The Man Who Gave Us Three Presidents

A powerful storm battered the Mayflower as it carried the Pilgrims across the Atlantic Ocean. When a young passenger named John Howland came up on deck, the storm swept him out to sea, where he disappeared beneath the water’s raging waves. Howland somehow grabbed onto a rope and held on for dear life. He was…

Who Does Porn Really Hurt?

I hear it all the time. “My porn habit doesn’t really hurt anyone.” That’s not exactly true. 1. Porn hurts family and friends. Porn leads to isolation. Porn users often spend up to 20 hours a week on their habit. This leads to a total withdrawal from family and friends. 2. Porn hurts your spouse.…

Five Ways to Stay Sober

The Bible says to “hold fast to what you have attained” (Revelation 2:25). Let’s consider five ways to do that with your sobriety. 1. Celebrate milestones. If you’re in a 12-Step program, you understand this. It is important to celebrate the hard work of recovery and to use this as a motivation for further success.…

Why We Need Each Other

In 2016, Drs. Shoba Sreenivasan and Linda E. Weinberger published an article in Psychology Today, titled “Why We Need Each Other.” The article concludes with this summary: “We need each other – for connectedness remains essential for psychological survival.” Community is not just a key to your happiness; it is integral to your very survival.…

Sinatra

In 1934, a young Frank Sinatra sang the lyrics of I Get a Kick Out of You for the first time. A line from that song: “Mere alcohol doesn’t thrill me at all.” Substitute sex addiction for alcohol and you have the testament of every sex addict. Eventually, the alure loses its thrill. The addict…

LumberKings Win!

It was one of the greatest comebacks in sports history. On May 7, 2014, the Clinton LumberKings played the Burlington Bees in a Single-A level minor league baseball game. The Bees had buzzed to a 17-1 lead by the fifth inning. But the LumberKings erased the 16-run deficit and won the game in extra innings.…

One Stomach Flu Away

In the 2006 movie, The Devil Wears Prada, Emily Charlton (played by Emily Blunt) said, “I’m just one stomach flu away from my ideal weight.” I suppose that’s one way to lose weight. Unfortunately, that is also the way most of us do recovery. Like losing weight, recovery demands discipline, new habits, and absolute resolve.…

5 Cents Store

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.…

Don’t Focus on the Consequences

Dr. Lance Dodes, professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, offers an interesting perspective on recovery. He writes, “Don’t focus on the consequences of addiction. It’s a waste of time.” Dodes continues, “Focusing on consequences of our behaviors does not help to stop addiction. It is a waste of valuable time that could be spent…

Step Two

“We became aware that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity” (Step 2, AA). Let’s break down the all-important second step of recovery. 1. Awareness: Until we become aware of our situation and the ability of God to heal, we do not get well. 2. Power: Recovery requires more than personal resolve.…