SEPTEMBER ISSUE 1
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Discover the Original ‘Why’ and ‘How’ of our Addiction Recovery “The Steps are like a medicine capsule with 12 ingredients —you take them ALL when you want to get well. How long do you want to stay sick?” Clarence Snyder, one of the first 40 members of A.A. Experience the Twelve Steps as the A.A. Founders practiced and taught -- in a matter of hours! Early members of AA, such as Dr Bob and Clarence S, took people through the 12 Steps as early in their recovery as possible and in a matter of hours, and that’s what you can experience at this retreat. Clarence’s story is in the first three editions of the Big Book (#11, “The Home Brewmeister”).
NOV. 5TH-7TH
Warren Willis United Methodist Camp & Conference Center 4990 Picciola Rd, Fruitland Park, FL 34731 https://wwumccc.org/
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Be inspired: Speakers with wisdom and years of experience to share.
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Delicious Food: Six Meals (Friday dinner through Sunday breakfast) plus great snacks and bottomless coffee pot.
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Hotel Style Accomodations
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Fees: $220 per person Double Occupancy; $260 per person Single Occupancy
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Reservations: Minimum $100 deposit.
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Space is limited.
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Check-in begins at 3:00 PM Friday Nov 5th. Dinner at 6:00 PM
Need a Spiritual Awakening? Take your Steps as the A.A. founders taught! For more information or to request a scholarship contact: Dale Barker 407-271-2256 | dalebarker4@gmail.com Tom Williams 973-879-9522 | tomw@cametobelieverecovery.org
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MKR Magazine September 2021
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FOR THE SOUL
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He First Loved Us................................................6 Colors................................................................. 7 The Love of God Is Passionate............................8 Feeding The Soul................................................9
HOLIDAY SHARING The Story of The Poinsettia................................ 11 Apples Bring People Together........................... 12 Keeping With Tradition ......................................14
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A Story That Isn’t Just for Christmas.. ................ 15
IN THE NEWS “Fighting the Life” at Mont Sinai Ministries ...... 16
ROCKERS IN RECOVERY Alcoholism Actually Has A Voice.. ...................... 19 The Origins of the 12 Steps...............................20 Spiritual Axiom..................................................23
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An interview with Simon Kirke...........................24
WALKING IN FAITH A New Direction for Five Loaf House.. ............... 27 Why the Bible Matters.......................................28 DIRECTORY.. ......................................................29 EVENTS.............................................................30
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OUR MISSION: Welcome.
Music Kingdom Radio is a multi-cultural lifestyles-based live stream radio production, podcast and magazine featuring current news and interviews with artists, authors, and health experts, along with music (old and new), musical reviews, and live music. Our mission is to educate and support people about health and wellness issues through the lens of current news topics while staying neutral, providing people from different walks of life a place to share their views of love, respect, strength, positive change and hope - something this world needs more of. I so believe the following to be true: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Thomas Jefferson The Declaration of Independence Second Continental Congress Philadelphia, Pennsylvania MKR helps to heal and shine a light of love and respect of others’ opinions and creativity. I feel we can accomplish this by talking with each other, instead of about each other, by talking to our fellow human beings and not at them. Everyone has an opinion and has the right to speak it and open a discussion. I hope you enjoy our multi-media approach and feel free to engage in a friendly way. John Hollis Founder - Music Kingdom Radio
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Music Kingdom Radio LLC 570-807-1080 5677 Route 115 #563 Blakeslee, PA. 18610 info@musickingdomradio.com FB @MusicKingdomRadio TW @MusicKingdomRadio musickingdomradio.com Owner/Founder/VP John Hollis Sr. Owner/MKR Printer Keith McManus Owner/Co-founder Gail Hollis Layout and Graphics Philip Salvagni Editor In Chief Becky Barnett Contributors Rev. Steven Grey Rev. Lyle Fried Author Gail Hollis Author Becky Barnett Author Keith Bayard Author Lena Argot Author Cynthia Bellino Author Kaylene Argot Author Ricky Byrd Photography Contributors Becky Barnett Lyle Fried Nancy Agnew
Radio Station Sponsorship Opportunities Available CONTACT
Email: info@musickingdomradio.com Phone: 570-807-1080 Web: musickingdomradio.com MKR Magazine September 2021
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FOR THE SOUL
HE FIRST LOVED US BY BECKY BARNETT
This past weekend we took the kids to Knoebels Amusement Resort, we went on the family train, ate some of those great Knoebels fries, and our daughter rode her first kiddie rides! As she spun around on the miniature fire engines I happened to glance up at a mom, semi-frantically waving and cheering for her small son on the ride.
we forget that without the ride operator we wouldn’t be going around at all. We get so caught up in the ride, become so puffed up with pride over WHAT we are doing, that we can forget WHO we are in Christ. If we are saved, we belong to The Lord. If we belong to The Lord, He calls us His children. John 1:12 If we love Him, it is because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19.
Have you ever stopped watching the kids riding around in a circle and taken a look at the parents surrounding the ride?
It’s ALL Him, isn’t that a beautiful truth to rest in. The way to rest and joy is Jesus. Knowing He is everything and we are saved, loved, cherished, and lead by Him. All we have to do is trust and obey His words. And even that comes by His grace alone.
There we all stand grinning, clapping, cheering, waving, taking pictures....as our babies sit on a ride and do basically nothing at all. Sure, they stay seated (most of the time), they don’t have a meltdown and start screaming (if we are lucky), they might turn the pretend steering wheel or ding the tiny bell.... but they certainly aren’t really driving or doing anything that requires a whole lot of special talent. And yet at every kiddie ride you’ll find the same circle of proud, grinning adults enthralled with their tiny people spinning around at the control of the ride operator. I am one of them—my camera roll is proof. So why this reaction? Well, because ultimately it isn’t really about WHAT our kids are doing, it’s about WHO they are, it’s about the fact that they are ours and we love them fiercely and unconditionally, regardless of their performance or talents. As I watched those parents I thought “this is how The Lord sees us” He doesn’t base His love and devotion to us on our works. He doesn’t love us because of WHAT we do, but because of WHO we are. Being covered by the blood of Jesus makes us His. He chose us, He saved us, He sanctifies us. He sees the ride operator, He sees the mechanical parts that make the ride spin, in fact, He created the whole ride Himself. Of course He doesn’t find it particularly special that we are capable of sitting on the ride He made and dinging the little bell. But because we are His children, He loves us, guides us, and keeps teaching us. Like those happy kiddos riding around, how often do we—grown-ups who should know better—forget that we didn’t make the world we’re riding around on. We don’t have a full view of the mechanics that make it spin, 6 MKR Magazine September 2021
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9 PHOTO CREDIT: LENA ARGOT
FOR THE SOUL
COLORS BY GAIL HOLLIS
Colors The hues do surround me as I travel on my way down this long and winding alleyway Though they are not buildings as you and I would know the wind does whistle through them as it blows The red and oranges compliment the day along with the golds and greens that can be seen as we play The warmth of the sun lights the colorful path as I take it all in I can not help but to laugh Before winter does begin The colors are there all the time From the Spring until the Fall But it is in the End that I recognize them all.
