A Monthly E-Zine For Those Recovering From Addictive Behaviors

Single Victory "You Look At Me Through The Blood Of Jesus" a poem by Dominique Thom

"Looking For The Uppertaker—The Story Of The Fallen Eagle" Insight From Bill Bright

The Laughing Corner: A few short jokes… Remember, laughter is the best medicine… A merry heart doeth good like a medicine! Prov. 17:22

by Elisabeth A. Freeman

We, as Christians always need help when we’re feeling down or defeated. We need to remember that God is there, He cares about us, but most of all, He is our upper hand! These are some steps to take to ensure that you are lifted each and every day to the utmost.

By Elisabeth Freeman

It seems in most relationships today that couples are barely spending time together. From the time they get up in the morning, the day is filled with utter busyness… it’s kind of like a kite being driven by the wind—up, up, up and away.

And just like the kite, we can drift far away from one another too, if we don’t take time to connect. Something John and I are still realizing.

This past weekend was a special trip for my writing career. John drove me down to Chesterton, Indiana, hoping that we’d get at least a few minutes to spend together after the intensive workshop at the Guideposts For Teens Offices.

However, once we were there, I was lucky if I got back to the hotel by 10 p.m. and every morning we were ushered out at sunrise. Three days this went on—nearly tearing our marriage apart. I was whisked away to seminars, lectures, and fine dining, while John sat in the room waiting for some quality time alone with me.

I watched the clock every second, thinking, dreaming, and wishing it would be time to go back to the room… I was just as upset over not seeing him as he was about me...

Finally, Saturday night came… together at last… time to share, laugh, and talk. The first thing John shared was, "The van’s broken down." I felt crushed. It seemed like our whole weekend together would be ruined. However, when we’re down, there’s only one place to look—UP… up to God…

After a few tears, and a short prayer… God began to do an incredible work… He gave us a replacement car, sent us a Christian mechanic who helped John fix the van for FREE, and allowed us that alone quality time that we so needed… and even though we had to stay the extra night at an elaborate hotel, they gave us a very CHEAP rate!

So, the next time you feel as though your life is a mess and your marriage is drifting away like a kite. Get your focus on God—He’ll keep you UP, He’ll keep you together, and He will never let you go!

When you get up in the morning, don’t get up and go away, sit down with your mate, take time to read the Bible and pray… I’m sure you will have an encouraging day—When we follow this formula—It works for us!!!

Our spiritual immune system is weakened by what we fill our minds with. The eyes and ears are the key entry points. For example, looking at pornography corrupts our mind with unforgettable images and evil thoughts. Like the endotoxin in the bacteria, the lies that porn promotes lure us to pursue lustful fantasy. The more we replay them in our minds, the more likely we are to succumb to an "infection of lies," which leads us to turn from God and pursue destructive behavior.

Even after antibiotics kill the Meningococcal bacteria, the endotoxin left
behind continues to damage the victim. In our spiritual analogy, the source
of evil may have been removed, but the lies it planted in our minds continue
to damage us like a spiritual endotoxin. For example, the memories of porn
can last for years and become the catalyst for a lifelong addiction or other
dysfunction, possibly bringing spiritual death.

As with Meningococcal disease, preventing an infection of lies from ever
getting started is the best course of action. First, we must take steps to
protect our spiritual immune system by guarding our eyes and ears. It might
mean we'll have to give up a favorite TV show or computer game, or even have to find new friends.

Second, we must read and study God's word. The strength of Satan's lies
highlights our need to be familiar with the word. Researchers failed to
develop a vaccine for the deadly "B" strain of Meningococcal because it's
coating had an identical molecular signature to that of brain cells.
Likewise, Satan's lies often try to masquerade as truth. If we're not
familiar with the truth, we could be deceived by his clever lies.

Though deceiving, Satan's lies cause telltale symptoms of infection like the
tissue damage caused by the endotoxin. These signs could include
destructive behavior, recalcitrance and addiction. A drug called "BPI" was
developed to minimize the endotoxin damage on tissues. It copied the
protein produced in white blood cells that binds and neutralizes endotoxin.

Like the BPI drug, God's word binds and neutralizes the toxin of the lies
that we've been exposed to and boosts our resistance to any new lies that
come our way. The Holy Spirit works in partnership with the word by guiding us in truth, reminding us of the word and empowering us to obey God.

The Apostle Paul wrote this sobering prophecy of the last days:"The coming
of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in
all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, 10and in every sort of
evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused
to love the truth and so be saved" (2 Thessalonians 2:9-10 NIV).

Singles Forum:

By Dominique Thom

I've been through so much in my life

And looking back,

I see all the Times

I have broken YOUR heart

So many things

have made me turn from YOU

When I should have been

at YOUR feet

Oh I know that I am not worthy

And I know that I have failed YOU

But then YOU look at me

through the blood of Jesus'

And I am Perfectly Pure

LORD teach me to stay with you

When the world turns against me

I just want to be with you

And hold unto YOUR hand

Lead me to be

the perfect man

YOU want me to be

Oh I know that I am not worthy

And I know that I have failed YOU

But then YOU look at me

through the blood of Jesus'

And I am Perfectly Pure

From Dr. Bill Bright
Founder and Chairman
Campus Crusade for Christ International

Dear friends:

As God's people are filled with and controlled by the Holy Spirit and
are soaring as eagles in a victorious and fruitful Christian life, we must always beware of the enemy's attempts to "clip our wings," so to speak, and destroy our effectiveness. In Ephesians 6:11, God warns us, "Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes."

