Denial

This is my first newsletter entry for Mtn. View's monthly publication. I get the privilege of writing each month as a CR participant. I thought I would share these with you and get some feedback. I pray they are a blessing to you.


"De-Nial...It's NOT just a river in Egypt". Ha! Ha! That's something we say at Celebrate Recovery. Yet, I say it not tongue and cheek. Denial is something that all of us face. However in Jer. 6:14 (TLB) it says "You can't heal a wound by saying it's not there!"

I just want to share a BRIEF synopsis of my journey OUT of denial. Back in the early summer of 2005 I was asked to come and help facilitate worship at a Celebrate Recovery meeting with my husband Nathan. We agreed readily. We love to sing and to help out with worship. It also was a blessing to be a help to "hurting people". So Nathan and I went to help "lead". We went several times subsequently and enjoyed helping "those people". Well after several weeks of this we both were being convicted by our loving Holy Spirit. At different times and in different ways Nathan and I were becoming aware of OUR need for Celebrate Recovery. It was a few months later when Nathan and I had a talk and agreed that we needed to stay for a CR meeting and not just scoot out after worship. We stayed and the rest is history.

Almost three years later and after completing a 12 step study, Nathan and I are BLESSED to be some of "those people". What kind of "people" are they who come to Celebrate Recovery? Those with hurts, habits, and hang-ups. Those with struggles with chemical dependency. Those with problems and struggles of depression, loneliness, doubt, anger, and people pleasing. Those with "x" amount of extra pounds they carry around because of life's hurts. There are EVERY kind of people in CR. I feel so blessed to have stumbled into such a safe place. A place where Janelle can be Janelle. I can come just as I am and know that's all that's expected. It's the truest representation of the body of Christ I have EVER experienced.

So, if you are ready to step out of denial and discover YOUR need for Celebrate Recovery then I welcome you!! If not, and you just want to come and see why people like ME need Celebrate Recovery, one of "those people", then I welcome you also. Oh, that was sarcastic wasn't it? We'll that's one of the things I'm working on in my second 12 step study. Guess I still need CR.

In Him,

Janelle Flint