As we remember the final events that preceded Jesus’ death and resurrection, please take time to reflect on what Jesus provided at the cross and what God did in the resurrection of Jesus. There was pain and agony on Jesus’ face, but his thoughts were toward us. We needed a savior and a sacrifice for our sins and Jesus took on all past, present, and future sins and created a way in which all of humanity can have a right relationship with God the Father.

Accepting the grace and forgiveness that the cross provided is the beginning of our spiritual journey and realization that we can live free from the bondages of sin and death. According to Paul in Romans 8:11, “It stands to reason, doesn’t it, that if the alive-and-present God who raised Jesus from the dead moves into your life, he’ll do the same thing in you that he did in Jesus, bringing you alive to himself? When God lives and breathes in you (and he does, as surely as he did in Jesus), you are delivered from that dead life. With his Spirit living in you, your body will be as alive as Christ’s.” MSG

Salvation gives us entrance into our heavenly home, and the same power that raised Jesus from the dead gives us the ability to overcome life’s challenges. To live free from those things that so easily become life-controlling problems requires our acceptance of God’s Word as truth, reliance on God’s Holy Spirit to guide us, and dependence on our fellow believers in Christ. This is what takes place in the Living Free small group.

One of the main goals of any ministry using the Living Free small group materials is life-transformation in the participants. Living Free is a way to create an environment where participants can have the support of people who care for them as they examine their lives in the presence of God and guided by the truth of His Word.

A skilled facilitator creates a group atmosphere where people interact and open up to talk about their struggles. According to the writer of Hebrews, “The Word of God is full of living power. It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires. It exposes us for what we really are.” (Hebrews 4:12 NLT) The Bible is an effective clarifier to bring positive changes in our lives.

God can and does perform emotional healings for people regardless of the facilitator, but the group is more effective when the leader is focused on letting the Word of God speak for itself and is behaving more like a tour guide instead of a teacher or counselor.

God has been so faithful to direct the leadership of Living Free to minister where God gives the opportunity. Lately, it seems as though ministries around the globe are contacting us to bring leadership training and small group resources to their community.

Over the years, God has created friendships with other ministries to take Living Free training and curriculum to many parts of the world. The need and opportunity are growing every day. There is not a week that goes by that we do not receive communication from ministry leader’s concerning their passion to help people with life-controlling problems.

The culture may change, the location may be distant, and the language may be different, but the life-controlling issues remain the same. The good news is that the answer also remains the same. Jesus Christ is the answer and God’s Word is the road map. Here are a few recent communications we have received from around the world:

Addiction to any substance, behavior, or relationship will eventually lead to a life of isolation and entrapment. The recent death of world-renowned singer Whitney Houston has given awareness of a life that came to an unfortunate ending. One of the saddest realities of her untimely death was that she was alone when she died. Over and over, we read reports of people coming to their demise in a hotel room all alone.

Isolation is one of the main tactics of Satan. The feeling of aloneness usually sends a person into a tail-spin of emotions that can lead to utter despair and death. II Corinthians 3:18 encourages us to live this Christian life with unveiled faces (without masks): “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (KJV) As we become more transparent with God and others, we’ll more and more bear a resemblance to Christ, experience greater fellowship with those who care about us, and sense the freedom in our spirits that comes from the forgiveness of our sins.

When we come to a place where we’re walking “in the light” concerning our own junk, taking off the “masks” we have been wearing and being real, we need others around us to help. Let’s take a look at what Dr. Jimmy Lee, President Emeritus of Living Free, calls the three types of relationships needed for spiritual growth. A useful tool is to think in terms of 3-12-70.

• 3 represents mentoring: All of us need 2 or 3 godly people in our lives to walk with us and serve as mentors. These are individuals you trust enough to confide in. Mentoring relationships are important in any Christian walk but particularly when you’re dealing with deep issues.

• 12 represents a small group: We all need the interaction and support which are found in a small group of people who are centered around Christ. Small groups can be a safe place where we share our heart with others. Important relationships will be developed in the small group and with time, people will often share about their life-controlling problems.

Thirteen ministry leaders for Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia attended the Living Free faculty training in January. Eight attendees intend to become certified Living Free faculty and five plan to start a living Free ministry in their churches.

Any church or ministry organization can purchase the Living Free video training and use it to train their own team, but only Living Free faculty members are authorized to conduct seminars for churches and ministry organizations that are not their own. Since many of the participants are planning to launch a Lifeline Connection community-based program that involves many churches working together, they are required to be recognized Living Free faculty members before they can conduct the training in their communities.

If you are interested in joining the Living Free faculty, and if you have at least one year's experience in leading Living Free groups you can contact us at info@livingfree.org for more information and to request an application. The next faculty training is scheduled for July 23-24, 2012 in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Ordering Living Free curriculum and donating to Living Free is now easier than ever before.

