Micca Monda Campbell
"Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise." Jeremiah 17:14 (NIV)
My brother is a recovered addict. For twenty years, he was absent from our family due to addiction issues. Countless times we thought he was dead, and according to statics, he should have been.
However, God happens to be in the restoration business. He is willing to restore and heal all who come to Him. It doesn't matter who you are, what you've done, or what has been done to you. God is willing and able to turn any tragedy into triumph. My brother is living proof.
After entering many programs with hopes of success and end results of failure, my brother finally found the answer: Jesus. It wasn't until my brother met the Lord that healing and true change occurred. Suddenly, all things became new.
What's most exciting is anyone can experience this kind of freedom!
The truth is, we don't have the strength, will power, or ability to free ourselves from bondage no matter what the bondage is—drugs, lust, gluttony, pride, anger, or fear. Until we renounce our sickness and surrender to Christ, we will never experience freedom. On the other hand, when we are willing to give King Jesus our mess, He turns it into our message.
Not a day goes by that my brother doesn't look for opportunities to brag on God and share His message of hope.
Take this past summer for example. He and his family came home for a visit. One evening, our families gathered for dinner at Red Lobster. His treat! Twenty-six year old Tiffany was our server. Right away, we noticed two things about Tiffany. She was a natural with people, and she was very pregnant. While we enjoyed her kind service, we had no idea that God would turn the tables and call us to serve her in a unique way.
It started when my sister refused to allow my brother to buy her dinner. While my sister loves to give to others, she's not so good on the receiving end. I, on the other hand, understood that it gave my brother great pleasure to pick up the check. The Lord knows I didn't want to deny him his blessing!
Poor Tiffany found herself caught in the middle of the argument. Eager to win, my brother said to our server, "You see, I was a drug addict for years. During that time, my sisters did a lot for me. Now, I just want to bless them as they have blessed me."
Tiffany's eyes widen. "You were a drug addict?" she inquired. "I would have never guessed."
"Yes. I was," my brother replied. "But Jesus changed all that." From there he told Tiffany his life-changing story.
"I went from being lost to being found; from being homeless to being a home owner; from being an employee to owning my own business; from being bound by drugs to being set free in Christ."
Tears filled Tiffany's eyes as we shared God's love with her. That's not all. Later that week, we confirmed God's love to her by presenting her with a baby gift.
Oh, friends, when you and I—like my brother—allow God to turn our mess into our message, He not only changes our lives, but He changes the lives of others too.
Dear Lord, Your mercy astounds me. Your goodness overwhelms me as I cry out "heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me and I will be saved." God, give me opportunities to speak of Your hope so that others may know Your goodness and salvation. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Related Resources:
Do You Know Him?
An Untroubled Heart: Finding Faith that is Stronger than All Your Fears by Micca Campbell
Be sure to visit Micca’s blog today where she will be interviewing her brother.
Divine Prayers for Despairing Parents: Words to Pray When You Don't Know What to Say by Susanne Scheppmann
The Master Plan of Evangelism by Robert E. Coleman
Application Steps:
Are you longing for freedom? Renounce your sin and ask Jesus to save you and heal you.
Then, tell people of His wonders this week!
Reflections:
What is keeping you from completely surrendering your struggles to God?
Do you look for ways to brag on God by sharing your story? Why or why not?
Power Verses:
Luke 19:10, "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." (NIV)
Ephesians 2:8-9, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast." (NAS)
© 2010 by Micca Campbell. All rights reserved.
"Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise." Jeremiah 17:14 (NIV)
My brother is a recovered addict. For twenty years, he was absent from our family due to addiction issues. Countless times we thought he was dead, and according to statics, he should have been.
However, God happens to be in the restoration business. He is willing to restore and heal all who come to Him. It doesn't matter who you are, what you've done, or what has been done to you. God is willing and able to turn any tragedy into triumph. My brother is living proof.
After entering many programs with hopes of success and end results of failure, my brother finally found the answer: Jesus. It wasn't until my brother met the Lord that healing and true change occurred. Suddenly, all things became new.