This poem is one of the things that I am most in awe of in my life. My hands wrote it at a time in my life where I was growing in ways only God could lead me through. I was and still am far from perfect in my walk with Him. So why did God want me to write this piece of poetry back then and what reason would I share it yet again with all of you? I sit and think of the great know poets that I learned about in school, Frost always jumps in to my stream of consciousness first “The Rose” and “The Road Less Traveled” and others wade in and out of thoughts. I find it interesting and compelling now in my life how the words of the Bible inspire me as well today.. I can relate to them as John and I go to Bible studies together, they pierce my heart, make me laugh and surprise me. My walk with Jesus continues to grow. How does one share what He has done in shaping a life? Some people are eloquent speakers, when they let God speak through them. Another paints what he sees, on canvas or through a lens. Some shape raw materials into exquisite meals, that feed a loved one who is alone or a crowd out for the night. Someone who creates buildings that comfort and protect loved ones or who amass fortunes that carry generations with financial peace of mind. Other are voices that bring Heaven closer to us for a moment or laughter just when someone needs it most. A singing violin or guitar or a soulful sax. Anyone can be a light of hope on this colorful path of life. I hold the pen again today, to share what God has put on my heart to let Him use me. I encourage YOU to hear His words upon your heart and soul and to act upon them when He calls. I am looking forward to seeing how God uses Music Kingdom Radio Magazine to further growing His Kingdom. 1. Colors by Gail Hollis (previously Renzo) Poem in Collection - Seasons of Happiness ISBN 1-58235-063-9 MKR Magazine September 2021
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FOR THE SOUL
THE LOVE OF GOD IS PASSIONATE BY CYNTHIA BELLINO
“The love of God is passionate. He pursues each of us even when we know it not.” -William Wordsworth A woman at a meeting of adult children recently told of a deal she had made with God. She promised God she would stop smoking if God would help CYNTHIA BELLINO her son get off drugs. A lively discussion ensued. Most were of the belief that God doesn’t bargain—not because God isn’t sympathetic, but because He has already given that which we try to bargain for. Isn’t that a wondrous truth? God already loves our loved
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ones even more than we do. And because God loves them, they have already been gifted with everything they need. Why do we imagine that we need to manipulate God? God is doing everything, short of interfering with our free will, to assist us and our loved ones along the road to recovery and freedom. As long as it may take and as hard as it may be, we need to accept the incredible fact that the prize is already won, and all we need to do is open up and receive it. Today, I weigh the love I feel for my family members, and I am comforted to know they are loved even more by God. Cynthia Bellino CEO at Just Believe Recovery, LLC
FOR THE SOUL
FEEDING THE SOUL BY REV. STEPHEN GRAY
How does one “feed their soul”? What is going to deeply satisfy me on an existential level? That is really what life is all about. In fact, that is what we spend our surplus cash on, it is what we take vacations to find, it is what we are constantly looking for. What things in life will deeply satisfy me? We see people all around us doing their best to “feed their soul.” Look at the politicians in Washington D.C. There is no end to their regulations and their desire to control our lives. There is always more, more, more. And what about Hollywood. Those folks have money, fame and power. They are what we all strive for, yet each year we lose some of our stars to suicide because they are deeply unhappy. The drug scene is crazy in our country, because people are either trying to feed their soul with drugs and a good high, or they are trying to get away from a dissatisfied life. The Bible is a book of ancient wisdom. Many of us who trust in it believe that it is a gift from God that will answer all the most important questions in life. And when it comes to feeding the soul it gives us the great com-
mandment. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind... and ... Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39). Hard to believe it, but it’s that simple. That is how we feed our soul. When we aren’t loving God and others, we are focused on ourselves. And that is never a source of happiness. The only way to truly find happiness, to truly feed your soul, is to love God and serve Him, and to love others and help them. A lot of people have been taking to the streets to help others. They call it “giving back.” But that is only half of the answer. Until they are willing to acknowledge God and his son Jesus Christ, there will always be an emptiness. The great philosopher Blaise Pascal once said “There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of each man which cannot be satisfied by any created thing but only by God the Creator, made know through Jesus Christ.” Now, don’t start looking for a hole, it was metaphorical, but very accurate. We were created with a need for God. Until we accept that and acknowledge him and serve others, our souls will continue to starve. What have you been cramming into that vacuum that doesn’t work? Try Jesus. You just might be surprised how filling He is. PHOTO CREDIT: BECKY BARNETT
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HOLIDAY SHARING
FROM ROADSIDE WEEDS TO CHRISTMAS FLOWERS—THE STORY OF THE POINSETTIA BY KAYLENE ARGOT
When you imagine a Christmas flower what do you think of? For most people our minds zip directly to the Poinsettia! And for good reason! Poinsettias are by far the most common flower to be found around Christmas time, with over 70 million being sold each year. But have you ever stopped to wonder what makes the Poinsettia so popular? Aside from being red, what qualifies it as a Christmas flower?
gardener. I realized that the weeds by the roadside had been poinsettias all along, they just hadn’t been yielded to God and were useless. You see Poinsettias need a strict period of darkness in order to bloom. This darkness was likely provided by being in the church at the altar. If the weeds had remained at the roadside they would still be weeds. In the same way, it is being in the presence of Jesus that changes us.
I didn’t have to wonder this long, since as a youngster I was tasked with memorize and reciting the story of the poinsettia to my church congregation, and being a lover of flowers, I was quite pleased to do so! I have always loved and remembered this piece, not only because it involves flowers, but because it tells the story of something far greater and gives a peak into the true meaning and magic of Christmas.
