Group
Description:
Sexual
Addiction (SA) groups offer Christ-centered support for men seeking
recovery from lust and compulsive sexual behaviors. The cornerstone
for our recovery is the power and love of Jesus Christ. It is built
upon the fellowship of the group, having a safe place to share our struggles,
pain, and victories, with the accountability and the mutual support
of the group throughout the week.
How
do you know if SA
group is for you?
We offer
the following:
Observations of what is true for us -
We share a common experience of engaging in sexual behaviors, which
are demoralizing and demeaning to another, or ourselves, and which we
feel unable to stop, even in spite of the adverse consequences to our
lives. We have sacrificed relationships, jobs, or our humanity, and
yet we continued to engage in these damaging and compulsive sexual behaviors.
Many of us share a common history of some type of childhood abuse. We
were yelled at or told we were worthless or stupid or ugly. Today we
recognize these as emotional abuse. We were neglected, knocked down,
or struck with objects. Today we know this to be physical abuse. Lastly,
we were touched, pawed, coerced or forced into sexual activities. Today
we call this sexual abuse. Whatever abuses we suffered we learned that
to survive we had to find a way to not feel the overwhelming and unbearable
pain.
Instinctively we built walls around our hearts. Lust is a magical wall
in that it gives the illusion of connection. So we feel safe, but we
remain alone inside our prison. Unconsciously we felt we were somehow
broken, that we were different from others and not normal. Sex with
ourselves or with others gave us the illusion of acceptance and thus
the cure to our worthlessness. We needed a constant supply of sexual
activity to stay cured. To lust is to live. Lust had became the most
important thing in our lives. Some of us were willing to risk and lose
everything to get and keep it. Only when we came face to face with the
truth that lust was a liar did we become willing to let it go. Lust
promises to connect us with others and make us whole. But it never does.
Our
hope:
We have accepted that we cannot control our lustful thoughts and behaviors
in our own strength. We have learned that through the power of Jesus
Christ we can live sober lives, one minute at a time and one day at
a time. If you identify with these issues, and if you are weary from
your struggle, then we invite you to fellowship with us as we daily
seek the Lord's guidance on our journey of recovery from sexual addiction.
Condensed
and adapted from R.S.A.'s "The Problem" and "The Solution."
Meets
Mondays at 6:30 p.m. in the Middle School Room
For more
information call (405) 341-4639 or email the Pastoral
Care Ministries Office.
