By Jonas Smith
 Through the use of cigarettes, cigars, and chewing tobacco, nicotine is one of the most heavily used addictive drugs in the United States. In 2004, 29.2 percent of the U.S. population 12 and older-70.3 million people-used tobacco at least once in the month prior to being interviewed. This figure includes 3.6 million young people age 12 to 17. Young adults aged 18 to 25 reported the highest rate of current use of any tobacco products (44.6 percent) in 2004.
Findings for high school youth indicate that 25.9 percent of 8th-graders, 38.9 percent of 10th-graders, and 50.0 percent of 12th-graders had ever smoked cigarettes when asked in 2005. These figures were lower for all three grades from 2004 data, and for 8th-graders and 12th-graders, the decreases were statistically significant. Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that tobacco use remains the leading preventable cause of death in the United States, causing approximately 440,000 premature deaths each year and resulting in an annual cost of more than $75 billion in direct medical costs attributable to smoking.
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By Jonas Smith
 Even the Internet can be addicting! Although Internet Addiction is not yet an official disorder, obsessive Internet use is a real problem for some today.
Signs of "Internet Addiction" Some signs of trouble are:
- Using the Internet more and more, while going out into the real world less and less.
- Checking email too frequently during the day - every day.
- Going online every day, rarely taking a day off.
- Sneaking online to sites that you shouldn't visit.
- Others say that you are indeed online too much.
- Sneaking online and checking email when you should be doing other things like working. Arriving before work,
staying after work, skipping lunch, avoiding meetings, avoiding co-workers - to use the Internet.
But there are ways to overcome the trouble spots. Similar to other addiction recovery, realizing there is a problem is the starting point. Facing "why" the escape from the real world is necessary is next. Then decreasing online activity and replacing it with healthier activities can help the person get back to |
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By Dr. Jennifer Baxt, DMFT, NCC, DCC
 With Christmas just around the corner and New Years not far off, people are soon going to be thinking of what new promises they would like to make to themselves for 2009. There are many out there who dont think too much about making new resolutions, either because they dont believe in doing such a thing or they have never been able to keep up with them in the past. Others continue to make new resolutions every year, either because they feel they have kept up with them well enough in the past to warrant making a new one, or they legitimately want to make a lasting change in their lives. Regardless of whether your friends or relatives feel making resolutions are important or not, what really matters is if you would like to make a resolution for yourself.
A New Years resolution is basically a promise that one makes to their self for that year, whether it is to lose twenty pounds, to quit smoking or to minimize the number of drinks they have per day. It is something |
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By Johnny Kicklighter
 The philosophy of self-esteem is probably the most influential doctrine to arrive on the scene in Christendom's recent history. At least in my lifetime, it has had as much affect, if not even more, on evangelical Christianity than the modern tongues movement that surfaced in the late 1960's. Not only has self-esteem psychology crept into every aspect of Biblical doctrine and practice but society as well. A Korean War era fighter pilot turned minister in the 1957 movie "Battle Hymn," was rebuked on the front steps of his church for preaching too harshly on man's condition, and not enough on love and forgiveness. Even Hollywood got into the act! Actually, the entire self-movement is perhaps the most single cause of the mainstream church losing the vision for preaching the cross of Christ. After all, if man's problems can be healed with positive self-esteem, and preaching the depravity of the human spirit hurts people's feelings, then it logically follows that our message must be changed.
If there is any doubt, review some of the sermons from the Puritan era |
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By Johnny Kicklighter
 John Broger's "Self-Confrontation" manual is probably the most exhaustive work available today to help the Christian conform their lives to be more like Christ. Even though the book is titled "Self-Confrontation," Broger accurately refers to the book as one of "self-condemnation." He systematically dissects the worldly philosophy of self-esteem by introducing believers to areas of their lives that may not have yet been exposed to the illuminating and cleansing power of the Word. This manual is not intended to be read simply as you would a typical book, but used instead as a roadmap to completely inventory and restructure a person's life.
Broger's book is broke into three main sections. First, he establishes the biblical foundation for change. The second is an application to specific problem areas that need addressing. The final section is a conclusion consisting of three chapters. He structures each of the twenty-two lessons (chapters) into a minimum of five basic segments. He closes with an open book examination in chapter twenty-three and a lesson on biblical counseling |
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