God is Waiting for Us . . .

Christ, Step 1, Step 2, Step 3

It takes humility to take the first three steps—the surrender steps. They seem so desperate, like I’m throwing in the towel on my life. Like I’m giving up every bit of personal power. And I am. But in the most counter-intuitive and paradoxical way, these steps toward...

God is Not a Means to an End

Change of Heart, Recovery

I used to treat God as a means to an end. When I turned to Him, I always had some agenda, a goal or purpose for seeking Him. I had a reason for doing good, being good. If I did what God wanted me to do, then He’d (hopefully) do what I wanted Him to do. If I was...

Working the Steps Is Like Reconstructive Surgery

Recovery, Twelve Steps

Over three decades of my life, from age 34 to 64 years old, the Lord has led me to return to the Twelve Steps of recovery over and over again. He has used the Steps to peel away my pride, one layer at a time. It’s sort of like reconstructive surgery. You can’t...

Free Step Friday: I Came Not to Judge the World (Step 6)

Christ, Step 6

What is Free Step Friday (#freestepfriday)? Click here for details. Scripture 3 Nephi 9:21—Behold, I have come unto the world to bring redemption unto the world, to save the world from sin. The Lord declared this same message when He said, “And if any man hear my...

Letting Our Trials Refine Us

Christ, God's In Charge, Mortality

I’ve been feeling a little put upon lately. Well, to be honest, for the past several years. And it’s been ticking me off so much that I’ve gained 40 pounds. And that ticks me off too. And in the midst of my ticked-offedness this morning, I read this verse of...