Sanctuary Clinics, 984 Boston Highway, Monticello, FL (2026)

02/19/2026

HOT TAKE:
Quitting your worst habit will change your life faster
than starting your best habit.

02/19/2026

In Thought
“For God alone my soul in silence waits; from him comes my salvation (Ps. 62:1).

Thousands of years ago, a devout person, tossed about by the storms of life, knelt down before God in the silence of the Jewish Temple. Only when this sacred silence had pe*****ted the depths of his soul was he able to say these words: "For God alone my soul in silence waits; from him comes my salvation."

Oh, you ancient singer, you appear to us like an image from a pleasant dream that we long for and yet find so distant from us. We are attracted to you, but we no longer understand you. Teach us something about the silence of the soul, the soul that waits for God."

—Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship

In Reflection
The cry of the ancient singer, recorded in Psalm 62:1, reveals the profound secret to peace: “For God alone my soul in silence waits; from him comes my salvation.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer notes that this truth can only pe*****te the depths of the soul after the cultivation of sacred silence. For those battling addiction and mental health issues, the impulse is almost always to act, fill the void, or frantically solve the problem with noise and distraction. Learning to wait in silence for God alone is the radical, necessary alternative.

This psalm, written by David, was a hymn meant to encourage the entire congregation to continue waiting upon the Lord. David first professes his confidence in God as ‘My God, my Rock, and my Refuge,’ then encourages others—like you and me—to claim that same security: ‘Your God, your Rock, and your Refuge.’ This move from personal assurance to corporate encouragement is the foundation of fellowship and support in recovery. We learn that true strength lies not in our ability to manage the storms of life, but in our willingness to surrender and simply wait.

We must heed Bonhoeffer’s implicit plea: “Teach us something about the silence of the soul.” When anxiety or the craving for control tries to dominate, singing these ancient lyrics back to ourselves and praying them today ought to stir our souls to cease striving. It is in the silence that we cease looking to temporary fixes and realize that salvation—security, healing, and peace—comes entirely from Him. Let your weary soul find its rest and refuge in the intentional quiet of His presence.

—DH

In Deed
Set a timer for five minutes today to sit in absolute silence, refusing to "fix" any problem in your mind and simply waiting on God. If a distracting thought arises, whisper the phrase, "From Him comes my salvation," and return to the silence.

02/18/2026

Life has a simple formula:
Look back and thank God.
Look ahead and trust God.
That’s all.

02/18/2026

In Thought
One of the greatest dangers in the spiritual life is self-rejection. When we say, “If people really knew me, they wouldn’t love me,” we choose the road toward darkness. Often we are made to believe that self-deprecation is a virtue, called humility. But humility is in reality the opposite of self-deprecation. It is the grateful recognition that we are precious in God’s eyes and that all we are is pure gift. To grow beyond self-rejection we must have the courage to listen to the voice calling us God’s beloved sons and daughters, and the determination always to live our lives according to this truth.”

—Henri J. M. Nouwen, Bread for the Journey

In Reflection
Henri Nouwen identifies self-rejection as one of the greatest dangers in the spiritual life. This is confirmed by years of experience in the mental health and addiction fields; self-rejection is a foundational crisis in all of life. When the inner voice whispers, “If people really knew me, they wouldn’t love me,” we choose the road toward darkness and isolation. This self-hatred often masquerades as false humility, or self-deprecation. The constant self-condemnation reinforces the lie that our flaws are bigger than God’s grace, paralyzing us from receiving healing.

Nouwen clarifies that true humility is the exact opposite. It is the grateful recognition that we are precious in God’s eyes and that our very existence is a pure gift. Self-rejection begins with an identity crisis—we forget whose we are. Recognizing yourself as the precious, chosen child of God is of foundational importance in recovery. Humility, then, is embracing the paradox that we are fallen and flawed, yet our God’s love is unconditionally restorative and reconciling. This means we can stop trying to earn a love that is already freely given.

To grow beyond self-rejection, we must have the courage to listen to the voice calling us God’s beloved sons and daughters. This kind of living requires courage to own our shortcomings, courage to rest in His love despite our past, and courage to believe in His promises. Humility brings us to our knees not in shame, but for forgiveness and renewal, allowing us to choose righteousness and to obey the Spirit, not the flesh. Let us pray for that necessary courage today, to live as children of the Living God, who loves us dearly—fallen and flawed—just as we are.

—DH

In Deed
Write down one self-deprecating thought you frequently have, and immediately write 1 John 3:1 underneath it as the corrected truth. Commit to telling yourself at least three times today, "I am a precious child of God, and His love is a pure gift I don't have to earn."

02/17/2026

Worries are like clouds —
they pass if you don’t chase them.

