We hope you have all been enjoying our Resource Friday series so far. Our goal is to inform you of some of the great biblical resources we utilize at Vision of Hope that are available to you for study of addictions and other seemingly overwhelming issues. There is hope in Christ and we discover it in a greater way when we study His Word.
This week we will be discussing Cross Talking: A Daily Gospel for Transforming Addicts, a book from our very own pastor and director, Dr. Mark Shaw.
Cross Talking is a daily, gospel-centered devotional geared specifically toward those who are struggling with addictions. Each day, Pastor Shaw takes his readers to a passage of Scripture that gets at the heart of what’s really going on. This little book gives a big daily dose of motivation and hope for true and lasting change! This is a great resource that we keep in every bedroom at Vision of Hope, so that our ladies can be quickly reminded of the transforming truth of God’s Word when they need it.
Cross Talking is not just for those who struggle with drugs and alcohol, but for all believers who desire to grow in saying no to sin and saying yes to Christ. In the introduction, Dr. Shaw brings in the concept that each and every one of us struggles with an addiction. He writes:
“There are probably millions of types of ‘addictions,’ and the truth is that you are dealing with at least one of them. How do I know? Because I know your heart and its tendency toward pleasing yourself first before pleasing God and others…what are you thinking about and wanting more than anything else in the world? …Begin reading and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal His truth to your heart. By His power, God will transform a willing heart that yields to Him and cries out for change!” Recognizing that we all struggle with the desires in our hearts, the book points the reader to the reality that everyone needs the power of Christ in one’s life – whether we call the struggle an “addiction” or not.
Pastor Shaw recently had a counselor call to ask him how to best utilize this book in a non-residential setting with an addict. He told the counselor to ask the counselee to read Cross Talking at every meal (3x per day) to remind them of the great truths of the Gospel as applied to one struggling with an addiction. Since there are 45 devotions, the counselee would finish in 15 days and be reminded frequently each day of the hope found only in Christ.
This book is a challenging yet freeing resource for group or personal study. If you would like to purchase a copy, it is available here. Books like this one that teach the principles in God’s Word in a clear, understandable manner will strengthen anyone’s faith and walk with Christ.
