Celebrate Recovery of LaSalle/Peru, IL

09/10/2026

DAY 253
A Rigorous Defense
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.
I JOHN 2:1

God set the standard impossibly high when he told his children not to sin. After all, we all mess up sometimes. That's why he adds a "but," which serves as a game changer. But... when we do sin, the Great Judge - God—has appointed the best attorney ever-Jesus Christ— to plead our case before the court of heaven. There is just one witness for our defense, God's Holy Spirit. He testifies that we are God's children and the price for our sin has been paid in full. What a courtroom!
When we sin— and we will even though we try not to — God has already prepared for us to be found "not guilty." It is our enemy who accuses us, fills our hearts with guilt, and tries to break us. He is the one who brings condemnation and judgment down on us— not our gracious, merciful, forgiving God.
We are God's children, and his Holy Spirit resides within us, helping us to recognize sin and identify the enemy's campaigns against us.
We have all the tools we need to resist sin, but God knows that we will sometimes allow ourselves to do what we know we should not. When that happens, he has prepared a rigorous defense on our behalf.

PRAYER
Father, thank you for giving me all the tools I need to resist sin and thank you for loving me enough to provide a defense for me when l fall prey to the enemy and my old nature. In Jesus' name, Amen.

09/09/2026

Did you know that escapism can be a hang-up?

Sometimes we run from reality instead of facing it.

We bury ourselves in work, social media, TV, gaming, shopping, or anything that helps us avoid dealing with what’s really going on inside.

Recovery begins when we stop running from our pain and allow God to meet us in it.

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18

09/09/2026

09/09/2026

DAY 252
The Pink Elephant
I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.
ROMANS 7:18

Our journey to wholeness begins when we admit that we are powerless over our addictions and compulsive behaviors, that our lives are unmanageable. But before we can make that admission and take the first step in recovery, we must deal with denial. It's like the pink elephant sitting in the middle of the room. No one wants to talk about it or even acknowledge it in any way. Family and friends often join us in our denial, not wanting to face the difficult reality. These comments probably sound familiar:
• "Talking about it only makes it worse."
• "I'm going to pretend this didn't happen."
• "If I tell her that I'm hurt by her words, she might leave me."
• "Come on, I really don't drink that much."
• "Don't worry about me. I'm fine!"
• "My friend drinks more than I do.""
• "The only reason I eat is because he makes me so mad!"
• "I wouldn't have to drink if you weren't always nagging me about something."
• "I have a tough job. I need a few drinks to relax."
If we allow ourselves to stay in denial, eventually we will lose everyone and everything we hold dear. Instead, we can be honest with ourselves and others and begin our journey to wholeness.

PRAYER
Father, I'm tired of making excuses. Help me face my past and my fears for the future as I take an honest step toward wholeness. In Jesus name, Amen.

09/08/2026

DAY 251
He Gives Rest
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
MATTHEW 11:28 - 30

I don't know a single person who isn't just worn-out. We are all carrying burdens, loads far too hard to bear. It's so important to know that we don't have to carry those burdens alone.
God's Word says that if we take our burdens to Jesus, he will give us rest. He doesn't say that he can give us rest or he might give us rest. He says that he will give us rest. It's a sure thing. All we have to do is show up and unload. How does he do it? How does he lift our burdens off our shoulders and onto his? I don't know. I'm not sure anyone does. What I do know is that I've been there. I've taken my weary self to him —all my hurts, hang-ups, and habits; all my worries about the people I love; all the difficulties that this world can throw at us— and every time, he has comforted me, soothed me, helped me to take a breath, and rest.
Rest is more than an instant in time. It's a process of inner repair and restoration. God can bring rest to our tired backs, but only affer weve laid down the load we've been carrying. That's our part-laying it down. Then we can enter into rest.

PRAYER
Father, thank you for letting me unload all my burdens on you, and thank you for sweet rest. In Jesus' name, Amen.

09/07/2026

Did you know that self-pity can be a hang-up?

😔 Focusing only on what you’ve lost.
😔 Believing no one understands your pain.
😔 Feeling stuck because life seems unfair.
😔 Letting your circumstances define your future.

Self-pity keeps us looking inward.

Recovery begins when we lift our eyes to God, who gives us hope, strength, and the courage to take the next right step.

09/07/2026

DAY 250
Bumpy Ride
God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God's glory displayed in the face of Christ.
2 CORINTHIANS 4:6

I was in Dallas on a stormy overcast day. It was dreary as I looked out the window of the airport terminal at the plane I would soon board for the last leg of my journey home. It occurred to me that it would be a bumpy ride.
Takeoff was a little scary as the plane pitched from side to side and bounced up and down. But as we started up through the clouds, things got brighter. Then we broke through into sunshine so bright that it was almost blinding. We were above the storm.
There are going to be days when the storms are raging around us.
That's always a little scary. There will be dark skies, and some days we just know we're in for a bumpy ride. But when we put our trust in God, we can ride above the storms, where the Son is always shining brightly.
Getting to that place above the storm is God's work. He is the pilot of our lives. But he has provided a Forever Family to stand with us until he takes us up and through.

PRAYER
Thank you, Father, for taking me up above the storms where your goodness shines with more brightness than the sun. And thank you for my Forever Family as well.
In Jesus' name, Amen.