There Really Was a Dracula

Dracula was a real dude. He lived from 1431 to 1476, when he died at the age of 45. Dracula was a prince of a small country called Wallachia, in what is now southern Romania. He was famous for resisting Ottoman Turkish invasions and for his incredible cruelty. However, there is no evidence that Dracula…

GW + GT = GF

I hear these questions quite often: Let me offer a simple formula: GW + GT = GF. Start with God’s will. There are several ways you can know God’s will – through his Word, the counsel of others, the Holy Spirit, and the wisdom God promises. Then seek God’s timing. When we started There’s Still…

Incomplete Truth

There is a fascinating verse in the Book of Acts, which describes one of the early church leaders, an eloquent communicator named Apollos. The passage says, “He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John”…

The Wilderness

One day, a little girl was walking through the grocery store with her mother. The girl grabbed something off a shelf and said, “Mommy, mommy, let’s get this!” Her mother said, “No, honey. You have to cook that!” That is life in 2024. We want instant everything. The same applies to recovery. We want the…

Puzzling

My name is Mark and I’m a recovering dissectologist.  For those of you unfamiliar with this addiction, dissectology refers to a compulsive jigsaw puzzle disorder. In short, I love doing puzzles. I attained this passion as a kid, watching my mom do jigsaw puzzles. Mom is still considered one of the best left-handed dissectolotists of…

Punishing the Seas

Persian King Xerxes tried to build a bridge across the Dardanelles to get to Greece faster, but a storm destroyed the bridge. Infuriated with the sea, Xerxes ordered his soldiers to punish it by whipping it with chains 300 times and poking the water with red-hot irons. Handcuffs were also tossed into the water to…

Share a Glove

The story is told of a man walking down the street on a very cold day in a poor part of town. He saw two boys playing, neither of whom had gloves. So the man removed his wool gloves, then walked over and handed them to one of the boys. Almost immediately, the boy removed…

Plan, Plan, Plan

Dr. David Susman, clinical psychologist, has written a helpful article, “10 Keys to Recovery.” One of his keys to recovery is this: Develop a plan. Susman explains, “Without direction, it is impossible to get from Point A to Point B. Your plan should include action steps. It must be written down and it ought to…

The “P” Word

Let’s talk about the “P” word – purity. Charles Spurgeon said, “I would rather be holy and happy.” But it is not enough to maintain a pure lifestyle. Motive trumps actions.  Saint Augustine said, “God bestows more consideration on the purity of the intention with which our actions are performed than on the actions themselves.”…

Three Words that Count

Words matter. Don’t take my word for it. Consider the testimony of the wisest man who ever lived. Solomon said, “It is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time” (Proverbs 15:23). The average person speaks anywhere from 2,000 to 10,000 words a day, depending on which study you trust, and whether the…