Ash Wednesday

This is it...very journey starts with the first step, and so today is the first day of my cleanse.  I'm pretty excited.  I know that's weird to say but I've thinking about this for a few days and I've been praying for God to prepare me - so I'm ready.

In many of my blog posts I've talked about a key part of overcoming addictions is to focus on positive things.  Things that will take attention away from the addiction, and fill the vacuum that the addiction leaves behind. In my journey through psalms that positive thing was the psalms.  In the same way, everyday of lent I will discuss my positive actions that you can use to help in your journey of recovery.

Today's Postive action: set aside time to pray, meditate or be with God.  For me I am getting up a little bit earlier so that I can have this time to pray and think on God's word today.  This is important to me because lent is about being closer to God.

Today's focus: Alcoholism:  This is a huge epidemic.  The National Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependence estimates 1 in 12 people suffer Alcoholism - in the US that's 27.5 million.  To think about the impact of that is staggering.  All the while, this report shows how the American Alcohol companies lobby hard to maintain "their successes" in this area.  Out of this lobbying they are able stop efforts which would prevent marketing to youth, teens and underage drinkers and to keep taxes on alcohol below levels that would allow our society and governments to address the problems that addiction creates.  The fact that they actively fight to keep our society addicted should be in our prayers today.

Lord, thank you for this season of lent to give me the opportunity to grow closer to you.  I ask that You be close to those families, and especially the children, of alcoholics.  Today, show them that you are near and you have your hand on them.  Give these people hope.  Give them people who can guide them and show them Your plan for their lives.  Today, be with the alcoholics who still suffer.  Help them to be willing to find a better way.  Show them that they don't have to keep putting their lives, and the lives of the people they love, in danger.  Show them hope, show them some of the recovering alcoholics that made positive change in their lives, as proof that they can live without alcohol.  Show them that they can face their problems with You and Your word instead of alcohol.  Finally, give me the strength and tenacity to keep this journey of lent as I make sacrifices and offerings to mirror the light of Jesus' example.  Amen.

Thanks for letting me share.