Finding the Freedom in Forgiveness
by Juanita Ryan
When a person who has been held in prison for decades is released, they may think, “Don’t I need to be controlled, constricted, confined, humiliated, abused? Who am I if I am not this person others seem to think I am? Who am I? Am I no one at all?” Similar questions arise when we begin to experience healing from the deep wounds inflicted by others. Read More.
God as We Understood Him : Too Christian or Not Christian Enough?
by Dale Ryan
One of the most common criticisms made of the 12 Steps by non Christians is that the steps are entirely too Christian. Wendy Kaminer in her popular anti-recovery book I’m Dysfunctional, You’re Dysfunctional says this: "Although the literature about recovery from addiction and codependency borrows heavily from family systems theory and seems, at first, an offshoot of pop psychology, it’s rooted most deeply in religion. . . .More than they resemble group therapy, twelve-step groups are like revival meetings, carrying on the pietistic tradition." Read more
Navigating Grief
an interview with Robert Bird
Grief is not easy. It is not quick. It is not painless. Few of us welcome it into our lives. It comes uninvited. We prefer that it would leave as soon as possible. But what pain we add to our lives if we refuse what this uninvited guest has to offer! To learn more about the dynamics of grief we interviewed Robert Bird, a hospital chaplain who has worked extensively with grief issues on mental health units and in addiction treatment programs. Read More.
Daily Meditations
The NACR Daily Meditation
Meditations on biblical texts from Rooted in God's Love by Dale and Juanita Ryan
Meditations for Christian Who Try to Be Perfect
A daily dose of practical wisdom from Joan Webb.
Meditations by Teresa McBean
Daily wisdom from NorthStar Community
Other daily wisdom: AA | NA | HazeldenRecovery Blogs
The Recovery Theology Blog is co-hosted by Matt Russell and Dale Ryan. Discussion of theological issues related to recovery.
Keep Breathing: What to do when you don't know what to do.
by Juanita Ryan
Spirituality and Recovery: Reflections on the connections between spiritual practices and the recovery process. Cohosted by Barb Milligan and Kim Engelmann
Additional blogs on different topics are in the planning stages. Check back!Most Recent Blog Posts:
My Joyful LentRecently I was sitting with my eyes closed, listening to a friend read aloud a familiar passage from Philippians 4: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to everyone…,” and so on through several more verses. A few friends and I were doing a lectio divina (“sacred [...]
Practice SurrenderA few weeks after I was diagnosed with cancer, a music CD arrived in the mail from a friend. Several years earlier this friend had been told she had ovarian cancer and needed surgery. It turned out to be a false alarm, but she’d had a deeply significant spiritual experience through her ordeal.
PrayWhen we are faced with difficulties in life, we need support from friends and family. We also need God’s help. Perhaps the most direct way to open ourselves to God is through prayer.
Take in SupportOn the evening of September 11, 2001 my husband and I watched Gwen Ifill of PBS interview Mr. Rogers. Gwen was asking Mr. Rogers to give people advice about how to talk with their children about what had just happened.
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