When the prophet Jeremiah observed the potter molding and fixing clay, he noticed something interesting. “Whenever the pot the potter was working on turned out badly, as sometimes happens when you are working with clay, the potter would simply start over and use the same clay to make another pot” (Jeremiah 18:4, The Message). God…
Psychologist Vicki Medvec did an interesting study on Olympic medal winners. She found that athletes who won bronze medals were happier than those who won silver. The reason? The silver medalists were consumed with how close they came to winning gold, while the bronze winners were just happy to win a medal. Victory is not…
Recovery is all about the next step. But we also need to live today with the end in mind. In his book, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Steven Covey writes, “Begin with the end in mind. All things are created twice.” You create your better future by imagining what it can be, and then…
We each live two lives – the one we learn from, then the one after that. David agreed. He reflected on the difficulties of his past: “It was good for me to be afflicted, so that I could learn your statutes” (Psalm 119:71). Have you made mistakes? Of course you have! Consider the life you…
Henry David Thoreau said, “I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to escalate his life by conscious endeavor.” Translation – you can do just about anything if you try hard enough. I have observed that the day recovery starts is the day we go all in – never before. …
In 1951, a social psychologist named Solomon Asch did a series of groundbreaking studies on the psychology of conformity. He gave students a vision test, in which they were asked to determine which lines on a sheet of paper were the same length. But before a student was given the opportunity to respond, several actors…
A barber gave a rabbi a haircut, then refused to accept pay. “I don’t charge clergy for haircuts,” he said. The next day, when the barber arrived at work, he found a loaf of Jewish rye bread on his doorstep. The next day, he gave a free haircut to the local priest. One day later,…
Therapist Darlene Lancer suggests seven steps to rebuilding trust with the one you have hurt. Listen to her pain. Empathize with her. Ask what you can do to gain her trust again. Change your behaviors. Take responsibility for what you have done. Express genuine regret. Embrace open communication. The Bible is pro-trust. Paul wrote, “Love…
The English language can be confusing. Consider the following evidence. There is no ham in a hamburger or egg in eggplant. English muffins were not invented in England and French fries did not originate in France. Quicksand takes you down slowly. If vegetarians eat vegetables, why don’t humanitarians eat humans? We park on driveways but…
The next time you are tempted to do something stupid, try this – wait one hour before you do it. If ever there was a man who wished he had put off his disobedience for just one more hour, it was King Saul. The Book of 1 Samuel tells the story. Samuel assured the Israelites…