1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:06,120 Speaker 1: Life Audio, and the pressure is off. The pressure is 2 00:00:06,160 --> 00:00:09,320 Speaker 1: off because he wants to walk with you in it, 3 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:11,360 Speaker 1: and he wants to walk with you through it, and 4 00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:14,600 Speaker 1: he wants you to learn so many things about who 5 00:00:14,680 --> 00:00:18,880 Speaker 1: he is and that his grace is just His mercies 6 00:00:18,880 --> 00:00:20,200 Speaker 1: are new every single morning. 7 00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:23,160 Speaker 2: Welcome to the Faith Over Fear podcast, where we discuss 8 00:00:23,280 --> 00:00:27,040 Speaker 2: powerful truths to quiet anxiety and fear big and small. 9 00:00:27,280 --> 00:00:30,680 Speaker 2: If you've ever reached for something to quiet your mind, 10 00:00:31,080 --> 00:00:34,000 Speaker 2: take the edge off, or just get through the day, 11 00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:38,600 Speaker 2: this episode's for you. Sometimes fear doesn't shout. Sometimes it 12 00:00:38,720 --> 00:00:43,519 Speaker 2: whispers you deserve this, or you need something to code. 13 00:00:43,880 --> 00:00:46,760 Speaker 2: And today we're talking about what happens when we stop 14 00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:50,839 Speaker 2: numbing long enough to let God meet us there with grace, 15 00:00:51,520 --> 00:00:55,160 Speaker 2: not shame, and with real freedom. I'm Carol McCracken and 16 00:00:55,320 --> 00:01:01,280 Speaker 2: I'm joined today by Christy Osborne, author of Love Life Sober, 17 00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:04,080 Speaker 2: and it's going to be a conversation I just know 18 00:01:04,240 --> 00:01:09,640 Speaker 2: about renewal and honesty and discovering joy with Jesus right 19 00:01:09,720 --> 00:01:12,959 Speaker 2: in the middle of our struggle. Welcome Christian. I'm so 20 00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:13,880 Speaker 2: glad you're here today. 21 00:01:14,520 --> 00:01:17,280 Speaker 1: Oh Carol, thank you for having me. It just feels 22 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:19,959 Speaker 1: like we're already old friends, so I'm glad I'm here 23 00:01:20,640 --> 00:01:21,160 Speaker 1: me too. 24 00:01:21,440 --> 00:01:23,480 Speaker 2: Finally, what I'd like you to do is tell our 25 00:01:23,520 --> 00:01:25,080 Speaker 2: listeners a little bit about yourself. 26 00:01:25,120 --> 00:01:28,039 Speaker 1: Sure. I'm forty three years old. I grew up in 27 00:01:28,120 --> 00:01:32,360 Speaker 1: Los Angeles, went to college at usc here University of 28 00:01:32,400 --> 00:01:34,560 Speaker 1: Southern California. Then I went to law school at Pepperdine 29 00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:37,720 Speaker 1: in California. In law school, I met my husband and 30 00:01:37,959 --> 00:01:40,800 Speaker 1: he got a job offer in the United Kingdom in London. 31 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:45,080 Speaker 1: I have two teenagers. But God called me into this 32 00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:50,440 Speaker 1: incredible work of helping individuals find freedom from alcohol because 33 00:01:50,480 --> 00:01:54,280 Speaker 1: I struggled with my own alcohol story, not as a 34 00:01:54,360 --> 00:01:58,400 Speaker 1: rock bottom drinker or as anything that would basically flag 35 00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:00,360 Speaker 1: to someone that I had a problem. Everyone thought I 36 00:02:00,440 --> 00:02:04,080 Speaker 1: was just drinking like everybody else's normal social But my 37 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:07,960 Speaker 1: mom passed away and I started to use alcohol to 38 00:02:08,520 --> 00:02:10,960 Speaker 1: numb and cope with grief. And then I started to 39 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:13,520 Speaker 1: realize that I was giving it a lot of other jobs, 40 00:02:13,800 --> 00:02:17,440 Speaker 1: like relaxing or connection, and so I started to explore 41 00:02:17,480 --> 00:02:21,440 Speaker 1: my relationship with alcohol in twenty twenty, ironically, right when 42 00:02:21,440 --> 00:02:26,080 Speaker 1: the pandemic hit, and God just brought me on this 43 00:02:26,240 --> 00:02:29,200 Speaker 1: incredible freedom journey I like to now call it an 44 00:02:29,240 --> 00:02:35,560 Speaker 1: alcohol exodus because leaving alcohol behind and I became a coach. 