A park ranger found a man in the woods, chewing on a cooked bald eagle. “You know that bird is an endangered species, don’t you? I’m going to have to bring you in.” The ranger brought the man to court, where the man pleaded for forgiveness. “Your honor, I was starving, and lost in the…
Sometimes, blessing is followed by darkness. And darkness is followed by blessing. Consider the story of Abraham. God had promised him a son, a nation, and a legacy. But in the short run, Abraham got this: “When the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abraham; and behold, horror and great darkness fell…
For every person who (a) has an infant, and (b) wants clean floors, Kenji Kawakami is your hero. The Japanese inventor created “Baby Mops.” His creation is quite simple, but effective. The contraption consists of a bunch of tiny mops, which can be attached to the baby’s clothing, so that when the infant crawls across…
God loves the man who has it all together, who spends an hour each day in prayer, memorizes Scripture, teaches a Bible study, and has never looked at pornography a single time. But get this – God loves the most porn addicted, self-inflicted, truly wicked abomination of a man who ever lived, just as much…
The year was 1990. Hugh Gallagher entered an essay contest in search of a college scholarship. His assignment was to highlight his personal achievements from the first 18 years of his life. Among Hugh’s claims: “I write award-winning operas. I often tread water for three days at a time. Using only a hoe and a…
In their song, Jesus, Friend of Sinners, Casting Crowns included the following words: “Jesus, friend of sinners, the truth’s become so hard to see. The world is on their way to you, but they’re tripping over me.” Too often, it is those of us who claim a Christian faith and who claim real sobriety who…
In the middle of Jesus’ public ministry, we find this startling verse: “Many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him” (John 6:66). I would find that disheartening. My initial response would be to chase after those who had dropped out. Not so with Jesus. In the latter part of John 6, we…
J.I. Packer said, “What makes life worthwhile is having an objective.” What is your objective in life? Any kind of success, especially in the arena of recovery, must have a clear objective at its genesis. Notice the process suggested by wise Solomon: “Put your outdoor work in order and get your fields ready; after that;…
A blonde asked the salesman at Best Buy how much the TV that she was admiring would cost. “I don’t serve blondes,” the salesman replied. She returned the next day, having dyed her hair red, and asked the same clerk the same question. “I don’t serve blondes,” the man answered. The next day, the blonde…
How did you learn how to walk? I wasn’t there, but I’ve come to this conclusion: Walking is nothing more than controlled falling. You learned to walk by learning to quit falling. It was only by not falling that you learned how to walk. No one walks without falling a few zillion times first. That’s…