I recently preached at The Church of the Cross, in Bradenton, Florida, where Pastor Stan Pavlovich is one of my closest friends. Before the second of three services, I met a dear lady named Mary. Mary is an amazing woman. This 87-year-old Navy veteran of the Korean War has many talents, including baking. Mary gave me some homemade bread.
Now, I had never met Mary before that day. I knew nothing about her, except what she said. Was the bread safe to eat? I took her word for it, and it was great!
That’s odd. I trusted the word of a person I barely knew, and happily gobbled down a hunk of bread.
So why do I hesitate to trust the Word of the God whom I have known for 47 years?
Recovery Step: If you are to find recovery – lasting recovery – you must first do this one little thing. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart” (Proverbs 3:5).
Author: Mark Denison
Mark and Beth Denison, married for 36 years, launched There’s Still Hope as a national movement to call men and women into lives of sexual integrity. Their ministry offers 90-day recovery plans for addicts and one-on-one and group coaching for addicts and their spouses. TSH also produces resources for pastors and churches to confront the porn epidemic that is destroying so many lives.
Dr. Denison was a senior pastor for over 30 years, NBA chaplain, and board chairman at Houston Baptist University three times. With a Master’s Degree in Addiction Recovery, Mark is a certified PSAP and active member of the American Association of Christian Counselors.
Mark has written four books on recovery: Porn in the Pew, 365 Days to Sexual Integrity, A 90-Day Recovery Guide, and 40 Days to Porn-Free Living. His latest book, Jesus on the 12 Steps, will be released later this year.
