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Christina Cook Lee

Media Producer - Author - Blogger - Songwriter

You're Not Alone

Being able to hear God’s voice and be shown His way

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Topic: You’re not alone

Focus: Being able to hear God’s voice and be shown His way

2 Timothy 2:15 (NIV) Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the Word of truth.

At times, God purposely allows us to go to a low spot—a valley of decision, where He is sure He has our full and undivided attention. If we aren’t willing to listen any other way—He takes us to a place away from the roar of the crowd where our ears can be properly tuned to hear His voice. It is in this place of seeming despair that we might possibly be quiet enough to hear Him. While thinking we are in a period of depression—it might just be that God is at work in His own way—getting us into a condition where He can speak to us and we will hear.

Many people who have been called into the service of the Lord heard His voice at a time when their life was at a crossroads. They might have come to that turning point through no intention of their own—but suddenly or eventually—they realized doors were closing that they never dreamed would. When everything looked impossible, they felt the Lord’s presence in a way like never before. Because their heart was tender—they were able to feel a special touch from the Master.

It is my personal belief that people who have been through a lot of temptation and failure are perfect candidates for the Lord’s work—if they have realized they are nothing without Him. The knowledge that you are ‘nothing’ is exactly what you feel–when you are the closest you have ever been to the Lord. In His presence—where there is no question about the fact that we are completely weak, we become totally empty of ourselves. Because of that emptiness–we are able to be filled with His strength and power.

God doesn’t want to use our strength. He wants to use our weakness—so that His limitless power will be made manifest in our lack of power. All of our shame is washed away as our faults are covered in the blood of Jesus and we realize we are just another sinner saved by grace.

You may think you are failing because you can hardly stand on your own. It’s when you have nothing left—that you are ‘just right’ for God’s purpose. If you are at a place of particular weakness right now—good for you. You are ready and able to hear from God. Be listening for His voice. Be watching for revelation. He has things to say and plans to unfold. The only qualifications God needs in order for you to meet His approval is that you are teachable and willing to be conformed to His image, filled with the Holy Spirit, and able to handle the Word of God properly.

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Link to New Strength Audio Version
New Strength Inspirational Statement of the Day

The best thing you can do right now to prepare yourself for what He has for you—is to feast at His table. Feed on His Word. Let it fill you even in the driest desert—you are able to draw from His well that never runs dry. Drink from His cup. There are wonderful words of comfort and encouragement waiting for you. If you don’t know where to start, try meditating on the following Psalm that has given hope to so many people when they were desperately discouraged. Try to visualize it in your mind as you read it:

The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; 
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely Your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. –Psalm 23 (NIV)

If your plans have not turned out like you thought they would—it doesn’t mean you aren’t going to have a meaningful, fulfilling life. All—and I mean all of my plans fell through before I was willing to give God complete control of my life…and I had a lot of plans. I had to reach the point where nothing was working—before I was willing for God to lead me to His plan. If He hadn’t closed every other door, I’d probably still be trying to do what I thought would work best. Now I know my life has one purpose. My purpose–and yours, is to be available to follow where He leads—and to go through the doors He opens. Some doors I would like to go through—He closes. Other doors I may not choose—He takes me through.

If you are willing to say, “Show me Your way, Lord—that I may walk with You”…He will surely show you. If there is any part of you that is holding back and is unwilling—He will wait until you are ready. Truthfully, He will let you continue in a prolonged ‘wilderness experience’ because you are still trying to find your own way ‘out’. Deliverance soon comes when you stop looking for the exit and say, “Show me Your way”.

Declaration: I will find new strength by working at being emptied of myself. I will concentrate on the words of Psalm 23 and keep my ears tuned to hear my Master’s voice. I am willing for Him to show me His way.

IF YOU SUBSCRIBE TO NEW STRENGTH DEVOTIONAL BELOW, A NEW SEGMENT WILL COME TO YOUR EMAIL EACH DAY.