In this story PHOTO CREDIT: NANCY AGNEW the poinsettia isn’t just a flower, It’s a symbol of our hearts. On our own we are weeds barely surviving at the roadside and yet the sprit prompts us to come to the altar, to bring it all to Jesus. He doesn’t ask us to be more than what we are, only to come. (Matthew 11:28-29) People may laugh, they may shake their heads in pity, and they may even sneer. But if we have the courage to offer our gift, Jesus will both accept and bless what we bring before Him. (Micah 6:6-8)
The Poinsettia was brought here over one hundred years ago by the first U.S. Ambassador to Mexico. Legend tells of a small girl who was too poor to offer a special gift for the celebration of Jesus’s birth. The tale goes that the child, inspired by an angel, gathered weeds from the roadside and placed them in front of the church altar. Crimson blossoms sprouted from the weeds and became beautiful Poinsettias! It’s a simple and endearing story but there are several points that always come back to me when I read it. First, that little girl had a lot of courage. Imagine a poor girl, barefoot in a torn and dirty dress, carrying a handful of weeds to the church alter. What must others have though? Some probably shook their heads in pity, while others laughed. Some may have even sneered. And yet, did the girl care? She offered her gift because it was in her heart to do so. Second, although the offering was meager, only weeds from the roadside, it was accepted and blessed. It bloomed and has grown to become the most widely recognized Christmas flower! All because a poor girl had in her heart to offer a gift to her Savior. This story took on even more meaning as I became a
MKR Magazine September 2021
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HOLIDAY SHARING
APPLES BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER BY BECKY BARNETT
Whether its harvesting, baking, or eating: apples are a tool to bring people together. At least that’s how I see it. There’s something special about gathering in the kitchen and baking together, or having good conversation over a slice of apple pie. Some of my favorite memories have been made in the kitchen; rolling pie dough, slicing, peeling, mixing, measuring, and talking about life with my mom, sister, and Meemaw. Harvesting apples each fall is a family tradition I keep with my husband and kids. Orchards are beautiful places to visit, the air hangs heavy with sweetness, between rows of trees laden with brilliant fruit. Since it’s apple season, we are sharing a few of our favorite apple recipes; in the hope that you might be inspired to rally some loved ones and get baking! It’s
the perfect time for chatting about end of the year plans, reflecting on holidays gone by, and enjoying a few moments of intentional gratitude for the simple things in life. If you are in search of wonderful apples, may I point you to Heckman’s Orchards, located in Effort. The above photo was taken at their abundantly stocked farm market. They also host pick your own apple weekends in mid fall. Why not gather a crew and frolic through the orchards to collect the freshest apples? Then, head home to bake them into delicious, shareable goodies! It will be a fall day to remember. PHOTO CREDIT: BECKY BARNETT
Quick and Simple Apple Crisp Ingredients: 5 cups sliced and peeled apples 3 tablespoons granulated sugar ½ cup oats ½ cup packed brown sugar ¼ cup flour 1 teaspoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon nutmeg ¼ cup butter Instructions: Mix apples and granulated sugar gently together. Pour into two quart baking dish. In a medium bowl combine the oats, brown sugar, flour, and spices. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle topping over fruit. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until fruit is tender and crumb topping is golden brown. Serve warm and topped with vanilla ice cream!
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Hearty Apple Dumplings Ingredients: 2 cups water 1 ¼ cups sugar 2 teaspoon cinnamon ¼ cup butter 2 cups flour ½ teaspoon salt
½ cup shortening ½ cup half and half or whole milk 3 tablespoons sugar 6 small cooking apples 1 tablespoon butter
Instructions: Begin with the sauce, in a medium saucepan combine water, the 1 ¼ cups sugar, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Add ¼ cup butter, mix and set aside. In a medium bowl combine the flour and salt, cut in shortening until mixture consist of pea-size pieces. Add half and half or milk one tablespoon at a time, tossing mixture with a fork, until all the dough is moistened. Form dough into a ball and roll out on a lightly floured surface into a 18x12 inch rectangle. Cut into 6 equal squares. In a small bowl stir together the remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 4 tablespoons sugar. Set aside. Peel and core the apples. Place an apple on each pastry square. Sprinkle top and center with cinnamon/sugar mixture and dot with butter. Fold the corners of pastry dough together, wrapping the apple inside. Pinch seams to seal. Place dumplings in a 13x9x2 baking dish. Reheat sauce to boiling and pour over dumplings. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees about one hour or until apples are tender and pastry is golden. Serve warm with sauce spooned over dumpling.
Great Grandma Jennie’s Apple Cream Pie Ingredients: ¼ cup sugar ¼ cup flour 1 pint heavy whipping cream Cinnamon 4 medium apples (peeled and halved? Instructions: Mix sugar and flour together. Add full pint of whipping cream, mix and pour into unbaked pie shell with 8 apple halves in the bottom. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, then lower temperature to 350 and continue baking 30-40 minutes.
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HOLIDAY SHARING
KEEPING WITH TRADITION BY LENA ARGOT
My husband and I were talking about Thanksgiving and Christmas and the subject of family traditions came up. It got me thinking; What makes a tradition? How do they start? Why do families have such different traditions? When our oldest daughter was young, anything she liked that we did once was a tradition. So, what makes a tradition? Is it something your family has done for years, or something we do once and our children insist it must be done every year because “it is a tradition”, or is it born of necessity? Maybe you always had an artificial Christmas tree because someone in the family was allergic to pine, or always had a small tree because that’s what you had room for. Maybe you always eat certain foods, like sweet potato casserole and mincemeat pie on Thanksgiving or ham and cherry pie for Christmas. You might not even know why you eat these things, but it’s the same each year. Some traditions come from your culture. My family eats turkey with mashed potatoes and filling for Thanksgiving, while others eat lasagna and antipasto salad. Are there some traditions that you are tired of but can’t stop because everyone will be upset with you? One year I considered not hanging stockings but when I mentioned it to my teenage and young adult children they shrieked “but it’s a tradition” so off I went to the store to buy candies and trinkets.
