CRA Christians in Recovery (anonymous)

[Magenta]

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2022 - WHAT HOPE DO WE HAVE?
Audio for WHAT HOPE DO WE HAVE?

Life is a journey and from its beginning to its end we are all influenced by the environment
we live in. When we were old enough to choose our own way, our choices were likely impacted
by what went on in our life journey to that point. What hope is there for us when what was
sown into the early years of our life is what we are reaping today?

Lord, you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them. You will bring
justice to the orphans and the oppressed, so mere people can no longer terrify them. (Psalm 10:17-18 NLT)

When we first gave our will and life over to the care of God we knew little, if anything, about God’s ways. Our
known ways and actions were like chains that bound and enslaved us to a life that was totally unmanageable.
The only hope we have of eliminating our bondage is to unchain our mind from our actions and with God’s
help release ourselves from our former slave master. We need to keep saying no to the old path that
dominates our thinking and continue treading the new path back to life. Each time we make that choice
for the new path, it will become more firm under our feet and our old ways will be left behind.

Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you. (Psalm 25:5 NLT)

The scriptures tell us to have faith in God even when we are unable to see the way forward.
The measure of our faith is the hope we have in the power, faithfulness, and love of God to
strengthen us as we tread the pathway of the will of God for our lives. God will make a way
for us to persevere through and live the life plan He has prepared in advance for us.

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1 NIV)

Prayer: Heavenly Father, My old ways need to be axed. Your word gives me hope to move forward in my
life. Please strengthen me to wholeheartedly tread the new path You have marked out for me. Amen

©2022 Partners in Hope
More information on this and other related topics @ http://www.partnersinhope.ca/life-with-god-in-recovery-resources/

 

[Magenta]

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2022 - HAS GOD FORGOTTEN TO BE MERCIFUL?
Audio for HAS GOD FORGOTTEN TO BE MERCIFUL?

We wonder if God is listening to our prayers when traumatic situations arise, and we are trying to navigate our way through them. We have brought the situation to God in prayer and are waiting for Him to give us an answer we can act on. When it looks like God is taking time to answer, we begin to wonder if He is angry about something we have done and perhaps withholding the solution we are seeking.

Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?” Then I thought, “To this I will appeal: the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand. I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.” Your ways, God, are holy. What god is as great as our God? (Psalm 77: 9-13 NIV)

Giving our will and life over to the care of God means that we allow God to determine what is good for us, believing that He works all things according to His will for us. If what we prayed for happened as soon as we prayed, we might get puffed up by believing we are the ones directing God on how to provide for our need. God is a wise Father, and He has a good plan for our lives. He is working every situation in our lives according to His overall plan for us.

If we read the Bible and get acquainted with how God works, we will learn that God honours and acts
on behalf of those who have faith in what He says. God does this in His perfect way at just the right time.

When Abraham had no children, God told Him that His descendants would be as the stars in the heavens, too many to count. Abraham believed God would do what He said, but Abraham was almost 100 years old and his wife past childbearing age before Isaac the child of promise was conceived.

Faith in God requires that we trust what God says and wait for Him to act.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, You are a God who honours Your word. Give me the wisdom to not rely on my own
understanding, but to trust You and practice the principles contained in Your Word in all my affairs. Amen

©2022 Partners in Hope

Proverbs3-5-6

 

[persistent]

We wonder if God is listening to our prayers when traumatic situations arise,

Thnx for posting these. This one, not having had any traumatic events, is not verifiable. Three times my prayers for non-traumatic events, requests were answered.

 

[Ted01]

Anybody else here that deals with C-PTSD issues?

 

[persistent]

Anybody else here that deals with C-PTSD issues?

I am guessing that the C is for Catholicism?

 

[Ted01]

I am guessing that the C is for Catholicism?

Close... as that was an aspect of it.
C=Chronic

 

[persistent]

Close... as that was an aspect of it.
C=Chronic

Is there a site that gives a 'good' definition of PTSD and symptoms. Seems the little I paid attention to this indicates symptoms are at times latent and at times dormant till triggered and possibly extreme reactions when triggered?

 

[Ted01]

"Trigger" and triggering are real buzzwords for folks with PTSD... and very hard to even become aware of in ourselves.

