Today is considered by many to be the most depressing day of the year – the day after Christmas. It’s time to put up the tree, box up the decorations, and set up the living room, to look like it did before Thanksgiving.
In other words, the thrill of sparkling lights, time with cousins and grandkids, and time off from work – are over.
Today, for many of us, life returns to normal. And that can be hard.
A return to a normal lifestyle can be especially troubling for any addict. We use holiday activities to escape our pain and pretend the old problems have just drifted away.
So today can be a hard ending to the joys of Christmas. Or it can be a happy start to a whole new beginning. The choice is yours.
Recovery Step: “For everything there is a season” (Ecclesiastes 3:1). For you, this can be a season of healing, restoration, and recovery. If you really want it.
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.
