Unshackled Life Ministries: March 2016

Thursday, March 31, 2016

Unshackled moments ~ March 31 ~ Remembering Dee

She was rough around the edges, tough as old leather, and her heart was pure and sweet. The photo I have of her with her granddaughter shortly before her death is one of the most precious and beautiful photos I have ever taken. Today I am remembering Dee. I'm not sure why, but she's on my mind this morning, and I am missing her more than usual.

I spent seven and a half years in a Texas prison, and got out wanting something better for my life, but completely hopeless about the future and more angry than I can describe. I was a seething cauldron of anger, and yes, fear. What now? What was I going to do? What could I do? How could I fix my life and would I ever be happy or cared about or treated like a person or.....

In about a week of getting out, while still on parole, I got drunk. It scared me. This was a violation, and I didn't want to return to prison. Also, I knew that while I felt horrible for opening that bottle of rum and hated myself for failing so quickly at freedom, what I really wanted was another drink and I could think of some drugs that would compliment the drink nicely. I stood at the edge of a cliff and seriously contemplated jumping. Instead I reached out for help. A few reached back, but none so much or so truly offered themselves in service as Dee.

It was clear from the start that I needed help and someone to take me through the steps of recovery. Dee walked up to me one day, asked me if I had found someone yet, and when I told her no, she told me to come with her. She led me to a man I had never spoken to before, told him I was looking for help, and I had my first mentor. A few weeks later, when I went a little crazy and nearly drank over my fourth step, she offered me her couch as a safe place. I finished my fourth step at her house, alone but not alone, safe, over the next few days. I rang in my first new year after prison at her house with her and her boyfriend. I even got to know Emily, who would become one of my best friends, as we sat on Dee's couch eating the magic BlueBell ice cream and complaining about how life and relationships were treating us.

Dee's willingness to help, to take a chance on losers like me in need of help and recovery and her exuberant friendship were major factors in my early recovery. When the cancer finally took her, we lost a woman who had truly been refined by the fires of hell into a treasure. As I approach my sixth year of recovery I realize how much of the principles I learned to live by I learned sitting on her couch. She let a man she didn't know well, who had just gotten out of prison and had nothing to offer anyone, into her home and life. She became a friend, and stayed one, even when I didn't listen to her advice and screwed up royally along the early days of my journey. Now, I am recovered from a hopeless state of mind and body. I have learned to forgive, myself and others. I have learned how to love and be the kind of man who gladly puts his wife first. I am a minister and share what I have been given in order that other captives may find freedom and a life worth living. The man I am today is a miracle of God, and that miracle is due in part to the kindness, caring and service of a wonderful lady many would disregard.

Today, let us not hesitate to offer caring and friendship to the outcast, the broken and the loser. You never know what a little kindness can do in the life of one person and how that may grow into help for many. Thank you Dee.

Unshackled Life Ministries is grateful for every person that reads the daily Unshackled Moments and or listens to the messages. I want to thank those who have clicked "like" on something that blessed or ministered to them. It is encouraging to know that God is using this ministry to help and bless others. Please remember that if God used something from this ministry to help, encourage or bless you, it could also bless someone else. Would you help get the devotions to more people by sharing the Moments and messages that you read or listen to? Hitting the share button instead of or in addition to the like button will help us reach more people with the good news of freedom and the encouragement to live an Unshackled Life. Thank you and God bless.

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Unshackled Moments ~ March 30 ~ Handling Today's List

Fear and worry are not comparable with joy and peace. There is so much pressure in life and so many things that can turn out not to go the way we need and want. But the more we stress, worry and fret, the more we are tempted to try to force things to go our way, to slip into manipulation, to try to fix things before they get broken. We try to be our own insurance policies, despite history showing it never goes well when we try to handle things. Today, let us remember to leave every weight, worry and situation in the hands of our Creator who is more than capable to do what needs to be done. Let us be quick to obey and do what we nee to do for our part, but to always wait for direction before doing anything.

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Unshackled Moments ~ March 29 ~ Breakfast On The Beach

Not long after the resurrection the men who had followed Jesus had returned to their lives and were simply trying to make it. They went fishing, and after working hard with the nets all night had caught nothing. Jesus shows up on the shore, calls out to them and asks them if they've caught anything. They hadn't, but upon obeying when He told them to cast the net on the other side of the boat, they made quite a haul. Jesus loves to do that by the way, come at the problem from the other side of the boat.

I'm sure that such a large catch made for a lot of work that needed to be done. They were tired. They'd been at it all night, and now, when they were exhausted and ready to quit there was a ton of work to do. The fish needed to be taken care of. They wouldn't sit forever. This was long before ice machines and freezers after all. But Jesus didn't let them jump right into what needed to be done. He didn't offer to help either or miraculously clean the fish. He said, "Brig some of the fish and let's eat breakfast."

Sometimes God blesses us with work to do. It is a blessing to have a great catch, but the work is still multiplied. It is tempting to feel the need to get right on it. It has to be done. But Jesus wants us to step back and have breakfast. Now, I'm not talking bacon and eggs here. I'm saying that no matter how much work there is to be done, we need to take a minute and spend some time on the beach in our spirit chilling and eating with our Savior. When we do this, we can rise refreshed better able to do what He has called us to do.

Monday, March 28, 2016

Unshackle Moments ~ Match 28 ~ Legacy

Have you ever heard of Billy Graham? A lot of people have. He is probably one of the most famous preachers of the last 100 years or more. He co-authored a book I finished reading this weekend, and as I went to mark it as read in my Goodreads account I saw something interesting about him.

I normally use the Goodreads app, but this morning I used the computer. The set up and how it looks are different, and one of the things more easily seen is the about the author section.

About Billy Graham

husband to Ruth Bell Graham father of Ruth Graham, Gigi Graham Tchividjian, & Anne Graham Lotz, Nelson, & Franklin Graham

Dr. Billy Graham has authored more than 150 books.

A lot of times when you glance at or read the about someone who is a writer or musician or whatever it is about them. Where and when they were born or live or both, how many books they've written or sold or awards won, something making them look big, important, qualified. At times it almost feels like the publicist is saying see how great this person is? You'd be stupid not to buy the book or CD or....

I'm not a fan of Graham's, and I haven't read a lot of his books. I do not know if this thing I have pointed out is even known by or approved by him. But I think that it is great. So often we strive to be known, to be seen and esteemed. But how much better would it be if we all sought our recognition to be about relationships. It seems to me to be a mark of someone who has been of service if the relationship is more important than what made someone well known.

If God is willing, one day I will be old like Graham. Even if I don't make it that far, people will sum up my life in a few short words or paragraphs when I die. The same will happen to you, Dear Reader. What will they say? What do you want them to say? I don't mind my past remaining known and it would be almost impossible to talk about my life in any truthful or real way without mentioning addiction, alcoholism and prison. And if I make it another 30 years, I hope that it will be possible to say that I served in the ministry, preached and wrote for over a quarter of a century. It would even be cool if sometime between now and then I do a few things worthy of bragging about.

But what I'd really like to lead with, what I hope that someone who knows me will think when they think who is or was Dalyn Woodard is not preacher or prisoner, but...Husband to Leah, friend and help to captives, a source of hope for the broken. Wouldn't it be great if our greatest pride and greatest accomplishments came out of relationships with others? If we were known best for positively effecting the lives of people....family, friends and foes? What if we were more excited about being of service to God and others than making a name for our selves or being seen as great? Wouldn't at least our little section of the world be a little more bright and beautiful?