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Some traditions are fun and you look forward to them every year. In our house we read the “Christmas story” from the Bible before we open our presents on Christmas morning. Some people have a cake and sing happy birthday to Jesus. Maybe you dive into presents early, while others eat a special breakfast before opening gifts. A tradition at our house I especially enjoy is that we take turns picking a present to give out. In our tradition you may pick any present under the tree (as long as it’s not one for you) and give it to the person it’s for, then we all watch as each gift is opened. Whatever your traditions, as we enter the holiday season, this may be a good time to stop and take inventory. Think about past and future holidays. Do you look forward to your holiday traditions? Maybe there are some that you’d like to retire. It’s possible your family would agree with you, or maybe you will continue them just to make the “kids” happy. Maybe It’s time for some new traditions, but be warned…. if you do it once it may just become your new tradition. Possibly, this is the year you will ask “why do we do this?” You may learn something about your family that you never knew. No matter what traditions you keep this year, whether it be the old ones you love, those you tolerate to keep the peace, or the new ones you are about to create, I hope they bring comfort and joy to you and your family.
HOLIDAY SHARING
JESUS CAME DOWN—A STORY THAT ISN’T JUST FOR CHRISTMAS BY BECKY BARNETT
Jesus came down. Have you ever stopped to embrace the greatness of that truth? Sure, we might read the “Christmas Story” in December, but have you ever sat down and really let it all sink in. Jesus left Heaven, where He reigned as God in perfect unity with The Father and The Holy Spirit. He left paradise and came down to walk the earth among us. The one who had never felt pangs of hunger now needed to be fed. The creator of all the rivers, lakes, oceans, and raindrops now felt thirst. PHOTO CREDIT: BECKY BARNETT
He began as a helpless baby—needing everything done for Him. He arrived on earth in a dirty barn where the animals slept and his bed was a feed trough. As He grew up, Jesus walked the packed dirt roads from town to town—He who had chariots of fire at his disposal and legions of angels to carry Him if He only said the word—He walked in the dirt and the dust and the dung just like us. He was homeless, a vagabond traveler, accepting the hospitality of those along His path and sometimes having nowhere to lay His head. He was tired. He was tempted. He needed to seek out places to be alone, to pray, to rest. He felt despair. He felt sadness. He wept at injustice and death and the pain of those around Him.
He endured a Roman crucifixion and felt the full weight and punishment of sin He never committed. He was humiliated. The God of the universe, who spoke every single thing into existence, who gave those humiliating Him their very life and breath. He was humiliated and He did not fight back. He didn’t call down fire from Heaven and wipe His torturers off the face of the earth or cause the ground beneath their feet to swallow them up. He could have. He had armies of angels ready to do His bidding. He chose to face the lowest, deepest, darkest form of humiliation and rejection. Having known perfection, He willingly came down and submitted wholeheartedly to the will of The Father. To live a sinless, perfect life and to die as a sacrifice in our place so that we might one day stand before God. We deserve to face the fullness of God’s perfect wrath for the wrong things we have all done, but Jesus took our place. Having accomplished this, He proved Himself to be who He told us He was, by raising from death and returning to Heaven. Because Jesus came down people can have a relationship with God. We can come into God’s perfect presence without immediately being toasted to a crisp, because the sacrificial death of Jesus covers all our iniquity. Jesus paid the debt and replaced all the sacrifices and atonement rituals of the past—He became the ultimate sacrifice. Jesus came down for a purpose. He wasn’t just a nice man, He didn’t just have a lot of good things to say. He was God incarnate. Jesus is God, who came down in the form of man, lived a perfect human life and yet never ceased to be God. His very name declares this truth to us, He is Immanuel—God with us. As we head into the end of the year let’s keep these things close to our hearts. When you hear the story of Jesus’s birth, reflect a bit more deeply on all the beautiful meaning behind the fact that Jesus came down.
He faced rejection, ridicule, betrayal, hatred. MKR Magazine September 2021
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IN THE NEWS
“FIGHTING THE LIFE” AT MONT SINAI MINISTRIES BY BECKY BARNETT PHOTO CREDITS: LYLE FRIED
This past week I was given the chance to sit down and have a conversation with Reverend Lyle Fried about his work in Haiti with Mont Sinai Ministries. There is a common Haitian phrase that translates roughly to “fighting the life.” Because for many living in the depths of poverty, every day truly is a fight. Envision a life where there is no connection to the outside world. There are no trips out of the village to look forward to. Life is not spent seeking comfort and entertainment, but struggling to survive each day. The people living in places like Haiti know that somewhere in the world are others, who live with running water, who live in houses with roofs and air conditioning and toilets. But the rich people in those houses don’t see them—at least not most of the time. But sometimes, worlds collide. As I talked with Reverend Fried, he told me about a series of mysteriously orchestrated circumstances—including the 2010 Haiti earthquake, diverted plans, language barriers, misunderstood distances, and a good bit of travel delay—that lead to something quite unexpected. He and his wife, Darlyn, found themselves up a remote mountainside and became the first outside visitors at an isolated Haitian orphanage. When Reverend Fried and his wife unexpectedly ar16 MKR Magazine September 2021
rived in the Bayonnais area, the buildings included a UNICEF tent for treating cholera outbreaks and a school/church made of sticks and tarps. There was no running water. No electric. No phone service. No latrines. No showers. Haiti is the poorest nation in our hemisphere, and Bayonnais is one of the poorest regions in Haiti. Those living here survive on a wage averaging less than 25 cents a day. To add some perspective, that is one dollar and 75 cents a week…. seven dollars a month…. eighty-four dollars a YEAR. How many of us in the United States can spend more than that amount in a single grocery trip? On that momentous day in 2010, as Lyle and Darlyn found themselves visiting an orphanage they had no plans to be at, a connection was formed and hope was kindled. Darlyn made a promise to return to Bayonnais. And return she did, Darlyn Fried went back to Haiti six times that next year. Returning to the same remote mountainside and working along with her husband and many others, to improve the lives and living conditions of the children and adults of Bayonnais. “We invested in them, and they have become like family to us” Lyle Fried avidly remarks. By 2013 the ministries of Mont Sinai were in full swing. A school had been built to replace the sticks and tarps. Teachers were hired, the importance of water sanitation was taught, latrines were built, and waterborne illness began to decrease. A sponsorship program was initiated
plans have been slowed. Much of the funds raised for the medical clinic and other future projects were re-routed into emergency relief work. When an orphanage near the epicenter was flattened, the people of Mont Sinai knew what they had to do. “We gave the money we had to where it was immediately needed, and we know that God can provide the money again.” It is this strong faith and belief in the goodness and providence of God that has sustained the mission for the past twenty plus years. Healing and restoration come through Jesus Christ; the people of Mont Sinai know this well.
to provide for the orphans and to cover education and nutrition needs for school age children in the community.