45 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:39,120 Speaker 1: I come alongside individuals and I helped them find freedom, 46 00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:41,280 Speaker 1: and I helped them figure out if wine has become 47 00:02:41,280 --> 00:02:43,360 Speaker 1: an idol in their life and if it's taking up 48 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:47,639 Speaker 1: too much space, and in this really grace filled, compassion 49 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:51,240 Speaker 1: led way, because I know how hard this is, and 50 00:02:51,320 --> 00:02:54,520 Speaker 1: I know that so many ruggle not necessarily with You 51 00:02:54,600 --> 00:02:56,800 Speaker 1: might not feel like your quote unquote bad enough to 52 00:02:56,800 --> 00:02:59,359 Speaker 1: walk into an AA meeting or a rehab, but you're 53 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:02,040 Speaker 1: drinking every and you know it's taking up too much 54 00:03:02,080 --> 00:03:04,639 Speaker 1: space and getting in the way of your relationship, either 55 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:08,000 Speaker 1: with your family or ultimately with Jesus. And so this 56 00:03:08,080 --> 00:03:11,520 Speaker 1: is like an opportunity to explore that. And so I 57 00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:13,079 Speaker 1: got to write the book. It came out at the 58 00:03:13,160 --> 00:03:17,320 Speaker 1: end of twenty twenty four, and Yeah, that's a that's 59 00:03:17,320 --> 00:03:19,040 Speaker 1: a flyover of all the things. 60 00:03:19,320 --> 00:03:23,120 Speaker 2: I love that too, because I also struggled with alcohol 61 00:03:23,400 --> 00:03:26,200 Speaker 2: and it was something I did, have a rock bottom 62 00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:29,320 Speaker 2: twelve step program the whole bit, but I tried to 63 00:03:29,360 --> 00:03:31,919 Speaker 2: do everything on my own. Yeah, why I really want 64 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:34,920 Speaker 2: to talk to you because it is one of those 65 00:03:34,920 --> 00:03:38,160 Speaker 2: things connection is so important in this journey, and the 66 00:03:38,160 --> 00:03:40,440 Speaker 2: fact that you coach the fact that you don't have 67 00:03:40,520 --> 00:03:43,320 Speaker 2: to be rock bottom. You just bring a lot of 68 00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:47,920 Speaker 2: awareness where I was very uneducated. I tried to power through. 69 00:03:48,280 --> 00:03:51,680 Speaker 2: I tried to do the willpower thing. I want people 70 00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:55,120 Speaker 2: to be so aware of what you are doing for 71 00:03:55,200 --> 00:03:58,000 Speaker 2: the community because just like you and me, there's more 72 00:03:58,040 --> 00:03:59,120 Speaker 2: of us out there. 73 00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:03,040 Speaker 1: Yes, yes, there is so much more of it. And honestly, 74 00:04:03,160 --> 00:04:06,360 Speaker 1: my community and clients are made up of gals that 75 00:04:06,840 --> 00:04:09,320 Speaker 1: the drinking is a spectrum, right, Like I have gals 76 00:04:09,360 --> 00:04:11,560 Speaker 1: I talk to you who just drink on weekends and 77 00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:14,160 Speaker 1: they want to look at their relationship or people that 78 00:04:14,240 --> 00:04:17,160 Speaker 1: have gone to treatment and then just realize that there 79 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:21,400 Speaker 1: isn't enough Jesus in traditional which like I support all 80 00:04:21,440 --> 00:04:24,120 Speaker 1: of it, right because God's so good and he just 81 00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:29,080 Speaker 1: has these each and every individual journey is so unique 82 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:31,239 Speaker 1: because he's trying to teach us something. 