Addiction, at its worst, is akin to having Stockholm Syndrome. You're like a hostage who has developed an irrational affection for your captor.
~~~~~~~~~~~ Anne Clendening
When DD, aka Allen Jones, started Today's Gift, it was an outgrowth of his recovery process, breaking free from addiction to, as he put it, "just about every substance they ever made." He was dedicated to his own recovery, and fully committed to helping others on their journeys too. Try as I might, I'll never match the heart and passion that drove DD's writing.
I was drawn to TG because of an addiction demon that took over a family member, hoping I could learn something that would better equip me for the battle. The jury's still out on that one, but one thing has become clear: we're all addicts. For some of us, the demons don't even try to conceal their identity; alcohol and other substances are easy to spot, even if their lies are more subtle and seductive. But for others of us, we talk a good game about the things we want to change about our lives. We start a lot of sentences with "If only...." as we tell ourselves that everything will get better just as soon as some ill-defined opportunity miraculously falls into our lap. Good luck with that.
Transition and change are almost always a bit frightening, and occasionally downright painful, but oftentimes, the most troubled lives are those that have been the most unyielding to change. We become committed---addicted---to stability, and we lose the ability to flow with life's currents and rapids. If we look back, we can spot changes that have occurred, some that we planned, others we did not. Regardless, we accommodated them and grew with them or because of them. We discovered a side of ourselves we hadn't seen before, and through all those changes, our relationship with our God was a constant. With that in mind and with Him in our corner, we have no need to fear change.
God bless you all,
NT
Matthew 28:20
~~~~~~~~~~~ Anne Clendening
When DD, aka Allen Jones, started Today's Gift, it was an outgrowth of his recovery process, breaking free from addiction to, as he put it, "just about every substance they ever made." He was dedicated to his own recovery, and fully committed to helping others on their journeys too. Try as I might, I'll never match the heart and passion that drove DD's writing.
I was drawn to TG because of an addiction demon that took over a family member, hoping I could learn something that would better equip me for the battle. The jury's still out on that one, but one thing has become clear: we're all addicts. For some of us, the demons don't even try to conceal their identity; alcohol and other substances are easy to spot, even if their lies are more subtle and seductive. But for others of us, we talk a good game about the things we want to change about our lives. We start a lot of sentences with "If only...." as we tell ourselves that everything will get better just as soon as some ill-defined opportunity miraculously falls into our lap. Good luck with that.
Transition and change are almost always a bit frightening, and occasionally downright painful, but oftentimes, the most troubled lives are those that have been the most unyielding to change. We become committed---addicted---to stability, and we lose the ability to flow with life's currents and rapids. If we look back, we can spot changes that have occurred, some that we planned, others we did not. Regardless, we accommodated them and grew with them or because of them. We discovered a side of ourselves we hadn't seen before, and through all those changes, our relationship with our God was a constant. With that in mind and with Him in our corner, we have no need to fear change.
God bless you all,
NT
Matthew 28:20
