Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Get Off the Yellow Brick Road: Get on The Solid Rock Road

The following is an the Introduction of the book, "Follow The Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery." Here's the link to the website:  www.thesolidrockroad.com, plus you can purchase the book on Amazon.com.

“This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the
Crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths,
ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and
you will find rest for your souls.” (Jeremiah 6:16)

Our whole family watched the Wizard of Oz the day we got our first color TV. We were young girls at the time and could hardly wait to see the movie. We were instantly infatuated with Dorothy and hated the mean and ugly lady on the bicycle. As the movie progressed, we went from being awestruck with all the color and characters to scared senseless.
     In the movie, Dorothy gets tossed around in a tornado and wakes up in Munchkinland. Her house lands on top of the Wicked Witch of the East and kills her. Thankfully, Glinda the Good Witch of the North appears to ease Dorothy’s mind and give her the magical ruby red slippers from the feet of the dead witch. Soon after, the Wicked Witch of the West shows up to terrify Dorothy – and the two of us!
     The Wicked Witch of the West is angry that Dorothy is wearing the ruby red slippers. She makes it clear that her plan is to take them from her.
     With threats from the Wicked Witch looming, Glinda and the well-meaning Munchkins direct Dorothy to the Yellow Brick Road. They assure the girl in the blue checkered dress that the road will lead her to Emerald City and the great Wizard of Oz who has the power to get her home. So off Dorothy and her little dog Toto go, completely oblivious to the danger and disappointment that lay ahead.
    Along the way, Dorothy befriends the scarecrow, tin man, and cowardly lion, all searching for something to make them more complete. Together, they follow the Yellow Brick Road, believing that the Wizard will perform multiple miracles on their behalf.
    Though pursued by the Wicked Witch of the West, Dorothy and her three companions finally find refuge behind the huge doors of Oz. Then, by accident, they discover that the Wizard is all smoke and mirrors – powerless to give the scarecrow a brain, the tin man a heart, or the cowardly lion courage. Worse yet, the phony Wizard is without power to return Dorothy to Kansas.
    Like a good witch should, Glinda re-appears just in time. Glinda tells Dorothy that she already has the power to return home –  if she simply clicks the heels of her ruby red slippers and repeats the phrase, “There’s no place like home.” Dorothy follows the beautiful witch’s instructions and is immediately whisked back to Kansas and her beloved family.
    While the Wizard of Oz is a much-loved movie classic, we’ve never understood why the Good Witch waited to tell Dorothy about the power of the ruby red slippers. We wondered why Glinda sent the lost young woman down the Yellow Brick Road when there was a faster, easier, and safer way home.

The Real Yellow Brick Road
Today, millions of Christians are directed to a modern-day Yellow Brick Road to recovery from addictions. They are assured by the treatment industry that sobriety is found along many paths and in a higher power, not the higher power.
    People battling addictions get to choose from an array of recovery methods, modalities, therapies, spiritual philosophies, and programs on their journey along the Yellow Brick Road. They’re also given a long list of excuses for their inability to get and stay sober. We’ve used a few ourselves.
    Anxiety, depression, ADHD, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), low self-esteem, and abusive parents are a few reasons addicts give to justify actions. The pre-treatment cure is often a stabilizing pill, which offers a temporary and false sense of well-being. (As ex-addicts, we find it hard to believe that drugs are used to treat addictive personalities. It’s one of the many ironies of life.)
    Before anyone gets offended, we acknowledge that mental health issues exist and realize that people have suffered, been mistreated, molested, neglected, and rejected. We’ve had our share of pain, so we have true compassion for anyone who has endured hardship and difficult circumstances.
    Still, there comes a time when your past should no longer determine your future – when you leave your old life for a brand new one and enact the new creation reality that God made available through His Son, Jesus Christ.
    It’s good to reflect on your life. There’s value in acknowledging the mistakes you’ve made and learning from the pain others have caused you. But Philippians 3:13 tells us to look ahead, “…forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.”

The Solid Rock Road
By reading this book, we pray you would fully understand the spiritual battle in the unseen world, the purpose of Christ’s suffering on the cross, and the transforming power of God.
    While Dorothy faced danger and distress along the Yellow Brick Road, she finally turned to her ruby red slippers. With a few clicks of her heels and a little bit of faith, Dorothy’s problems were quickly solved. She returned home to Auntie Em. She got her life back.
    When you choose to follow The Solid Rock Road, you find your way home. From the Old Testament to the New, the solid rock represents the foundation and teachings of Jesus Christ. From them, you can build an amazing, addiction-free life. You can wake up with hope, and live a productive and respectable life. You will also discover your destiny and leave a legacy for generations to come.
    Like the ruby red slippers for Dorothy, the red blood of Jesus Christ gives you all the power you need to turn things around. It can immediately cleanse, heal, and restore your life. You don’t have to travel far or wait a long time for the blood to work. It has been poured out for you in advance and in abundance. The blood of Jesus is readily available on your journey to radical recovery.
    The Wicked Witch of the West wanted to steal Dorothy’s slippers because she knew of their magical powers. The same is true for the devil who wants to steal your Christian power from you. If you continue in your addictions or take an unnecessary jaunt along the Yellow Brick Road to recovery, you won’t find a witch or evil flying monkeys, but you may find yourself being constantly pursued by the devil and his evil spirits.

What You’ll Learn
In this book, you’ll learn a lot about yourself, God, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus Christ. You’ll also become very familiar with the enemy of mankind and how to fight and win the battle for your own soul. We’re taking you on an experiential journey that gets you home in a hurry, and gives you all the Biblical tools needed to protect yourself, along with everyone else who is in your sphere of influence.
    You don’t need magic to make your life great. You need the blood of Jesus and to learn the wonderful ways of God. You need to follow The Solid Rock Road, which is your pathway to radical recovery.

Our Disclaimer
We’re not against secular treatment programs. We know they’re necessary and the world needs trained counselors who care. However, we’ve written this book from a Christian perspective. We’re reaching Christians who continually struggle with addictions, as well as Christians in recovery who are ready to move forward in their lives and ministries.
    We are also writing for pastors, Christian leaders, and those heading up recovery ministries who are ready for a purely Bible-based system that promotes the new creation reality and assimilation into the Body of Christ.
    If you’re not a Christian but looking for spiritual answers to resolve your addictions issues, you’ll find them here. Plus, you’ll get to learn what Christians believe and why we choose a spiritually progressive lifestyle that brings change and results in purposeful living.

God is Enough!
This book reminds the Christian community that God is enough. The Word of God must take precedence in a Christian’s life – over the education, science, systems, counsel, and philosophies of any and all secular treatment programs and organizations.
    In other words, do what God has instructed you to do. Follow The Solid Rock Road and steer clear of every other path. That’s how you’ll win the battle for your own soul and model a purpose-filled Christian life for your children and generations to come. 


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