“According to the map, we’ve only gone four inches.”
– Jeff Daniels, Dumb and Dumber (1994)
Have you ever felt that way? In my personal recovery, there have been so many times that I felt like, despite a lot of really good effort, I had only progressed four inches.
But here’s the deal – recovery is more about direction than destination. Start in the right direction, whether slowly or fast, and you have this promise: “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion” (Philippians 1:6).
Author Karo Wanner is right: “The #1 factor in making progress in hard times is to focus on progress, not achievements.”
Recovery Step: If you want to have great recovery, focus less on how you’ll end up, and more on how you’ll start out.
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.
