Why do addicts become addicts? What happens on a physiological level? Substances and behaviors of abuse act directly on the reward center of the brain to deliver their high. This involves the speedy and intense release of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Addictive behaviors become a shortcut to reward, which, over time, can have a high cost…
We are all afraid of something. Napoleon was afraid of rabbits. One day he was hunting when a swarm of rabbits appeared. In fear, Napolean ran for his life, hiding behind his men. Arnold Schoenberg was afraid of the number 13. The great composer attributed all of his life’s bad luck to the fact that…
Last year, I wrote my favorite book to date, Recovery Rules. I unpack 100 truisms of recovery. Let me give you a few of the rules here. Pick one that you like and live by it today. The Bible says we are to sharpen one another as iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17). I pray these…
Let me give you two powerful words – keep moving. That’s what the early church did. As soon as they had set apart five elders to lead the church, they sent two of them away. “While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for…
“Then they gathered around him and asked him, ‘Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?’” (Acts 1:6). This was man’s attempt to control the Savior. They wanted things to happen on their terms and in their timing. That’s not unusual. The disciples were probably suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder…
Most of us have the gift of worry. Let’s talk about it. A lot of us worry about what is coming the next day. Jesus advised against that. He said, “Do not be anxious about tomorrow” (Matthew 6:34). And Charles M. Schulz (Peanuts) said, “Stop worrying about the world ending today. It’s already tomorrow in…
What is the meaning of life? Tolstoy said, “The sole meaning of life is to serve humanity.” There is a Chinese saying that goes, “If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you…
There are three things that put our sobriety at great risk: Every day, we make a decision to do one of two things. We either run from danger or toward danger. The Bible says it like this: “Each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed” (James 1:14).…
“The water receded” (Genesis 8:1). With those three words, God brought an end to the epic story of the great flood. From the oceans to the skies, the Creator was screaming one word across the globe. Hope. Know this. When your boat takes on water, the water will recede. When your debt consumes you, the…
According to folklore, leprechauns found abandoned gold and buried it so no one could find it; it can only be recovered at the end of a rainbow, where the rainbow touches the earth. God created the rainbow as a sign of his grace. Life is full of challenges, storms, and floods, often as consequences of…