The 1904 Olympics were held in St. Louis, Missouri. The marathon was the featured event of the Olympics in those days. And this particular marathon was a total mess.
Only 14 men crossed the finish line: one after hitchhiking, another after napping, and one after drinking rat poison. The rat poison victim was the winner.
Recovery is a marathon. May we run to win.
Paul wrote, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it” (1 Corinthians 9:24). He added, “I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:27).
Did you catch the disqualifier? If we fail to keep our bodies under control, we lose the race.
Recovery Step: Control what you do with your body. That starts with what you take in with your eyes.
Author: Mark Denison
Mark and Beth Denison, married for 36 years, launched There’s Still Hope as a national movement to call men and women into lives of sexual integrity. Their ministry offers 90-day recovery plans for addicts and one-on-one and group coaching for addicts and their spouses. TSH also produces resources for pastors and churches to confront the porn epidemic that is destroying so many lives.
Dr. Denison was a senior pastor for over 30 years, NBA chaplain, and board chairman at Houston Baptist University three times. With a Master’s Degree in Addiction Recovery, Mark is a certified PSAP and active member of the American Association of Christian Counselors.
Mark has written four books on recovery: Porn in the Pew, 365 Days to Sexual Integrity, A 90-Day Recovery Guide, and 40 Days to Porn-Free Living. His latest book, Jesus on the 12 Steps, will be released later this year.
