Chapter 1: Facing Codependence

Today’s class, Chapter 1 Facing Codependence
To watch recording, click here

Today we formed our first small groups, including a phone conference to discuss the things we learned about in Chapter 1. It was a blessing beyond belief to hear from you, although I wish it was other circumstances that brought us together. I heard hurt and pain in people’s story, and remember well the early phases of my own recovery. It will be difficult at first, but don’t give up. Above anything, right now I want to bring hope and encouragement that God DOES have a solution, and it’s HIS solution, not anything based on how someone else in our life changes. Thank God it is so! But it will not be my teaching that will lead you there. Rather, it’s your own relationship with Him. I pray that you focus not so much on what you do, but what’s happening in your heart. Have an honest dialogue with God. Express your feelings, needs, fears and anything that is on your heart. You may feel confused right now. You may feel excited. You may be afraid to feel anything. As you seek His truth, and make yourself a willing participant, He will faithfully reveal Himself to you.

Chapter 1 defined codependence, and helps us see its roots in detail. As I said today, the most important thing you can grasp is that codependence is derived from something or someone controlling how we think, how we feel, how we make choices and how we form identity. God wants to reclaim this entire system, and will lovingly reveal to each us how we were led down this road to begin with. The other side? Well if we became enslaved to this system, then the other side is freedom. Yes, F-R-E-E-D-O-M. It’s sweet. It’s worth the pain. Its’ worth the work. In fact, nothing will ever satisfy until we arrive there.

The first stop on our journey is to understand God’s purpose of the family system, and how that system is broken. It will expose where and why basic needs may have been unmet. This chapter is not intended to blame your family upbringing. It simply is meant to reveal where some of those basic survival skills may have been formed. Read this material with a tenderness towards your Heavenly Father. See yourself as His precious child, and understand that everything He wants to do in your life and in your family has a redemptive purpose. If you struggle, and see God as a critical Dad, then take note that more than likely you were exposed to something in this world that led to you believe that. I don’t need to tell you, He wants to show you that.

Homework:

Read Chapter 2 and focus on the homework section regarding the roles of mothers and fathers, taking note of the patterns mentioned.

Next live workshop:

Tuesday, March 18th at 9:30 taught by a wonderful and gifted teacher Cecilia Trent
http://www.instantpresenter.com/nlsr4