Stay in touch: Just one conversation with a friend each day boosts well-being - Study Finds
Saturday, February 4, 2023
Friday, February 3, 2023
Here's Your Link for Saturday's (2/4) Samson Meeting Host Training
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"The High Cost Of Transparency" - JR Everhart
That’s my sin hanging on the cross of Calvary. It’s a symbolic display of all my darkness and evil placed on the shoulders of innocence and kindness. Though ultimately it was my Heavenly Father who sacrificed / executed Jesus, it was the weight of my sin that killed him. I was part of the mob crying out - "Crucify him!" - every time I refused to walk away from sin in my life. I was the one that helped set a murderer free (Barabass) instead of Jesus, because he stood in the way of the things I loved so much about this world. I was the evil ruler who doubted his truth. It was me that spit in the face of God and said “only I can know what is truly right and wrong in this world…” that if God loved me he’d stop judging my selfish desires, which is the only shred of comfort I can find from my trauma and pain. I’m the one melting down my treasures God blessed me with to mold it into the God of my choosing. Into the thing I worship over God's distant and vague “relationship”. I then certainly mocked Jesus with my rebellion and twisted his truth to align with my own, exactly like the Pharisees did their law. A little twist here and a little twist there, deforming God's requests for holiness into a perverted gospel that speaks religious dogma, only benefiting those lost in their own lustful pride for life. My eyes are never satisfied and my heart holds nothing sacred. I betrayed my brother and raped my sister while Jesus stood at the door of my heart knocking. So, before I can ride my religious high horse into the sunset of sin, I must first stare into the face of what scares the hell out of me… Truth!
It’s only in the face of my dying savior, weighted down by my sin, hanging on a bloody cross dying the worst kind of death for me, that I can even begin to understand his love for me. It’s only through watching him suffer for my sin that I can understand the hope of the resurrection. It’s only through a brokenness that reaches to my core that I can fully surrender all my evil desires to him. Understanding his great love is what ignites hope in me, helping me to see that I need his forgiveness each and every day.
Oh, wretched sinner that I am… forgive me of my rebellion and pride! Humble my heart and draw me closer to you. I have no hope without you in my life. I am tired of hurting the people I love, and need your wisdom to open my eyes to your truth. Help me lord! Have mercy on your servant, for I desire what is right but get so lost in the dark carnival of my desires. Guide me Lord, and restore my soul. Shine your loving kindness on me and establish me as your faithful servant. Open my eyes to your understanding and enlighten me to your will. Build my faith, Jesus, and imprint your truth on my heart. Purify me and comfort me in times of temptation. Reveal the enemy’s lies to me as if I was a 7-year-old, and set my feet on your solid rock. Thank you, Lord for never giving up on me… in the wonderful name of Jesus… Amen.
Wednesday, February 1, 2023
You Are An Independent Contractor Within Samson Society
When I worked from '06 - '12 within a State of Mississippi position (staff architect), there was an independent contractor who'd been assigned to our division to provide procurement assistance (consultancy) relative to a comprehensive project management software package. The purpose of this software was to digitize the procurement procedure we were mandated to follow (that had been for decades / was being executed solely on paper). That procedure was mind-numbingly fastidious, as it should have been. We were, after all, spending millions upon millions of dollars of State of Mississippi bond monies (planning / constructing / renovating state-owned buildings). Hence, each and every step had to be signed off on by multiple departments, as the paperwork moved from person to person to person (until finally reaching the Director's inbox).
I actually liked the nuanced procedure we were required to follow. It gave me firsthand confidence in (that portion of) our state government. Plus, it effectively got the job done, even to the point of accommodating emergency circumstances (somewhat well) if need be.
But all the while, on the perimeter of our well-oiled bureaucracy was our independent contractor. She too was an integral part of our department, though her work obviously carried with it few (policies & procedures) constraints.
As such, she first and foremost, was able to move mostly at her own pace. Secondly, she was able to do this having free reign relative to our departmental processes. And the luxury therein for her was how accommodating her freedom allowed her to be on behalf of her end goal.
And believe you me, she met her end goal. I was there when it all came together, and though it wasn't a panacea, the solution she worked so hard to find for us checked off all the boxes. From there, she continued to hone her independence by refining / updating / upgrading the (procedural) maturing we'd all benefited from in kind.
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Every Samson guy who's engaged within the Samson Society is an independent contractor. The Samson Charter (The Fact, The Path, etc.) is our policy / procedure. As such, we're encouraged to move fluidly therein.
Our end goal is to invest in our recovery whilst not being constrained by an established hierarchical order. And the beauty within that fluidity has to do with PROVIDING THE HOLY SPIRIT WITH FULL CREDENCE TO GUIDE / DIRECT YOU AT HIS DISCRETION. All the while teaching you of his love as your own personal journey orchestrally unfolds.
There are men who simply cannot / will not / refuse to embrace the role of independent contractor. As such, they're not Samson guys. Perhaps they're men's club members or somesuch, but they're not Samson guys.
In closing, Samson Society is awash with opportunity for God to lead you in multiple directions (people, groups, circumstances). Nonetheless, your Heavenly Father has an established Path he's laid out for you. Pray for courage and insight into what that journey will eventually revelate to be.
Stop planning. Instead, listen and obey. And be in awe of how God works out your own personal recovery.
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