No Longer Bound

Guys, when is the last time you went to the doctor? Did you know young men, in particular, should have an annual checkup? June is MEN'S HEATH MONTHthe perfect time to schedule those annual checkups. See this list of things doctors wish they could tell guys who don’t get their checkups. www.GetItChecked.com #MensHealthMonth Don't let preventable and curable health issues rob you of your freedom! ... #SAVEALIFE #MENSHEALTHWEEK

The men, staff and volunteers at No Longer Bound love to ask each other hard questions. Here's a question for you: Everyday the No Longer Bound residents are blessed by the amazing works of God. Seeing examples of His power on a daily basis raises the question for this #WonderingWednesday. What was the latest example of God blessing your life?... #nolongerbound #SaveALife

#ToolboxTuesday We all judge other people. It's human nature. In the JUDGEMENTS & VOWS assignment at No Longer Bound, men are asked to look at their judgments of others, as well as the vows they make in response. For example, if someone makes you feel less than for asking too many questions, you might say, "I would never make people feel stupid like that. (judgement) I will never ask so many questions again. (vow) ... The judgement is towards the other person's motive, and the vow is the promise to ourself. The problem is, both the judgement and the vow are based on a lie. Example: "Asking questions means a person is stupid." And sometimes our judgments can be a response to a lie we believe about ourselves. "I am better than that." "I'm more honest than that." In our humanness, we are not effective judges. God said to Samuel, "The LORD doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. (1 Samuel 16:7) As we ask God to help us renounce both our judgements and our vows, we set ourselves up for partnership with Him. Resentments foster unhappiness, and decreasing our resentments towards others (as well as our vows) will bring both happiness and more opportunities to connect with others. Would you be willing to share a judgement or vow you'd like God to lift? #nolongerbound #SaveALife #Toolbox Tuesday

#BestofForsyth2021 See all the winners here: https://issuu.com/forsythnews/docs/bof-2021_fcn_issuu No Longer Bound

For this #MotivationMonday, we want to motivate you to Trust God in All Things. Unforeseen messes are everywhere you look? Instead of allowing problems to grip you, bring them all to God. He is always there. Just remember to trust In Him. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6) ... With this thought, we must also remember that we never know how God will use us. Just because you are in at time of struggle, doesn’t mean He doesn’t have great things in store. Sometimes, the positive is that we are growing in faith with God. And what is better than multiple peoples’ faith growing at once, which can only happen if you put your faith in Him and allow others the opportunity to see your faith at work. And without faith, it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)

"In the letters assignment, we had to write letters to ourselves about the things we needed to grieve and let go of, but the assignment got pushed back because we were in lockdown. As I waited, a Bible verse kept popping into my mind: Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. (Isaiah 43:19) This assignment requires you to put the "old you" away, and be "accepting of your death...". Typically, we would go to a specific cemetery, but we went to a different one, stood in a circle, read our letters out in the open, and prayed aloud. Suddenly, there was a buck 20 feet away, just staring at us. It seemed to come out of nowhere. A week went by, and I decided to look into the symbolic meaning of the buck. In most cultures, and specifically in Christian culture, the buck symbolizes "regeneration and renewal"which was the entire point of the letters assignment and, ultimately, the purpose of No Longer Bound. That moment remains one of the most memorable for me because the old me is dead and gone. Even if there are moments where my past comes up, I know they don’t define me." -Joe, NLB Alumni and Resident Technician #FreedomFriday #nolongerbound #SaveALife

What does it mean to be a man? Society wants you to have one definition, but in this blog, we challenge you to think about it in a new, healthier way. Click the link below to read "Redefining Manhood". nolongerbound.com/2021/05/17/redefining-manhood/

We asked Zach, a resident in No Longer Bound's Culinary Department, what he has learned from his vocational training experience. "I believe the greatest benefit has been bringing me into the gift of service. But I have also learned relational connection and relearned something I lost in addictionresponsibility and purpose. My plan after I finish here is not yet clear, though my past career as a garden designer could be an option. I am open to God's leading. The skills I've ...been developing and redeveloping here at No Longer Bound are those that create relationships and utilize spiritual tools. My favorite part of working in Culinary, hands down, has been the fellowship. It's the place residents and staff congregate, so I've had the opportunity to develop relationships evenly with both staff and residents. And, last but not least, I have loved the opportunity to work with flowers and decorations. I am so grateful for the time I have had to make floral designs. It is a true blessing." -Zach, NLB Resident, Culinary Department #nolongerbound #SaveALife

SOUL TIES Take a moment to think over your life. What do you have negative feelings toward? It could be a person, place, thing, or habit. For example: -A person with whom a relationship ended on bad terms. ... -Resentment toward a previous boss or teacher. -A neighbor who aggravates you. -A city that ties your stomach in knots every time you think about visiting. -An old activity that you once took pride that now brings sad memories of days past. -An old escape like drinking or smoking. -Guilt because you are the source of someone else’s pain or regret At No Longer Bound, we call these negatively attached emotions "Soul Ties". The people, places, and things that become a stronghold for your emotions are your list of Soul Tiesand, they make for a great prayer request list. Pray for God to lift your negative attachments as well as the negatives you have put on others, and you feel a great peace in your heart. If you want to take it a step further, like the men at No Longer Bound, light your list of Soul Ties on fire and allow God to have them for good. #nolongerbound #SaveALife #ToolboxTuesday

If you are trying to find some motivation for your Monday, take a look around No Longer Bound, and you will quickly notice returning faces. They are not returning for the help you may expect (although that does happen, at times.) But rather, men return so they can help others. As a resident in a year-long faith-based program, it is helpful to see others in active recovery succeeding in their sobriety. We have many people on staff in active recovery. Some are graduates of the... program and others are not. They all, however, share a common refrain: The men in the program help them as much as they help us. A person making it in the outside world, spending time with us, and sharing the hope for our future, is the encouragement we need to keep moving forward. . . Seeing men coming back to No Longer Bound, giving their time in fellowship, ears to hear, shoulders to cry on, and experiences to grow uponthere is nothing more impactful in showing us addicts just how inaccurate our false beliefs actually are. Check out this full blog written by one of our current residents here: https://bit.ly/3uZLxGS #MotivationMonday #NoLongerBound #SaveALife

The last phase at No Longer Bound is Transition. As Calvin prepares to move into Transition, he says, "My favorite part of the program, definitely, has been watching new men enter and seeing the life slowly coming back to them. Seeing God at work in their lives has truly been a blessing. As far as Transition goes, I am thankful for being able to go out into the community and test what I have learned here. I look forward to getting back to work, earning a paycheck, and making... conscious decisions about what I'll spend my money on. I'm looking forward to my new peace of mind that will allow me to take on the world, on the world's terms, and not using drugs in response to challenges." Please join us in congratulation Calvin as he moves in to the final stage of his program. #nolongerbound #SaveALife #FreedomFriday

#ThursdayThoughts from a current resident: "What we get here is peace of mind. We don't worry if we will eat tomorrow. We don't worry about being in the rain.... We don't worry about where we'll sleep or if it is safe to sleep. We don't worry about the cops or the EMTs finding us. We aren't worried about taking or drinking too much. We don't have to worry about being disappointments to those who love us. For at least tonight, we don't have to go to bed knowing we have another "white chip" to pick up. We get to be sober with our brothers, with an army of prayer warriors behind us. Resting under the glory of our God, who is busy restoring faith, hearts, and lives to the men he has destined us to be since before he breathed life into the universe. Thy will be done, not ours."