83 00:04:31,680 --> 00:04:33,160 Speaker 2: Oh that's for sure. 84 00:04:33,520 --> 00:04:35,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, many things, many things he's trying to teach us. 85 00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:39,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, and if we just listen, is in my case. 86 00:04:39,839 --> 00:04:43,080 Speaker 1: You and me both gosh. 87 00:04:42,720 --> 00:04:45,680 Speaker 2: Well a lot of our listeners aren't asking, Okay, do 88 00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:49,279 Speaker 2: I drink too much? They're asking, why do I feel 89 00:04:49,360 --> 00:04:53,520 Speaker 2: so tired? So right, blat so maybe disconnected from joy. 90 00:04:53,760 --> 00:04:56,320 Speaker 2: So when you started this journey, I know a lot 91 00:04:56,360 --> 00:04:59,239 Speaker 2: of it part of it was grief. But what kind 92 00:04:59,279 --> 00:05:01,800 Speaker 2: of pain were you really trying to survive? 93 00:05:02,520 --> 00:05:06,039 Speaker 1: Yeah, so much pain of losing my mom there. It 94 00:05:06,080 --> 00:05:09,000 Speaker 1: was a really complicated relationship there, and she had her 95 00:05:09,000 --> 00:05:13,080 Speaker 1: own drinking story, and so she had not had anything 96 00:05:13,080 --> 00:05:16,479 Speaker 1: to drink basically until I was grown up and married, 97 00:05:16,600 --> 00:05:19,000 Speaker 1: and then she kind of morphed into this person that 98 00:05:19,120 --> 00:05:22,400 Speaker 1: was heavily reliant on alcohol, and then it ended up 99 00:05:22,520 --> 00:05:24,839 Speaker 1: ultimately causing her to pass away. And so there was 100 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:28,040 Speaker 1: layers of that grief. But I was also dealing with 101 00:05:28,400 --> 00:05:31,800 Speaker 1: postpartum for my second son, who was born premature, and 102 00:05:32,279 --> 00:05:34,360 Speaker 1: all of those things that you don't realize that you 103 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:38,599 Speaker 1: need to have God help you heal, and the alcohol 104 00:05:38,760 --> 00:05:42,400 Speaker 1: masks that, It completely masks that. And it is a 105 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:47,279 Speaker 1: counterfeit comfort. Right, we have Jesus who is the ultimate, 106 00:05:47,880 --> 00:05:52,040 Speaker 1: one and only true comforter, but alcohol is this counterfeit 107 00:05:52,240 --> 00:05:55,760 Speaker 1: that feels good in the moment in a very very 108 00:05:55,800 --> 00:05:58,760 Speaker 1: short amount of time, but then you wake up and 109 00:05:58,800 --> 00:06:02,760 Speaker 1: you end up feeling worse because the pain was never 110 00:06:02,839 --> 00:06:06,159 Speaker 1: dealt with, It was just masked. And so that is 111 00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:08,240 Speaker 1: what I realized when I took this kind of break 112 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:10,520 Speaker 1: from alcohol of not only just I mean, I knew 113 00:06:10,520 --> 00:06:13,520 Speaker 1: there was pain, but I didn't know the layers, the 114 00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:15,920 Speaker 1: layers of pain and the things that. I mean, I'm 115 00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:19,080 Speaker 1: still figuring things out now, yeah, right, and I'm like, oh, 116 00:06:19,160 --> 00:06:21,279 Speaker 1: I need to forgive so and so for that. Didn't 117 00:06:21,320 --> 00:06:22,360 Speaker 1: realize that, right. 118 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:28,360 Speaker 2: It sneaks up on you those layers, don't they. Yes, 119 00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:33,200 Speaker 2: you're honest in your book that alcohol really wasn't the problem. 120 00:06:33,680 --> 00:06:36,680 Speaker 2: It was the solution that you had reached for. So 121 00:06:36,880 --> 00:06:40,039 Speaker 2: what the heavier than you could carry? I mean that's 122 00:06:40,040 --> 00:06:41,080 Speaker 2: a lot right there. 