Celebrate Recovery - Madison,WI

Keep your head to the sky. Because your power comes from above.

The Lotus

by Lenora Rodin

The lotus flower starts as a small flower down at the bottom of a pond in the muck and mire. It slowly grows up towards the water's surface in search of light. Once it surfaces to the top of the water, the lotus flower

begins to blossom into a beautiful flower.

That light is Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

Here at Celebrate Recovery, we equip you with the tools to start on your pathway to light. We do this by simply introducing you to 8 Spiritual Principles taken from the Beatitudes of Christ-also known as the Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew Chapter 5 of your Bible.

There is no greater power than the power of God and no matter what your Hurts, Habits or Hang-ups are, Christ has the solution.

It does not matter if your life may seem like it is in the mucks and mires

like the Lotus Flower- if God can make the Lotus rise to the top with all of it's adversities, just imagine what He can and will bring you through.

I know because I was once that Lotus.

Stuck in darkness, weighed down by the mucks and mires of my hurts, habits and hang-ups until I let Jesus guide me to His changing light.

Now my life is not the same and never will be.

He reached down and held His hand out to me and as I was reaching to grab hold of His hand, the mud held me back, but I did not give up. I kept reaching upward to His guiding light and now I'm free.

Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty and my prayer for all is that they will come into the fullness and knowledge of God's goodness so that His light can guide all to freedom.

I am still under construction. God is not finished with me yet. But the flower that He is sculpturing me into is beautiful and way more that I could have ever imagined.

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Poet Felicia Jones - Inspiration from God:

JESUS:

You’ve bought me a mighty long way

In my mind, body, heart, and soul forever stay.

I want to be a reflection of YOU

In word, deed and anything I do.

LORD I thank YOU for bringing me so far

I know you’re not finished, until I am where YOU are.

I can do anything and soar high above

But only with YOUR guidance, mercy and love.

I praise you, I thank you, You’ve set me free

Thanks for your love and liberty.

I love you with all my heart

I thank You for loving me from my very start.

You LORD have picked me up and allowed me to stand

You are mighty, wonderful, powerful, holding me in Your hand.

Thine will be done

Victoriously You have won.

Bringing new life from the Father through His Son.

Your majesty and glory

You are constantly unfolding in my life story

You said in your word; don’t be afraid or worry

You heard me when I called and responded in a hurry

I thank You LORD with all that’s in me

You have captured my heart and set me free.

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I started off having a pretty good life,

Being a dedicated mother and a devoted wife.

Then I turned away from that familiar road;

I never knew how my life would soon unfold.

There was so much pain misery and strife,

All I tried then was to end my life.

I soon found out that wouldn’t be

God had something better in store for me.

With God’s grace, mercy and love I AM NOW FREE!

To live my life filled with VICTORY!

There are many things I have yet to do,

One thing I know, God will see me through.

I know HE watches from Heaven above,

Constantly; showering me with HIS unending love.

Felicia Jones

The Blessings In the Storm
written by Connie Ciccone

I did not know His love before,
The way I know it now.
I could not see my need for Him,
My pride would not allow.I had it all, without a care,
The "self-sufficient" lie.
My path was smooth, my sea was still,
Not a cloud was in my sky.I thought I knew His love for me,
I thought I'd seen His grace,
I thought I did not need to grow,
I thought I'd found my place.But when the way grew rough and dark,
The storm clouds quickly rolled;
The waves began to rock my ship,
My anchor would not hold.The ship that I had built myself
Was made of foolish pride.
It fell apart and left me bare,
With nowhere else to hide.I had no strength or faith to face
The trials that lay ahead,
And so I simply prayed to Him
And bowed my weary head.His loving arms enveloped me,
And then He helped me stand.
He said, "You still must face this storm,
But I will hold your hand."So through the dark and lonely night
He guided me through all the pain.
I could not see the light of day
Or when the storm might wane.Yet through the aches and endless tears,
My faith began to grow.
I could not see it at the time,
But my light began to glow.I saw God's love in brand new light,
His grace and mercy, too.
For only when all self was gone
Could Jesus' love shine through.It was not easy in the storm,
I sometimes wondered, "Why?"
At times I thought, "I can't go on."
I'd hurt and doubt and cry.
But Jesus never left my side,
He guided me each day.
Through pain and strife,
Through fire and flood,
He helped me all the way.And now I see as never before
How great His love can be.
How in my weakness He is strong,
How Jesus cares for me!He worked it all out for my good,
Although the way was rough.
He only sent what I could bear,
And then He cried, "Enough!"He raised His hand and said, "Be still!"
He made the storm clouds cease.
He opened up the gates of joy
And flooded me with peace.I see His face now clearer still,
I felt His presence strong.
I found anew His faithfulness,
He never did me wrong.Now I know more storms will come,
But only for my good,
For pain and tears have helped me grow
As naught else ever could.I still have so much more to learn
As Jesus works in me reform
If in the storm I love Him more,
Then I know....
The Blessings In the Storm