Thought for the Week
There’s a reason AA sponsors are recovering addicts. Lost people don’t want slogans, they want to be shown the way out—by someone who’s actually found it. So don’t just give answers, whenever you possibly can, be someone’s answer, even if only a partial one. And then two people will have found encouragement: The one who’s being helped. And the one whose own sufferings turn out to have had a greater purpose than they ever imagined.
“The most beautiful people…are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.”
~Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
Mitch Teemley 
Reblogged this on Cyber Support Group.
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In AA, it’s called “sharing your experience, strength, and hope.” It isn’t easy to do, sometimes. But it can save lives.
Writing my memoir is very hard. But if it will save even one life, it will be so worth it!
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Amen, Linda! I feel this way about my longtime experience with anxiety and OCD.
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So true, Mitch! If we’ve walked in the shoes that with God’s help we were able to cast off, God can turn that evil for good to help us share our faith and our encouragement with others. Rosaria Butterfield, author of “The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert,” is a great example of this.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (NIV): “Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men, nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”
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The Lord has used my past abuse to help many others through support groups, testimonies, etc. and I have seen so much healing in others because of it. We can definitely be “the answer for others.” Thank you for sharing.
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My privilege, Sue.
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So true!
Paired with a great quote.
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Yes! This is so true. Thanks for sharing. ☺️
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My pleasure, Christine.
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Excellent reminder of the fact that God never wastes a wound. Thank you, Mitch.
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“God never wastes a wound.” Love that phrase, Russ.
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I love how you said this, Mitch. There is a big difference between giving answers or being the answer. An important difference that defines whether a message is simply thrown at them or conveyed to make them find it in themselves.
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True indeed, Erika.
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Absolute truth. We need someone who has walked in our shoes to show us how to get the results they got, and perhaps more.
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Wonderful quote and great advice!
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Thank you once again Mitch. I’m in recovery and I bore a physical consequence of my addiction – I was diagnosed with AIDS five months after I got clean a little over fifteen years ago. One day my son – who always hit me with random questions asked me how do I feel about having AIDS. I had to think about it but I told him it was the best thing that ever happened to me.
He was confused until I told him that I had an experience that could help others in a way he could not. Over the years since I chose to be public about my HIV (which has been undetectable for almost 14 years!) I’ve spoken at several recovery events. Inevitably, someone has come up to me afterward and said “Thank you. Me too. I’ve always been afraid to share my status because of the stigma. You took some of that stigma today”.
I am not perfect. I have a long way to go, but I am unashamedly one of God’s kids – scars, imperfections, and all. Difficulties in life have been turned into so many beautiful things to share with others along the path. It’s a golden opportunity to share where my healing comes from.
By the way, I celebrated eight years of marriage to the love of my life a few days ago. We have a beautiful life together. I found out we’re a magnet couple – she’s negative and I’m positive. Go figure…
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What a marvelous testimony, Gregory!
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I posted this on the Restoring Our Communities page. God bless!
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I’m honored, Nancy.
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