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Month: June 2019

Living in Fear

Have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. Matthew 10:26 While living in my addiction, I knew what I was doing was wrong.…
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Worst Motivational Speech Ever

You will be hated by all for my name’s sake. Matthew 10:21 When my kids were young, they swam for a local swimming club. To participate, I got my coaching certificate, allowing me to be on deck for their meets. I coached the youngest kids and at our first competition, I had six or seven terrified little…
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Boundaries Are Difficult

If anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. Matthew 9:14 When life fell apart due to my addiction, it needed to fall apart. Addicts are rarely capable of just deciding to change. Transformation usually requires painful consequences. Fortunately, I…
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Someone Will Come Along

The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Matthew 9:37-38 Like everyone, I’m busy. I’m almost always behind and in a hurry. So, when I see someone by the roadside needing help, or when I encounter a patient at…
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That Annoying Blog

And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, “See that no one knows about it.” But they went away and spread his fame through all that district. Matthew 9:30-31 I’m sure I don’t know the extent of it, but I have a pretty good idea that my insistence on daily blogging about faith and…
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Getting Well

“If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.” Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” Matthew 9:21-22 With addiction, the term eye-opener refers to a drink or drug taken in the morning to combat withdrawal or treat a hangover. Overnight, the high wears off…
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Food and Faith

Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. Matthew 9:15 I have friends who’ve never had a problem with drugs or alcohol, but who understand food addiction. When I hear them talk about food…
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The Insulated Church

“Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.” Matthew 9:11-12 To become a physician, I went to college and then medical school. Once in medical school, I understood that I was a…
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My Mentor

As Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. Matthew 9:10 When in chemical dependency treatment, I felt more than a little hopeless. My family was a disaster and I was pretty sure my career was over. I’d killed everything good in…
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What God Offers the Addict

As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him. Matthew 9:9 The addict’s problem, as AA describes it, is self-will run riot. The addict follows his way of doing things above all, not just when…
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