02/17/2026

In Thought
“Prayer does not give you spiritual power. Prayer aligns your life with God so that he chooses to demonstrate his power through you. The purpose of prayer is not to convince God to change your circumstances but to prepare you to be involved in God's activity. The fervent prayer of the people at Pentecost did induce the Holy Spirit to come upon them. Prayer brought them to a place where they were ready to participate in the mighty work God had already planned. Jesus told his followers to remain in Jerusalem until the spirit came upon them. The disciples obey his command, waiting for God's next directive. As they prayed, God adjusted their lives to what he intended to do next. As they prayed, unity developed among them. For the first time the disciples used scripture as their guide in decision making. The day of Pentecost arrived, and the city of Jerusalem filled with pilgrims from around the world. When God released his Holy Spirit upon the disciples, he had already filled the city with messengers who would carry the gospel to every nation, prayer had prepared the disciples for their obedient response. Prayer is designed to adjust you to God's will, not adjust God to your will. If God has not responded to what you are praying, you may need to adjust your praying to align with God's agenda. Rather than focusing on what you would like to see happen, realize that God may be more concerned with what he wants to see happen in you.”
–Henry T. Blackaby, Richard Blackaby, Experiencing God Day by Day

In Reflection
Henry Blackaby offers a vital shift in perspective on prayer: The purpose of prayer is not to convince God to change your circumstances but to prepare you to be involved in God's activity. Prayer does not give us spiritual power; it aligns your life with God so that He chooses to demonstrate His power through you. For those in recovery, where the battle is against the ingrained habit of self-will, this alignment is the essence of surrender. Trying to adjust God to our will is the definition of spiritual pride, which is often the precursor to relapse and distress.

The disciples at Pentecost modeled this truth perfectly. They obeyed Jesus’ command to wait in Jerusalem, and as they prayed, God adjusted their lives to what he intended to do next. Prayer prepared them for their obedient response; it didn't force God to act. It helped unity develop, and they began using Scripture as their guide in decision-making—essential steps for any successful support group or individual seeking healing.

It is worth noting that in the Lord’s Prayer, the line, ‘Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done’ comes first, before those lines that address our needs. Our highest aim is to be in the presence of Almighty God, aligning our hearts with ‘Our Father, who art in heaven’s’ will. This means asking, "What’s on Your agenda today, Lord?" and listening, rather than simply presenting a list of demands. If God has not responded to what you are praying, realize that God may be more concerned with what he wants to see happen in you—the development of character, patience, and humility—than with what you would like to see happen externally. This is effectual prayer!

—DH

In Deed
Before you ask God for anything today, spend three minutes asking Him, "Lord, how do I need to be adjusted to align with what You are doing?" If there is an unanswered prayer in your life, ask God what character trait He might be trying to grow in you through the waiting.

02/16/2026

Don’t preach to people you don’t love.
If you don’t love, you have nothing to say that is worth hearing.

02/16/2026

In Thought
“In the context of a committed relationship, Jesus promises to show Himself to us, reveal Himself, disclose to us the innermost secret of who He is. Often we want that intimate disclosure without being serious about the relationship. If you think about it, that’s not much different from casual s*x, wanting the pleasures of intimacy without the commitment. But Jesus is not indiscriminately intimate.”
—Ken Gire, Windows of the Soul

In Reflection
Ken Gire draws a convicting parallel: wanting an intimate disclosure of Jesus without being serious about the relationship is like wanting the pleasure of intimacy without the commitment. This pursuit of "casual spirituality" is a trap for those in recovery. We long to experience Christ’s presence and secrets, but we resist the disciplines—the time, trust, and loyalty—that true intimacy requires. The fear of deep commitment often stems from past betrayals, which fuels addictive behaviors.

Jesus makes a clear promise in John 14:21: He will manifest Himself—disclose the innermost secret of who He is—to those who love Him and keep His commands. This deep connection is not given indiscriminately; it grows only in the soil of commitment and obedience. We must recognize that the intimacy we seek is not a passive reward, but a natural result of actively walking with Him. Spiritual faithfulness is the prerequisite for spiritual intimacy.

Too often, we seek the spiritual high without the cost of commitment—the daily decision to abandon self-will. In the context of recovery, commitment means showing up for the daily disciplines: honesty, prayer, service, and making amends. If you desire more of Jesus, the answer is not simply to ask for a deeper experience, but to give Him your whole heart through consistent loyalty. By prioritizing the relationship through faithful action, we move from casually knowing about Him to intimately knowing Him.

—DH

In Deed
Identify one command or recovery principle you’ve been "casually" ignoring and commit to keeping it today as an act of love for Jesus. Ask God: "Am I seeking the feeling of Your presence more than I am seeking the loyalty of a relationship?"

