Listen to the 7-minute podcast version Watch a 1-minute video I used to wonder: was God there only later in my life, or was he there before and I didn’t notice? As a boy, my family went to church, but those Sunday services were boring and seemed to drag on
Listen to the 6-minute podcast version Watch a 1.5 minute introductory video Do you know anyone who’s into getting in shape, yet ignores other areas they need to work on? Perhaps they’re one of those people who always eats the right foods (you know, the kale and quinoa crowd)
Listen to the 8-minute podcast version > Watch a 2-minute introductory video Guys normally know what they do, but don’t think much about why they do those things. This article is for those guys. To help them get more in touch with what’s going on below the surface. And to
Listen to the 7-minute podcast version Watch a 90-second introduction video (previously published on June 2, 2019) Hi, I’m Steve, and I’m an alcoholic. When some people hear those words, they know we share a special bond and a common experience. Perhaps their last recovery meeting comes to mind,
Recently, many of you helped us make decisions that will take STEPS Ministries to a new level. We will relaunch this blog soon with video and podcast content and an exciting new content portal on the website. These changes will help us reach more people and serve them more
Each Monday morning, you have been getting an email from me with the text of that week’s STEPS Journey Blog article in the note. In a few weeks, that will change. We will relaunch this blog with video, audio podcast, and reading options so more people can use it and
– 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 saw
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
