Out of the Ashes. Rising From Addiction into a Spirit Filled Life (en Inglés) - Jeffrey L Lindsey Jr

This book is based on my own experiences with addiction and my journey into a life filled with God and Jesus. Some of these messages were inspired by God after listening to other great preachers who spoke into my life. I then built upon those messages and connected them to the struggles of addiction and recovery.

This book is meant to take you on a weekly journey into a more Spirit-filled life, especially after facing the kinds of struggles that often leave us asking the same questions many people ask:
Why is this happening to me?
Why did this happen to me?
Who am I?
What did I do so wrong to deserve this?
Does anyone care?
If God were real, He never would have allowed this to happen to me... so why did He?
Does anyone truly understand me?

Although some of you may sit down and read the entire book in one sitting, my vision was for people to read one section each week. I hope readers will take time to reflect on the message, maybe even read it a second time during the week, possibly in a group setting, and not just alone. You see, when two or more gather in His name, His presence is stronger among them. When we journey through life with others and create a community of like-minded people, we build one another up and develop the strength within us that God intended each of us to have.

Many people set unrealistic goals for themselves, like reading an entire book when they have never done so before, and then they feel shame or guilt when they do not complete it. Please understand that this book is meant to be read at your own pace. You do not even have to start with the first section. Each message was originally built for a weekly group discussion, and although some of them connect to each other, they do not have to be read in order. Set small expectations for yourself, celebrate the victories, and do not dwell on the shortcomings.

If this is the first time you have ever picked up a book, I would encourage you to open it randomly, find the beginning of that section, and read it from there. In a way, that can be an act of faith in God's plan. I truly believe that the message you read will be the message God has for you in that moment.

By the end of this book, my prayer for everyone who reads it is this: that you take one final moment to go to the end of the book and read the "Romans Road," that you find a Spirit-filled church that believes in the power of the Holy Spirit, that you speak with a sincere Pastor who will walk the Romans Road with you, and that you are baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

If only one person does this, then I will know that I have been a faithful shepherd.