On this date in 1876, Alexander Graham Bell placed the first phone call. He called his assistant, Thomas Watson, who was in another room in the same house. His message: “Mr. Watson, come here. I want to see you.” The telephone has come a long way in the last 150 years. Sadly, I’m old enough…
“The merit of all things lies in their difficulty.” (Alexandre Dumas, The Three Musketeers) If you’re afraid of hard work, good luck with recovery! I would argue that recovery works, not despite the fact that it is hard, but because it is hard. It requires something of us. Recovery is not a hobby. It must…
There are a few things in life that simply don’t make sense. Here’s another one for you – people who claim to be in recovery but who don’t go to meetings, work the Steps, or have a sponsor. Their words and actions are in conflict. It reminds me of a verse in the New Testament:…
It was a classic TV hit in the early days of sci-fi shows. Though it wasn’t on for long, Lost in Space captured a loyal audience from 1965 to 1968. Most viewers will remember the iconic line from the robot to the young boy on the show: “Danger, Will Robinson!” You may be surprised to…
I’m a natural planner. And I’m a great starter. But I quickly move on to other projects. I am too easily bored with that thing called follow-through. That’s why I was perturbed when I read this quote from Victor Frankl: “Actually spending ten minutes clearing off one shelf is better than fantasizing about spending an…
“I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good old days before you’ve actually left them.” (Andy Bernard, The Office) I remember the “good old days” of my spiritual walk. Days when I couldn’t wait to get into the Word each morning. Days when I prayed as though nothing else was on…
We have about 1,200 daily readers of the Recovery Minute. I’m pretty sure nearly all of us share one thing in common – a desire to live a life of sobriety. Sobriety doesn’t just happen. It is the result of a plan, intentional work, and taking certain steps. Wendy Manwarren Generes, editor for American Addiction…
Here’s a promise that should capture the heart of every addict: “Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty!” (Psalm 32:1-2). Notice the four-part process of redemption.…
Eve gets a bad rap. The story goes like this: But let’s look a little closer. What was Adam doing when Eve took of the forbidden fruit? Here is it: “She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it” (Genesis 3:6). Adam was more culpable than Eve. I base…
During a difficult battle, we read this: “King Saul had declared, ‘Let a curse fall on anyone who eats before evening, before I have full revenge on my enemies.’ But Jonathan had not heard his father’s command, and he dipped the end of his stick into a piece of honeycomb and ate the honey. After…