02/15/2026

Because of Jesus,
there’s never a moment without potential.

02/15/2026

In Thought
One of the early Christian writers describes the first stage of solitary prayer as the experience of a man who, after years of living with open doors, suddenly decides to shut them. The visitors who used to come and enter his home start pounding on his doors, wondering why they are not allowed to enter. Only when they realize that they are not welcome do they gradually stop coming.

This is the experience of anyone who decides to enter into solitude after a life without much spiritual discipline. At first, the many distractions keep presenting themselves. Later, as they receive less and less attention, they slowly withdraw.”

—Henri J. M. Nouwen, Making All Things New

In Reflection
Henri Nouwen describes the beginning of solitary prayer as shutting the doors after years of living with them open. This is a profound image for anyone entering solitude. At first, the countless distractions—like visitors accustomed to free entry—begin pounding on the doors. For those in recovery or battling mental health issues, these “visitors” are the relentless cacophony of noise: thoughts of yesterday’s hurts, today’s worries, and the insistent demands of tomorrow.

This internal clamor is often what drives the need for external distraction or substance use. Nouwen shares a critical principle: we can choose to “turn the ringer off” while kneeling before the Lord. The more we choose not to engage these distracting thoughts—the less attention they receive—the more they will slowly withdraw. This is not a sudden victory but a patient discipline. Visitors only gradually stop coming once they realize they are no longer welcome.

This intentional practice of being still is the essence of surrender. When you hear the burdens and old fears knocking at the door, the key is not to answer. Instead, take those very burdens to the Lord in prayer, acknowledging the noise without giving it authority. Cry out honestly, “Lord, do you hear me knocking? HELP!” God will. By consistently refusing to let distractions rule your attention and instead focusing on the Father, you begin to rewire your soul for peace and stillness.

—DH

In Deed
The next time a "worry visitor" knocks on your mind today, don't try to argue with it—simply ignore it and whisper, "Be still and know that I am God." Practice a three-minute "mental door closing" exercise where you deliberately turn your back on your to-do list to look toward Christ.

02/14/2026

You’re not here to compare your journey with anyone else.
You’re here to answer your call.
Focus always beats comparison.

02/14/2026

In Thought
"Ah, Lord GOD! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you" (Jer. 32:17).

The early saints had a certain majesty, in that they dared to obey God's command in things that human reason would condemn. Whether it was Noah building a ship on dry land, Abraham offering up his only son, Moses forgoing the treasures of Egypt, or Joshua besieging Jericho for seven days, fighting without weapons but only the blasts of a ram's horn-they all acted on God's command, contrary to the dictates of human reason. And the Lord gave them all a rich reward as the result of their obedient faith.

If only, in these modern times, we had a more powerful infusion of this heroic faith in God. If we would risk we would enter into a world of wonders to which we are yet strangers. Let Jeremiah's shout of confidence be ours—nothing is too hard for the God who created the heavens and the earth.”

—Charles Spurgeon, Morning and Evening

In Reflection
Charles Spurgeon challenges us with the legacy of the great saints: they possessed a heroic faith that dared to obey God's command in things that human reason would condemn. This is the essence of true, revolutionary faith. It was Noah building a ship on dry land or Abraham raising the knife. Their actions were contrary to the dictates of human reason, but they were rewarded because they acted on God's command. This distinction between human logic and divine instruction is absolutely vital for those seeking lasting change in recovery.

The self-centered, controlling mindset that fuels addiction is often rigidly dependent on human reason and sight. We demand proof and refuse to take risks unless the outcome is logically guaranteed. Yet, transformation often requires steps that make little earthly sense: surrendering control, making difficult amends, or trusting in a Higher Power we cannot see. Faith often defies reason. If we would risk acting boldly on God's Word, even when it feels terrifying or foolish, we would see a world of wonders to which we are currently strangers.

We need a powerful infusion of this heroic faith today. For the person struggling with relapse, believing that they can be fully free may feel like building a ship on dry land. But this passage reminds us of Jeremiah’s shout of confidence: “Nothing is too hard for You!” Our spiritual growth and deliverance are found not in cautious logic, but in courageous obedience—taking that next step in faith, even if we cannot see the landing spot.

—DH

In Deed
Is there a "command" or a healthy step you’ve been avoiding because it "doesn't make sense" or feels "too hard"? Take that specific step today, however small, and tell God: "I am obeying Your Word over my own reason."

Sanctuary Clinics

02/19/2026

02/19/2026

02/18/2026

02/18/2026

02/17/2026

02/17/2026

02/16/2026

02/16/2026

02/15/2026

02/15/2026

02/14/2026

02/14/2026

Address

Website

Alerts

Contact The Practice

Shortcuts

Share

Category