One Woman Finds Recovery from Addiction through God’s Grace
I never wanted to stop drinking. I loved to drink. I realized I was an alcoholic in my 20s when I was in school in New York. I remember telling this to my brother, to which he responded, “You think?” I grew up in a middle-class home in northern Virginia. My parents never drank. In…
Read MoreLearning to Trust in God Through Prayer
I remember a conversation that I had with my dad years ago. He said, “I don’t think I pray good.” He and I never really had these types of conversations, so I was taken by surprise. He prayed before meals, went to church, recited the rosary. And I pointed these things out to him. He…
Read MoreThe Grace of Group Therapy: Embracing A Life Without “Tea-Shade Glasses”
Some time ago, my life brought me to a point of humility, which made me realize I needed help. Through the help of my home 12-step group and therapist, I sought out an inpatient rehab facility. My 35 days in Tennessee not only provided me with the healing that I needed, but it rocked my…
Read MoreThe Hidden Addiction
I’m an addict. But you can’t tell by looking at me. I don’t have needle marks and I don’t smell of alcohol. I’m not a compulsive gambler or a shopper, either. I’m a food addict. And I hide it well. Most of my family members and work associates are unaware of my addiction. I’ve read…
Read MoreHow the Lord’s Prayer Reveals the Key to God’s Mercy
Over the past two years, I have had many people ask me to explain what finally freed me from pornography. As I have pondered this question, I have come to appreciate that the freedom was not found through a practice, discipline, program, therapeutic intervention, “magic pill,” or anything else. It was found in a growing…
Read MoreThe Power of “The Serenity Prayer”
“The Serenity Prayer” God, Grant me the Serenity To accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things that I can And Wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time, Enjoying one moment at a time, Accepting hardship as the pathway to peace. Taking, as He did, this sinful world…
Read MoreA Step Twelve Reflection: Giving Away What We Have Been Given
Step Twelve: Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs. If I could sum up Step Twelve in a very basic way, I would say it like this: to do your twelfth step you must…
Read MoreSimple Advice for When We Question God’s Love for Us
One of my local churches has recently distributed signs stating very simply, “We all have questions.” Sometimes we question the very existence of God. Sometimes we question His nature: is He truly all powerful? Omnipresent? All knowing? All merciful? All loving? Can He really be concerned with every hair on our heads? Does He actually…
Read MoreThe Body Keeps Score: Real Recovery Includes Emotional Healing
When I started recovery, the stories that people told me about both their addictions and the families they came from fascinated me. As a man named “Dan” once said, “My family put the fun in dys-FUN-ction.” Over and over again at 12-step meetings, I have heard people mention the early roots of their addiction—being sexually…
Read MoreA Step Ten and Step Eleven Reflection: Maintaining What God Has Given Us
Step Ten: Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it. Step Eleven: Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out. We are now in what has…
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