A final and very unique aspect of Mont Sinai is its association with Recovery Church. Reverend Fried not only works in Haiti, but also in the states, and has a passion for those suffering from addiction and seeking recovery. He enjoys taking individuals in early recovery to see Mont Sinai, the people, and the work being done there.
Since 2013 the schools have graduated multiple students and sent them on to university. Three nurses have returned to work in the area they grew up, and another is in med school. Unfortunately, there is currently no hospital or medical care available in Bayonnais. Undeterred, those at Mont Sinai Ministries have a new hope— to build a medical center for this community of 70,000 people spread throughout the mountainside. There is much work left to be done with Mont Sinai Ministries. Caring for true orphans and widows while providing a Christian education, safe housing, and loving environment is an ongoing undertaking. The ministry also works to support and feed local individuals with mental health and developmental disabilities, who have been rejected by their villages. Mont Sinai is invested in teaching and implementing sustainable agriculture practices, which will eventually allow the community to sustain itself apart from donations. Major plans for the future include building the medical clinic, installing a solar-powered reverse osmosis water filtration system, and building a safer school building that is not in danger of collapsing with heavy rains. However, with the August 2021 earthquake in Haiti,
Prerequisites for this trip include only the ability to show love and kindness. By taking others with him to meet the people of Bayonnais, Reverend Fried hopes to create meaningful connections across different cultures and situations. “We may go to Haiti thinking we will change the people there, but often, it is the people there who change us.” When asked what his favorite part of Haiti was, Reverend Fried replied without hesitation: “The people. They are so loving, welcoming, grateful, gracious. The kids. They might have only a few rocks to play with, but they have more joy, smile more, laugh more, they are so much happier than kids here.” If you are interested in the work of Mont Sinai Ministries or would like to contribute to the life-changing work happening in Haiti, please visit their website at https:// mont-sinai.com/ MKR Magazine September 2021
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ROCKERS IN RECOVERY
ALCOHOLISM ACTUALLY HAS A VOICE BY KEITH BAYARD
Early in my recovery, while in the program at O’Brien House, I loved to walk downtown. After a couple weeks, we were allowed to go to the library and use the computers for job searches. Of course, I made time to sit on the levee and watch the river. There is something about water which is very calming to me. It usually serves to put my KEITH BAYARD thoughts in order. I had been sober for a few months. In one of those times by the river, I was assaulted by a nagging thought. I wondered, if I could go back to my old life, would I be trying to get sober?
enough. I had to hang out with sober people and do what they did. I couldn’t fight the fact they were sober and happy. I believed I would never experience happiness again. I was wrong. If you are new and this feels uncomfortable, please hang in there. If you feel awkward, it will pass. There is always something wonderful waiting on the other side of our fears. Dr. Bob said this program never fails, if we put half of the effort into it that we used to put into getting our next drink. This is a strong promise I know to be true. I believe a new, amazing life waits for us on the other side of the twelve steps. If it happened to me, it can happen to you. Please, give yourself a break. You are worth it.
As I said, I was early in recovery, and hadn’t realized the disease of alcoholism actually has a voice. Strangely enough it speaks to me inside my head. I’d always mistakenly assumed these thoughts were mine. My disease is very adept at disguising itself. I started to weigh the possibilities of going back, I started to see only the beautiful parts of my life. I blew the positive parts way out of proportion. I decided my old life was pretty good. I figured I could quit this program, go back to my old life, and stay sober. After all, I had learned a lot about alcoholism. My Higher Power gifted me with moments of clarity, or sanity if you prefer, from the beginning. While hazily dreaming of my old life, reality set in. The people I’d cared about wanted nothing to do with me. I’d lost the catering business because I got so drunk, I had completely messed up a function. My business depended on word of mouth. In reality, my old life no longer existed. There was nothing to go back to. I knew nothing about sobriety in the beginning. As much as my disease kept telling me I could fight it on my own, I finally realized I couldn’t. Wanting to be sober was not MKR Magazine September 2021
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ROCKERS IN RECOVERY
THE ORIGINS OF THE 12 STEPS BY REV. STEVEN GREY
In 1935 two hopeless Alcoholics, Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith met and began working on a way to help people struggling with an addiction to Alcohol. Within years they had over 100 people who were sober from their work. Through this a 12-Step Method was created to help people stay sober. We have been hosting 12 Step meetings REV. STEVEN GREY here in the church for the last several months. I don’t know about you, but I know very little about the 12 Steps. I know it is for alcoholics struggling to beat their addiction. I know they have a “12 step” program, though I do not know what that means. I know that it involves sharing. But that is about it. So, I began to investigate and learn.
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I found that the 12 Steps are very Biblical in their purpose. We could easily have a 12 step program for the Christian faith. Dr. Bob sponsored more than 5,000 AA members. Dr. Bob told those he sponsored that there were three things one had to do to keep sober: Trust God Clean House Help Others The 12 Steps are founded on this simplistic framework. So, what are the 12 steps? Let’s explore Steps 1-4 in this article. Step 1: “We admitted we were powerless over alcohol— that our lives had become unmanageable.” There must come a time for us all that we are in a bad place and need help. It may be some simple things, like changing a tire or sewing a button. But there are always bigger life decisions that we mess up. At first, we think we are fine. Then we begin to see that things are failing. Suddenly things begin to get out of hand. Before we know it that situation in life is out of control, and we need help.
The moment that we realize we need help, and we have to get it, is crucial. This is when members of 12 step organizations, usually go to their first meeting. Unless they are drug by someone else, this realization is their true first step. For Christians we are not all that different. But our problem is sin. On a grand scale, all people face that same problem. We all struggle with sin and the separation from God that it causes. Often it is when our life is out of control that we turn to God. Our health is failing, our family is broken, our life is in a spiral because of bad decisions or bad habits. But just like the alcoholic, we come to the realization that we need help. Fortunately, God has help for our sin problem. It comes through the gift of Jesus Christ. It is called “forgiveness”. But this forgiveness is not open to everyone. It only available to those who come to that point of confession. We admitted we were powerless over sin —that our lives had become unmanageable. This is when we need a savior and we begin to look for one. 1 Peter 2:6 says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” That initial step is trust. Believing God is greater than we are and can fix our problems leads us to Step 2. Step 2: “Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.”