For music selections that will help bring hope and encouragement during your recovery from depression and addiction, https://www.youtube.com/user/NewStrengthMusic/playlists?sort=dd&view=1

All NEW STRENGTH posts are Copyright by Christina Cook Lee 2012. Please request permission to re-post or re-blog.

Receiving the Comforter

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Topic: You”re not alone

Focus: Receiving the Comforter

John 14:16-17 (Paraphrased) And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter…Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth.

Sometime during your life’s journey with God, it is likely you will come to a valley where–in terms of human acquaintances—it will feel like you have been utterly abandoned. This might happen in a physical sense, an emotional sense, or both.

It is the desire of God for us to learn to put our trust completely in Him. How else would we become able to do that unless we experienced what it is to feel entirely alone?

The Bible clearly explains that when you make the decision to trust God with all of your heart, soul, and mind—He faithfully begins to work on you—toward the perfecting of your faith. He won’t only test your faith for the simple purpose of seeing if you meant what you said when you decided to follow Him, but He will test it to allow what faith you started out with to become deeper and stronger.

Your most critical point of need—when all of your relationships seem to have failed–is sometimes referred to as the ‘dark night’ of your soul. It is the place where every human resource is gone and there is nowhere left to turn. Oh, and don’t let me forget to mention that the experience isn’t usually over after a day or so. It might go on for a long while and possibly seem as though this is the way it’s going to be for the rest of your life, before there is any sign of relief.

Some people who have never been tested in this area may be tempted to think that such a trial can’t happen to a true, Spirit-filled Christian. Some may further venture that suffering of any kind is not necessary because of the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ. If that is the case, I would ponder why Jesus bothered to tell His disciples He would send a “Comforter”. I would also encourage such persons to have a close look at Hebrews chapter twelve in the Bible.

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Link to New Strength Audio Version

New Strength Inspirational Statement of the Day

Jesus knew His followers would suffer trials that would cause them intense pain and suffering. He knew human relationships would often end in failure. He knew it would be an impossible struggle to find light and truth in the midst of darkness and deception without a Helper.

If it had not been likely that true Christians would need a Comforter, Teacher, and Guide who could reveal the truth in questionable circumstances and in experiences where it would be hard to tell right from wrong—Jesus would never have spoken the important words in John chapter fourteen.

We know that Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit. Father God was well pleased with His Son. Jesus had so much faith, He was able to perform many amazing miracles. Yet, on the night He went to pray in the garden of Gethsemane, He agonized over the test that lay before Him. At the time when He needed His closest friends the most—they all ran for their lives and deserted Him. They watched Him suffer at a distance and didn’t come to help Him or defend Him. How much darker does a night get than that? Yet, before any of that happened–Jesus told his friends they would be scattered and leave Him–but, He would not be alone because His Father was with Him.

Jesus was well aware that if we would live as His faithful followers and drink from His cup—we would also come to recognize the bitter taste of rejection and denial. It is part of the fellowship of His suffering. Isaiah 53:3 prophetically states the Messiah would be despised and rejected of men–a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief.

God’s purpose in allowing us to suffer rejection and feel alone, is to teach us to recognize His ever abiding presence. Through discovering the weakness of human relationships, we become confident in the strength of our everlasting bond with the Father and the Son—through the blessed Holy Spirit.

Declaration: I will find new strength by being filled with the Comforter, who is the Holy Spirit. I choose to let the Holy Spirit lead me into all truth. By receiving this holy presence into my life, I will never have to be alone again.

IF YOU SUBSCRIBE TO NEW STRENGTH DEVOTIONAL BELOW, A NEW SEGMENT WILL COME TO YOUR EMAIL EACH DAY.

For music selections that will help bring hope and encouragement during your recovery from depression and addiction, https://www.youtube.com/user/NewStrengthMusic/playlists?sort=dd&view=1

All NEW STRENGTH posts are Copyright by Christina Cook Lee 2012. Please request permission to re-post or re-blog.