The new Living Free Online Store is now live. Click the Online Store tab at the top of this page. Come visit the store to see the changes.

Improvements include:

• 24/7 ordering and giving
• Current Product Images
• Real-time shipping options and estimates
• Related products – Each product displays related items
• Tracking of previous orders in your account display
• Allowing you to make requests and suggestions
• Accessibility of changing your password
• Printable receipts
• Email confirmation of order and shipping
• Ability to use your email address as your username

You can now order through the Living Free Facebook page. Click the Living Free Store menu button on the left side.

A new year can be a great time of enjoying family and friends and, of course, eating too much food. However, many people struggle through the holiday season and then come to a new year with feelings of doubt, fear, and despair. All of us face depression at times. If you are feeling a bit depressed as we turn the page on a new year, please know that there is hope for your future.

Here are a few God-centered thoughts that can help you overcome depression.

• Trust God even when your feelings tell you otherwise. King David in days of old is a great example of trusting God for help in overcoming difficulties. Remember when David said in Psalm 23:4, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me” NKJV. David trusted God even when circumstances could have led to feelings of doubt, fear, and despair.

• Feelings are fleeting, but the joy and peace of the Lord are eternal. God says that He is our sustainer and lifter of our heads. At a time when David had a broken relationship with his own son, he looks up to God and says, “But you, O LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, and the one who lifts my head high.” Psalm 3:3 NLT. Focus on what lasts, not the temporary.

• God promises to be our refuge. David needed a lot of rescuing in his lifetime. When David was in trouble, he relied on the power and presence of God to bring him through. David said in Psalm 91:1-2, “Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare of the LORD: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety, he is my God, and I am trusting Him.” NLT God will be your refuge.

Are you feeling down? Remember, God calls us to trust even when our feelings disagree, to focus on the eternal and not the temporal. Find your refuge in the LORD. In Psalm 30, David chooses to praise God. Verse 5 ends with, “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” NKJV

For many people, Christmas is about getting, but actually Christmas should be about giving. The Bible tells us that it is more blessed to give than receive (Acts 20:35). Although it is nice to give material gifts, the best gifts cannot be wrapped. These gifts are time, attention, and love.

The Transformation Project is a prison ministry based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, using the Living Free training and curriculum to evangelize and disciple men and women who have had a history of jail time. They minister to 30 people each week behind bars and 50+ people each week in a post-incarceration non-residential program.

On December 15, 2011, three men and one woman, who had been bound by substance abuse problems, graduated. By the Word of God, the Spirit of God and the volunteers leading weekly small groups, these graduates have turned from being takers to being givers.

December 2011 LF Article of the Month

Ever wanted to help a friend or family who was struggling with life-challenging situation but didn't know how? We are all faced with opportunities to share God's love with friends and family but sometimes we can feel uncomfortable or unequiped to handle the situation. Dr. Jimmy Lee, Founder and President Emeritus of Living Free shares eight ingredients needed to help others through life's struggles.

Eight Core Conditions of Helping

In his adaptation of Robert Carkhuff's work, Gary Sweeten in his work, Apples of Gold I and II, shows eight qualities that are necessary for any person to be effective in helping relationships. When used successfully, these core conditions can benefit all relationships. These qualities are a process which requires practice. Local church helpers can have great tools, but without proper interpersonal skills, their success will be limited. A church may choose to put big dollars into various models and programs, but it will fail without proper people skills. These skills are centered on a person's tongue: "The tongue has the power of life and death" (Proverbs 18:21).

Accurate Empathy
It is important to know the difference between empathy and sympathy. A person with accurate empathy can correctly perceive the feelings of another person without being captured by the victim's emotions. A person with sympathy actually feels what the victim feels, and this may prevent him from being objective in a helping relationship since he is likely to be caught up in the victim's emotions. The key to accurate empathy is understanding the pain while remaining in a neutral position. The helper's goal should be to feel with the hurting person versus feeling what the individual feels. Whenever the helper and the seeker are experiencing the same feelings of pain, the focus may become pity and prevent the healing. Compassion and understanding assist the helper in perceiving the other person's feelings and experiences accurately.

Giving Thanks for Ministry Opportunties

In America, November marks a time when cooler weather sets in, leaves begin to fall off trees, and a holiday is set aside to give thanks. Thanksgiving is a time of giving thanks for all God has done for us. I Thessalonians 5:18 says, “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” NKJV. What are you thankful for?

We at Living Free are thankful for the thousands of people who have acted upon the calling of God to lead a Living Free small group. There is an estimated 1 million people who have participated in Living Free small groups over the last twenty-four years. That means more than 120,000 people have been facilitators of these small groups. Wow! Thank you to the thousands who have answered the call and discipled people all over the world to become free in Christ.