Phil, how are you going to discern whether or not she sincerely
chooses the Lord's way?  It seems that in the past, if I remember
correctly, she's cried tears of repentance, and prayed, and worked
with Teen Challenge or whatever the group was that she was so
involved in.  But now she's back to her old ways again.  So how will
you protect yourselves from this, should she say she wants to stay at
your house?  I imagine she doesn't know what is and isn't true at
this point;  and maybe at some level she really wants to get clean
and turn her life over to the Lord again.  But I also know that
addicts can be good liars and manipulators.  I'm just concerned that
she'll keep saying all "the right things" when confronted, and behave
well just long enough to get you off her back, and then revert back
to her old ways until confronted again.

Peggy

At 10:04 AM 12/19/2005, you wrote:
>I had about a 45 minute talk with Gretchen last night.  I gave her to the
>end of the year to decide how she was going to live.  My friend, Keith, one
>of the guys in our prayer group on Fridays and has known Gretchen since she
>was little, was also in my office and was witness to all that was said.  I
>primarily gave her till the end of the month because of her children and it
>being Christmas and all.  What she is supposed to decide on, is how she
>plans to live.  she has to make up her mind if she is going her way or the
>Lord's way.  Because, you see, in this house, we attempt doing it the Lord's
>way.  If she doesn't wish to live that way, I told her that was fine but she
>would then have to move out and make it on her own.  I reminded her of all
>the things we do for her, including paying bills that she can't, and many
>other such things.  If, however, she wanted to go back out on her own, it
>would be as she did it before.  without a car, probably without a job
>because my son would likely fire her due to her poor work attendance, no
>cell phone which we pay for, and a whole lot of other things that would no
>longer be available to her.  You see, Gretchen is one of these people who
>has believed so many lies about herself and about her family, she thinks her
>parents are her problem.  Of course, this isn't true because her parents, I
>reminded her, are her biggest supporters.  I pointed out, on the other hand,
>she found this difficult to believe right now because of all the lies she
>believes without even knowing what the lies our.  Maybe I should start
>telling people, when they ask, what do you do for a living?  I should just
>say, I am a lie detector since that is what I am doing when I am praying
>with a person.  The truth is, I only have some experience but Jesus knows
>where ever lie is and boy do they turn up in some of the most unusual places
>sometimes, too.  At any rate, Gretchen is remaining for the time being but I
>told her some thing which had to be taken care of if she ended up staying
>and one of those requirements was how she treated her mom.  Keep praying for
>Gretchen and for us when it comes to mind and we will appreciate it.
>
>Phil.
>
>
>And God Divided The Light From The Darkness
>www.SafePlaceFellowship.com