The importance of really knowing the Lord

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Topic: You’re not alone

Focus: The importance of really knowing the Lord

Psalm 145:18-19 (NKJV) The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them.

God could have created us in such a way that we would never have to feel alone. He had the ability and the power to leave that part out of our existence—but He didn’t. He wanted us to need Him.He made us to need Him…and we sincerely do.

A couple of nights ago, I was walking through a large, crowded shopping mall. I was by myself and had time to observe the people I passed, who were headed in the opposite direction I was going. The mall was in a big city, so I noticed the diversity of the people who were shopping that night. All kinds of people. We had all come to the mall to try to find something that would make us—or someone we were shopping for—happy.

I couldn’t help feeling compelled to pray for the people I was passing. I know some of them probably know the Lord, but I had the sense that I was in a sea of people who were lost. Another thing I was keenly aware of, was the fact that the only thing that will truly help the conditions in this world and the people who live in it—is the Lord. I had the knowledge that we desperately need the Lord to pour out His Spirit upon all flesh, as He said He would in the last days.

The Lord said He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him—yet, how many people today actually fear the Lord? If we don’t fear the Lord and we’re not crying out to Him—how will He save us?

I had to wonder as I passed by hundreds of people, how many of them cared anything at all about Jesus. It would have been interesting if at some point, a ‘freeze frame’ could have been taken of all the people who were around me—and all of the ones who had a real relationship with Christ would have been circled in red. I wish I could know how many of the people around me might have had an interest in knowing more about Jesus at one time of their life, but for some reason, became disinterested. I also wish I could know how many of them ever attended a Christian church in their lifetime…and what their impression was.

(Read more below)

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Link to New Strength Audio Version
New Strength Inspirational Statement of the Day

As humans, we have failed so miserably as representatives of Jesus Christ. I wonder sometimes if we have turned more people away from God than we have helped lead to Him, because of our misunderstanding of who He really is.

What I saw at the mall caused me to understand that the world has no hope except that the Spirit of God would be poured out on all people—giving them a true revelation of Jesus Christ.

Besides being aware that there were many lost people in the mall—I was also aware of how much we who are Christians should be trying to live a life that would be attractive to the people who haven’t received their salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. I don’t think we really know how to do that in a way that would help them see HIM and not us…especially when we may be struggling with our own weaknesses.

Knowing we live in a world full of people who are lost, doesn’t do much to help us fight the feeling that we are ‘alone’, does it? With so many people who are lost and so many others who are dysfunctional as Christians—we have practically no choice but to turn to the Lord, if what we are seeking is a true and authentic relationship based on real and honest love. The Lord is truly the only hope for us and for all of the millions of lost and lonely people in this world. We can’t fill their needs—and they can’t fill ours. We all need the Lord.

Coming to the conclusion that we have no hope besides the Lord is not a devastating thing. He is full of strength and power. So it isn’t a hopeless situation that we are faced with, when we find we have no strength of our own and we can’t solve the world’s problems single-handedly…or even by being part of a huge missionary effort. It is the Lord who comes to seek and save those who are lost—and those who are His, as well.

The Lord could use us—but are we in a position for Him to use us, or are there a few things we may need to work on, if the ‘lost’ are going to have any kind of a good impression when they look at our lives?

This is the final thing I was impressed with as I was in the mall the other night. I was aware that I need to be very focused on enriching my relationship with the Lord. As I am focused on Him—and only Him—other people will see a truer picture of who He is when they look at me. When I am focused completely on Him, I won’t feel alone at all.

Declaration: I will find new strength by focusing on the Lord who is able to meet all my needs for love and friendship. As I am more completely transformed into His likeness—I will represent Him better in this world.

IF YOU SUBSCRIBE TO NEW STRENGTH DEVOTIONAL BELOW, A NEW SEGMENT WILL COME TO YOUR EMAIL EACH DAY.

For music selections that will help bring hope and encouragement during your recovery from depression and addiction, https://www.youtube.com/user/NewStrengthMusic/playlists?sort=dd&view=1

All NEW STRENGTH posts are Copyright by Christina Cook Lee 2012. Please request permission to re-post or re-blog.

