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.

Excusable

Addicts are funny. We have mastered the science of justification for just about any behavior. Our middle circle behaviors are written mostly in pencil, not ink. And it’s true – there are things we can “get away with” that don’t break our sobriety. They are acceptable. But not smart. G.K. Chesterton said, “We do not…

Potential

We choose people based on what they have already done. That’s true with the NFL draft, job openings, and marriage proposals. We don’t hire potential. Imagine a senior pastor telling his leadership team he has found the perfect student pastor. He describes the candidate thusly: “This young man is bright, has great leadership traits, and…

Humility. Addiction.

Humility. Addiction. What’s the connection between the two? Surprisingly, the connection is quite strong. We act out when we lose self-control, and we lose self-control when we become obsessed with ourselves.  Psychologist Jeremy Dean writes, “Oddly, perhaps, studies have found that an obsession with the self can paradoxically lead to lower self-control.” So what’s the…

Objective

J.I. Packer wrote, “What makes life worthwhile is having a big objective, something that catches our imagination.” What catches your imagination? What is your grand purpose for living? What objective gets you out of bed each day?  If you are in recovery, let me suggest a few objectives that you might find useful, all based…

Unmasked

Do you remember this verse from the New Testament? “We all, with unveiled face, are being transformed into the image of God” (2 Corinthians 3:18). That’s powerful! Did you catch the two words that tell us the requirement for being truly transformed by God?  Unveiled face. We must remove the mask and be willing to…

Keep Your Pile

A college student sent a letter back home to his parents. “Dear Mom and Dad, I was thrown out of college for smoking pot. I just got married, because I got my girlfriend pregnant. And I was arrested for stealing cash from work.” The student continued. “None of that is true. But what is true…

“Everyone’s Doing It!”

“But everyone is doing it!” What parent hasn’t heard that line from his or her child? Of course, we all know the common response. “If everyone was jumping off the roof, would you want to do that, too?” One of the reasons porn addicts give for their habit is, “Everyone is doing it.” And they…

Juneteenth

Juneteenth began in Galveston, Texas. The holiday commemorates June 19, 1865, whenGordon Granger, a Union general, rode into Galveston and announced that slavery had been ended. Reaction among the newly freed slaves ranged from shock to jubilant celebration.  There’s more to the story. The slaves had actually gained their freedom when President Lincoln issued the…

A Headless Crown

There’s an interesting verse in the Book of Lamentations. “The crown has fallen from our head” (Lamentations 5:16). Have you lost your crown? Were you walking in victory, sobriety, and recovery, only to have the crown fall off your head? The Journal of American Medical Association tells us that 40-60 percent of all addicts suffer…

NFL Passing Leader

Who am I? In 2011, I became the all-time passing leader in pro football history, with 79,816 passing yards. Along the way, I broke records set by Brett Favre, Warren Moon, Peyton Manning, Dan Marino, Philip Rivers, Aaron Rodgers, and Tom Brady. My name is Anthony Calvillo. Perhaps you’ve never heard of Anthony Calvillo. That…