123 00:06:41,720 --> 00:06:44,919 Speaker 1: Yeah. I think one of the questions that resonates with 124 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:47,360 Speaker 1: gals the most is what is the job that you're 125 00:06:47,400 --> 00:06:52,360 Speaker 1: giving alcohol, because then it allows you to get really clear, 126 00:06:52,480 --> 00:06:55,480 Speaker 1: take those thoughts, captive about what you're using it for, 127 00:06:55,640 --> 00:06:58,960 Speaker 1: because it truly is a solution. We say all the 128 00:06:58,960 --> 00:07:01,320 Speaker 1: time in my community, we don't have a drinking problem, 129 00:07:01,360 --> 00:07:03,720 Speaker 1: we have a thinking problem. We need to get really 130 00:07:03,760 --> 00:07:08,440 Speaker 1: really clear about what we are thinking about because then 131 00:07:08,560 --> 00:07:12,160 Speaker 1: we are able to modify that behavior. It really is 132 00:07:12,240 --> 00:07:15,280 Speaker 1: about like we talked about layers, uncovering the roots of 133 00:07:15,320 --> 00:07:18,000 Speaker 1: the pain that you're going through. Again, for me, it 134 00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:22,240 Speaker 1: was so many different things that only with sobriety and 135 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:26,240 Speaker 1: Jesus I was able to unearth. And God's just so 136 00:07:26,360 --> 00:07:29,800 Speaker 1: gracious in his timing because once alcohol is kind of 137 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:31,800 Speaker 1: in the rear view, then he gives you other things. 138 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:35,480 Speaker 1: So look at one of the things that I think, 139 00:07:35,520 --> 00:07:39,480 Speaker 1: and it's a different perspective than traditional recovery or anything 140 00:07:39,520 --> 00:07:41,680 Speaker 1: like that, is really looking at your alcohol story as 141 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:46,360 Speaker 1: part of your larger sanctification journey and getting closer to 142 00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:49,280 Speaker 1: Jesus and putting it down. And when we talk about that, 143 00:07:49,520 --> 00:07:52,920 Speaker 1: it's so freeing because it means there's not this timeline 144 00:07:53,040 --> 00:07:56,720 Speaker 1: and there's not this pressure and there's not this fear 145 00:07:56,760 --> 00:07:59,120 Speaker 1: of failure that needs to be attached to looking at 146 00:07:59,160 --> 00:08:02,760 Speaker 1: your relationship with alcohol, because ultimately, if the goal is 147 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:06,360 Speaker 1: getting closer to and becoming more like Jesus, then his 148 00:08:06,800 --> 00:08:09,320 Speaker 1: yoke is easy and his burden is light, and he 149 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:11,680 Speaker 1: will carry you and he will guide you in a 150 00:08:11,760 --> 00:08:14,600 Speaker 1: way that doesn't have to feel like you're holding it 151 00:08:14,680 --> 00:08:17,840 Speaker 1: so tightly, and that it is so willpower and we 152 00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:19,520 Speaker 1: have to do this and we have to do it 153 00:08:19,560 --> 00:08:20,720 Speaker 1: in a certain amount of time. 154 00:08:20,960 --> 00:08:24,240 Speaker 2: Well, so obviously your believer. Have you always been a believer? 155 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:27,760 Speaker 1: Yes, So I grew up in church, but I really 156 00:08:27,840 --> 00:08:30,640 Speaker 1: didn't have the connection that I do now with Jesus 157 00:08:30,760 --> 00:08:33,960 Speaker 1: until my sobriety story. I knew that that is where 158 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:36,520 Speaker 1: I needed to go, that I knew that was the 159 00:08:36,520 --> 00:08:39,680 Speaker 1: first place I needed to reconnect with When I started 160 00:08:39,800 --> 00:08:42,120 Speaker 1: this whole thing back in twenty twenty, like, I was 161 00:08:42,160 --> 00:08:45,000 Speaker 1: more of a fan, you know, a kas been a follower. 162 00:08:45,040 --> 00:08:48,560 Speaker 1: I wasn't a disciple. So much of the sobriety journey 163 00:08:48,600 --> 00:08:51,360 Speaker 1: really is about picking up your cross right and following 164 00:08:51,440 --> 00:08:55,559 Speaker 1: him because it's hard. And I didn't get that until 165 00:08:55,559 --> 00:08:57,400 Speaker 1: I reconnected with Him in this way. 166 00:08:58,080 --> 00:09:00,680 Speaker 2: And so the sanctification, that's a pretty true chie word, 167 00:09:00,760 --> 00:09:03,520 Speaker 2: but you were phrasing it. It's getting more and more 168 00:09:04,160 --> 00:09:04,920 Speaker 2: like Jesus. 