Filling the void

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Topic: You’re not alone

Focus: Filling the void

Isaiah 30:15 (NKJV) In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.

Silence is some people’s friend—and other people’s enemy. I wasn’t always comfortable with silence. There have been times of my life when I felt compelled to fill the silence with noise.

Some people have never known anything but noise. They grew up in a home filled with noise and accepted the practice of a having a radio playing or a TV blaring, as ‘normal’.

Things have changed a lot in the past 10-20 years with the entrance of portable media players. Even before that, people were creating their own personal listening environments and staying ‘tuned in’ to their sounds of choice.

Media in general has become increasingly sophisticated and some people have become very particular about their own individual tastes. With current technology, and so much media available, people are able to tune in or tune out, whatever they want, or don’t want to hear.

But audible sound is not the only ‘noise’. People who may not have a need for actual audio—are addicted to social media, or surfing the internet. The habit is not just a pastime, but a way of filling the void they feel when nothing is demanding their attention.

Most people prefer to have their minds programmed with media for several hours a day, at least.

People who have no interest in audio or the internet, sometimes turn to books, magazines, and newspapers for entertainment.

The way to know if something has a foothold in your life is whether you become defensive or offended when you’re confronted with the amount of time you spend doing whatever it is that makes you defensive or offended.

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New Strength Inspirational Statement of the Day

Filling the void is something people often do when they are uncomfortable with being alone. If a person is struggling with loneliness—entertainment can be a way of escaping from their own harsh reality.

Some people create their own environment when they are uncomfortable around the people they live with and would prefer to be ‘alone’.

In Bible times, Moses was leading thousands of people through a wilderness, in search of the promised land. We can’t even imagine the amount of noise he had to contend with. It’s noted in scripture that the Children of Israel were discontent and had a habit of blaming Moses for their living conditions and everything that came up. Moses spent a lot of time wishing he could ‘tune out’ the complaining and murmuring.

Exodus chapter 33 tells us how Moses took a tent and pitched it outside the camp, far from the camp, and called it the tabernacle of meeting. It was the place where he could go to be alone with the Lord. In that place of solitude, separation, and silence, Moses was able to hear the voice of the Lord and find the hope and encouragement he needed to continue his assignment.

Moses yearned for God. He knew the importance of getting alone with the Lord.

In Psalm 27:4, David wrote, “One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple.”

Both Moses and David embraced being alone with the Lord and having time to behold His beauty. In both of their writings, it’s evident that neither of them could get enough of the presence of the Lord.

When our minds are filled to the brim with media, where is there room for the King of Kings? When we spend more time pursuing ‘noise’ than we spend seeking the Lord—who is the king on the throne of our life?

When we tune out everything else—the voice of the Lord can be heard.

Declaration: I will find new strength and confidence by being quiet before the Lord. I will commit to making Him the one thing I desire most. I will show Him I’m serious by having the willingness to wait in silence before Him and spend time listening for His voice. As I hear Him speak to me—my void will be filled.

IF YOU SUBSCRIBE TO NEW STRENGTH DEVOTIONAL BELOW, A NEW SEGMENT WILL COME TO YOUR EMAIL EACH DAY.

For music selections that will help bring hope and encouragement during your recovery from depression and addiction, https://www.youtube.com/user/NewStrengthMusic/playlists?sort=dd&view=1

All NEW STRENGTH posts are Copyright by Christina Cook Lee 2012. Please request permission to re-post or re-blog.

Being set apart

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Topic: You’re not alone

Focus: Being set apart

John 17:25-26 (NKJV) O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent me. And I have declared to them Your Name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.

Probably all of us have had the experience of accidently walking into the wrong classroom or meeting room. The feeling you have when you realize that you’re in the wrong place is usually embarrassment, along with an eager desire to leave the area and go find where you’re supposed to be.

