John Livingston Clark is a graduate of San Diego State University, and Western Baptist Seminary. He is a certified teacher. The author's unique message redefines "recovery" to mean breaking free from the negative results of incorrect religious beliefs. He can be contacted by writing to: HEALING HOPE, P.0. BOX 616, ZILLAH, WA 98953. He also has a blog: healinghopeministries.blogspot.com EXCERPTS 1. Please use the TABLE OF CONTENTS from the book. 2. Introduction, pages 9-10 Every life has a story. This is mine. I am not a famous athlete or a movie star. I am not a head-liner musician. What I am is seen only on Sunday morning, when people sit in church. I am the music worship leader, but the people didn't see the real me. I was a confused, frustrated, angry and depressed person with low-self esteem, a negative and defeated attitude, and a victim-failure mindset. I was in financial bondage. I carried this emotional baggage with me into my fifties. I lugged it around while I was in paid music ministry in local churches... Like millions of Christians, I was raised in a Christian home with a particular set of beliefs and values that was to be accepted, not challenged. My false belief system, combined with some experiences, hurt me more than helped me, and I am to some degree still paying the consequences. CHAPTER 7, Page 59 The most compelling situation in my life was finding out why, especially as a Christian, I had all of these problems..another compelling factor was how all of this was affecting my family life. I knew it was not supposed to be like it was, and was afraid of the potential negative consequences...everything in my life was just the opposite of what my belief system told me it should be. I either needed to change my beliefs or find out why mine weren't working...Furthermore, my negative strongholds had become traps. BACK COVER This book is for professing Christians who sit in church, looking and acting like everything is okay, when they know it is not. The author speaks form personal experience of wearing an "emotional mask" for 25 years, during which time he was a minister of music in churches, while he struggled with anger, low self-esteem, depression, a defeated attitude, and codependency. This is a biblically-based, self-help recovery book. The author talks about the confusion caused by Scripture taken out of context and religious phrases void of meaning. The book addresses the benefits of Christian counseling, the practical and healing process of recovery, and how to fulfill one's potential and live a life of spiritual victory. Practical steps are given for overcoming anger, low self-esteem, a negative attitude, and codependency. The author tells how a person can make a choice to be happy, and how to develop a disciplined thought life. The book is based on Corinthians 10:4-5, where it says to overcome strongholds by "taking every thought captive to obedience of Christ." You will also gain more awareness of how much wrong thinking from childhood and religious teaching can impact the present, and how self-esteem is important in experiencing God's best.