169 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:06,439 Speaker 1: Yeah. 170 00:09:06,920 --> 00:09:10,360 Speaker 2: And how did you find that that was happening for you? 171 00:09:10,760 --> 00:09:12,880 Speaker 1: Well, I think, and I talk about this in the book, 172 00:09:12,960 --> 00:09:16,439 Speaker 1: I think we drink for a lot of the reasons. 173 00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:18,920 Speaker 1: I call it the fruits of the spirit, test for 174 00:09:19,200 --> 00:09:22,840 Speaker 1: joy or for peace are reasons that we drink. And 175 00:09:23,800 --> 00:09:26,800 Speaker 1: I realized that alcohol was bringing me further and further 176 00:09:26,880 --> 00:09:30,440 Speaker 1: away from those fruit lovejoy, piece, patience, kindness. I was 177 00:09:30,480 --> 00:09:32,720 Speaker 1: not kind to my kids when I was hung over. Hello, 178 00:09:33,640 --> 00:09:35,880 Speaker 1: I was really not kind to my husband when I 179 00:09:35,920 --> 00:09:39,200 Speaker 1: was hungover or drinking. It was really about looking at 180 00:09:39,200 --> 00:09:41,560 Speaker 1: that and then realizing that when I actually spent time 181 00:09:41,600 --> 00:09:44,679 Speaker 1: and abided with Jesus, the fruit was a result of that, 182 00:09:45,000 --> 00:09:48,280 Speaker 1: and that again alcohol was the counterfeit and the distraction 183 00:09:48,440 --> 00:09:51,360 Speaker 1: and the thing that actually did the opposite of those things. 184 00:09:51,559 --> 00:09:55,480 Speaker 1: It was coming into reading the Word again and being 185 00:09:55,520 --> 00:09:57,800 Speaker 1: aware of that had in order to be the woman 186 00:09:57,840 --> 00:09:59,400 Speaker 1: that God wanted me to be like, I had to 187 00:09:59,440 --> 00:10:02,760 Speaker 1: abiden him and that alcohol had to fall by the wayside. 188 00:10:02,960 --> 00:10:07,400 Speaker 2: Definitely. Well, you talk about moments where you didn't exactly 189 00:10:07,400 --> 00:10:13,199 Speaker 2: feel out of control, but you felt disconnected. Yeah, starting 190 00:10:13,200 --> 00:10:17,320 Speaker 2: to notice about your emotions or your spirit that concerned you. 191 00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:20,000 Speaker 1: I think one of the things that I realized was 192 00:10:20,320 --> 00:10:24,080 Speaker 1: that talking with God is a two away conversation. 193 00:10:24,440 --> 00:10:25,120 Speaker 2: That's key. 194 00:10:25,480 --> 00:10:29,199 Speaker 1: Yeah, And when I was drinking, I would maybe say 195 00:10:29,240 --> 00:10:32,320 Speaker 1: a prayer as my head hit the pillow or and 196 00:10:32,360 --> 00:10:34,280 Speaker 1: it was, you know, mainly a list of things that 197 00:10:34,360 --> 00:10:36,720 Speaker 1: I wanted him to get done. For me that week, 198 00:10:37,480 --> 00:10:40,400 Speaker 1: but I wasn't creating this space for him to speak 199 00:10:40,440 --> 00:10:43,560 Speaker 1: back to me, and that that happens in quiet, and 200 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:46,160 Speaker 1: that I couldn't be quiet and I couldn't hear him 201 00:10:46,640 --> 00:10:50,199 Speaker 1: when I was drinking. Yeah, And so that was one 202 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:53,840 Speaker 1: of those the main things that I realized, Okay, if 203 00:10:53,920 --> 00:10:56,000 Speaker 1: I'm going to follow him, if I'm truly going to 204 00:10:56,080 --> 00:10:59,079 Speaker 1: follow him and he knows what's best for me, then 205 00:10:59,080 --> 00:11:02,080 Speaker 1: I have to be a to create that space for 206 00:11:02,280 --> 00:11:05,040 Speaker 1: him to speak. And again, that was something that I 207 00:11:05,080 --> 00:11:07,839 Speaker 1: just could not do with alcohol involved. And it's one 208 00:11:07,880 --> 00:11:11,000 Speaker 1: of those things too where so many gals that I've coached, 209 00:11:11,600 --> 00:11:14,920 Speaker 1: that's a realization that you can hear and listen to 210 00:11:14,960 --> 00:11:20,760 Speaker 1: somebody else say right right when you experience it, you're like, oh, yes, 211 00:11:21,160 --> 00:11:22,320 Speaker 1: and it's such a gift. 212 00:11:23,080 --> 00:11:26,240 Speaker 2: I totally agree, because you don't realize you're without it 213 00:11:26,400 --> 00:11:30,760 Speaker 2: until you get it as you see what's missing. Yes, 214 00:11:31,240 --> 00:11:34,800 Speaker 2: that much the same. I've always loved God, He's always 215 00:11:34,880 --> 00:11:37,160 Speaker 2: been I can't remember a time that I haven't, But 216 00:11:37,280 --> 00:11:41,200 Speaker 2: listening to him, it's a different story, right, Yes, creating 217 00:11:41,240 --> 00:11:44,560 Speaker 2: that space exactly like you're talking about. So I just 218 00:11:45,000 --> 00:11:49,960 Speaker 2: it seems so elementary. Yeah, but it's so key was 219 00:11:50,120 --> 00:11:54,120 Speaker 2: their specific moment when you're going through this that you thought, Okay, 220 00:11:54,280 --> 00:11:57,360 Speaker 2: something needs to change, not because I'm bad, but because 221 00:11:57,360 --> 00:11:57,960 Speaker 2: I'm tired. 222 00:11:58,280 --> 00:12:02,520 Speaker 1: Yeah. I woke up on March ninth, twenty twenty, and 223 00:12:03,160 --> 00:12:05,720 Speaker 1: we had had some friends over, we had been out 224 00:12:05,760 --> 00:12:07,920 Speaker 1: to lunch. We were drinking kind of all day, but 225 00:12:08,000 --> 00:12:12,680 Speaker 1: it wasn't anything like completely overblown. But it was the 226 00:12:12,679 --> 00:12:16,800 Speaker 1: morning of the anniversary of my mom's passing and two 227 00:12:16,880 --> 00:12:21,680 Speaker 1: years on, and I just realized that I couldn't go 228 00:12:21,840 --> 00:12:26,280 Speaker 1: on like I was, and I was creating this super glossy, 229 00:12:26,960 --> 00:12:31,200 Speaker 1: pretty Instagram picture life that was not true and was 230 00:12:31,240 --> 00:12:33,920 Speaker 1: not authentic. And I sat in bed that morning and 231 00:12:33,920 --> 00:12:37,160 Speaker 1: I was like scrolling through my phone, like one of 232 00:12:37,160 --> 00:12:38,760 Speaker 1: the things I got to do was I got to 233 00:12:38,800 --> 00:12:41,760 Speaker 1: be a commentator for Harry and Meghan's wedding, and I 234 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:44,040 Speaker 1: was like looking at these pictures. But I remember just 235 00:12:44,080 --> 00:12:47,520 Speaker 1: feeling hung over and broken in all of these photos 236 00:12:47,520 --> 00:12:51,440 Speaker 1: that I had posted, and it just felt so unreal. 237 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:54,719 Speaker 1: And I walked into my bathroom, I looked in the 238 00:12:54,720 --> 00:12:56,680 Speaker 1: mirror and I said, Jesus, I can't do this anymore. 239 00:12:57,320 --> 00:12:59,640 Speaker 1: And I just knew that it meant taking a break 240 00:12:59,640 --> 00:13:02,719 Speaker 1: from oulcohol. I had no idea what he had for me. 241 00:13:02,679 --> 00:13:05,640 Speaker 2: After that, but I. 242 00:13:05,480 --> 00:13:08,640 Speaker 1: Just knew that that was the first thing I had 243 00:13:08,720 --> 00:13:10,960 Speaker 1: to do that he was calling me to do in 244 00:13:11,080 --> 00:13:12,440 Speaker 1: order to start really healing. 245 00:13:12,679 --> 00:13:15,040 Speaker 2: It's phenomenal. It's almost like we needed to have a 246 00:13:15,120 --> 00:13:19,240 Speaker 2: knock over the head or something. Yeah, so, yes, I 247 00:13:19,360 --> 00:13:23,120 Speaker 2: hate it. You described alcohol kind of like how I 248 00:13:23,240 --> 00:13:25,920 Speaker 2: saw it, kind of as to soften the edges of 249 00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:31,480 Speaker 2: the day. Yes, yeah, What emotions were you tempted to 250 00:13:31,559 --> 00:13:33,600 Speaker 2: avoid once you stopped drinking? 251 00:13:33,920 --> 00:13:38,320 Speaker 1: Oh gosh, that's such a good question. Oh my gosh, 252 00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:41,160 Speaker 1: so many, even just trying to think right now of 253 00:13:41,200 --> 00:13:43,680 Speaker 1: what I'm going through because I'm going through a tough 254 00:13:43,720 --> 00:13:45,360 Speaker 1: time right now, and I was telling some of my 255 00:13:45,400 --> 00:13:48,520 Speaker 1: coaching gals like you, gals, I am with you on 256 00:13:48,720 --> 00:13:52,040 Speaker 1: wanting to just hit the eject button. I'm with you 257 00:13:52,120 --> 00:13:56,880 Speaker 1: on wanting to escape your body and not sit in 258 00:13:56,960 --> 00:14:01,520 Speaker 1: the hard emotions. And that can be anything from anger 259 00:14:01,800 --> 00:14:07,320 Speaker 1: to frustration to being overscheduled and overworked and not knowing 260 00:14:07,400 --> 00:14:10,920 Speaker 1: how to create the space and the rest for yourself. 