I pretty much felt like I was in the ‘wrong room’ most of my life. It’s still a little puzzling to me, how a person could feel like such an alien just about all of the time. Sometimes the feeling has been less extreme than others, but at this point, I’ve adjusted to it and understand that it’s the way God made me. Maybe if I had been more like other people, I wouldn’t have felt the deep need for acceptance that finally drove me to my knees.

Choosing Jesus sets us apart, too. When we’re really filled with Him, through the power of the Holy Spirit—He’s the most important thing in our life. Things that don’t have something to do with Him are not that interesting to us. The longings of our heart are satisfied in a different way because of His presence in our heart, mind, and soul.

The things that were important to me before I gave my life completely to God have now taken on a different meaning to me. I can appreciate some of the things I used to be interested in, but I don’t have the same passions now as I had then.

(Read more below)

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New Strength Inspirational Statement of the Day

Being set apart for the Lord doesn’t mean that we’re flawless. In fact, we see our own flaws more than we did before we knew Him. We recognize that without Him we can’t do anything as well as if we rely completely on Him for His help—and the strength we need to live for Him.

I used to worry that I wouldn’t have the courage to be faithful to Him until the end of my life, if my faith were to be put to the test. I used to wonder how people had the strength to be martyrs. I would sometimes spend time thinking of all of the things that might happen and whether I could remain committed to Him if I ever had to face true testing to the point of death.

God has shown me that the secret to being faithful, is being filled. In John chapter 17, Jesus is praying for His disciples and for all those who would follow Him throughout the ages of time. He is acknowledging the love that His Father has for Him. He’s praying that through Him, we would all know the love of the Father and be filled with His love.

1 John 4:8 tells us that God is love. 1 John 4:18 says there is no fear in love. But perfect love casts out fear. By meditating on those verses, I have been able to begin to understand how a person could have the ability to endure anything, whether it would be pain, danger, fear, loneliness, loss, or feeling like an alien. If the love of God is perfect and complete, and if I am filled with His love—as Jesus prayed I would be—then, I should not be terribly affected by any of those things, because of course God would answer the prayer of His own Son, Jesus—as He prayed for me.

Even after many years of following Christ, I still have to make the decision to trust God when I’m faced with things that cause me to experience discomfort. As humans, we have to choose day by day—sometimes, moment by moment—to trust God’s plan for our lives when we can’t see the way ahead of us.

I’ve come to believe that all of life is a test. All of the things that bother us, are things that God wants to help us find peace about. He doesn’t want us to worry about anything at all. He doesn’t want us to feel alone or afraid or have pain of any kind—unless it would be for the purpose of teaching us to trust Him and His ability to help us go through it—or  bring us deliverance.

When I have experiences that cause me to feel like I am lacking—I have the opportunity to ask God to “Be all that I am not.” When I feel nervous about whether I might be accepted—I am able to say to Him, “Thank You, for giving me favor.” When I am weak and at the end of my own strength—I can offer Him praise by saying, “In my weakness, You are made strong—be the strength of my life today and always.”

Declaration: I will find new strength by knowing that God would answer the prayer that Jesus prayed for me when He asked the Father to fill me with His love through Jesus. I will have the courage to face anything, knowing that His love is perfect and complete—and if I have His love in me, then I can be faithful to the end. If I feel like an alien, it’s okay, because I am who God made me to be. I am set apart, and I belong to Him.

IF YOU SUBSCRIBE TO NEW STRENGTH DEVOTIONAL BELOW, A NEW SEGMENT WILL COME TO YOUR EMAIL EACH DAY.

For music selections that will help bring hope and encouragement during your recovery from depression and addiction, https://www.youtube.com/user/NewStrengthMusic/playlists?sort=dd&view=1

All NEW STRENGTH posts are Copyright by Christina Cook Lee 2012. Please request permission to re-post or re-blog.

Finding the help you need

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Topic: You’re not alone

Focus: Finding the help you need

Deuteronomy 31:8 (NKJV) And the Lord, He it is that goes before you; He will be with you, He will not fail you, neither forsake you: fear not, neither be dismayed.