Have you ever noticed that we all struggle with God? Not that there is a God or that he is a good God or a powerful God. Our struggle is submitting to him. Even for those who do submit, it is a process we must commit to over and over again. The problem in this step is admitting defeat. For the alcoholic, it is admitting that they cannot control alcohol, it controls them. For the Christian, it is the awareness of our sin. That we cannot seem to stop sinning no matter how we try. And our sin makes it impossible to please God, no matter if we want to or not. Our step of turning to God is about losing independence. I can no longer do it my way. I must submit to someone else and do it their way. I must swallow my pride. I have to yield and admit that I am defeated. I cannot do it myself. Someone bigger and smarter than me has to step in and do it for me. I have messed up too much and am no longer worthy to be self-sufficient. Both the Alcoholic and the Sinner face the same situation. And God realized that this would be a humbling situation for us. So, through Jesus, he made it as easy as possible. It is not a matter of doing something. It is a matter of getting it straight in our hearts: 1 Thessalonians 5:8 “But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.”
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Just as there are steps to putting on a suit of armor, so there are steps that we go through to come to a decision and begin to live that new truth. And there is the very decision that we should put the armor on in the first place. Why? Because we cannot do what we need to do without it. Step 3: “Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.” As Christians, this is the point that we consider the moment of salvation. When we decide to turn our lives over to Him. This is the moment of surrender. This is the moment we take all that thinking and turn it into action: Romans 10:9-10 “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” If we call out to Him, we are saved. We simply have to believe it in our hearts and call out with our lips. God wants to save you; He wants to see you in heaven someday. God will never stand in your way when you desire to come to salvation. These first three steps are basic decision-making steps. We do this kind of thing with many decisions we make. We realize there is a situation. We realize we cannot do it alone. We call out for help. This next one is where it gets hard.
Though the Bible speaks of this, we are not as focused on it as we should be as Christians. The fact is, it’s everywhere in the Bible. 2 Corinthians 13:5 “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?” Lamentations 3:40 “Let us examine our ways and test them and let us return to the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 11:28-29 “Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves.” Galatians 6:3-4 “If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. Each one should test their own actions.” Romans 12:3 “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.” Test, Judge, Examine; If we do not do it, it will come down to God doing it. I would rather look for my own faults now, then have God find them on the day of judgment. This is a serious matter that few of us consider. Look at your own heart. Be completely honest with yourselves. Then tell God you’re sorry for the things that are not right. And fix your life. Git ‘er done, because as soon as you know you have an issue, you are living in sin if you continue in it.
Step 4: “Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.”
This is probably why many people do not want to look at such things. They know they will find dirt. And they do not want to have to clean it.
AA’s fourth step calls them to look at their lives. And not just look, examine the words used in this step.
Here is a prayer used by some 12 Step organizations you may find helpful:
Searching—Turn over every rock and look in every nook and cranny.
Moral – How we stand in absolute rights and wrongs.
“Jesus, I offer myself to Thee—to build with me and to do with me as Thou wilt. Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do Thy will. Take away my difficulties, that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of Thy Power, Thy Love, and Thy Way of life. May I do Thy will always!”
Inventory –A thorough list of everything.
(In our next issue we will be looking at steps 5-8.)
Fearless – Let nothing hold you back
AA members are expected to produce an honest picture of themselves. To do the best they can with the faculties they have. The list is a purposeful, hard look at yourself. 22 MKR Magazine September 2021
ROCKERS IN RECOVERY
SPIRITUAL AXIOM BY KEITH BAYARD
This week was a little different. There was this guy, you know the kind, truly obnoxious. Think of someone who makes you crazy, then multiply it by ten. No, really. He has been getting under my skin all week. Yes, I know when I’m disturbed, there is something wrong with me. It’s my least favorite Spiritual axiom. When I first read that in the 12x12, I was positive it was a misprint. I know I’m supposed to do a personal inventory to find out why I’m disturbed, but sometimes I don’t feel like it. I do know this, when I get upset God is showing me something in me which needs healing. However, in this case, I felt justified in my agitation. Sometimes my emotions still take control. All week my love and tolerance were far from being in play. I woke up two days ago paralyzed with fear. It was just like the days when I was deep in depression. The fear was faceless. And it was overwhelming. I have not experienced this kind of fear since I got sober. I immediately started praying. The fear was lifted in an instant. The word “remember” kept running through my head. And then, I did remember. This guy, the one who aggravated me so much, was filled with fear. I was too busy judging to realize it. God sent me someone to help and I missed the opportunity. I realized he was afraid, and he was protecting himself in
the only way he knew how. I know what that feels like. When I’m busy judging, I can’t help. When I’m disturbed, I have no peace to share. I can’t have compassion when I’m angry. When I feel superior, I can’t have empathy. I didn’t recognize the person who needed help the most. It was my problem, not his. I’m a flawed human being. I always will be. My Higher Power is not the one of my childhood. He is not sitting on a cloud with a lightning bolt in His hand, waiting to zap me when I do something wrong. He is my biggest supporter. He smiles, not criticizes, when I fail. He reaches down, dusts me off, and tells me to try again. He lets me know, “this time we will do it together.” What a blessing to know my Higher Power puts me in circumstances where I can learn to love more. To know He will use me to help hurting people, when I’m humble enough to see the opportunity. That if I can ever so slightly deflate my ego I can be, in some small way, a part of His plan. I will continue to stumble along while I attempt to live a Spiritual life. I will try to have faith when I see so little. I will act, even though I am rarely certain of what steps to take. One thing I can do right, is celebrate the sober life I’ve received. I experience the joy of freedom on a daily basis, as only one who has lived in slavery can. And I will laugh, because as Anne Lamott says, “it is carbonated holiness.” PHOTO CREDIT: BECKY BARNETT
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ROCKERS IN RECOVERY
AN INTERVIEW WITH LEGENDARY DRUMMER SIMON KIRKE BY RICKY BYRD
Not only is Simon Kirke a pal of mine, but I must admit he’s also one of my favorite Rock ‘n’ Roll Drummers. I was a huge fan of the bands he played with (Free and Bad Company). Way back when I was a young lad just starting my musical journey. I spent many a garage rehearsal trying to get the drummer to play the song “like “Kirke” would play it!”
