CFC New Bedford - SoundSage

STEP TWELVE RECOVERY: Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to others and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

Acts 9:1-9 Knocked down, Acts 9:10-19 Picked up, Acts 9:26-28

Making Amends, Acts 28:30-31 Carried the message of the saving work of Jesus to others his entire life.

What was your life like before you trusted in Jesus? (Write one paragraphs)
How did you try to fix your life and what was the result? (Write one Paragraphs)
What was going on and what happened in the moment you started to trust Jesus with your life? (Write two paragraphs)
What has changed in your life and describe your life today in contrast to what it was like before your trusted Jesus? (Write two paragraphs)

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STEP ELEVEN RECOVERY: We sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, praying only for the knowledge of his will for us and the power to carry that out.

EXODUS 3:1-15, Psalms 27:1-14

How do I experience “conscious contact’ with God? Explain:
What do I most seek from God?
What is the most difficult part of asking God to reveal his will for my life rather than asking him to bless my own will for my life?
What is just one part of my will for my life and what is one part of God’s will for my life?
What is God teaching me the difference is between his will and my will?
What is the first action step I need to take to follow the part of God’s revealed will for my life?

PRAYER: Dear God, thank you for showing me the path that leads to you. Thank you for being with me throughout this journey, and for being with me now. Allow me to experience you in new and intimate ways. As I meditate on your Word, expand its meaning and deepen my knowledge of who you are and what you want for my life. When I am afraid, give me courage. When I am weak, give me your strength. And when I am distracted, give me clarity of purpose and the desire to carry out your will. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

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STEP TEN RECOVERY: We continued to take personal inventory, and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.

1 John 1:5-10

Notice that the concepts and work of the last six steps (4,5,6,7,8,9) are actually rolled into Step Ten: Inventory (I), confession (C), recognize (R) defects, faults, and sins, and making amends (A). (ICRA)

As this continual inventory is important for spiritual fitness, where in my daily routine can I set aside time to make self-assessment part of everyday?
Do I have any resistance to evaluating my defects daily? What are my objections? What do I fear?
An example of a simple, daily, personal inventory: a. Where have I been selfish, dishonest, fearful, inconsiderate, or proud? b. What have I done right today? c. What do I need God’s help with tomorrow? d. What am I grateful for today?

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STEP NINE RECOVERY: We made direct amends to such people wherever possible except when to do so could injure them or others.

A model to follow--Genesis 32:22-30, 33:1-11 and Matthew 5:23-25.

Who are the people on my Step Eight list who strike the most intense fear in my heart when I think about making amends, face-to-face?
Do I have supportive people to help me gain willingness to take such a challenging step? Do I have an advisor or sponsor to work with me?
What is the day and the time that I will schedule meetings with the people on my Step Eight list?

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STEP EIGHT RECOVERY: WE MADE A LIST OF ALL PESONS WE HARMED AND BECAME WILLING TO MAKE AMENDS TO THEM ALL.

Luke 19:1-10 and Matthew 18:15-35

Who have I harmed directly or indirectly as a result of my actions?
In what ways have I unintentionally harmed others with my words, moods, self-pity, depression, anger, or fears?
In what ways have I acted thoughtlessly without regard for other’s needs or feeling? When? To whom?
What excuses have I used for not looking at my behaviors and how the behaviors hurt others?
Have I been so afraid of rejection that I have delayed willingness to make amends? Who could reject me and why?
Are there people on my list that I am having trouble forgiving for their part in our relationship? Who and Why?
What blocks me from forgiving others for the wrongs done to me? I fear what others would think of me. (Pride?) I fear letting others see my hurts. I fear it will cause more conflict. (Protecting others’ feelings to avoid conflict)
How has an apology from someone who hurt me, set me free?
How has someone who forgave me set me free?

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STEP SEVEN RECOVERY: WE HUMBLY ASKED GOD TO REMOVE OUR SHORT COMINGS.

LUKE 18:9-14 AND PSALM 51:1-12.

When have I acted like the Pharisee who justified himself in the sight of God by comparing my religious works to the sin of others?
What good works do I list as my justification and what sinful habits do I ignore?
What did the tax collector pray and do that led to his justification?
What did Jesus say was the result of the tax collectors cry for mercy?
Write out a prayer that humbly asks Jesus to have mercy on you and asks for cleansing?
What way will you demonstrate that the sin is forgiven and gone from your life and God's sight? Take the list of sins you wrote out on paper and either blend it up, cut it up, burn it up, or send it up in a balloon.

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STEP SIX RECOVERY - We became entirely ready to have God remove these defects of character.

John 4:1-30 and 4:39-42

Make a list on a sheet of paper with three columns. Defect------Positive of it------Negative of it

______________________________________________ 2.______________________________________________ 3.______________________________________________

*Write about what you will miss about your defects and what you look forward to when these are removed.

*Write what you have learned about yourself in seeing the positive and the negative parts.

*Get ready for Step Seven's "Burial" service by writing them down on separate pieces of paper.

In what ways have I tried to fill the hunger of my soul and the thirst of my spirit with other substances and behaviors instead of trusting and following God's will?
Am I ready to turn to God for complete forgiveness and for continual nourishment of his Spirit to keep me free of addictive behaviors? Why or why not?
Do I believe, not just in my head, that the life God has for me will be more satisfying than the one I have lived under the cloud of addiction? Is my heart willing?

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Recovery Step Five We admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.

2 Samuel 12:1-7, 13; Psalm 32:1-5

How have I felt and how has my guilt/shame controlled my life?
How will unleashing and confessing my sin, that has caused others pain and me so much guilt/shame, heal me?
To whom can I confidentially confess my wrongs?
Have I set the appointment for completing Step Five by sharing my Step Four inventory? What is the date and time?

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RECOVERY STEP 4.

We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

Genesis 4:1-13.

When and in what ways have I led a "double life," looking good on the outside while full of shame about my addiction inside?
By hiding my problems with image management, how has my shame taken root and grown in my heart?
Am I fearful to admit what is there?
Am I ready to deal with "the dirt," to wash the inside so I can live free? What holds me back?
What is the first thing that comes to my mind for the fearless moral inventory and then what comes next? Start writing it down.

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Recovery Step 3-We made a decision to turn our wills and our live over to the care of God.

Exodus 14:5-31

What in my life has taught me not to trust God?
What am I blaming God for that was not his fault, but rather my own choices or the choices of others?
What is keeping me from trusting him with all of my hopes, dreams and relationships?
Besides asking Jesus into my heart, what do I need to trust him with so that I can experience freedom today?

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Recovery Bible Step 1 No Win Situations.

Genesis 16:1-15

What feelings do I experience as I acknowledge people in my life who have power over me? (teachers, parents, spouses, leaders, supervisors)
How do I feel trapped by my circumstances and what emotions do I feel because of them?
How do I try to escape from my feelings, such as anger, boredom, fatigue, or loneliness?
If I could, how would I change my response to the circumstances and feelings?
What way does Genesis 25:1-15 teach us to respond to the feelings and circumstances?

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