Today is a remarkable day amid a remarkable week. I’m thankful that the Lord woke me up this morning. I’m grateful for the multitude of ways He has chosen to bless me far beyond anything I could ever imagine.
And it’s all because of God’s goodness and grace in my life.
During our morning huddle at work yesterday, I had the chance to share the Serenity Prayer and the vital role it has played in my life. It’s amazing to share my testimony in a room full of testimonies. Honestly, it’s a truly beautiful experience.
God, grant me the serenity
The Serenity Prayer —Reinhold Niebuhr
to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.
Serenity is defined as a state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubled.
It’s the opposite of what my life was 28 years ago. Loud, brash, chaotic, and turmoil were the ingredients cooking in the recipe of disaster that my life had become.
Back in the beginning, I just wanted to get high and work on my tan. By the end, I had lost all sense of myself.
Courage fits well with the boldness I believe God calls us to live with having been transformed by Christ. Where we can make a difference, we should. Not timidly, but with the confidence that God gives us to do what’s right and to correct wrongs. We do this not with profane arrogance, but supernatural humility.
Lastly, there is wisdom. Wisdom is described as the quality of employing the knowledge and experience we’ve gained to exercise good judgment. That wouldn’t have described me 28 years ago, either. Nowadays, on occasion, gracious people share with me that they benefit from my wisdom. Admittedly, this comes as a shock to me, having been the poster child of unwisdom for so many years. It just goes to show you that God can do miracles.
Perhaps, this morning you’re reading this post and you’re mired in a dark pit of hopelessness, despair, and agony. You don’t see a way out. You’re barely able to look up to see bottom. Maybe you’re even thinking of calling it quits for good—exiting stage left.
Don’t.
It may be difficult to see, but your life can be remarkably different than it is today. And just like eating an elephant one bite at a time, a lifetime is transformed one day at a time. Start now.
There are an embarrassing amount of opportunities available for you to change the direction you’re headed in—which is either death or jail—and live a beautiful life. Just ask someone for help. It’s there.
Look, you’ll find no judgment here. There is no shame or guilt in Jesus Christ. There is also no shame and guilt in recovery. You can do it. You just can’t do it alone. You need a community to help you, to love you, and to hold you accountable. Did it. It’s there.
Today, I kinda like the guy I see in the mirror. Recovery has taught me this: it works if you work it.
Thankfully,
Rainer Bantau
The Devotional Guy™
#bgbg2#BibleGateway
The Devotional Guy™ 
Thank you 🙏
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Thank you, Alan. Yes, indeed. God works miracles!
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Congratulations Rainer! What amazing things God can do with our brokenness, creating something that both serves and glorifies Him. May He continue to guide and bless you and your family brother 🙏
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I am proud of you, my friend.
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Thanks, Bridget. I neglected to email you with an update. I am grateful for your prayers!
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Amen 🙏 thank you, Bridget.
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Congrats, Rainer! Praise God for these 10,227 days! What a gift! Thank you for sharing your insight and encouragement. The end of your post reminded me of a meme I saw recently – “No matter how long you have traveled in the wrong direction, you can always turn around.” So thankful for God’s grace and mercy! 🙌🤍🙏
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So glad to hear that, David! Your son has been in my prayers. It’s awesome to hear how God is moving in someone’s life! God is good! 🙌🤍🙏
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Hallelujah. That’s awesome.
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Congratulations and Happy Sobriety Birthday! God’s grace is so amazing. Thanks to the wonderful Lord Jesus, and to AA, I have been sober for 34 years and almost 7 months. 12,262 days. There’s no way that I would be alive and sober today, without the Lord!
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Oh, I will brother! Yes sir.
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👍🏻
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Amen , Sue. Yes, through Christ we can experience true freedom. Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts.
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Nicely done! You get a gold star for doing the homework assigned!
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Congratulations my friend! Thank you for the song. It reminded me of my own deliverance. “Hotel California” was my favorite song for many years, years lost in sin. Like the song says, “You can check out any time you please, but you can never leave.” That’s how sin traps us until Jesus meets us at a crossroads. He loved us so much that He died when we were stuck in our sin. Praise God! What amazing Grace!
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Thank you, David. Yes, please share it with your son. Just make sure God gets the credit.
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A life time is transformed one day at a time. Amen, brother! I’m sharing your post with my middle son, who has been sober for 3 months and has a job again, for the first time since COVID. 🙏 Here’s to the next 28 years sober. Blessings!
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I think it works out to about 14,726,880 minutes, give or take a few seconds.
Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts.
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Yipee! What awesome news. Now for your next assignment, I’d like you to convert the 10,227 days into minutes! (Sorry, I love math!)
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