Boston treatment center run by our mutual friend Woody Giessman.
Simon always played to the song and kept it simple, throwing in an occasional full to accent a Paul Rodgers lyric or as an off ramp to guide us listeners into the next section.
Ricky Byrd: You were only in your late teens when you were a part of the band Free. That’s pretty young to have the kind of success you guys had. Money in the pocket, everybody wants to be your friend, night after night on stage in front of thousands of fans. Let’s just say the ego gets quite the boost. Tough enough to deal with if you have some life experience under your belt, but in your teens it seems like a recipe for bad choices [laughs].
My kind of drummer!
I called Simon last week and asked if he would let me interview him for Rockers In Recovery magazine and without missin’ a beat (he never does) he said, “Sure Ricky.” My kind of pal!
How did that experience tie in with your drug and alcohol use in those early days? Simon Kirke: Well in the beginning blind ambition kept me on the straight and narrow. I left home at 18 determine to give my dream a shot. I was drinking a little bit here and there, just beer and wine occasionally. I didn’t smoke dope until I was 19 and even then, it never got the better of me. Free was pretty much a beer and dope band until Paul Kossoff got into downers; Mandrax which were the English equivalent of Quaaludes. But in his defense, he only started that after Free had split up for the first time. RB: Tell ya a bit about the downward progression of addiction and when you first thought things were getting out of hand.
I’ve been lucky enough to share a stage with him more than a few times. Back in the 90’s he was kind enough to join up with me and Kasim Sulton for the semi acoustic trio I put together after I left the Blackhearts.
SK: Things got really bad for me when I started doing coke. My drinking went through the roof and I had to take downers to take the edge off and sleep.
Most recently we were part of a Benefit for Right Turn, a
I got seriously into the hard stuff when Bad Company
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disbanded in 1980 and after my wife walked out I went into my first rehab. By then I was doing a lot of coke most days and drinking hard liquor. I was a complete mess. My liver had swollen up and I had prescriptions from three doctors for downers. RB: I know I wore my addiction like a R&R badge of honor. Never thought it was a problem, just part of the lifestyle. At 30 I decided to leave the party. Problem was, it took until I was just about to turn 31 before I made it to the door [laughs] and I might add it wasn’t a very pretty year. How long between that first thought of, “maybe I should slow down” go “OK, I might need some help here?” SK: I thought my problem was a phase I was going through and once I got my career back on track things would straighten out. I knew nothing about addiction in those days. Didn’t know I was a full-blown addict. That came after 4 more rehabs and 15 years, plus an awful lot of money! In terms of years, I guess around 2 years before I cottoned on, plus a lot of help from my long suffering wife. RB: How has your sober journey changed your life? SK: My sober journey has restored my self-confidence and respect. I don’t have to worry about strange vehicles in my rear-view mirror anymore, or if I have enough money in the ATM to cop. I don’t sneak around and live life in the shadows. I only wish I had gotten it sooner in my life. I applaud (and am secretly envious) of the youngsters I see in AA and particularly NA who are getting a handle on it. I firmly believe addiction is genetically passed down. One of my kids had the gene and is in NA, courtesy of me, and is coming up on 3 years clean. RB: Would you like to say anything to the people reading this right now who are on the line about asking for help? SK: I would say to anyone who is wrestling with this, get help now. It takes courage to ask for help and I guarantee that you will find an outpouring of help and love like never before when you get in touch. It’s never too late. RB: You’re a good guy Simon and I’m so glad we have music and recovery in common, “one day at a time pally, one day at a time!” Republished with permission of Rockers in Recovery. MKR Magazine September 2021
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THE ROAD TO RECOVERY STARTS HERE. #IAMRECOVERED
Discover the Original ‘Why’ and ‘How’ of our Addiction Recovery “The Steps are like a medicine capsule with 12 ingredients —you take them ALL when you want to get well. How long do you want to stay sick?” Clarence Snyder, one of the first 40 members of A.A. Experience the Twelve Steps as the A.A. Founders practiced and taught -- in a matter of hours! Early members of AA, such as Dr Bob and Clarence S, took people through the 12 Steps as early in their recovery as possible and in a matter of hours, and that’s what you can experience at this retreat. Clarence’s story is in the first three editions of the Big Book (#11, “The Home Brewmeister”).
Schooley’s Mountain, NJ CTBR Retreat 80 Pleasant Grove Rd. Long Valley NJ, 07853 https://www.liebenzellretreat.org/
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NO linens provided, must bring your own
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Reservations: $75 nonrefundable deposit
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No refunds after September 15th
Need a Spiritual Awakening? Take your Steps as the A.A. founders taught! For more information or to request a scholarship contact: Tom Williams 973-879-9522. tomw@cametobelieverecovery.org Or John Z. (973) 538 6869 john.zamrok@gmail.com
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WALKING IN FAITH
A NEW DIRECTION FOR FIVE LOAF HOUSE BY REV. STEPHEN GRAY
Five Loaf House, located in Pocono Pines, PA, has been re-examining life in a post-COVID world. We have been isolated and disconnected. Five Loaf House is hoping to change that, as we emerge from COVID with something new for you. There are several things that people need to have to be fulfilled in life. They need to connect with others, get a little help along the way, and grow. Five Loaf House recognizes these basic needs in all of us, and we are putting together our Community Connections Program. Community Connections offers group gatherings in an effort to make people’s lives more fulfilling. Community Connections has four areas we are developing. First is our Connection Groups. These are groups that have one simple purpose in mind; to get people together. It may be a fun discussion group like our Lifetree Cafe, or just a time for people your age to gather, have coffee and talk, like our Senior Connection, or our Young Adult Connection. Community Connections also wants to help people grow, so we are developing classes for our Constant Learning Groups. Constant Learning is for those who like to challenge their minds. Do you want to
learn to cook, to quilt, learn to administer first aid or grow a garden in the Poconos? There are all kinds of things we hope to offer in our Constant Learning groups. Community Connections is also planning Self-Help Groups. These groups are designed to help you get past struggles and difficulties in your life. We all carry some baggage, but is that baggage from the past hurting your future? Then it needs to go. These groups will help with that. Community Connections is also seeking to partner with other local organizations and groups that can help others in our community. We are already hosting three self-help meetings each week. We are looking for other groups to partner with, that can provide a free service to help people in our community. How do I get involved? Simply go to Five Loaf House’s website at fiveloafhouse.org and look for the Community Connections page. It will be active sometime in late August 2021. Look through what we have, then sign up at the bottom of the page. Check back often as there will be new things popping up regularly. Also, we will be announcing new groups and events on our Facebook page so be sure to friend us. Get involved! We know it’ll be worth your while and you can make some new friends along the way.
