I was reading through the Book of Acts recently, and I came upon a familiar verse. But for the first time, something really jumped out at me.
“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them” (Acts 16:25).
It’s the last part of that verse that strikes me. “The other prisoners were listening to them.” As a recovering addict committed to working the 12th Step every day, I love that verse. You see, we can’t help people if they are not anxious to listen to what we have to say. Why would anyone listen to what you have to say? I’ll give you six reasons.
You are credible.
You are authentic.
You earned their trust.
You are concise.
You demonstrate empathy.
You have confidence.
Recovery Step: You need to work the 12th Step. But first, you need to become the kind of person others want to listen to.
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.