Today, let us remember that self-seeking, even in the areas of status, reputation and approval is not the path or the goal, that a life of freedom worth living is found in sacrificing of self and service to God and our fellows. We can't all be Mother Theresa, but if we can try today and ever day to make someone else's life a little better and little brighter. What a great life. What a great legacy.

Sunday, March 27, 2016

Unshackled Moments ~ March 27 ~ We Too Can Rise!

Happy Easter! He is Risen! He is risen indeed! I spent so many years in the grips of hell and addiction that I feel like I know what it feels like to rise from the dead, but Jesus actually did it. He rose. And because of the price He paid and the fact that the grave couldn't hold Him, we also can rise to new life, free from bondage, from addictions and death. No mater what kind of hell life has been there is resurrection power and freedom available to all who freely receive it. Hallelujah!

Saturday, March 26, 2016

Unshackled Moment ~ March 26 ~ Everybody Wants Heaven, But Nobody Wants To Die

Everybody wants to go to Heaven, but nobody wants to die. That of course is not some deep original thought of mine, and it is mostly true. I say mostly, because there are people who want to die, or at least don't want to live the life they have any longer or just want the pain to stop. Still if you could offer every suicidal person on earth the chance to live without the health problems, mental problems, relationship problems or whatever bondage has them so miserable that they want to die, I dare say that they would choose an idyllic life over death.

The statement is also true from the standpoint that everyone wants to go to Heaven, but so many don't want to pay the ticket price. We want to make it harder than it is, or cost more than it does, or we want it to have no cost at all. It ranges from do the impossible, keep the law and be perfect to just be able to be considered a relatively good person. And the truth is that it's both easier and harder than that because it is completely free and costs everything. It has nothing to do with our being good or bad but in Christ's goodness being given to us through the cross. By grace we become new, able to have relationship with our Creator and live life as we should. But while it's free and already paid for, it does have a price, and that price is everything. In order to follow Christ we must be willing to die to ourselves, to sacrifice our will for God's, to crucify our nature in order to have His nature reign in us. To get to Heaven, all you have to do is die...die spiritually in Christ and to Christ so that through Christ you can live again.

And that brings me to the wildest part of today's musings. Everybody wants to go to Heaven, but nobody wants to die. Yet, there is one who left glory in Heaven because He wanted to come to Earth and die. He wanted to die? Yest, for the joy of the results of that death, He gladly endured the shame and pain of death by crucifixion. He died so that you and I could live, with Him, forever. He did what none of us really want to do in order to give us an escape from death. But He didn't stay dead. There may be times when it seems like He's gone or not doing anything. We may even think He's gone for good. But no matter how dark and hopeless things might seem on Saturday, Sunday's resurrection victory is on the way and because He lives, we can live and face today and tomorrow.

Friday, March 25, 2016

Unshackled Moments ~ March 25 ~ If Today Was Your Last Day

Have you ever thought about the last day of Jesus in a way other than Christ on the cross and what that means to the world? The cross is important. They call it Good Friday because it's the day a cure was created on a cross for the disease of death. But a lot happened in Jesus' life that day. Have you ever thought about how Jesus spent His last day? He spent it witnesses, sharing His experience, strength and hope through actions, He practiced the principles of love and truth in every minute and every aspect and showed with His life the light in the darkness that the world needed.

The day we call Good Friday kicked off with Jesus praying in the middle night. He faced His fear, surrendered His will and life to the care of the Father, refused to run from the hardship to come, and got angelic help to make it through a terrible ordeal. Around 1:00 - 1:30 AM it is revealed that one of the 12 of His closest friend has betrayed Him, and has arrived with soldiers to arrest Him. He responds by telling the soldiers He's the one they're after, caring for and healing one of the soldiers who was wounded when Peter fought back, telling His disciples not to fight back or resist, and watching the rest of His friends run, scatter and desert Him. Pretty amazing half an hour or so.

This is a horrible day for Jesus, and He's less than two hours in with worse to come! He doesn't preach or rant about how people who stab you in the back aren't your friends. He doesn't say if you're not there for me in the bad times as well as the good you're not worth my time and I'm cutting you loose, He didn't act in any way that would be a good meme on social media about true friendship and caring about your self. In fact He personally hunted out every single living friend that ran that night the first chance possible and showed them He loves them, accepted them and restored the relationship.

He didn't rant about the evils of His enemies or their manipulative and sneaky tactics. He didn't fight or resist. He didn't scream about how He was in the right and shame on them. He protected them from His friends, and even helped restore one that was wounded. Imagine being attacked by a group of people who believe differently and responding by not responding, asking your friends not to fight back and when one does anyway and one of the enemies is hurt, reaching out to heal the enemy. Yeah we don't see a lot of that kind of thing, not even from Christians. But at least one soldier's life was forever changed as love reached down and healed his ear that night.

Over the next 6 hours Jesus goes through not one but five bogus trials. Not even a kangaroo would have stood a chance in that court. The first trail starts around 1:30, and the fifth around 7:30. The sun has barely risen, and Jesus has been hit, spit on, mocked, ridiculed, lied about, falsely accused and set up. He never strikes back. He never returns the actions and attitudes against Him with anything but love. He is completely alone, surrounded by enemies out to get Him after His friends have deserted Him, but He doesn't whine, sink into self pity or attempt to elicit sympathy from anyone about His plight. He either speaks truth in love or doesn't respond at all. He continues to trust God even though it doesn't look like God's helping much and faces the evil of and in the day without reacting, fighting or self pity.

Then things actually got worse! In an attempt to appease the mob, Pilot had Jesus scourged, which means beaten nearly to death. In about an hour's time He is beaten beyond recognition, gone through a sixth and final so called trial and then turned over to be crucified. The soldiers mock Him, torture Him even more, force Him to carry His own method of execution through a mob of people, nail Him to a cross and have Him hanging by around noon. The people around Him, and even the men on the cross begin to mock and ridicule Him, His message and what He believes and knows. The way that He responds is with unasked for forgiveness. He reacts to it all in such a manner that one man repents, and is saved.

He's going through hell, nothing is going right. He's literally dying, and will be dead around 3 PM. He's betrayed, deserted, lied about, falsely convicted, beaten nearly to death, tortured, crucified and finally died before most people get off work for the day. He didn't attack His attackers. He didn't point out their wrong or their stupidity. He didn't reject His friends for failing Him. He healed an attacker. He forgave. He stayed in the will off the Father, even to death. And at least one man was save that day, and how many thousands since?

If today was your last day, how would you spend it? Today let us live like there's no tomorrow in the way that Jesus did. Let's not attack or fight back against those who attack us, believe differently or belittle the truth, but respond in love or not at all. Let us not point out the failures of others or demand to be treated fairly by friends and others or be cast aside. Let us not feel the night to try to defend God or ourselves in words or force, but show the truth by responding even to evil with the love, light and truth of what we claim to believe. Let us trust God even through the misery and hell and pain that life can bring, even death, and by surrendering to the Father, let the Spirit control our reactions and responses, treating others with love even when they don't deserve it, keeping our side of the street clean, pushing in to God rather than running away no matter how bad it gets, and doing this in every area at every moment, we might scream though our actions evidence or God's love, power and way of life in such a way that lives are changed forever. And let us do that every day, because one day it will be the last day.

