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TimM
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| Joined: | Thu Jul 5th, 2007 |
| Location: | Rural Midwest, USA |
| Posts: | 180 |
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Posted: Thu Nov 22nd, 2007 01:39 pm |
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Friends,
Today is Thanksgiving in the United States. Obviously we all have much to give thanks for; some may also find an attitude of acceptance and thanksgiving in which we can thank God for being with us in everything that happens in our lives. I'm not so facile as to deny the existence of unmixed tragedies, but for me, some of the biggest challenges of my life - sex addiction and heart disease and seizures - have been blessings that have helped lead me to faith and to trust and to growth in love.
Today is special for me personally, because it marks 2 years of sobriety from my addictive behavior. It's hard even to imagine a greater blessing for which to be thankful. For 30 years at least I struggled alone to become sober, and for most of that time, even a few months was an impossible dream. Two years was unthinkable.
I am still in ever so many ways a beginner taking my first steps to understand myself and to have openness and trust for others and to show faith in God, but already in my first wobbling steps, my life and the lives of my family are unimaginably better than they were when my isolation and fear and anger were all that I was. My life is being blessed with peace and serenity and love that I certainly do not deserve and that I could not even imagine in the spring of 2005 when I began this journey toward healing.
The blessing I celebrate today is by no means something I seized by strength. It's not mine. It's a gift granted because of surrender and honesty and trust. It's a gift resting on the love and strength of others - of God above all, but also of my family and friends, of my fellow addicts, of my sponsors and counselors, and of people around the world I have met on this board and on others.
On this Thanksgiving, I wish to give thanks to all of you - those to whom I have written much and those whose words I have only read, those whose paths I understand and those with whom I have wrestled - for being part of my life and part of my recovery.
May you all find much for which to be thankful, and may all your lives be blessed in ways that bring peace to you and to those around you.
Thank you again. Do well.
Tim M.
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guitarist63
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| Joined: | Mon Feb 12th, 2007 |
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Posted: Thu Nov 22nd, 2007 06:20 pm |
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Thank you Tim for sharing what God has done in your life since 2005. I also praise God for the miracle of change that He has wrought in your life since then. Glad to hear you speaking of the heart condition as a blessing. God uses trials to bless us and we don't realize it until sometimes some while afterwards.
Your contributions to the board have been a blessing to myself and to many others here.
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truthseeker
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| Joined: | Tue May 16th, 2006 |
| Location: | New Jersey USA |
| Posts: | 795 |
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Posted: Thu Nov 22nd, 2007 09:22 pm |
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Hi Tim,
I rejoice and give thanks with you. Praise be to God!
TruthSeeker
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Paulos
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| Joined: | Fri Aug 24th, 2007 |
| Location: | USA |
| Posts: | 144 |
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Posted: Mon Nov 26th, 2007 02:22 pm |
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TimM,
Praise be to God for your steady progress. Thank you for sharing it as an encouragement to those of us who are still looking for a breakthrough.
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jjules
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| Joined: | Mon Jan 7th, 2008 |
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Posted: Thu Jan 10th, 2008 04:00 am |
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| congrats on sobriety for 2 yrs- i look forward to the day my husband says the same. how appropriate your anniversary is thanksgiving.
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