We're looking to hire a couple of people to make phone calls during our annual High-Holiday fundraising campaign. If you're interested, please be in touch with our phone-campaign manager dan@pledje.com.

I know a guy who got better just by saying the words when he really needed to. It went something like this:

"G-d, if You are listening, please take away my lust/resentment/fear/(whatever) - because I have plenty of it, and that is the problem here - not this or that person, nor my circumstances.... G-d, if You love me, then please help me know that You love me.... G-d, help me actually have the gratitude I can have to You. I don't want to work hard on anything, I just want You to give all these things to me with the smallest amount of work possible, by me."

Nu. What do you have to lose? Do you think it's chuzpadik to talk to Hashem this way?

If so, I propose to you that he sees our hearts, not just our words. And our hearts do just this all the time! When we are impatient, we are saying to Hashem: "Well? What's taking You so long?!" When our stomachs hurt we tend to get very upset about it - we don't accept it with love (meaning full acceptance that it's Hashem's best plan for us). Our rage is always a nasty way to say to Hashem (in our feelings) something like: "What the h--l are You doing?! Do You have any idea how much this hurts!!". Why else doe we ever get angry about anything?

Nu. That's what I think. Maybe I'm totally off.

So, why keep lying to Hashem if you are already saying it to Him and he knows it?

Let it out, as a son talks to his father. If you feel you can't do that yet, then you can at least ask Him to help you out so that one day you willtalk to Him like a son talks to a father.

Anyway, who says we need the whole package, or nothing? Trying is surely worth something.

The Fourth Annual Shabbos Teshuva Drasha

by our beloved

GUEST SPEAKER - RABBI ARYEH FEIGENBAUM

“Dealing with Life’s Curve Balls"

this Thursday, September 28th NOON (EST) GYE Conference Call with Duvid Chaim.

Call (641) 715-3836 Access code 637207#

For both Men and Women

Do you have EXPECTATIONS in life that leave you disappointed?

Do you ever ask, “WHY ME? WHEN IS MY TURN FOR HAPPINESS AND SUCCESS?"

Rabbi Feigenbaum is one of our most popular and frequent guest speakers who always inspires us with his wisdom and advice.

Based on the Nesivas Shalom on how WE MISUNDERSTAND HAPPINESS.

This year, Rabbi Feigenbaum will be speaking to us not as addicts

who are suffering with our own unmanageable lives.

But he will be sharing with us how he is personally dealing with one of the Life’s Biggest Curve Balls.

A little over 9 years ago the Rabbi was diagnosed with lymphoma. He went through chemotherapy for 3 years until he was in remission. About 7 months ago lymphoma was once again discovered and treated with radiation. Unfortunately, more lymphoma has been discovered which the radiation did not wipe out. This time the regimen requires drugs which will cause hair loss. This new, visible side effect, which did not occur during previous treatments now forces him to make the news public.

YOU WON’T WANT TO MISS THIS POWERFUL DRASHA

FROM A MAN WHO CAN TRULY ASK, “WHY ME?!"

Please mark your calendars now - you won't want to miss this Event!

This quote from Mishlei (24:16) teaches us a valuable lesson on how to deal with our struggles against addiction, obsessions and compulsive behaviors. You might understand this to mean that the definition of a righteous person is someone who falls many times and gets back up while a wicked person is someone who never gets back up and continues to fall deeper and deeper into despair. Rav Yitzchok Hutner says in Pachad Yitzchak, “Another way of looking at this is to say that the essence of a righteous person, in other words, the person becomes righteous after he falls 7 times and continues to get up.” When we have no struggles we don't appreciate what we do have. It's only when we struggle, fall and continue to get up, that we begin to perfect our character and live the kind of life worth living!

By Allan J. Katz. See http://allanjkatz.com

For spouses of addicts see Esther's coaching site:

http://www.recovery-coaching.com/coaching-for-spouses-of-addicts/

Do you have a problem with obsessive and compulsive porn use? Have you seriously tried the tools on GYE and feel that you are not getting better? Maybe it’s time to consider joining a 12-Step program.

Porn Anonymous (PA)
If you’re compulsively acting-out with pornography and masturbation we suggest you explore joining Porn Anonymous (PA). If you need help deciding whether to join PA, call Michael at 347-699-2368, or email help@pornanonymous.org to schedule a time to talk. For more information visit pornanonymous.org (Hebrew: p-a.org.il / Yiddish: pa-yid.org).

Sexaholics Anonymous (SA)
If your compulsive acting-out has progressed beyond the screen (with other people, paid sexual services, etc.) we suggest you explore joining Sexaholics Anonymous (SA). To figure out if SA is for you, call Dov at 917-414-8205, or email Dov at dov@guardyoureyes.org to schedule a time to talk. For more information visit www.sa.org.