Thursday, March 24, 2016

He Who Would Be King

Dalyn Woodard shares once more on the subject of the cross in the 2016 Lenten season. How is the King of kings different than human kings? Why is the truth that there is only one way to God generous grace rather than restrictive religious preference? The message, "He Who Would Be King" is about 42 minutes long and was recorded at Nacogdoches Christian Fellowship on Wednesday, March 23, 2016. It's our prayer that you are blessed and ministered to as you listen. May God bless and keep you.

Unshackled Moments ~ March 24 ~ You Find What You Look For

I am most certainly not a proponent of the power of positive thinking. And I am not a believer in the benefits of denying reality or self delusion. That said, there is more truth in the promise that if you seek you will find than just that those who seek God will find Him and be found by Him. It may not always be true that you find what your looking for, but it's far more likely that you will find what you're looking for than not. What I mean by that is that while pretending things are good when they are not is not helpful or healthy, if all we look for is what is going wrong with life, the problems and the things to be afraid of, that's what we find. It's impossible to find things to be grateful for or that are good in life while focusing on the negative in and around us. Sometimes life can be so hard and overwhelming that it's hard to see the light. During those times it may feel impossible to avoid falling into a pit of self-pity, but by looking for things to be grateful for we may find the sun breaking through the clouds. It's not pretending that things aren't bad, or trying to make things seem less than by imagining them being worse, but an honest asking of what can I be grateful for at this moment. Today let us try to hang onto honest gratitude.

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Unshackled Moments ~ March 23 ~ Desert Journeys

Lent is winding down, and one of the things abundantly clear to me is how unworthy I am to have any kind of relationship with my Creator, to be called to or able to minister in any way, and that I don't know why God loves me so much. Maybe you feel the same way. If not, you will. Everyone who takes an honest evaluation of themselves and the great price Christ paid comes to that place sooner or later. But no matter how unworthy we may feel, Jesus says we were everything, even dying for.

Sometimes there are dry spells, even outright droughts. It is hard to give because we don't feel like we're even getting enough for ourselves. God can feel so far away, and it may become hard to believe that the Spirit is ever going to send down the rain again or that dawn will ever come. But what we feel isn't always true or real, and while the pain and the droughts may feel like they're killing us, they serve to make us thirsty for a drink of the Living Water and time with the Comforter. Today let us push in and pray for rain rather than cursing the drought. Let us seek the Comforter and give thanks that God says we are worth it and has promised to never leave us orphaned, no matter how it feels.

Monday, March 21, 2016

Unshackled Moments ~ March 21 ~ Victory In Defeat

Yesterday a group of young men from a small Division II college came within one and a half seconds of knocking a Division I school every sports fan in the country has heard of and knows about, as well as most people who aren't sports fans. If the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks had beaten Notre Dame yesterday, it would have been like David slaying Goliath's only slightly smaller brother on his way to face the famous giant. Instead of laughing and ridiculing David, many in the valley as he faced Goliath would have been hoping to be able to believe and rooting for the underdog. Some would even be expecting the upset. It makes for a better story.

SFA was the team expected to lose. They were facing the number 6 team in the nation. Lumberjack fans hoped, prayed and cheered for the upset, for a surprise, for Hollywood to write the Sweet 16 tournament script this year, but none of that happened. They got close. They came within the tie it will take me to write this sentence from winning. Then they fell short. Actually, even worse, Notre Dame managed to come take it away. The Lumberjacks didn't fail as much as someone else their success at the last second and a half, literally.

But basketball fans throughout the whole country sat up and took notice of those young men and a little school in a little town in Texas. SFA coaches will use this year's season and exposure to recruit even better players. High school players who had never heard of Stephen F. Austin or Nacogdoches, Texas will place the Lumberjacks on their possibility to play for lists. SFA Alumni who never went to a basketball game during their tenure at the school are posting video clips, photos and quips from and about the game across the world in social media in celebration. People are proud and excited about the team. Even NBA players are taking notice and asking each other if they'll be facing or playing with some of these young men in the future.

But they lost, right? Right. No one is upset with them? Nope, everyone is thrilled and rejoicing at how well they did. They failed. No, they did better than analysis of the two teams would say possible, and they are a great example of heart and teamwork and a commercial for the school. They may be a little disappointed, but I hope they are not down on themselves.

They do not need to hang their heads, they do not need to see anything negative and they do not need to mourn their performance. And neither do we. I'm not saying that we do not need to mourn their performance. We do not need to beat ourselves up over our own. We face so many giants in our spiritual journeys each and every day. Attitudes, reactions, choices, and more all become obstacles and barriers that make it more impossible on our own to walk rightly before God than it would be for a high school basketball team to win the NCAA Tournament. It just can't happen. When we even so much as show the desire to walk with God, to get it right, the angels shout with joy and Daddy beams with pride. He gives us grace to give us the chance to succeed. But when we fall short, we don't have to hate ourselves. We don't need to bear ourselves up. We don't need to see ourselves as failures and quit. We are the pride of our Papa. The fans our throwing parties in the heavenlies in our honor, over our performance. Really? Really. Because to even see our need for grace, to accept what was done for us on the cross and start the transformation from sinner to saint is more than was ever imagined possible. We've come so far. We are not expected to win on our own. In fact, it isn't ever going to happen. But we will win in the end because we are not on our own.

Friday, March 18, 2016

Unshackled Moments ~ March 18 ~ A Birthday Blessing

What is your favorite Bible verse? Do you have one or does it vary with need and situation or is that just too hard to choose, like asking someone who is their favorite child? How about this question, instead of a favorite verse how about a chapter that you relate to above all others? I personally don't have a favorite verse. My favorite drug was always more. and my favorite is The One I need: Chapter Right Verse Now. But I used to have one chapter that I related to above all others. If you asked me what Bible book and chapter expressed me and represented the theme of my life, I could tell you. I had no hesitation or doubt.

I was thinking about that this morning because today is my birthday and the chapter is Job 3. For those unfamiliar this entire chapter is Job whining about how miserable it is to be alive and cursing the day of his birth.Yep, that completely described me for years. No, I wasn't going through hell because I was so faithful and close to perfect that God and Satan decided to see what I could take. I was an imperfect, horrible failure and they still wanted to see what I could take. That's how I felt, anyway. I hated life, wished that I hadn't been born, and attempted suicide more than once. I honestly believed that up until five or six years ago if I could have been given George Bailey's chance the movie would have missed the mark, because the world would have been better off.

Today I don't feel this way. In fact, I haven't felt this way in years.Today I have a life worth living. And it's not due to religion. Religion nearly killed me. It's not because I changed my attitude or began thinking positively. My attitude change didn't change my life. My life becoming worth living changed my attitude, and, as yesterday morning proved, I can still default back to miserable quickly if I try to take my life back into my hands.

“Failure is not falling down, it is not getting up again” - Mary Pickford

We've probably all read or heard this quote or some variation attributed to another source. They're all the same. When you fall or get knocked down, get back up! That made me miserable. I hated life. I got up and fell. Got up and fell. It hurt, but I got up...and fell. Or worse, got knocked down. It was like a lifetime of having those friends around who thought it was funny when you were half passed out to pull you to your feet when you fell so you'd slam into the floor again. I remember those days. Too drunk not to fall, not drunk enough to pass out and be done with it or not hear them laugh. Yeah those were my friends, and that was my life. Wham, pain, try again, rinse and repeat ad infinitum.

Finally I wisened up a little. I fell, and I knew if I got up I'd just crash into the floor again. So instead of getting up, I pretended I was an old lady and cried out, "Help, I've fallen, and I can't get up." Then God ran to me and carried me. They saw God is a crutch, but He's not. He's a stretcher. We can't even crawl our way into a life worth living and heaven without Him. I hate religion, but I love and am grateful for my relationship with my Creator.