The story is told of a man out hiking in the country. While walking, he
happened to see a magnificent golden eagle flying upward into the sky. He watched it with delight and admiration as it soared higher and higher. But suddenly, something went wrong! The eagle seemed incapable of going any higher. As a matter of fact, it began to fall, and before too long lay at his feet as a lifeless mass.

What possibly could have happened? No human hand had harmed it. No
sportsman's shot had reached it. Filled with bewilderment, the man went over and examined the bird, only to discover an astounding sight. Still curled up in the talons of that great bird was a little weasel, no doubt the prey of the bird that had been carried off up into the sky. As the weasel had been drawn in close to the big bird's body for flight, it had managed to worm itself partly out of that great grip and had bit into the breast of its enemy and proceeded to suck out the lifeblood of that great eagle. (From Parables, Etc., April 1986.)

Unless we are on guard and walk in trust and obedience, the enemy can
work like that weasel, weaken or destroy our witness and rob our joy and victory. The Lord tells us, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand" (Ephesians 6:12-13). He then describes the armor in which we must be dressed at all times.

As eagles, God wants us to soar. But He also wants us to "stand."

The Laughing Corner:

Jokes brought to us by Crosswalk.com/Friends

*Late For Sunday School*

A young boy came to Sunday School late.

His teacher knew that he was usually very prompt and asked him if
anything was wrong.

The boy replied no, that he was going fishing but his dad told him that
he needed to go to church.

The teacher was very impressed and asked the boy if his dad had
explained to him why it was more important to go to church than to go
fishing?

The boy replied, "Yes he did. Dad said he didn't have enough bait for
both of us."

*Queen Size*

A little boy went to the store with his grandmother and on the way home, he was looking at the things she had purchased.

He found a package of panty hose and began to sound out the words "Queen Size".

He then turned to his grandmother and exclaimed, "Look Grandma, you wear the same size as our bed!"

*School Daze*

It was at the end of the school year, and a kindergarten teacher was receiving gifts from her pupils.

The florist's son handed her a gift.
She shook it, held it overhead, and said, "I bet I know what it is. Some flowers." "That's right" the boy said, "but how did you know?" "Oh, just a wild guess," she said.

The next pupil was the candy shop owner's daughter. The teacher held her gift overhead, shook it, and said, "I bet I can guess what it is. A box of sweets." "That's right, but how did you know?" asked the girl. "Oh, just a wild guess," said the teacher.

The next gift was from the son of the liquor storeowner. The teacher held the package overhead, but it was leaking. She touched a drop of the leakage with her finger and touched it to her tongue.

"Is it wine?" she asked. "No," the boy replied, with some excitement.

The teacher repeated the process, taking a larger drop of the leakage to her tongue.

"Is it champagne?" she asked. "No," the boy replied, with more excitement.

The teacher took one more taste before declaring, "I give up, what is it?"

With great glee, the boy replied, "It's a puppy!"

*What Am I?*

Miss Jones had been giving her second-grade students a lesson on science.

She had explained about magnets and showed how they would pick up nails and other bits of iron.

Now it was question time, and she asked, "My name begins with the letter 'M' and I pick up things. What am I?"

A little boy on the front row proudly said, "You're a mother!"

*Jonah Test*

A little girl was observed by her pastor standing outside the pre-school
Sunday School classroom between Sunday School and worship, waiting for
her parents to come and pick her up for "big church." The pastor noticed that she clutched a big storybook under her arms with the obvious title, "Jonah and the Whale."

Feeling a little pernicious, he knelt down beside the little girl and began a conversation. "What's that you have in your hand?", he asked.

"This is my storybook about Jonah and the Whale," she answered.

"Tell me something, little girl," he continued, "do you believe that story about Jonah and that whale to be the truth?"

The little girl implored, "Why of course I believe this story to be the truth!"

He inquired further, "You really believe that a man can be swallowed up by a big whale, stay inside him all that time, and come out of there still alive and OK? You really believe all that can be true?"

She declared, "Absolutely, this story is in the Bible and we studied about it in Sunday School today!"

Then the pastor asked, "Well, little girl, can you prove to me that this story is the truth?"

She thought for a moment and then said, "Well, when I get to Heaven, I'll ask Jonah."

The pastor then asked, "Well, what if Jonah's not in Heaven?"

She then put her hands on her little hips and sternly declared, "Then YOU can ask him!"

*Pastors' Good News/Bad News*

Good News: You baptized seven people today in the river.
Bad News: You lost two of them in the swift current.

Good News: The Women's Guild voted to send you a get-well card.
Bad News: The vote passed by 31-30.

Good News: The Elder Board accepted your job description the way you
wrote it.
Bad News: They were so inspired by it, they also formed a search
committee to find somebody capable of filling the position.

Good News: You finally found a choir director who approaches things
exactly the same way you do.
Bad News: The choir mutinied.

Good News: Mrs. Jones is wild about your sermons.
Bad News: Mrs. Jones is also wild about the "Gong Show", "Beavis and
Butthead" and "Texas Chainsaw Massacre."

Good News: Your women's softball team finally won a game.
Bad News: They beat your men's softball team.

Good News: The trustees finally voted to add more church parking.
Bad News: They are going to blacktop the front lawn of your parsonage.

Good News: Church attendance rose dramatically the last three weeks.
Bad News: You were on vacation.

Good News: Your biggest critic just left your church.
Bad News: He has been appointed the Head Bishop of your denomination.

Good News: The youth in your church come to your house for a surprise visit.
Bad News: It's in the middle of the night and they are armed with toilet paper and shaving cream to "decorate" your house.