do so.’
Again willingness to let God help and proof that we can’t do this successfully in our own strength.

Willingness means to consent or be ready to do something. In the Bible, willingness means to be obedient and be prepared to pray, to study God’s Word, and to do what He commands.

Some of the other words associated with willingness are:

  • Desire
    Hard choice! The desire to break camp here and be with Christ is powerful.   Philippians 1:23
    • A desire to give up what I am used to and follow whatever God has planned for me. And, it is a hard choice. When you have lived your life depending on yourself because it was falling apart in every relationship you were in. A hard choice to say to God “Here You go! I have tried on my own and it didn’t work so now I am putting my trust in YOU!O sr lw
  • Dedication
    The Lord says, “I will teach you and guide you in the way you should live. I will watch over you and be your guide.
    Psalms 32:8
    • Dedication to living the way God wants you to live, knowing that He has His eye on everything you do.
  • Decisiveness
    “If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don’t fuss about what’s on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body.  Matthew 6:25
    • Putting in the work to discover God’s will for our lives and apply it will result in life getting better. I can tell you that from experience and can also confirm He will look after you. He has not brought you this far to drop you.
  •    Determination
     Let us run with determination the race that lies before us.  Hebrews 12:1
    • Recovery is a jog, not a sprint. But it’s a jog we need to run expecting to reach the end. We need to be prepared for whatever God has planned for our lives. After thirty-two years of being in Bible-based recovery, I can testify my life today is nothing like I expected it to be. It’s so much better and yours can be too.

Another word associated with willingness is EAGERNESS.
– God wants us to be enthusiastic about recovery. To step up and be counted when it comes to helping others. He wants us to willingly get involved in service wherever He has placed us and toe be ‘Different and make a difference.’

Matthew 26:41 Says “Stay alert; be in prayer so you don’t wander into temptation without even knowing you’re in danger. There is a part of you that is eager, ready for anything in God. But there’s another part that’s as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire.”  

THREE CHARACTERS WE NEED TO ADOPT IN OUR WILLINGNESS TOL LET GOD CHANGE US.

  • Dedication to spiritual growth
    There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears.  Philippians 1:6
  • Embracing the present
    Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns.  Philippians 4:6
  • Get ready for what is coming
    The God who gave you manna to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never heard of, in order to give you a taste of the hard life, to test you so that you would be prepared to live well in the days ahead of you. Deuteronomy 8:16

DO NOT TAKE SO MUCH AS A SINGLE WORD OF TRUTH FROM MY MOUTH. MY HOPE IS BASED ON YOUR REGULATIONS.  
I WILL FOLLOW YOUR TEACHINGS FOREVER AND EVER.


PSALM 119:43

Be ready, Be prepared and be Willing:

Step Seven says Through acknowledgment of God’s supreme power, I humbly ask Him to help me change my sinful habits and attitudes. When we get there we need to be ready, prepared, and willing for the changes He is going to make in and through our lives but we are not there yet.

Join me tomorrow as we continue our series on step six.

I can see clearly now

24th April 2021 aeboyle 2021, April,, Daily Reflection, Discussion Starters, Living Life Recovery Comments Off on I can see clearly now

Psalm 90:8 You have put our sins right in front of you. You have placed our secret sins where you can see them clearly

When I read this verse a song sounds in my head, that says” I can see clearly now the rain has gone. I can see all the obstacles in my way.” Step four is about identifying the obstacles. In order to go on in the remaining steps and formulate a plan for removing them.

At this point in recovery we need to remember most of the obstacles in our lives were not developed overnight. Some of them are going to take longer than others to overcome. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 10:13 “God will not tempt you more than you can take.” And “When you are tempted He will give you a way out.”

  • What obstacle are you holding onto today you need to let go of?

Prayer: God if there are any obstacles today preventing me from following you help me to remove them.

GOD IS LISTENING

26th January 2021 aeboyle 2021, Discussion Starters, January Comments Off on GOD IS LISTENING

Psalms 69:33 The Lord hears those who are in need. He doesn’t forget his people in prison.

It’s still amazes me, so many years after being in recovery to look back and see God’s intervention.

I remember times where I have thought ‘this is it, it’s all over now.’ And believed it was and something out of the ordinary has happened. Something that has made it possible for me to cope and to go on in hope.

We can’t always see what God is doing in our lives on our behalf He assures us He is always watching, always waiting to help us and always ready to do for us what we can’t do for ourselves.- Take time today to stop! To talk to God about the seemingly impossible things in your life and to thank Him for His assistance with them

Prayer: Thank You Lord for all the times You have intervened in my life without me knowing. Help me today to remember to include You in what I do.

What The Bible Says

23rd January 2021 aeboyle 2021, January, What The Bible Says Comments Off on What The Bible Says

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified, the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart. Be strong, all you who hope in the Lord. Your courage and unity will show the scoffers what they’re up against: defeat for them, a victory for you—and both because of God.

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