Because of it, I am happy from time to time, which is extremely more than never. I have peace, even when I don't have happiness, most of the time. I can love, and I feel loved. I am able to love my wife and treat her like the treasure she is. I have a purpose and a wonderful life, despite being broke and in pain.Yesterday I celebrated 5 years and 10 months clean and sober.

Today is my birthday. I got a wonderful card and a check from my parents. I got the Civil War and The Death Of Captain America TPBs from my amazing brother-in-law, and then he put a cherry on top in the way of a gift card to this awesome local comic book shop. Last night I stayed up past midnight and went to bed with a happy birthday wish and kiss from my beautiful and amazing wife who is getting me a GeekMeBox and making me a cherry pie. This morning, one of the first things I saw as I prepared to do my morning reading and writing was a message from my beautiful step daughter wishing me a happy birthday. I made out like a bandit, and the day is only just begun. But that's not why I'm happy.

I woke up after very little sleep and basically no rest, with a sore back and my eye is still killing me. I forgot my patch, so I guess I'll need to go to the store and get one today and keep the light out of it until it recovers again. But though things are painful and not perfect. I am not unhappy. It's all because of my favorite gift this year. I woke up, remembered it was my birthday and did not curse. The gift I have been given from God is a life worth living that I don't have to curse the day of my birth any longer. I don't have to wish I was dead or try to kill myself quickly or slowly. I don't have to drink and drug over. I am free. I am loved. I am clean before my Lord. And I am happy. It's my birthday.

Thursday, March 17, 2016

Unshackled Moments ~ March 17 ~ Jesus Take The Wheel

Last night I preached a message on the topic of suffering. I shared on how to handle suffering, and then I went home and began to stress about my eyes and passing the vision part of renewing my driver's license today. I prayed last night but never really got a feeling of peace that I hoped to, although it did help some as I gave up and went to bed that Leah was not worried and had peace about it. This morning I woke and everything went wrong. My eye has busted again and is hurting and light sensitive. Now I am in pain and not sure about how well I do. Then, computer problems have thrown a monkey wrench n everything that I have needed to do this morning. I had to get Leah's help from her computer to post last night's sermon and share it. Nothing is working right, and I did not react well. Knowing I wasn't responding as I should, in the manner that I just spent a half hour preaching about last night only upset me more. I became upset and angry over being upset and angry.

Physician heal thyself, preacher practise what you preach and other self condemnation washed over me. I couldn't seem to stop the spiral. Then, after getting alone and praying, I remembered what I had forgotten in my frustration and guilt. Grace. Go's grace, which is greater. I asked for forgiveness and gave up the fight, because I can not control the fear and frustration within me. God, You have to take it, and you have to give me the ability to walk in the truth. Finally things began to fall back into place where they should. My spirit ceased twisting in the wind of my emotions.

Our fears and emotions don't have to control us. It is not fun when we know the truth and yet can not seem to walk in it, but that's why we need grace. Knowing the truth is not enough to enable us to live as we should. That's why we need the Holy Spirit. When we begin moving into an area of spiritual truth, that is where the enemy will attack, to try to shake us from the foundation and principles that we have learned. When we try to muscle through the attack on our knowledge and understanding, on our own strength, it leads to failure, which leads to guilt and frustration and further failure. But we can stop the downward spiral but stopping the fight and surrendering. Give it God. Let Him have it. Somehow I got into the mode of I need to do this. But what I forgot momentarily is that only God can do this in me.

Sometimes a quick meltdown after or in the midst of a disaster is just what we need to remind us quickly of the foundation of walking with God. I can't. He can. I'll let Him. Today, let us repent of the areas where we slip back into thinking that we need to walk with God and instead let Jesus take the wheel of our life and guide us by grace through our day. Let us rejoice that we have been forgiven and not beat ourselves up over our failures to walk in the truth that we have learned. Without the Spirit having control, we can never walk in truth long. The quicker we give back the control we have tried to take back, the quicker we can return to the place we need to be. It's how we hit reset on our day and on our life.

Suffering Sucks

Dalyn Woodard shares on the topic of suffering. If God loves us, why do we suffer? If suffering is inevitable how do we go through it with hope? Is sufferring always a sign that I have sinned and gotten out of God's will or have a lack of faith? The message, "Suffering Sucks" is about 34minutes long and was recorded at Nacogdoches Christian Fellowship on Wednesday, March 16, 2016. It's our prayer that you are blessed and ministered to as you listen. May God bless and keep you.

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Unshackled Moments ~ March 16 ~ Giving Up

Ever have those moments when you're just ready to quit, to give up, to curl into a ball and cry or even die? Do you beat yourself up about it? After all we're supposed to stand our ground and having done all to stand, keep standing, right? We're supposed to hold fast and press on toward the goal, aren't we? We're not supposed to be unable to keep going. We're not supposed to just not be able to take another minute of this "moment" that is starting to feel like an awfully long time.

But feeling like this doesn't mean you're failing God spiritually or loosing faith or anything horrible and negative about you. It happens to the best. It's called exhaustion. Exhaustion can kill us. Exhaustion can make everything harder and make it impossible to go on, regardless of faith and belief. There is a reason God in His Word stresses the concept of rest.

You may be familiar with the story of Elijah the prophet. If not, his tale can be found in the two books of Kings in the Old Testament. This was a man so revered for his faith and the way that God used him that when Jesus walked the earth many believed he was the reincarnation of Elijah. Elijah is one of the spiritual heroes of the Bible. He stood before hundreds of false prophets, mocking them and showed them up by calling down fire from heaven to burn up a water soaked offering. He stood before a king and queen of Israel and called them out on their sin. He refused to take the safe route or back down. It seemed like no matter what he faced he approached it with a let's see what God can do attitude. Until....

One day the queen reacted to his trouble making and calling her out by going after him in return. And what did this mighty man of God and faith do? He ran, hid and cried out to God to just let him die. Then he fell asleep. He'd been fighting the good fight for too long without a break to keep fighting. Exhaustion took his faith, left him scared and hopeless. And how did God react to this man losing his faith and giving up?

He sent an angel who woke him up and fed him. Then He let him sleep some more. He cared for Elijah, He let Elijah rest, and. even more, He provided rest for the prophet. Elijah recovered and went on to continue the amazing story of faith.

Rest doesn't mean sleep. We can become exhausted physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually or a mixture of any and all of these. We can sleep 14 hours or more in a day and still be exhausted or we can rise after not sleeping at all in some situations feeling rested. Lack of rest ruins hope, razes peace and sucks the life out of joy. Sleep matters, because lack of sleep eventually effects every area from the body to the spirit, but sleep is not the answer. The Bible mentions rest over 500 times. That's how important it is, and those are not instructions on how we can manage to rest. The tricks of self help that aid relaxation do not do the trick, at least not for long. The Bible tells us that rest is a gift from God. He provides it, and we must find it in Him.

If you feel like it's time to give up the fight, like you just can't go on, like everything in the world is falling apart and it would be better if the weight just finished crushing you and be done with it, maybe what you need instead of determination, or more faith or strength or anything else is to cry out to God and just stop trying to make it through on your own. Let Him give you rest. Stop believing that you are supposed to be able to carry it, fight it, keep going. Remember that He is our strength and our portion.

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Unshackled Moments ~ March 15 ~ I'm Not The Boss Of Me

You’re the boss of your life, not your feelings. Don’t let your emotions run your life.