What's most exciting is anyone can experience this kind of freedom!
The truth is, we don't have the strength, will power, or ability to free ourselves from bondage no matter what the bondage is—drugs, lust, gluttony, pride, anger, or fear. Until we renounce our sickness and surrender to Christ, we will never experience freedom. On the other hand, when we are willing to give King Jesus our mess, He turns it into our message.
Not a day goes by that my brother doesn't look for opportunities to brag on God and share His message of hope.
Take this past summer for example. He and his family came home for a visit. One evening, our families gathered for dinner at Red Lobster. His treat! Twenty-six year old Tiffany was our server. Right away, we noticed two things about Tiffany. She was a natural with people, and she was very pregnant. While we enjoyed her kind service, we had no idea that God would turn the tables and call us to serve her in a unique way.
It started when my sister refused to allow my brother to buy her dinner. While my sister loves to give to others, she's not so good on the receiving end. I, on the other hand, understood that it gave my brother great pleasure to pick up the check. The Lord knows I didn't want to deny him his blessing!
Poor Tiffany found herself caught in the middle of the argument. Eager to win, my brother said to our server, "You see, I was a drug addict for years. During that time, my sisters did a lot for me. Now, I just want to bless them as they have blessed me."
Tiffany's eyes widen. "You were a drug addict?" she inquired. "I would have never guessed."
"Yes. I was," my brother replied. "But Jesus changed all that." From there he told Tiffany his life-changing story.
"I went from being lost to being found; from being homeless to being a home owner; from being an employee to owning my own business; from being bound by drugs to being set free in Christ."
Tears filled Tiffany's eyes as we shared God's love with her. That's not all. Later that week, we confirmed God's love to her by presenting her with a baby gift.
Oh, friends, when you and I—like my brother—allow God to turn our mess into our message, He not only changes our lives, but He changes the lives of others too.
Dear Lord, Your mercy astounds me. Your goodness overwhelms me as I cry out "heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me and I will be saved." God, give me opportunities to speak of Your hope so that others may know Your goodness and salvation. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Related Resources:
Do You Know Him?
An Untroubled Heart: Finding Faith that is Stronger than All Your Fears by Micca Campbell
Be sure to visit Micca’s blog today where she will be interviewing her brother.
Divine Prayers for Despairing Parents: Words to Pray When You Don't Know What to Say by Susanne Scheppmann
The Master Plan of Evangelism by Robert E. Coleman
Application Steps:
Are you longing for freedom? Renounce your sin and ask Jesus to save you and heal you.
Then, tell people of His wonders this week!
Reflections:
What is keeping you from completely surrendering your struggles to God?
Do you look for ways to brag on God by sharing your story? Why or why not?
Power Verses:
Luke 19:10, "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." (NIV)
Ephesians 2:8-9, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast." (NAS)
© 2010 by Micca Campbell. All rights reserved.
Labels: God's Perspective, Identity in Christ, Overcoming, Perseverance, Purity, Relationships, Serving, Spiritual Growth, Trusting God, Walking in Faith
15 Comments:
I can completely relate to this in that I have a brother with alcohol troubles. I pray for him every night - for strength through the Lord. I talked to my parents about it as well; so, we are all praying for him to wake up one day and find Jesus. I just do not understand how we were both raised in a wonderful, loving, Christian home and how he is so doubtful and unhappy. Please remember him in your prayers. Maybe one day I, along with my family, can have the same ending as this devotion has.
This is exactly how I am trying to focus my future after two tragedies in less than 3 months...losing my husband to cancer and my house burning down. Blessings still abound in the midst of these tragedies, and I pray all the time that God use me to speak His message. Thanks for this devotion.
I praise God for this story. My marriage ended due to addiction (a Christian man) and the man I fell in love with years later also had an addiction problem (also a Christian). I left the relationship and spent 5 yrs praying for this man. He has returned back to town, clean and sober and with a new life. We are now back in a relationship that God has blessed. Many people don't understand how dangerous and destructful alcohol and drugs can be, but I stand here today praising my Lord because through Him all things are possible.
