Guidelines…

Sometimes, in the early days of CR, I would want to skip a Friday night. (Remember, what is shared in the group, stays in the group!). I had been working at my new job for about a year and it was really stressful. Hurrying from work, grabbing a quick dinner, guilting our two teenage kids into going to CR, too, did not always appeal to me.

And leading a group with rules—the small group guidelines— was way outside my comfort zone!

But our ministry was too new, more people started showing up than we expected, so I went even if I didn’t want to.

What do you know? One of the women in the group would always share just the thing I needed to hear. I got way more out of the group than I gave.

One Saturday morning a few weeks ago, I was feeling particularly vulnerable and definitely not in my comfort zone, and I didn’t want to get on my CR widows’ zoom call. So I thought about skipping. But I love those women, so I got out my box of tissues, sat it by the chair, and logged on.

What do you know? Every single one of those women shared something I needed to hear. I got way more out of the group than I gave.

My daughter kept saying these past couple of months, “Mom, you want to let people know that CR works for grief, too. You need to get on Facebook and instagram.”

Way, way, way outside of my comfort zone.

What do you know? Your responses to these posts have been exactly what I needed to hear.

Your replies and comments have given me way more than I have given you!

Thank you for being on this journey through grace through grief with Celebrate Recovery with me. Let’s keep telling everyone we know that those “rules”, the open share group guidelines guarantee that Celebrate Recovery is a safe place for anyone struggling with a hurt, hang up or habit—even grief.

Which is your favorite small group guideline?