Category Archives: encouragement

When life gives you lemons (16 alternatives to lemonade)

Posted on September 1, 2018 by Steve Simms

We’ve all heard the popular phrase about what to do when life gives you lemons.  But what if you don’t want (or like) lemonade? Perhaps we could learn from inventor, George Washington Carter, (who came up with hundreds of things … Continue reading →

Posted in celebrate recovery, creativity, depression, encouragement, finding meaning, finding purpose, hope, innovation, meaning, mental health note, optimism, overcoming depression, positive attitude, positive thinking, purpose, purpose of life, recovery groups, recovery quotes, self-help, self-help group, self-improvement, self-respect, sobriety, Uncategorized, wisdom, words | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Can God speak through “Chicken Run”?

Posted on January 16, 2018 by Steve Simms

Can God speak through the animated movie, “Chicken Run?” Today my wife said that she felt a nudging in the Spirit to watch the movie, “Chicken Run.” The idea sounded kind of weird to me, but I went along with … Continue reading →

Posted in deeper meaning, dream, ekklesia, encouragement, Heaven, meaning, paradise, today, Uncategorized, vision | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Church without community is like spaghetti without sauce.

Posted on September 17, 2017 by Steve Simms

Church without community is like spaghetti without sauce. Church without unity is like unconnected chain links. You can’t organize or hype-up genuine Christian unity. It comes through surrendering our agendas to the Holy Spirit. If church meets around a prearranged program, … Continue reading →

Posted in Catholic, dishonesty, encouragement, honesty, Jesus, LEGOs, Orthodox, Protestant, saints, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Word choice matters

Posted on July 14, 2017 by Steve Simms

Your lingo leads your life. Choose to use uplifting lingo! It’s hard to build a positive life with a negative vocabulary. Bad words don’t produce good outcomes. Your feelings follow the verbiage you daily use and consume. Volatile verbiage creates volatility. Serene verbiage … Continue reading →

Posted in censorship, encouragement, grammar, jargon, love, negativity, positive attitude, positive confession, positive thinking, power of choice, power of thinking, power of words, Serenity Prayer, Uncategorized, verbiage, verbs, vocabulary | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Do fishy, smelly words jump into your mind?

Posted on July 12, 2017 by Steve Simms

People become like the words they think, say, write, hear, & read. Do you need a change in words? Lay down put-down words & take up uplifting words! Holy Spirit promptings, when humbly obeyed, turn into amazing God moments! When first coming to … Continue reading →

Posted in adult language, bad words, corrupt communication, cussing, encouragement, hate speech, hope, is cussing judging?, Let the words of my mouth, living words, positive attitude, positive confession, positive thinking, power of words, speaking the truth in love, Spirit-prompted words, Uncategorized, words taught by the Spirit | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

12 steps for one another groups

Posted on July 8, 2017 by Steve Simms

The founders of Alcoholics Anonymous established 12 steps to help people overcome an addiction to alcohol. As the program gained success, various support groups for other addictions began to apply the steps for their own needs. In 50-something places the … Continue reading →

Posted in celebrate recovery, cell groups, encounter group, encouragement, house church, Love one another, NA, NA meetings, Narcotics Anonymous, one another, one anothering, open sharing, organic chruch, overcoming depression, Overeaters Anonymous, recovery quotes | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Inauguration Day Thoughts: When you can’t see the light, it may be behind you.

Posted on January 21, 2017 by Steve Simms

Meanness & kindness are both boomerangs. Which will you throw? Persistent kindness melts away meanness. Try it and see. Returning kindness for hostility; is disarming. When you don’t see much kindness; break the tread & do something kind! Kindness & joy … Continue reading →

Posted in 2017, audience, compromise, courage, discouragement, encouragement, inner Light, Nashville, peace, Quotations, Quotes, Random acts of kindness, Salvation Army, see the light, smartphones, Uncategorized, unkindness, with malice toward none | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

R U M T N-side (empty inside)

Posted on November 19, 2016 by Steve Simms

M T N-side? Check this out.

Posted in big name speakers, Christ, depression, discouragement, encouragement, fame, fill up, filled with the Spirit, God shaped vaccum, heart, heart care, heart of worship, heart religion, heart-felt, human heart, inner healing, inspiration, inspirational, loneliness, motivation, Spirit-filled, the door of your heart, Uncategorized, uplifting | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

First century therapy groups . . .

Posted on October 4, 2016 by Steve Simms

A First Century Therapy Group . . . –The early Christ-followers formed therapy groups to help them heal from the dysfunction in their culture and in their personal lives. There is a description of how those therapy groups met to … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, 12 step group, addiction, cell groups, discovery group, encounter group, encouragement, freedom, group interaction, health care, mental health, one anothering, one anothers, overcoming addiction, recovery groups, Salvation Army, Salvation Army ARC, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Nashville, self-help group, small groups, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Jesus didn’t say to follow a preacher, a program, or a curriculum. He said: “Follow Me.”

Posted on September 8, 2016 by Steve Simms

Doing my daily Bible reading, I saw Paul describe a Christ-led support group in Romans 1:11-12. He wrote: “I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong—that is, that you … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible one anothers, Bible teaching, church format, church program, church programming, curriculum, curriculum-free, encouragement, faith, mutual ministry, one anothers, preacher, teaching, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment