So who is D-Monk?
I am a husband, father, and lawyer from Minneapolis, Minnesota. I am also a broken Christian seeking escape from an on-going addiction to internet pornography.
I am in a second marriage and my family is a “blended” family with six children. We have three children from my wife’s first marriage, two children from my first marriage, and one child together (yours, mine, and ours).
I am an attorney working in the life insurance industry. My job is a curious blend between marketing and legal consulting. I do a lot of writing, a lot of on-phone consulting, and a lot of speaking. I love my job!
I am also a Benedictine Oblate. That means that I am not a monk, but I am affiliated with a monastery as a secular person who tries to live according to the Rule of Saint Benedict to the degree that I can recognizing my station in life, including family and worldly obligations.
I was raised in the Catholic Church, but I was also “born again” when I was in high school. My walk with Christ includes elements of catholic and evangelical spirituality. Our family worships at a Covenant church in the Minneapolis area.
This blog is a place where I can record my thoughts, share my struggles, and seek to help and to be helped.
Thank you for stopping by.
+ D-Monk
d-monk,
I’m glad to have found your blog. I was browsing some C.S. Lewis tags on WordPress and there you were. I’ve added you to my reader.
The author: Richard Foster has some great books on Disciplines for Christians, like Fasting, Prayer, Giving, etc… Great books that blend Catholicism and Evangelicialism (SIC?).
The only gospel we own is our own life as a Christian.
Hey, castleqwayr:
Thanks for stopping by!
You have a good-looking blog. I’ll have to come spend some time in there.
Take care!
D-Monk
Thanks for your heart. I’m going to add you to my blogroll.
http://www.davidwever.com
David:
Thank you for stopping by and thank you for adding me to your blogroll. I am interested in learning more about your own journey and will stop by your new blog.
Peace on this journey!
D-Monk
I too am a recovering sa and I am glad to have you as a brother in Christ (who admits he struggles). I am on the last chapter of “7 Desires of the Heart.” I know Mark and Deb Laaser very well. Mark is a very close friend…I consider him a father figure to me even though we are the same age. FYI, Mark has a close relationship with the local diocese there in Minneapolis even though he is a protestant. I will celebrate 15 years of sobriety on Sept 13…I met Mark Laaser on October 10, 1994. Check out the website and our ministry in Jacksonville, FL. God bless…
Jerry:
Thanks for stopping by. I toured your website and I am very encouraged. I spent time working with Mark Laaser at the beginning of my recovery and I heartily endorse his program as a Christ-centered approach to recovery from sexual sin and addiction.
May Christ continue to bless and grow the work that you have begun.
D-Monk
You sound like my husband, lol. I look forward to seeing how it is from the other perspective by reading through your blog. Mind if I add you to my blog roll?
m2sa:
Thank you for stopping by. You are welcome to stop in, read, make comments, add this blog to a blog roll, etc.
There is nothing easy about this struggle and I can’t claim to have any ability to fully understand or appreciate your pain. I have been working towards recovery for five years now and I am just barely beginning to understand the deep hurt I have caused my own wife.
May God bless your journey and may you find thepeace for which your heart yearns.
+ D-Monk
D-Monk.
Hello. I added you to my blogroll… I just recently started blogging about this issue in my own life. I searched
“sexual addiction” in wordpress and found a few blogs but there don’t seem to be as many as active as yours.
I’m posting everyday as I begin this journey of healing. It’s been about a month since I came clean with my wife about the darker issues in my life (I had told her about the pornography about 6 years ago, but kept other things a secret).
I look forward to reading about your journey as I continue on my own…
Thanks,
James
James:
I welcome you to this new journey. The road is long and difficult, and sometimes seems hopeless. But I can tell you that there is hope.
I am still struggling more than I want to be, but my life is filled with more joy and freedom now than it was when I first acknowledged my sin to my wife and started looking for help.
You are in my prayers!
Peace.
+ D-Monk
D-Monk,
I sat down at my computer tonight, and thought about engaging in some inappropriate browsing, instead I asked God for encouragement and stumbled upon your blog. I read through a number of your posts, and was impressed with your honesty. As a fellow lawyer, I can relate to the impact that addiction has had on my practice and my productivity.
Thanks for being real, and good luck with the battle. May God bless you and keep and may his face shine upon you.
Thank you so much for your comment.
I am glad that you were able to find some encouragement here.
I am also impressed that you found this blog during a time of temptation — I have yet to find a way to turn aside from lust once it has captured my heart.
+ D-Monk
D monk,
Nice to find you. We just started our blogsite as an extension to our growing ministry to those in the battle for holiness. (1 Thes 4:3-5). Come by for a visit.
T Finlay
Disciples for Purity
Brother,
You are not alone in your struggles. Its encouraging to know you are here! Your blog is a great encouragement to me. Fight the good fight!
trumpet2
D-Monk,
Thank you for posting with such honesty. I have been up and down for years. God has given me periods of extended purity and I have willingly walked right back into the muck and mire each time, acting out like it was no big deal. I hope the subscribe by email link sends your posts out daily, I will try to make this a daily stop. Posting the daily gratitude speaks very loud to me, I need to do it myself.
Thanks again.
May God richly bless you and your family.
Kapt:
Thanks for stopping by. I appreciate your feedback.
I sometimes find it hard to believe what a long road this is. The seasons seem to repeat over and over. Times of purity and strong devotion followed by periods of lust and dryness.
Thankfully, Jesus does not give up on us.
Many blessing to you!!
+ D- Monk
Thank you for the honesty in sharing your story.
I read a something not long ago (though I am terrible at remembering the “where” of things) where someone asked a monk what they do at a monastery all day. His answer was “We fall down and we get up, we fall down and we get up, we fall down and we get up.” I think of that often as I count my many bruises.
As an oblate novice of St. Benedict I am reminded daily of that sweet invitation to act while there is yet time and of there always being a way back.
Peace.
Hey D-Monk! It’s great to meet another pilgrim on the way. I’m looking forward to reading more of your blog. Grace and peace, one day at a time!