261 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:13,400 Speaker 1: Like Sabbath was a big thing for me in twenty 262 00:14:13,480 --> 00:14:15,840 Speaker 1: twenty five that I experimented with that I'm like, oh, 263 00:14:15,920 --> 00:14:18,280 Speaker 1: this is another thing that I thought was something you 264 00:14:18,360 --> 00:14:21,080 Speaker 1: were wagging your finger at all of us, God, but 265 00:14:21,160 --> 00:14:25,560 Speaker 1: this is actually a gift too, who knew? And so 266 00:14:26,120 --> 00:14:28,680 Speaker 1: all of emotions, all of the emotions when they get 267 00:14:28,720 --> 00:14:32,760 Speaker 1: really intense, right, we can want to soften those anxiety 268 00:14:33,480 --> 00:14:38,000 Speaker 1: thinking about the future, future, tripping, worrying about your kids 269 00:14:38,120 --> 00:14:41,880 Speaker 1: or your parents or your job, like all of those things. 270 00:14:42,080 --> 00:14:46,240 Speaker 1: And oh my gosh, control right, control, I me too, 271 00:14:46,440 --> 00:14:49,760 Speaker 1: We desperately want to control. There are so many times 272 00:14:49,760 --> 00:14:51,760 Speaker 1: where I think I'm I would be a better God 273 00:14:51,840 --> 00:14:56,040 Speaker 1: than God, right, because why is it? Yeah, that's that's 274 00:14:56,040 --> 00:15:00,040 Speaker 1: at least a turchuristism, right, like I thought, I I 275 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:01,840 Speaker 1: think I could do a lot better job than you 276 00:15:01,880 --> 00:15:05,040 Speaker 1: are right now, right, And it's so not true. 277 00:15:05,520 --> 00:15:08,360 Speaker 2: We're so limited and we don't know. But I don't 278 00:15:08,400 --> 00:15:11,120 Speaker 2: recall it any point, God saying Carol, I need to 279 00:15:11,160 --> 00:15:15,560 Speaker 2: help over here, right. Well, the emotion thing, I just ough. 280 00:15:15,720 --> 00:15:19,080 Speaker 2: Sometimes it's just oh, I think I tried to avoid them. 281 00:15:19,200 --> 00:15:25,000 Speaker 2: And you write candidly about grief and loss during the 282 00:15:25,040 --> 00:15:28,640 Speaker 2: fact that you took what surprised you most about what 283 00:15:28,800 --> 00:15:30,920 Speaker 2: came up like when the numming was gone. 284 00:15:31,080 --> 00:15:35,240 Speaker 1: I think what surprised me the most was that God 285 00:15:35,360 --> 00:15:37,840 Speaker 1: was there, which I know sounds like a cheesy, like 286 00:15:38,000 --> 00:15:41,400 Speaker 1: stock answer, but he really showed up for me. And 287 00:15:41,440 --> 00:15:43,960 Speaker 1: I hear that too a lot from gals of Oh, 288 00:15:44,040 --> 00:15:48,240 Speaker 1: he actually was here all along, That idea of him 289 00:15:48,640 --> 00:15:53,280 Speaker 1: really truly pursuing us, knowing how many times it's going 290 00:15:53,360 --> 00:15:57,440 Speaker 1: to take to have us finally listen to him, and 291 00:15:57,560 --> 00:16:00,520 Speaker 1: him not giving up no matter how long it takes, 292 00:16:01,280 --> 00:16:04,960 Speaker 1: and that we are this work in process and the 293 00:16:05,040 --> 00:16:08,720 Speaker 1: refiner's fire is so hot some days, but he's with 294 00:16:08,920 --> 00:16:12,160 Speaker 1: us in it. We're not alone, and he's not surprised 295 00:16:12,200 --> 00:16:15,000 Speaker 1: by any of this. So many gals I talked to, 296 00:16:15,040 --> 00:16:16,960 Speaker 1: and I'm sure you do too, are like they have 297 00:16:17,080 --> 00:16:21,000 Speaker 1: this perception that God loves everybody else and forgives everybody 298 00:16:21,040 --> 00:16:24,840 Speaker 1: else but them because their story is too bad. In 299 00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:27,520 Speaker 1: order to overcome that, you just got to get to 300 00:16:27,560 --> 00:16:29,920 Speaker 1: know him by reading his word. You just have to 301 00:16:30,040 --> 00:16:32,880 Speaker 1: know that the Bible is full of people that are 302 00:16:33,280 --> 00:16:40,160 Speaker 1: screw upsherily. 303 00:16:37,880 --> 00:16:43,040 Speaker 2: So why should yeah, why should we escape that? Right? Yes? 304 00:16:43,680 --> 00:16:46,440 Speaker 2: Just yeah, the shame and all of that that we 305 00:16:46,600 --> 00:16:51,800 Speaker 2: cover ourselves in I've lived it, and I can kill people. 