Chris Chandler

References “Pure Desire” by Ted Roberts Sex addiction– that doesn’t happen to Christians, right? I mean, no Christian would ever look at porn or take any approach to sex other than “It doesn’t tempt me.” Of course we don’t think like that. And what if maintaining this facade that all of us are basically saints who never struggle with sin is keeping struggling believers from seeking the repentance and recovery they need? Sin is shameful enough. If a person

References “Wired for Intimacy” by William M. Struthers and “Out of the Shadows” by Patrick Carnes All people long to bond with others. We want someone to share in our joys and support us in our sorrows. As Romantic pianist and composer Frederic Chopin said, “It is dreadful when something weighs on your mind, not to have a soul to unburden yourself to. You know what I mean. I tell my piano the things I used to tell you.”

References “Boundaries” by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend One of the marks of true faith is generosity. Every believer knows the story of the widow who put all she had into the offering plate. But how do we tell the difference between generosity and obligation? When is it OK not to give? In their book, “Boundaries” Cloud and Townsend draw a distinction between benevolence and obligation. The difference between love and fear Too many Christians give out

References “The New Codependency” by Melody Beattie Saying “no” to loved ones can be hard. You might feel as if you are being selfish when you second-guess whether their request is reasonable. This goes double if you are dealing with a manipulator. The New Testament describes manipulators in Matthew 7. Just because someone claims to have your best interests at heart, does not mean they do. Jesus warned against wolves in sheep’s clothing. He said we would be able