“Jesus had to go through Samaria” (John 4:4). Let me explain why this matters. The Jews and Samaritans disliked each other. It all went back to 722 B.C. when the Assyrians conquered Israel and took the northern ten tribes into captivity. They brought in Gentiles from other areas to settle in that same region. Eventually,…
The average person will live about 30,000 days. I’m not sure where I stand on that continuum, but I’m pretty sure I’m closer to the end than I am to the beginning. Will I live 30,000 days? A little less? A little more? Who knows? But I do know this – I’m alive on this…
Two men of equal ability were given identical houses and assignments. One side of each house was filled with heavy rocks. The men were given one month to move the rocks from one side of the house to the other. The work was grueling, and after two weeks, the first man gave up. The other…
Perhaps fear has gotten a bad rap. Christine Louise Hohlbaum, author of The Power of Slow, writes, “Fear is not always a bad thing. It can sometimes move us to greatness. Fear can be your friend in just the right doses, but too much of it can kill you.” Paul said it like this: “Look…
We will all be tested. Following the 9/11 attack, President George W. Bush said, “The resolve of our great nation is being tested. But make no mistake, we will show the world that we will pass the test.” In recovery, testing is a part of the process. Jesus was tested, but he used that as…
Life is unpredictable. Don’t take my word for it; Solomon said, “At best, life is unpredictable” (Ecclesiastes 9:7). The great philosopher Forrest Gump said it in a way we can all understand. “My mama always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.” – Forrest Gump, 1994 You…
I hate it when someone drops out of one of my Freedom Groups. My first reaction is, “What did I do wrong?” Over the three years I have been leading groups, we have grown from five groups to nine, and from 50 men to 130. But I always fret over the one who slips away.…
Andrew Whitworth switched teams. A four-time NFL All-Pro, the six-foot-seven lineman left the Cincinnati Bengals for the Los Angeles Rams. And in 2022, he accomplished a rare feat, as a member of the Super Bowl champions. What made this so special was that the team he beat was – the Cincinnati Bengals. If you are…
In 2022, three noted psychologists produced an extensive editorial: Human Connection as a Treatment for Addiction. Their research included broad, diverse studies. They used a bio-psycho-socio-spiritual model of health and illness, in order to tap into multiple perspectives. This was their summary conclusion: “In summary, the results of our research topic of articles point to…
Psalm 51 provides the gold standard for confessional prayer. “According to the greatness of your compassion, blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin” (Psalm 51:1-2). First, David asks God to “blot out my transgressions.” He is asking God to scrape off the lies and deceit in…