In depression, some things seem to go hand in hand: feeling lost and alone; feeling misunderstood and rejected; feeling overwhelmed and discouraged, to name a few. When you are in an especially challenging time, you may be experiencing all of the above.

God is able to give you favor when your burdens are piling up. He can add more strength to your life when you have to work harder than usual and are feeling unequal to the tasks you are facing. When you are struggling with an overload of pain and suffering or sorrow, He will give you an extra measure of mercy. When you are buried under multiplied trials, He is able to pour out multiplied peace.

The love God has for you is unlimited. There would be no way to measure the amount of favor He wants to show you. There are no places His almighty power can’t reach. Because of the victory Jesus Christ bought when He triumphed over death and the grave—the help God has available for you, is without end.

You never need to wonder if you are asking too much of God. He knows better than anyone what you are feeling and the extent of your despair. He understands every cry of your heart.

(Read more below)

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Link to New Strength Audio Version

 

New Strength Inspirational Statement of the Day

Come to Him as a little child. Pour out your troubles on Him. His resources are deeper than the oceans and higher than the mountains. All you lack, He can supply. If you are lonely—He is the Friend who is closer than a brother. If you have been rejected—He has chosen you. If you are discouraged—He can bring you hope and encouragement.

Jeremiah 33:3 (paraphrased) says, Call me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things you can’t even imagine.

When you are being bombarded by depression, call on the Lord. Ask Him to be your Friend. Thank Him for choosing you. Tell Him you need hope and encouragement. He is there to help you…you only have to ask, to receive.

When you feel overwhelmed by tasks you have to complete that are too big—ask the Lord to send help. He will. He will either strengthen you to do more than you thought you could—or He will send someone to give you assistance.

God’s ways are unconventional. He doesn’t do things the way we do. He is highly creative and able to give you unusual aid in your time of need.

I remember a particular time when our girls were very young and we were going somewhere. All at once, our car broke down on a busy road. It just stopped running without warning. It was a hot day in Florida. Thankfully, we were at a spot where we could pull off on the shoulder. A stopped car heats up instantly in the summer, so as we coasted to a stop, my thoughts were racing as to what we should do. It was in the days before cell phones, so we were stranded.

We had only been stopped for a few seconds, when a large, white, older Cadillac pulled up next to us. An elderly couple was seated in the front seat. We rolled down our car window and the gentleman behind the wheel asked if we could use a lift. Normally, I wouldn’t get into a car with total strangers, but they were smiling and seemed very trustworthy—so we accepted their offer. The Cadillac pulled over in front of us and we climbed in to join them. Their car was plenty big enough for all four of us to fit into the back seat.

As they drove us to a public place where we could call for help and wait in comfort, I asked where they were from. After a short hesitation, the man and woman smiled at each other and the man said, “Clearwater.” I asked what brought them to Bradenton and the woman said, “Oh, we were just out joy riding.”

As I looked around the interior of the car, there was something different about it. I can’t really put it into words, but I had the unusual feeling that these people were ‘angels’ and that they had been ‘sent’ to rescue us. We hadn’t been stopped long enough to even get out of the car to look under the hood. How could they have even known we were in trouble and hadn’t just pulled over to look at a map or something?

There have been numerous other times in my life when I had no strength or motivation to begin a large project I needed to do, but by relying on God, I was given uncommon energy that enabled me to press through.

Declaration: I will find new strength by calling out to God for help and encouragement. He will always give me—or send me—the help I need.

IF YOU SUBSCRIBE TO NEW STRENGTH DEVOTIONAL BELOW, A NEW SEGMENT WILL COME TO YOUR EMAIL EACH DAY.

For music selections that will help bring hope and encouragement during your recovery from depression and addiction, https://www.youtube.com/user/NewStrengthMusic/playlists?sort=dd&view=1

All NEW STRENGTH posts are Copyright by Christina Cook Lee 2012. Please request permission to re-post or re-blog.