And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied. Acts 9:31 With movie theaters open (for now), my son and I recently saw a film in which the fate of the world hung in the balance. As time travel was involved, it was more than a…
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And when he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. Acts 9:26 Occasionally, someone who has only known me over the last couple of years will tell me they have a hard time believing that…
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They were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him . . . Acts 9:24 I don’t blame my previous job for my drug addiction and subsequent disaster. I do, however, need to be cognizant of the triggers that led me to using and that contributed to each relapse. Looking back, I…
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And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” And all who heard him were amazed . . . Acts 9:20-21 In both treatment and jail, I’ve many times heard grandiose delusions from the newly sober. Never mind that that they’ve relapsed too many times to count, they’re in…
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I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name. Acts 9:16 It is the duty and privilege of those of us who have found recovery to reach out to help those still struggling. This isn’t a suggestion. It’s a necessary part of active recovery, and if we refuse to…
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Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. Acts 9:13 In theory, I desire the life God wants for me. The problem is that my vision of that life is often quite different from God’s vision. I imagine that following God means the…
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Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. Act 9:8 Mired in my addiction, realizing I wasn’t willing to do what it took to get sober, I once asked God to do whatever it took to get me there. Previously, I’d prayed many times for a miraculous change to…
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See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized? Acts 8:36 This week marks my sixth year of sobriety. Looking back at the profound misery and darkness of my addiction, it’s hard to understand why I didn’t choose recovery earlier. It’s not that I didn’t want to clean up or that I didn’t try.…
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And he rose and went. Acts 8:27 I’ve always been good at coming up with big ideas. My problem is in my follow through. Oh, I can dream big, but when I realize how much work it takes to get where I think I want to go, I don’t want to go as badly. So,…
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For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity. Acts 8:23 A friend was recently telling me of a family member’s struggle with cancer which causes intense pain and will likely take his life. In constant discomfort, he requires heavy pain medications. When I heard the story,…
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