J.C. Penny was asked the key to his success. His answer was succinct. “Adversity and Jesus Christ.” Adversity is a part of life. You don’t get to decide whether or not you will have tough times. But you do get to decide how you will respond in those times. We have this amazing promise: “We…
In 1847, Oliver Chase invented a machine to make throat lozenges, which led to the beginning of America’s candy industry. With his machine and a tweak to the formula, Chase was able to shape small candy wafers into hearts and imprint them with words. Those little “candy love letters” have been a sweet tradition of…
There are a lot of reasons people fail to reach their goals. In recovery, this is especially true. Many factors play into relapse. But there is one mistake, one shortcoming, that leads to failure more than anything else. According to business expert and prolific author Harvey Mackay, the #1 reason people fail is that they…
Dream big dreams. Shoot for the stars. Aim high, don’t settle, and never look back. Famous architect Daniel Burnham was right: “Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men’s blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans, aim high in hope and work. Remember that our sons and grandsons…
Loneliness is one of the five basic triggers for addiction. It is a threat to our sanity, sobriety, and serenity. One study found that loneliness is as bad for our health as smoking 15 cigarettes per day. Don’t apologize for periods of loneliness. We’ve all been there. King David, the “man after God’s own heart,”…
God has given us all the same thing every year – 12 months; 365 days; 8,760 hours; 525,600 minutes; 31,536,000 seconds. It’s what we do with that time that counts. J.R.R. Tolkien said, “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” Laura Meyer, clinical therapist, writes, “I…
There was a period in the history of Israel when God raised up a series of judges who provided leadership and guidance for his children. One of those judges was named Gideon. You may recall that early in the story of Gideon, he was found hiding from the Midianites to avoid having his crops seized…
“Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen. Nobody knows my sorrow. Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen. Glory, Hallelujah.” – Louis Armstrong We have all known trouble. Some of our troubles are self-afflicted (like looking at porn). Others are the product of living in a fallen world. The Bible is clear. “The righteous person may have…
“I don’t have time to worry about who doesn’t like me. I’m too busy loving the people who love me.” – Snoopy Don’t worry about the people who are no longer in your corner. When you come clean with your addiction, some of your family members and friends will sever all ties with you. I…
Have you ever had someone in recovery let you down? I sure have! Don’t let the mistakes of a sponsor, counselor, or group member throw you off. There are sinners and hypocrites all over the place – even in recovery groups. But a bad second-hand experience should never convince you recovery is not possible. Let…