Dawn-TX
Micca,
Your devotion was very timely for me, as I am turning to God for help. I pray for Him to heal me from pain caused by my sin. I surrender to Him in the deepest places of my soul. I pray that God can restore me, I pray that He will take me back and love me and make me whole.
I only want to serve Him, to live rightly, and to find my way. I pray Psalm 25:4-6 "Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you."
I posted on your blog about the loss of my brother to addiction. God has worked miracles in your brother's life and in mine. I pray He will restore me once again.
Thank you so much for sharing. I really needed to hear this today. For months I've had it on my heart to share how God pulled me out of a messy situation almost 5 years ago, but I've been afraid people will judge me for it. Your devotion just gave me the answer and push that I've been needing. Thanks again, and God bless!
What a powerful story!
What a lovely story. God absolutely delights in taking our mess and making it His Message, doesn't He? He never whines or gets impatient with the messiness of our lives - but delights in pouring out His grace, mercy and love to create beauty and renewed life!
Please pray for my brother Johnny, and his son John, both of whom who've been addicted to drugs and substances. I know Johnny knew Jesus and was following him, but drifted as the substances pulled him away. Please pray for His return to the Lord and coming clean from addiction. Thanks!
Also, please pray for my daughter Christina to turn/return to the Lord from her worldly lifestyle which is keeping her from following Him.
Thank you, Andrea
Dear Lord, we trust that you are MIGHTY to save! I pray for each person today that has responded and for those who have not. May the course of their lives be in your hands and your power alone. Deliver them from the power of the enemy, from their stronghold of addictions, from their fears, doubt, and persecutors. Show your favor, Lord. Save each one by the power of your love and mercy. In Jesus Name, a-men.
Today, I also stand in awe of God’s transformation of my life. The healing of the brokenness in my life that he continues to heal, little by little, and glory to glory. Places so wounded and deep, that only he knew existed in my heart. His glory shines through all the ruins he is rebuilding in my life, ruins that I created throughout my addiction. His abundant healing and restoration of the damaged relationships in my life that had become absolute. His renewal of my heart, my mind, and my soul that has brought me to the most beautiful place ever imaginable, an intimate and loving relationship with God. I, Tamela Renee, am his miraculous example and I want to spread his good news, how that God is the only one who can bind up the broken hearted (which is what addicts are), he is the only one who can break the chains and bondages of addictions. God is the only one who can heal physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually, as he has me, and he is the only one who can set the captives free from the prison of darkness, which is exactly where addicts live. I have a story to tell. My story of Gods unconditional love,his grace,his mercy, and his healing of my life.
Trusting that your past will be used to his glory is what we have to do. No matter how bleak a situation looks and feels while you are going through it - it is good to keep in mind that life on earth is temporary and someday soon we will be walking into eternal glory :-) Amen.
We all have our own mess, don't we? But our God works in each situation in such a wonderful way. I praise His Precious Name!!
Thank you for sharing this. Praise God for allowing God to change your brother. This April will make 5 years sober from drugs for me and I KNOW and thank God for that miracle. It took me becoming sober for two whole years for me to realize that it was God that helped me through all of it, so August 2007 I asked Jesus into my heart. There are times I still fight the addiction, but that is when I lean on God more. Now I proudly say that I am addicted to God and His AWESOME son Jesus.
"Thank you so much Lord for being the one loving power that can save the roughest toughest people on earth. Your mercy forgives and Your love saves. Thank you for saving me and Micca's brother. In Jesus Name..Amen"
I SO LOVE this principle!! I am not a recovering substance addict, but I am a woman saved by grace!! I am SO grateful that my Daddy loves me enough to make a way for ALL things to work together for His good. I hope that my lifesong honors Him all the remaining days of my life!!! Thank you for such a powerful intention!!
in the name of Jesus i rebuke the enemy for leaving inappropriate comments on here. in the name of jesus I pray for that individual trying to cause me and someone to fall through the trap of immorality. please erase, thank you in the name of jesus.
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