~ Joel Osteen.

This morning I was toying with an idea of what to write for today's Unshackled Moment and not really liking it. I saw a notification that someone had retweeted yesterday's UM, and I clicked over to their Twitter page to thank them. I saw another of their recovery oriented retweets, and gave that a click as well. Then I stopped myself. I had to. Youtube, Facebook and Twitter can be quite dangerous if you're trying to do something quickly and not wanting to chase rabbits here and there for who knows how long.

The person I had followed to another page is a recovery writer, and yes, I actually hit the follow button. Looks like he's got some good stuff on his page. I didn't want to read too much though, as I didn't want to influence my morning's writing. I was just about to leave the page and go to my daily readings while letting my mind subconsciously chew on the theme for the day when I saw the quote I opened up with today from Joel Osteen. The quote was tweeted with the comment that while this person was not a big fan of Osteen's the quote does make sense. At first glance I felt the same way.

I have a friend in the rooms who loves to remind us that not everything you think and feel is real. Feelings can fool you. A great man no longer with us used to say that you can't go by your feelings, but it is nice sometimes to feel what you're going on. Both of these ideas are about holding onto truth that has made us free and going on, faithful to the spiritual principles in every area of our life, no matter what our emotions tell us. Our emotions, our feelings, do not change truth and do not really matter when it comes down to the nitty gritty of staying free from bondage. What matters is not how we feel but what we do. We can't let our emotions blow us about like a ship that has no rudder.

Knowing that taking our cues from our emotions is not always a wise thing to do, I started to click the heart/like button. Then it hit me, what made me hesitate when I first read the quote. From a purely recovery standpoint, dealing only with addiction, I actually can not agree with Osteen's quote. It makes sense on the surface, just enough sense to be dangerous. Step one: I can't. Step two: He can. Step three: I'll let Him. More accurately, step three: Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him. Basically, from a recovery standpoint only, this is 180 degrees in the wrong direction from the the twelve steps to freedom. Sorry, but no. If you want to get clean and sober and stay that way, you better not be the boss of your life. You can not manage your own life. Give it up, surrender or die. The rest is the part that makes sense. You can't let emotions rule, but not because you are the boss, rather because you have surrendered to someone higher and your emotions no longer have the right to reign.

I say the quote is dangerous in that context because when addicts and alcoholics forget that they are not the boss of their own lives anymore they tend to relapse, and relapse far too often results in death. But Dalyn, you and the other writer were both taking Osteen our of context! He's not a addiction counselor. He's a minister speaking to a more general audience. Actually, if you thought anything in that neighborhood, I agree so much that I had to write this and put off my earlier idea for another day. I don't have any issue with the other writer. I followed him on Twitter. I believe I understand the retweet of Osteen and why it made sense. I almost clicked like myself, because the second half of the quote is something we need to remember and be reminded of. But Osteen has a huge following, and he just told them something as dangerous as it's okay for children to play in the street. If only one person gets the warning I heard my spirit cry out, I had to shout it. Get out of the road!

I'm not confining Osteen's quote to recovery. I am a recovery minister, but a minister. I am coming at this not from a secular 12 Step place but rather from using the steps only as a tool to become a disciple of Jesus Christ. There is one God, creator of all, who is higher and above all, and it is He of whom I write and preach. Yes, I preach freedom from the bondage of addiction, but when I say recovery, I'm talking about recovery from the bondage of self to freedom in Christ. I don't care what the chains are. There are people who have never ingested chemicals or alcohol, or gambled or let their spending get out of control or fed their pain or any other thing the steps have been used for on a large scale who are in bondage and need to recover. We all have sinned and fallen short. We are all captives and broken without Jesus.

So I had to look at this quote as it was intended originally, not as a statement to addicts and alcoholics alone, but as a statement sent out to Christians and potential Christians from a minister of God. Like the other writer, I am also not a big fan of Osteen's, and haven't read or listened to him. I am not saying anything about him or his ministry as a whole. I am addressing only this quote, but when a person sends out a quote, and it's actually something they themselves said, they are choosing not to add or delete anything else contextual. Therefore the quote must be interpreted as it is read. And I'm sorry, but as a stand alone statement, which is how this was put out by Osteen (or his people), from a Christian standpoint, never mind recovery only, this quote is not just wrong, but the very opposite of everything Christianity is about.

You are not your own. You were bought with a price. You belong to God. In order to belong to Christ, you must daily die to self. You are no longer the person you used to be, but a new creation in Christ Jesus, protected and guided by the Holy Spirit in complete submission and surrender to Daddy. No, you are not your own boss, and while there are decisions and choices that we as servants are allowed the freedom to make for ourselves, and we shouldn't let our emotions control us, we are not the ones in control. God is. The very second we step into the driver's seat of our life we have stepped outside of the will of God for us.

It may seem like I'm making a big deal out of something that that isn't that big of a deal. Only it is. We have to remember the truth that made us free and gave us life, life worth living and abundant. The idea of you are or can be your own boss is the lie from the garden that began the race to the grave from the start. That's a pretty big deal. It is the opposite of everything Jesus said, of everything that the Scriptures tell us from Genesis to Revelations. There is nowhere were we are ever allowed to believe or act like we are in control instead of Daddy without it leading to destruction and death in our life, and that is a huge deal. Today, let us remember that we are not the boss of us and stay surrendered to the One who is the boss in order to be free from being misled by our emotions, our fears our situations or even our own will.

Monday, March 14, 2016

Unshackled Moments ~ March 14 ~ Step Away From The Scales

From the outside looking it always seems unfair, in one direction or the other. The scales never quite seem to balance between our life and others. We look at someone and think or feel, well, at least I'm not that poor soul or at least I'm better off than they are. Then we look at another and have to brace ourselves against waves of envy and self pity as everything we've always wanted falls into their lap. Wow, he has the career I dreamed of, look at her wonderful family, etc. But the truth is that for all we know, that first poor soul is so much better off than we are that we would be ashamed if we only knew the depths of their relationship with God, despite not being able to walk, or being broke or whatever external thing made us think we're better off. That second person may have the idyllic life on the outside and be more hurting and miserable within than we have ever experienced.

Maybe not. Maybe the first person really is far worse off than we are, and maybe that second person has been blessed beyond belief. The thing is that either way, we can never really know. We need to be willing to extend a hand in love to the broken and wounded and to rejoice in love with those who have been blessed. And we need to be willing to let the Holy Spirit help us determine which is which.

Leah is waiting on a definitive diagnosis that will come after a spinal tap, but from the scans and tests done so far it appears that she has MS. Either way, she definitely has many symptoms of this disease. She, like, many who suffer with MS and other diseases like it, often look fine on the outside. They hear things like you look good today, or you look like you're feeling better, and they do look that way. But under that appearance is pain and weakness that is nearly unbearable. Some people look like they have the perfect job, the perfect home, the perfect life, but if you only knew their heart you would see pain, fear, and desperation. We need to be able to take our cue from the Spirit to be able to reach out in compassion to those our instincts and senses would tell us to rejoice over.

At the same time, there are those we would pity and reach out in compassion towards who could teach us much about joy, peace and love and are far better off than we. We simply can not compare our insides to someone else's outsides and get any kind of accuracy, for better or worse. You can't always tell the poor souls from the blessed based on appearance or circumstances. Today let us allow the Holy Spirit to guide our reactions to others and let us let go of envy and pride. If we look at someone else, let it never be in judgement but merely to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. Otherwise let us look within only and see where we need to go and what we need to do to get closer to Him and not worry about how our life measure's up against another's.

