Coach Mike Ditka used to say, “You are what your record says you are.” By that he meant that our actions define us. Johann Wolfgang Goethe said it like this: “Behavior is the mirror in which everyone shows their image.” Jesus said we are known by our fruit (Matthew 7:16). Action trumps intent; it is…
Physicist Michio Kaku said of his own profession, “Physicists are made of atoms. A physicist is an attempt by an atom to understand itself.” For centuries, men have been trying to understand themselves. And often, they turn to science for those answers. And when they look hard enough, they usually find the Creator waiting at…
Travis went to see his supervisor in the front office. “Boss,” he said, “we’re doing some heavy cleaning at our house tomorrow, and my wife needs me to help in the attic and the garage, moving and hauling stuff.” “We’re shorthanded here, Travis,” replied his boss. “I can’t give you the day off.” “Thanks, boss,”…
On October 7, 2018, Tazio Gavioli set a new world record by completing 36 consecutive pull-ups. With his pinkies. I’m not sure I’ve done 36 pull-ups in my whole life, using all ten fingers. And while I admire this incredible feat by the Italian pull-up king, it sends two dangerous messages. Dangerous message #1 –…
We have spent the last week criticizing anger. There is a reason for that. Anger – when left untreated – can lead to addiction, break up marriages, and destroy lives. But what if we make anger work for us instead of against us? Let me explain. If you respond to your periods of anger, instead…
In my never-ending pursuit of good recovery material, I browse through several blogs and articles each week. I recently came across an article which identified 12 tips for staying sober. I love #6 on their list – develop a structured schedule. It’s so true. Having a chaotic or disorganized lifestyle can hinder your recovery. It’s…
It didn’t seem possible 1,000 days ago. When we launched There’s Still Hope, it seemed like a good idea to write a devotional on recovery for a few of my closest friends. They affirmed what I had written, so I wrote another one the next day. And now, 1,000 days later, here I am –…
Here are a few things you probably didn’t know. Doritos were invented at Disneyland. The U.S. is visited by more missionaries than any other country. The word “hundred” used to mean 120. Buzz Aldrin’s father was friends with Orville Wright. At a food safety conference in Baltimore in 2014, 100 attendees got food poisoning. The…
I recently stumbled onto a great line from a TV show I’ve never watched. Ted Mosby said, on How I Met Your Mother, “You can’t cling to the past, because no matter how tightly you hold on, it’s already gone.” Jesus said it like this: “No one who puts his hand to the plow and…
October 24 is a significant date in history. It was on this date in 1857 that the first soccer club was formed, in Yorkshire, England. On October 24, 1931, gangster Al Capone was sentenced to 11 years in prison for tax evasion. This date marks the deaths of three civil rights icons. All dying on…