Getting triggered comes in various forms, from full blown, reactive behavior to just autonomous muscle tightening or
"knee-jerk" idiosyncrasies of thought processes.

 

[persistent]

Anybody else here that deals with C-PTSD issues?

Glad you brought this topic to light. And thinking now what are the 'causative' factors for any form of PTSD and is C-PTSD different in any way regarding 'causes'? Does the medical community have an understanding of this since my understanding is PTSD started as 'shell shock' in WWi and progressively changed names and understanding thru time.

 

[persistent]

"Trigger" and triggering are real buzzwords for folks with PTSD... and very hard to even become aware of in ourselves.

Getting triggered comes in various forms, from full blown, reactive behavior to just autonomous muscle tightening or
"knee-jerk" idiosyncrasies of thought processes.

Is there any sites that give a list of reactions? Some how this makes me think of 'Tourette's' syndrome. Not sure if that is possible reaction too. Supposed to be maybe fit of cussing or anger maybe. Maybe medical community misdiagnose this. That is beside the point of can reactions be known and anticipated if person is aware of condition? Is this some how Spirtually addressed? Could some of those Jesus healed have been subject to this. Like the person throwing themselves into fire or ?? Don't recall exactly now. Seems possible?

 

[Ted01]

Glad you brought this topic to light. And thinking now what are the 'causative' factors for any form of PTSD and is C-PTSD different in any way regarding 'causes'? Does the medical community have an understanding of this since my understanding is PTSD started as 'shell shock' in WWi and progressively changed names and understanding thru time.

The DSM-5 doesn't recognize C-PTSD as anything different than PTSD, however the European equivalent (ICD-11?) does.
basically, the difference is the recurring pattern of "trauma" that some people deal with such as child abuse that lasts through
basically, a lifetime. Chronic, repeated occurrences of "trauma", see?

The causes for PTSD can literally be anything that causes emotional/psychological pain to an individual... the list seems to be
growing in this day and age, lol. Ya' know, relativism is running amuck. But yeah, shell shock, battle fatigue etc., are some
common ones.

Since the US doesn't recognize the chronic aspects/subtleties that moves PTSD into C-PTSD, most people in the medical fields
aren't addressing it in full and therefore don't treating patients that have cognitive distortions and such that are so deeply
ingrained in a person's make up. It's more treatment resistant than straight PTSD. (Hope that makes sense?)

 

[persistent]

The DSM-5 doesn't recognize C-PTSD as anything different than PTSD, however the European equivalent (ICD-11?) does.
basically, the difference is the recurring pattern of "trauma" that some people deal with such as child abuse that lasts through
basically, a lifetime. Chronic, repeated occurrences of "trauma", see?

The causes for PTSD can literally be anything that causes emotional/psychological pain to an individual... the list seems to be
growing in this day and age, lol. Ya' know, relativism is running amuck. But yeah, shell shock, battle fatigue etc., are some
common ones.

Since the US doesn't recognize the chronic aspects/subtleties that moves PTSD into C-PTSD, most people in the medical fields
aren't addressing it in full and therefore don't treating patients that have cognitive distortions and such that are so deeply
ingrained in a person's make up. It's more treatment resistant than straight PTSD. (Hope that makes sense?)

Never considered this for myself and I rarely see doctors except for 1989 went to check up physical and short time with psychologist. Good possibility for some of this from time as youngster. i.e. 'traumatic' incidents some from home life some from street life. Maybe some cause for self-medicating.

 

[Ted01]

Is there any sites that give a list of reactions? Some how this makes me think of 'Tourette's' syndrome. Not sure if that is possible reaction too. Supposed to be maybe fit of cussing or anger maybe. Maybe medical community misdiagnose this. That is beside the point of can reactions be known and anticipated if person is aware of condition? Is this some how Spirtually addressed? Could some of those Jesus healed have been subject to this. Like the person throwing themselves into fire or ?? Don't recall exactly now. Seems possible?

That's rather interesting! I have little understanding of Tourette's but have heard of/seen it before. I imagine that there could
be some link between the two... but would have to think about it.