Saturday, March 12, 2016

Barsabbas

Dalyn Woodard shares on thesimilarities and the differences in the choice the crowd had to make between Jesus and Barsabbas and how we ourselves so often have that same choice to make. The message, "Barsabbas" is about 38 minutes long and was recorded at Nacogdoches Christian Fellowship on Wednesday, March 9, 2016. It's our prayer that you are blessed and ministered to as you listen. May God bless and keep you.

Unshackled Moments ~ March 12 ~ Life And The Voice

Thanks to two friends of mine, I have discovered The Voice, now that it's in the tenth season. A while back I told Leah that we were going to have to watch this season, because a friend of mine was trying out for the Blind Auditions. Simon, your mother was the only person I ever knew who had the pipes to cover a Mariah Carey song and not fall short of the original,, and you, my friend, have got it too. Now, I don't think you could sing Mariah worth a flip, but you have a great voice. Keep trying. I saw someone make it to the Blind Auditions this season that had tried and failed seven times before. Also I think Blake would love you, but I would go with Adam anyway.

Now that the personal message portion of my writing is done, you see what first sparked my interest. Simon Snyder, who is more than good enough to be on the show, was trying out, and didn't make it....this time. I don't know if it was song choice, nerves or if whoever was doing the auditions just simply messed up, but when I heard he wouldn't be there this season, I changed my mind about watching the show. There was no reason to watch after all. Then one day when we were hanging out, my buddy Christian wanted to watch the first two episodes he had recorded. I was pretty much hooked.

I decided to go back and stream from the start of the first season and work my way through all the ones I've missed. There have been several preacher's kids on the show, which I think is pretty cool. But the way that the show is designed made me think about some things that I am very grateful that about. For those whom, like me, have made the mistake of not watching this show and are unfamiliar with it, The Voice is not just an American Idol copy cat. And it works differently. Professional singers, or coaches, campaign to recruit talented singers onto their teams based on voice alone. They can not see the person until after they make a choice. But then it gets a little messed up. The teams are cut down to finalists from within. Until the very end, your only competition is your own team members, which means these are not actually teams. It also means that if the majority of the best singers end up on the same team, they will be eliminated by one another, and weaker voices can survive longer by being the strongest voice on a weak team. It also means that coaches must pit their performers against one another and choose one to keep based on who rose to the occasion and did well or who they like more or whatever criteria they have. They have to sacrifice one to raise up another.

I am so grateful that this is a game and not how life has to be. Jesus came by and called out come to Me. He offers His love and help and a better life worth living. And if we respond to His call, we get to join Him, have relationship with our Creator and be personally trained and coached by the Holy Spirit to bring out the best of the gifts that we have been given. But here's what I am grateful for. You never get kicked off the team for choking under pressure or failing to measure up to somebody else. In fact, God never compares us to anyone but Himself, and since we all fail miserably when compared to perfection, He pours out His grace on us all and makes a way where there was no way before. He knows just how to coax out the best of what is within us and that we were created with so that we can shine, but He doesn't illuminate any of us by dimming anyone else on the team. He never raises one up by putting another down, and while we compete against each other far too often, that simply breaks His heart. He wants us to be family in unity who help one another reflect His glory to the best possible degree.

But His ways are not our ways. Too often, we act more like we're competing on The Voice. We try to outshine the person next to us by overshadowing them. We try to earn God's attention and favor. We put down our brothers and sisters to try to make ourselves look better. Today, let us remember that being on God's team means having the best talent coach possible within us, it means never having to worry about being eliminated....ever, and it means that we are suppose to love and help one another, not fight and compete amongst ourselves.

One last thing, Simon, I still can't wait to hear your original song "Jesus And Cigarettes" hit the charts.

Friday, March 11, 2016

Unshackled Moments ~ March 11 ~ Don't Fear The Dark

Does it ever feel like God has given you a direction and once you step out on the path He's given you things go awry? It just feels like, what happened? This is what I thought was going to happen. It can make you question everything. Did I really do what God wanted me to do? Did I confuse what I wanted with what God waned and somehow miss His will for me?

Let's revisit the life and story of Joseph before we allow our fears to drag us down into the pits of despair. God gave Joseph a dream, but as soon as he began to share that dream the attacks began. His jealous brothers began to hate him and even plotted to kill him. They settled on selling him into slavery. God, you told me I would rule and here I am a slave! It had to feel like a giant leap in the wrong direction, but he held on to his faith. He began to prosper despite his status, and when things began looking up, a false accusation of attempted rape sent him to prison. Seriously? This is not what is supposed to be happening! The moment things look up, everything goes to hell. Maybe it would be better if they didn't get better because the snap back is worse than where I was before. How easy it would have been for Joseph to doubt and to sink into self pity. But he kept holding on to the truth that God is faithful, despite what his circumstances and feelings might have been telling him.

After years in prison a window of opportunity opened. Here is a glimmer of hope. God put him in a position to help someone who had the ear of Pharaoh. Here's my chance. He asked the man to tell Pharaoh his plight and received a promise for just that thing. And then he was forgotten. God, didn't you give me this chance to get out of this hole? But God knew what He was doing. If Joseph had been brought to Pharaoh then, he might have been set free from prison only to be returned to slavery. The situation in the land was not right for Joseph to move into what God planned for him. It had to be disheartening and frustrating to sit in prison feeling forgotten, but it was exactly what it took to prepare everything, the situations and Joseph and Pharaoh, for what God needed. And when the time was right, everything fell into place. But the process took years.

Don't let impatience and fear fool you into thinking that you are not where God wants you to be. He can protect you and prepare you for more, even when it feels like all that is happening is that He's leaving you or throwing you into a pit. If it feels like the rope He held out to you snapped, don't let the feeling of falling make you give up on God. Where you land will be better than the vision of the top you saw yourself climbing to. Sometimes, like Joseph, we are taken through darkness and treacherous places before we see the fulfillment of promises we received from God. Sometimes, like David, we get our anointing and then spend years fleeing and barely surviving before we step into the kingship that we were called to. But those dark times can be when we get closest to God. Don't be afraid of the dark.

Thursday, March 10, 2016

Unshackled Moments ~ March 10 ~ Where Everybody Knows Your Name

I used to love to watch Cheers. And I loved that opening theme song. Sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name, and they're always glad you came. But you know what? I never had that at bar. Maybe some of you did, but I didn't. I had bartenders who knew my drink and had it poured before I reached the bar a few times, but they didn't know my name. And I never had anyplace, not a bar or a church or anything in between where THEY, implying everyone there, was ever always glad I showed up.

But I have found that in my relationship with Christ. He knows my name. Before the world began, He knew I would be named David Glyn Woodard Jr., and that I would be called Davy and then when older Dalyn by most who can let go of the the Davy. And that this body would go by David or Glyn or Tigger or various other things at various times throughout my life. He not only knows and knew every name by which I have ever been known, but He has His own special unique name for me, that I don't even know yet. I'll get it when I reach heaven. He has one for you as well.

And no matter the place, no matter the time, Jesus is ALWAYS glad when we come to Him. We can come in worship, with joy, in fear or in sorrow. We can come in any state mentally or emotionally, and it thrills Him. He loves us to be with Him. Something to be cheerful about is that there is a place where we can go where we are completely understood and accepted, where our name and very being are known and were they're always glad we came. That place is into the presence of Christ, and in that place is restoration, peace and freedom to replace our brokenness, our misery and our bondage.

Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Unshackled Moments ~ March 9 ~ Failure Is Not An Option

Failure happens. It is not an option because it is inevitable. Not every time. But no matter how hard we try or what skills we have, we have all fallen short, and we will all fall short again. Some failures hurt more than others, and some can be truly devastating to the point that they can haunt the rest of our lives, if we allow that. They can make us unsure of the point of trying again. But God loves to use people who have messed up and failed in big ways. Don't allow that devastation to be the end of the story. No, we can not do anything that will insure that we will never fail again, especially not on our own. But we can limit the magnitude and the devastation by going under the guidance of and in the power of the Spirit rather than trying to do it ourselves. But what about the times we've already blown it? God uses those times. He can use our defeats for His glory and to make us better and bring us closer to Him as easily, maybe more so, than He uses our victories.

Having failed does not define who we are. Messing up does not mean that we will never be able to do anything right. Falling short of the goal doesn't mean that we shouldn't take another shot. Don't allow condemnation to hold you back. The secret to overcoming the failures of the past is to surrender and rely on Him. Peter sank when he saw the waves around him, but he didn't run from the presence of Jesus and give up because of losing faith. He stayed until the end, or at least until after swearing he would never desert Christ, denied him three times. Even later he had had to be called out publicly by Paul for letting what other people might think override what he knew to be truth. And yet, He did much for God, and even has a couple of books in the Bible. He helped to build and establish the church. There is no one in Christianity who considers Peter a failure, but he did have some pretty big mess ups. No matter what or how you've fallen short, God can restore you and establish you in a life worth living that brings Him glory. Don't give up.

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Unshackled Moments ~ March 8 ~ Who Holds The Leash?

Don't you ever tame your demons But always keep them on a leash. - Hozier

I love this line, and there is a part of me that agrees with it still, even though experience has shown me that's not how it works. There is nothing new under the sun, and none of us are dying of terminal uniqueness. We are all unique, created to reflect a certain glory of our Creator that no one else can quiet reflect the same way, but at the same time those feelings, temptations and fears that make us feel like no one has them are not nearly as unique as we think. And it's not always easy to tell if the unique part of us, that which drives us and makes us individually us, is a blessing or a curse.The idea I got from this line by Hozier is that you have to keep that fire alive but under your own control because it will leave destruction and ashes in your wake if you don't. How bad, how many and out of what those ashes are comprised of is what determine's you level of peace.

That's my interpretation of Arsonist's Lullaby anyway, and I tried to live that way for so long. Our gifts are a lot like our instincts. They are God given for a purpose, but when they are out of the banks, they flood through our lives and wash away all pretense of control or restraint. We do whatever it takes to in order to feed that instinctive drive or express that gift, no matter what it does to us or those we care about. The instinct to eat is a good one, but we can push others away and eat ourselves into an early grave if this instinct is warped. And the musician with a God given talent and drive, who has simply got to play or die, can move the world with his gift or lose everything as he walks away from family to pursue the passion of his curse.

It's easy to see why it would be comfortable to call those passions, drives and inner voices urging us on demons. First, they are so much a part of us, that they are very often what we use to define our core self, yet at the same time always seem to be a little other, as though it's a temporary gift just waiting to go to someone else should we fail to make use of it. The other reason it can feel demon or beast like is that our gifts and instincts alike, the ones that really effect and move us anyway, can never be tamed or leashed. What I have experienced and seen in others is that when we try to leash it, we either kill it or finally come to the understanding that we are the ones leashed and controlled by the tyrant drive, not the other way around.

But the One who gave us that gift can feed it, cause it to flourish, allow us to use it in a way that doesn't leave ashes behind us, that gives great joy to us and glory to Him. When we surrender our instincts, passions, gifts, talents and drives to Christ, we put the leash in the hands of the only one who can tame the tiger without killing it or turning it into a kitty cat. The gift can become all that it was meant to be and make life worth living rather than destroying us when we give it back to the One who gave it to us.

Monday, March 7, 2016

Unshackled Moments ~ March 7~ Need A Cup Of Coffee

Those who read Unshackled Moments regularly or who are friends/followers on social media are most likely not only aware that I love my coffee, but that I love my coffee cold. When I say cold, I mean room temperature. I usually make a pot the night before, turn off the warmer once it has brewed, and let the coffee sit and cool until the next morning. That's just how I prefer it. But as I write this, I have a pot brewing, and once it's done, I will be pouring some into a cup and drinking it hot.

Why? Did I change my preferences? No. Does it matter? I mean will any reader even care about the coffee drama going on this morning? No, maybe not, probably not. But I didn't prepare. I didn't make my coffee last night, so I have none ready this morning. I also have no substitutes in the way of sodas or other caffeinated beverages. So it's make a pot of coffee or do without.

Doing without is not an option if I can help it. I am honest enough to admit that I am addicted to caffeine. If I don't keep my caffeine level up, I begin to have headaches as I go into caffeine withdrawals. I don't worry about this particular addiction because it doesn't make life unmanageable, and I never had to lie, cheat, steal or commit a major sin in order to obtain a cup. But I'm hooked, and if I can't drink it the way I want, the way I prefer, the way that is best for me, I will drink it hot, or on ice, or in the case of instant coffee I've been known to just eat a spoonful dry.

I can stress it to show in a slightly humorous ways, but we all do it in some way. How many have seen someone order a soda, and after being told that soda is out of stock or not carried, order a different brand and then say something about how they don't like that soda. Do you have Diet Dr. Pepper? No, but we have Diet Coke? Sigh. I hate Diet Coke. Oh well, bring me a Diet Coke. Well, if you hate that drink, or if it's really not what you want, why get it? Because you "have" to have something to drink with your meal? Because you "have" to have a soda over water? Because you need the caffeine? Or...?

What about when they don't have diet and you buy the one you don't need, the regular brand with all the sugar. Well, I just wanted a soda so bad I blew my diet, or ignored my diabetes or.... And by the way, I never drink diet soda, I always have my sugar thank you very much, I'm simply showing that we all have areas where we will quickly compromise to get our fix, whatever that fix may be.

So why don't we do that with God? It is essential to gain closeness with Daddy. We have no power to walk as we should if we are not infused with and surrendered to the Holy Spirit. Never mind the relationship aspects of ignoring someone we claim to love, but the necessity aspects loom large over our day. We can not walk with God without spending time with Him, time praying, time worshiping. It's not a rule thing, as in you must pray 30 minutes every day or else. It's a practical thing. I can't drink enough coffee on Sunday to get me through Monday morning, much less the whole week. I need more or I begin to feel the effects of not having it. And I can't worship enough, pray enough, read enough Bible on Sunday to last any longer than the coffee I drink. Monday morning I need a fresh cup of Spirit.

But I overslept, and I am in a rush. I don't have time. Or I'm just not feeling it today. Or some other reason why I am going to wait until tomorrow to do the most important thing on my need to do list, spend time with my Creator. I'm not putting off my coffee any longer than I have to. Most of us don't just eat our meal without something to drink when they don't have what we want. And we can't go putting our time with God off because it isn't happening at the time, place or in the way that we like. I enjoy my last meditation time in the evening to be alone, sitting in a comfortable chair with my pipe, contemplating and praying. But if that doesn't happen, I will still lay in bed with my wife and review my day and pray. It's part of my necessary time. So is my morning time.