MKR Magazine September 2021
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WALKING IN FAITH
WHY THE BIBLE MATTERS BY BECKY BARNETT
Have you ever wondered why there are so many unpopular Bible verses? We tend to hear the common, “happy” Bible verses often. Even those who are not Christians and have never read the Bible can often recognize them.
to the gospel—it is the most beautiful story of grace and redemption that could ever be conceived.
We are quick to jump on verses like Jeremiah 29:11 or declare “the Bible says not to judge!” at anyone who confronts sin in our lives.
What if it’s all true? What if the Bible is the authoritative word of the one who created you? What if it does show you the way to spend this brief life well? What if it gives you the answer of how you can come before God and be accepted—justified, despite your sin against a perfect and Holy God?
It’s easy and unfortunately common for us to take a few verses or a Biblical concept out of context and use it to bolster our own feelings and desires. But the purpose of the Bible is not to justify our wants or promise that everything in this life will be exactly what we want it to be.
And it’s at our fingertips!!
PHOTO CREDIT: BECKY BARNETT
The purpose is actually exactly the opposite. The Bible must reveal to us our sin and brokenness. It must show us that we are unable to fix ourselves, that this life will be hard. The Bible must teach us these things in order to prepare us for what comes next. Although this life is often hard, it is fleeting. Here today and gone tomorrow. Our entire life is gone in the blink of an eye. But what we do with these fleeting years on this earth will determine what happens in the never-ending years, decades, millenia that follow. It is for this reason that we NEED the Bible—the WHOLE Bible, not just the fluffy snippets. We need wisdom from The Lord. We need TRUTH as God delivered it to us. We need more than sunny verses printed on bumper stickers; we need more than out of context commands. We need the living, breathing active word of God. And the amazing thing is, we have it available to us. It is literally at our fingertips. Many homes have a Bible somewhere in them, Bibles are free at secondhand shops, they are stuffed into dressers in hotel rooms, a click away on Bible-apps or google. But have you ever taken the time to read the Bible? Have you ever sat down with this book and prayed for wisdom to discern The Lord’s word and then read deeply? Have you studied it in context, intending to understand how and why it was written? For so many the answer is no. It takes time. It’s tedious. Some parts are very hard. Some parts make you question everything. But that is what it is meant to do. The Bible is meant to change us. To show us the truth about us and the truth about The Lord. And when those truths are followed through 28 MKR Magazine September 2021
Wouldn’t that at the very least be worth reading and studying? I didn’t get it for a long time. Deep down I thought it was just another book. A boring book of rules and laws I didn’t want to follow. But the Lord changed my heart and by His grace I now love my Bible and the deep, life-giving truth it carries. Read it for yourself. Let The Lord stir your heart and bring things to the surface. Ask Him for guidance and help in understanding. Trust Him to lead you in truth and transform your thoughts to reflect His.
DIRECTORY:
EVENTS:
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 5600 Fishers Lane Rockville, MD 20857 1-877-SAMHSA (1-877 726 4727) www.samhas.gov
Pocono Lake Wesleyan Christmas Party TBD
Substance Use Treatment Locator 1-800-662-4357 FindTreatment.gov National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800 273-TALK (8255) TTY: 1-800-799-4889 suicidepreventionlifeline.org Drug Free Workplace 1-800-WORKPLACE (967-5752) samhsa.gov/workplace/resources/drug-free-helpline Disater Distress Hotline Call or Text 1-800-985-5990 https://www.samshagov/find-help/disaster-distress-helpline Recovery Church Treasure Coast - Port St. Lucie www.recovery.church/treasurecoastPSL 5200 Olender Avenue Fort Pierce, FL 34982 772-261-0690 Just Believe Recovery Center LLC 1802 Northeast Jensen Beach Boulevard Jensen Beach FL 34957 877-978-1208 HOT LINE 888-380-0667 Florida’s Drug And Alcohol Rehab Center | Just Believe Recovery Center Just Believe Recovery Center LLC 100 Lincoln Avenue Carbondale, PA 18407 HOT LINE 888-380-0342 Pennsylvania Drug Rehab and Inpatient Alcohol Rehabs PA (justbelieverecoverypa.com)
Heckman Orchards Pick Your Own Christmas Trees Every weekend in December (weather permitting) 3009 PA-115 Effort, PA 18330 570-629-1191 31st Annual Quiet Valley Old Time Christmas December 4 & 5 and December 11 & 12 347 Quiet Valley Road Stroudsburg, PA 18360 570-992-6161 Recovery Church Leadership Conference Training and Retreat Fri. Oct. 8th – Sun. Oct. 10th, 2021 Nashville, TN Specific questions or Scholarship needs please email Amym@recovery.church or call 561-972-4142 Pocono Lake Wesleyan Church - Sunday Worship Service Sundays at 10:30am 203 Spur Rd Pocono Lake, PA 18347 Adult Bible Study Tuesdays at 7:00pm at Locust Lake Village Office 1778 Lake Lane Pocono Lake, PA 18347 Wednesdays at 6:30pm at Pocono Lake Wesleyan Church 203 Spur Rd Pocono Lake, PA 18347 TOMEC Food Pantry Food Distributions Distributions are the Second Monday of each month and Tuesday following that Monday. Monday Hours 8:30am to Noon or by appointment after these hours Tuesday Hours 8:30am to 11:00am Five Loaf House 133 Firehouse Road Pocono Pines. PA 18350 570-646-9181
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CLOSING THOUGHT: The words are all here they have been written before only the sequence has changed So the meaning therefore. Cookie cutter magazines and media are predictable, or so unpredictable and random that audiences are left uninspired or over inspired. Awesome content can’t be churned up at will, no more than a song can be written to ensure that it goes to the top of the billboards. We want contributions that someone has passion about. Something they feel is compelling, God inspired, maybe what they consider their greatest work to that point in their life, or a story that they think no one else would understand.. sometimes they are the most inspiring. People are searching everywhere to fill a void… an emptiness that can’t be described. What do you have to say, write or share with someone who needs the light you have been given.
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