As for the Spiritual side of addressing C-PTSD, I can only speak for myself... we CPTSDer's don't have large circles of friend's, see?
But for me, having a better role model of a Loving Father is a huge thing. It's both a whole new concept that I can't quite get
my head around and an anchor point that God is the quintessential father figure... but I have to careful not to allow my imagination
to define Him but allow Him to reveal what it all means and such.

 

[Ted01]

Never considered this for myself and I rarely see doctors except for 1989 went to check up physical and short time with psychologist. Good possibility for some of this from time as youngster. i.e. 'traumatic' incidents some from home life some from street life. Maybe some cause for self-medicating.

Definitely!! Self-medicating is the only real solution (from a carnal perspective) to address what MH pros don't address.

 

[persistent]

That's rather interesting! I have little understanding of Tourette's but have heard of/seen it before. I imagine that there could
be some link between the two... but would have to think about it.

As for the Spiritual side of addressing C-PTSD, I can only speak for myself... we CPTSDer's don't have large circles of friend's, see?
But for me, having a better role model of a Loving Father is a huge thing. It's both a whole new concept that I can't quite get
my head around and an anchor point that God is the quintessential father figure... but I have to careful not to allow my imagination
to define Him but allow Him to reveal what it all means and such.

Amen to that and I talk to a person with Assemblies of God and kind of stymie her but she is real helpful. My strangest idea is could this be also relative to PTSD; Imprinting..i.e. like baby ducks or other animals. An aunt told me when brought home as baby my 3 yr old brother had toy saw and wanted to chop me up. Then early recollection of my hating babies. Then played off brother against brother and I was always bad guy. Wonder if these events could imprint and contribute to some thing like PTSD. Remember fearful to be close to windows if in tall building. Always thinking to possibly jump thru. And also later in life some time concerned about driving my car over cliff or into train. Wonder if any thing to do with PTSD or just whacky?

 

[persistent]

Definitely!! Self-medicating is the only real solution (from a carnal perspective) to address what MH pros don't address.

So do MH folks prescribe meds? If so, do they help? I was told to possibly write and burn problems. Eleanor Roosevelt used to do this.

 

[Ted01]

Amen to that and I talk to a person with Assemblies of God and kind of stymie her but she is real helpful. My strangest idea is could this be also relative to PTSD; Imprinting..i.e. like baby ducks or other animals. An aunt told me when brought home as baby my 3 yr old brother had toy saw and wanted to chop me up. Then early recollection of my hating babies. Then played off brother against brother and I was always bad guy. Wonder if these events could imprint and contribute to some thing like PTSD. Remember fearful to be close to windows if in tall building. Always thinking to possibly jump thru. And also later in life some time concerned about driving my car over cliff or into train. Wonder if any thing to do with PTSD or just whacky?

Imprinting is an interesting thing which I had forgotten about... but now that you mention it, it might be similar to
the idea of how children form cognitive distortions. With me, a key aspect to my thinking has to do with not having
anyone that I could go to for clarification of issues. Children need adults to inject rational thinking or else a child will
just continue on in life with a head full of "tripe".

 

[Ted01]

So do MH folks prescribe meds? If so, do they help? I was told to possibly write and burn problems. Eleanor Roosevelt used to do this.

They seem to have meds for everything these days... I'm currently trying to stop mine.
I think that medication is a useful tool as a stopgap for dealing with my stuff... but a right mind is much better
in the long run.

 

[persistent]

They seem to have meds for everything these days... I'm currently trying to stop mine.
I think that medication is a useful tool as a stopgap for dealing with my stuff... but a right mind is much better
in the long run.

Never had any prescribed just illicit. Seems that some prescribed are effective. If you want I wiil post the link to my local AoG and you could scroll down to see Carlos Paniagua preach about some of this. Post any way 20 Nov sermon
Maranatha Chapel in Evergreen Park IL (mchapel.net)
I say "my friend Anita prayed him to preach this for me">>>>>With God all things are possible. Maybe 15-30 mins in is Carlos

 

[persistent]

see Carlos Paniagua preach

PS>>>if you watch Carlos, near the end about his mother and brother are maybe helpful. He was God send for me.