A Better Standard

Can you continue to lust after other people sexually and still be considered sober?  Yes and No. Technically, yes, if your definition of sobriety is that you do not act out physically. No, if you are defining sobriety in terms of your state of mind and your progress in recovery.  SA’s White Book defines sobriety…

Outside Shooters

Basketball player Weldon Drew quipped, “We have a great bunch of outside shooters. Unfortunately, all of our games are played indoors.” Location is everything. Here’s the good news. When you walk with God, you will never be alone, and you will always be in a place where he can really bless you. God promised his…

Boredom

Let’s talk about one of the five primary triggers for acting out – boredom.  Solomon had something to say about boredom. “Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger” (Proverbs 19:15). Some studies indicate that 90 percent of Americans suffer from boredom at some point each day. Dr. Shahram Heshmat,…

30,000 Bees

As everybody knows, bees are currently at risk due to colony collapse disorder. Gary Schempp did something about it. He saved 30,000 bees from certain death by creating a better place for them to live, then transported them to their new home. At last check, the bees were still buzzing over their new digs. Now…

Finding Answers

“In the book of life, the answers aren’t in the back.”      – Charlie Brown, Peanuts We all need answers to life’s questions: For answers to life’s questions, we start with God’s Word. Always go there first. But sometimes, we also need the help of another person. That is God’s plan. Paul said it well: “Whatever…

Podcasts

Alice Cooper said, “If you’re listening to a rock star to get information on who to vote for, you’re a bigger moron than they are.” Solomon said, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man is he who listens to counsel” (Proverbs 11:14). The question is, where do…

Be Positive

We all thrive under encouragement and die under criticism. Solomon said it like this: “Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones” (Proverbs 16:24). Unfortunately, we can’t always count on receiving a lot of encouragement from others. We need to create our own attitude of positivity. Leaders with the…

The Remote

Charlie Brown debuted in newspapers across the United States in 1950. For the next 50 years, he brought wisdom to readers far and wide. One of his many nuggets rings true for all of us: “Life has no remote. Get up and change it yourself.” Have you had a slip or relapse lately? If you…

The Key Ingredient

Experts at the Mayo Clinic have identified a key ingredient to successful recovery from any addiction. Friends. They write, “Friendships can have a major impact on your health and well-being, but it’s not always easy to develop or maintain friendships.” The famed clinic shares several benefits of strong friendships: The Bible is pro-friends. Paul wrote,…

A Forest

Jadav Payeng was tired of watching the local wildlife suffer for lack of shade, so he did something about it. Payeng planted a single bamboo tree. Then he planted a second tree. And then a third. Payeng would eventually plant enough trees to become a thickly wooded forest covering 1,360 acres.  Payeng’s job was not…