On this date in 1879, Frank Winfield Woolworth opened the first 5 Cents Store in Utica, New York. Pledging to sell nothing that cost more than a nickel, Woolworth stores increased in number to over 1,000 over the next 50 years. But the chain’s inability to change with the times eventually led to its demise. By 1997, every Woolworth store had closed.
Past success is no guarantee of future success.
What is true for retail stores is also true for recovery. No matter how far you’ve come, you are still vulnerable. The temptations and challenges will change, but they will not go away. Victory is reserved for those who remain alert and who learn to adapt their recovery to the unique challenges that come with every new day.
Recovery Step: “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens” (Ecclesiastes 3:1). You can find victory over your personal struggles, but only if you learn to confront today’s challenges with today’s solutions.
