Newsletter - May 2005

'He knows the way that I take; when He has tested I shall come forth as gold' Job 23:10 NIV

I believe that times of addiction and testing are all about refining our character. Making us more like Jesus. The above verse means a lot to me. I have not always known what God is doing in a particular situation in my life but the fact is He is still God and I am one of His children. All I have to do is trust Him.

I wanted to share a favourite poem with you which has meant so much to me, as did the person who first shared it with me.

If

If you can keep your head when
All about you are losing theirs
And blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when
All men doubt you, but make
Allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired
By waiting,
Or being lied about,
Don't deal in lies,
Or being hated,
Don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good,
Nor talk too wise:

If you can dream...
And not make dreams your master
If you can think...
And not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with
Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors
Just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth
You've spoken twisted by knaves
To make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave
Your life to, broken, and stoop and
Build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all
Your winnings and risk it on
One turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your
Beginnings and never breathe
A word about your loss;
If you can force your heart
And nerve and sinew to serve
Your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on where there is
Nothing in you except the will
Which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds
And keep your virtue or walk
With Kings...
Nor lose the common touch
If neither foes nor loving
Friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you,
But none too much;
If you can fill the
Unforgiving minute with sixty
Seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth
And everything that's in it.
And...what is more...
You'll be a Man, my son!

Rudyard Kipling

In the news

The continued debate around the Government's legalisation of cannabis is still active. It is now reported that at last the Government has altered its position slightly after pressure from amongst others Sane, the health-campaign group and has commissioned an expert to review all the evidence between cannabis use and mental health with particular regard to schizophrenia. In the last newsletter we reported that 2 in 5 15year olds in the UK have tried cannabis. GPs in UK are now being advised to ask younger patients if they have used it. Meanwhile alcohol is still an issue as it has been found that it is the cause in '4% of the global burden of disease'.
Meanwhile, gambling at last is recognised as a genuine addiction, as it generates responses in the brain similar to when someone takes drugs, according to researchers at Nottingham Trent University. What about oniomania - shopping addiction??

On a personal note

My studies at Moorlands are going well but sometimes I find myself straining under the workload! Please pray!

Thank you so much to all those who sponsored me for the Reading Half Marathon. We raised £300, which will go to support addiction training abroad.

Please contact us if you would like to discuss any of the above.

You have been sent this newsletter because you have previously expressed an interest in the ministry of The Way - Confronting Addiction, the personal ministry of Chris Milton. If this is not the case and you do not wish to recieve this newsletter please mail us: chris@theway.uk.com and accept our apologies.

We always appreciate and value your comments and feedback

C of R: Rev. Ron Ross (USA) Major Brian & Margaret Watters (Australia) Mark & Lara Shipperlee, Chris Cane (UK)

Addiction Treatment Today Mar/April 2005 vol 16 No 93