There are things I prefer to do, in the order and amount of time I prefer, with the background music I prefer, etc. God just prefers to have our heart from the start and whether you play music or don't or what kind doesn't really matter. But He wants us, all of us, undivided us. And we need Him, His love, His power and His grace to live as our hearts long to live.

Maybe today, something happened and the way you prefer to get your daily dose of Jesus isn't happening or possible. Don't let that cause you to make Him wait another day to fellowship with you. Do what you can, push in, make contact in a less preferred way. Less preferred is a thousand times better than not at all. You may not get a headache if you skip your morning cup of Spirit, but that power that helps you go through your day in a way befitting a free child of God, yeah that becomes less available. And if you have been struggling but have never made time with God a regular part of your day, I would encourage you to do so. It won't be long till you will wake longing for that contact with Him more than the first cup of coffee that pulls us from our beds.

Sunday, March 6, 2016

Unshackled Moments ~ March 6 ~ Contact High

I have a question for my Dear Readers who have struggled to be free from the chains of chemical addiction. Have you ever gotten drunk from smelling a drink? Have you ever managed to get drunk because those around you were drunk or did you actually have to drink, to take the alcohol in every single time that you ever became intoxicated? Well, it might have been a little easier with other drugs. Ever had a contact or secondary high? Was it ever enough to satisfy? If you're anything like me, the answer is probably not.

The scripture tells us to be drunk with the Holy Spirit instead of with wine. Real addicts and alcoholics learn that this bondage is a spiritual one and the answer and path to freedom is a spiritual one as well. To find freedom in any area, in every area, we must be filed with a spirit other than and greater than our own. The thing is the Spirit is also something that can't effect us, at least not in a full and satisfying way, until we take Him into us.

You can't have the Spirit of God override our old nature and set us free without desiring for Him to do so. Just like we had to drink and drug to get high, not just think about it. We must imbibe. We have to take Him in personally. Being near Him is not enough. A contact buzz from being around those full of the spirit can only increase our desire, not satisfy it. The relationship with God that sets us free is a personal one and must be achieved and maintained on a personal level. It's not about the relationship our parents, spouses, friends or any other relations might or might not have. It's not about what we did yesterday or the day before. It's about making contact, taking Him in today and surrendering to the effects of the Spirit as He fills us and changes the way we think, feel and act. Let's take the Spirit into us again today.

Saturday, March 5, 2016

Unshackled Moments ~ March 5 ~ Brothers And Bars

My wonderful wife was adopted as a child, and because of that I wound up with four brothers-in-law rather than the one I was close to in high school. I considered Paul a good friend from junior high through high school, even though we hung out less toward the end of my high school career as I drifted further and further to the dark side and though he told me not to ask his sister out. I can't imagine why he wouldn't want me to date his sister back then, I don't have to imagine it. I can't imagine why anyone who cared about their sister would have wanted me anywhere near her. I'm just glad that he is glad to have me as a brother-in-law.

I usually start thinking about Brian more this time of year, as the weather turns nice again and the motorcycle starts calling my name. Dalyn, it's time to ride again. Let's go. Brian is Paul and Leah's (and their sister Anne's) little brother, and he was an awesome guy. I didn't really get to know him in high school, but the time I had to sit out semesters put me behind in college just enough to get to know him as we spent time in the art department at SFA together. We became friends and shared a few Shiner Bock's and Papa John's pizzas in the late/early hours, along with other art students who, like the two of us, had keys to the building. In May of 1997, when I was still working for the local newspaper as a photographer, a drunk driver turned in front of Brian's motorcycle. Brian became the first friend whose fatality accident I would have to cover for the paper. I sometimes wonder how he would feel about me marrying his sister, and I hope he'd approve.

When Leah and I began our life together I learned about the other two, her biological brothers (and a sister). She talked to me about them, how much she missed them, and what it would mean to her to have all three of them back in her life. I am grateful that Leah is in touch with all three of her biological siblings now, but today I am concentrating on the men Leah calls brothers. One of her two biological brothers I have not personally met outside of social media yet. I look forward to the day that I do get to have some face time with Jody and get to know him.

I saved Shane for last, because it worked better for the writing, as this while thing really started out as a thought of what my two brothers-in-law have in common. See the problem? That was my thought, but I have four, It's just that one has died and that other I don't really know, yet. So they don't come to mind as quickly as the other two I am closer to now. Paul and Shane have a few things in common, despite not being related to each other themselves. I happen to love them both and would be happy to have either or both of them as friends even if Leah and I had not gotten together. They both have the most amazing and beautiful sister who loves them very much. They both have the best brother-in-law who loves their sister. And they both love going to see live music.

Paul and I often talk about the shows he has seen recently or will see in the near future. He asked Leah and I to join him at an Ace Frehley show, but we weren't able to do it. And I was a little envious when he told me that he'd seen Scott Stapp right before one of our visits. Shane also wants to take Leah and I to see some bands that he likes, although his taste in music is different than Paul's. The upcoming Spazmatics show on my birthday might be fun. I'm rambling and taking a long time to get to my point, so thank you for bearing with me Dear Reader. I just woke this morning feeling very grateful for the brothers Leah has had, and how they have all meant something to me as well.

What kicked off all this thinking about my brothers-in-law is Shane's recent kindness. He wants to plan some things for us to do together, us being Leah and I and he and his wife Carla, and, like Paul, live music is something he loves. Despite his great desire to see a show with us, he offered to let that idea go and said it was probably a bad idea, since it was in a bar. I loved him even more for that, because I felt like that consideration and willingness to do something different stemmed mostly out of respect or concern about the fact that I am a minister or that I am in recovery and can't drink. I asked Leah to make sure that he knows that a bar is not a problem.

The thing is, the obsession to drink and drug has been removed, praise God, and I can go anywhere without fear that I need to go. I happen to like country music as well as rock, and it's pretty much impossible to see a country show in this town without going to a bar/dance hall to do it. I have been in plenty of places and situations where alcohol and or drugs have been readily available, and will do so again. Now, I'm not going to hang out in the dope house without reason, and I'm not going to go sit at a bar after work for fun. But if there's someone that I need to talk to, a bar or a dope house won't slow me down, I'm not afraid of the lion's den, and if there is a band I want to see with my family, I have no problem with a wet venue.

There are places I can't go as both a recovered drug addict and alcoholic and as a preacher. I can't go visit Angry Town. I can't help driving through from time to time, but to stop there for any length of time is far more dangerous than any bar and grill, or dope house for that matter. I can't spend too much time in Feartropolis either. Self Pity City is more dangerous than a fridge full of beer or whiskey in the freezer. These are places I wish I could avoid completely, but I can't. I need God's grace to stay out of them or, when I fail to do that, to get through them quickly and safely without getting stopped. These are the things that will get me drunk and high and remove my ability to be a good husband, sober or not. The road that leads to all three of these danger zones is Self St.

If we, who are believers, even believers in recovery, stay out of self and in the will of our Heavenly Daddy, there is nowhere and nothing we need to fear to face or go. We can walk into the fire without being burnt, we can spend the night in a lion's den without being consumed, we can return to Egypt without returning to the bondage of our past, and we can go to the grave and not die. The simple truth is that if we engage in self destructive behavior by taking up our cross and following Jesus there is nothing that can hold us captive or bring destruction into our lives. If we refuse to surrender to Him though, there is no place safe enough, dry enough or clean enough to keep us clean and sober. The problem is a spiritual one, the freedom is found in Christ, the danger is not in people, places, situations or triggers but in self will and playing God. Today let us be quick to surrender to God and destroy self, that we may find our salvation for this day.

ULM