Dr. Mark Griffiths is a psychologist and professor at Nottingham Trent University. He has done extensive research on the causes of addiction. His conclusion: “There is no personality trait that predicts addiction and addiction alone.” Griffiths writes about what he calls “the myth of the addictive personality.” With two colleagues, Dr. Griffiths did extensive research.…
Charles Spurgeon was a prolific author and speaker. Born in 1834, he produced over 3,600 sermons and dozens of books before his death in 1892. Spurgeon came to the Lord as a teenager, apparently by “accident.” En route to an appointment, he was sidetracked by a snowstorm and took refuge in a chapel, where he…
Are you familiar with the Prayer of Jabez? “Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, ‘I gave birth to him in pain.’ Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, ‘Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep…
Words matter, but not as much as the meaning behind those words. A duel with three people isn’t actually called a duel. It’s a truel. Three-way duels have been described since at least the nineteenth century, but the word “truel” was not introduced until the 1960s, in books about game theory and gambling. In recovery,…
“Chase your dreams!” That sounds like good advice, and sometimes it is. But not always. It depends on the dream. Eighteenth-century composer Giuseppe Tartini once had a dream that he handed the devil his violin to see what he could do with it. The Prince of Darkness played the most amazing piece Tartini had ever…
It was another long night for the Uber driver. Over 12 hours, he drove countless people from restaurants and bars to their homes. The driver’s work wasn’t done until the dawning of the next day. Just another Friday night in a string of Friday nights over a period of two or three years. Drunks, profanity,…
A young boy was standing in the middle of the block, not on the corner. A businessman saw him and told him that the bus wouldn’t stop in the middle of the block. “You need to go to the corner where there is a bus stop,” he said. But the boy just replied, “I have…
Recovery is a long journey, not for the faint of heart. Since my first meeting 12 years ago, I have been in well over 2,000 recovery meetings, including those that I lead. I have seen the spectrum – guys with 30 years of sobriety and those who struggle to get 24 hours. Sadly, I have…
In his message to the exiles, Jeremiah declares a word of hope from the Lord: “I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11). We’ve all read that verse, memorized that verse, and quoted that verse many…
There are three gospels: One of these “gospels” is unlike the other two. Two of them are about me. One is about you. When I buy into the poverty gospel or the prosperity gospel, I am making it all about myself. But when I live according to the generosity gospel, I am focused on helping…