– by John Griffin Schou (Samford University student interning at STEPS Ministries) I see the students hunched over their desks, bare eyes staring at open books. I see their desks littered with papers that are strewn every which way, and only one sheet away from full coverage. I see bags
There are people who relapse after being sober for years, even decades. Others after only weeks or months, and they repeat that backsliding cycle over, and over, and over. Some choose to risk everything—health, happiness, career, relationships—by returning to alcohol, pills, or another drug. Others make daily concessions to addictions
There are 7.7 billion people in the world, and 250 are born every minute. Incredibly, what life is like is different for every single one of them. People are born into a wide range of circumstances, many of which are beyond their control. Poverty, disease, abuse, and other issues can
It was a simple text to see how my friend was doing. But his wife was the one who sent the reply … As recently as last Thursday, he had been realistic about the new cancer treatment he was facing, but optimistic (as always) about the outcome. He finished
Listen to the 5-minute podcast version Watch a 1-minute introductory video Powered by embed youtube video and how to stop gamstop Hi, I’m Steve, and I’m an alcoholic. When some people hear those words, they instantly know we share a special bond and a common experience. Perhaps their last recovery
You would think life would be easier than it sometimes seems to be. Unfortunately, we often make it harder on ourselves. Because we make the same mistakes over and over. And we put off taking the right steps to improve our life and maximize our potential. Left alone, most of
Many people don’t like to change. But to protect your kids from addiction, you may have to. There have long been misconceptions about addiction that needed to be adjusted. In recent years, prescription drug abuse is changing how we think about addiction even more. But is the use of pharmaceutical
The little girl was as cute as they come. About 2 years old, she sat up in her stroller laughing and waving at everyone in sight. Her carriage was decorated with bright ribbons and a balloon, and on the front was a homemade sign dedicated to “Daddy.” Everyone who
We all have issues, so we find ways to deal with them. Life’s pressures can make things worse, and small problems often lead to more compulsive habits. Without a healthy self-awareness and positive connection to others, things will inevitably get worse. That’s how addiction happens. I started drinking in high
After 38 years at IBM, I am now a nonprofit entrepreneur. As Executive Director for STEPS Ministries, I’m responsible for most of what gets done. But I’m not the boss. In the Bible Belt, it rolls off the tongue to talk about discerning God’s direction. But it has been an
How you look at the world matters, because it affects how you live and who you become. The good news is that you have a great deal of control of how to view life better. Dozens of times a day, you choose whether to see through a lens of: awareness
Did you ever have a bad habit you gave up, only to go back to it later? If you are like virtually every other human being, you have probably done just that, likely more than once. For example, I quit drinking several times. In retrospect, they weren’t very serious
What I write about comes from research, study, and personal experience. It’s mostly about life, and how we can live it better. But, in order to do that, we need to know what we’re working with: We all choose idols instead of God at times. We all have issues, we
“I still remember the night times. In the darkness of early morning, I would wake to a feeling of dread. The next few hours would be clouded by fear and shame, because my world had come apart one piece at a time.” (excerpt from our family’s story in “The Dark of
I’d never been to a recovery meeting before and didn’t know what to expect, but the crowded room seemed welcoming enough as I slipped into a chair in the back. The lady in the next seat smiled, said hello, and seemed genuinely glad I was there. The same for Bob
Every week, I talk to many people about addiction and answer any questions they may have. The first part of these talks normally goes quickly, because people understand “Why” we need to do something about addiction. They are aware there are vast numbers of people who are affected, and
There are people you are in position to help. Who are they? The ones all around you! All you have to do is share this article with people you know. You can do that using the “Please share” social media buttons at the bottom of the article. Or you can
I’ve talked with lots of people lately about the issues and problems they face every day. It’s been interesting that one particular observation seems to help many of them feel better about life, and about themselves. That statement is: “It’s okay not to be okay.” The simple assertion that it’s not wrong,
What is now STEPS Ministries began with an epiphany: “Why do we wait until people crash and burn before we teach them the incredible wisdom found in the world of recovery?” Why must people suffer the agony of addiction and a journey of self-destruction, taking those close to them through
Multiple factors may contribute to our feelings of anxiety, depression, or meaninglessness. And it works the same with addiction and other compulsive issues. But there is one thing at the center of most of our problems: us! Our obsession with self is a fundamental problem we have, and it affects every