306 00:16:51,840 --> 00:16:53,760 Speaker 2: He's there for you. He's there for you, and I 307 00:16:53,760 --> 00:16:57,720 Speaker 2: didn't realize I was falling in the trap either of Right, Yeah, 308 00:16:57,840 --> 00:17:00,800 Speaker 2: but you were kind of bad. You're a Bible steady teacher. 309 00:17:01,040 --> 00:17:03,520 Speaker 1: Yes, Oh my gosh, I hear that so often. 310 00:17:03,880 --> 00:17:08,240 Speaker 2: It's just very uncomfortable. Right, It's like, yeah, you too, Carol. 311 00:17:08,440 --> 00:17:10,640 Speaker 2: No matter what you did, now, you've got to live 312 00:17:10,680 --> 00:17:13,320 Speaker 2: what you're trying to teach other people. And I saw 313 00:17:13,440 --> 00:17:15,440 Speaker 2: that in you in the book that you've written. 314 00:17:15,960 --> 00:17:18,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, even us. 315 00:17:28,880 --> 00:17:32,640 Speaker 2: Okay, some of our listeners have been in survival mode 316 00:17:32,760 --> 00:17:35,720 Speaker 2: for like what seems like yours. Yeah, doing all the 317 00:17:35,760 --> 00:17:38,040 Speaker 2: right things like we thought we were doing. What did 318 00:17:38,040 --> 00:17:42,160 Speaker 2: you personally have to face about yourself during this time? 319 00:17:42,359 --> 00:17:45,320 Speaker 1: Oh my gosh, so many things. I had to face 320 00:17:45,359 --> 00:17:47,439 Speaker 1: a lot of the things that was sin right, that 321 00:17:47,560 --> 00:17:50,840 Speaker 1: happened actually when I was drinking. I'm kindness that I 322 00:17:51,080 --> 00:17:53,840 Speaker 1: had been to my husband, for example, there was a 323 00:17:53,840 --> 00:17:55,800 Speaker 1: lot of things that I was not proud of not 324 00:17:55,920 --> 00:18:00,000 Speaker 1: being present. That's one of those things that feels heavy, 325 00:18:00,160 --> 00:18:03,120 Speaker 1: I think for a while after you find freedom from 326 00:18:03,160 --> 00:18:07,080 Speaker 1: alcohol is not being present, especially if you have littler kids. 327 00:18:07,200 --> 00:18:10,440 Speaker 1: Or even any kids of any agents, for giving yourself 328 00:18:10,440 --> 00:18:13,639 Speaker 1: for that, not getting wrapped up in the shame around 329 00:18:13,640 --> 00:18:16,040 Speaker 1: that like we were just talking about. But then also 330 00:18:16,680 --> 00:18:20,160 Speaker 1: so many things that once alcohol's in the rear view mirror, 331 00:18:20,480 --> 00:18:22,879 Speaker 1: like there are so many other things I have to 332 00:18:22,880 --> 00:18:27,120 Speaker 1: work on. I'm so impatient, and that's okay, because God 333 00:18:27,160 --> 00:18:29,600 Speaker 1: meets me right where I am in the fast moving 334 00:18:29,960 --> 00:18:32,360 Speaker 1: and and all of that. 335 00:18:32,760 --> 00:18:35,679 Speaker 2: One thing that's what I really appreciate is that you 336 00:18:35,680 --> 00:18:38,360 Speaker 2: don't frame this like, Okay, let's clean yourself. 337 00:18:38,080 --> 00:18:39,960 Speaker 1: Up, so good right to meet you right? 338 00:18:40,320 --> 00:18:44,520 Speaker 2: What did you experience or should I say, where did 339 00:18:44,600 --> 00:18:48,840 Speaker 2: you experience Jesus? Most clearly during the fast that you 340 00:18:48,880 --> 00:18:49,800 Speaker 2: took from alcohol. 341 00:18:49,920 --> 00:18:52,600 Speaker 1: Every single morning when I would just wake up and 342 00:18:52,920 --> 00:18:57,280 Speaker 1: have the energy to be in the word, I experienced him. 343 00:18:57,480 --> 00:19:00,480 Speaker 1: I really did. It was creating that space to be 344 00:19:00,560 --> 00:19:03,080 Speaker 1: with him and hear from him again, and then just 345 00:19:03,280 --> 00:19:08,080 Speaker 1: being able to see how He was working in my 346 00:19:08,240 --> 00:19:10,840 Speaker 1: life in the disappointments again in the way that I 347 00:19:10,880 --> 00:19:13,480 Speaker 1: would not have planned. It was something that I don't 348 00:19:13,520 --> 00:19:15,880 Speaker 1: think I could have done if I had still been drinking. 349 00:19:16,359 --> 00:19:19,479 Speaker 1: My husband had a major job change, like you know, 350 00:19:19,520 --> 00:19:22,640 Speaker 1: two years after I stopped drinking and it was crazy, 351 00:19:22,680 --> 00:19:25,840 Speaker 1: we never thought it'd happened type of thing. And I, again, 352 00:19:26,119 --> 00:19:28,320 Speaker 1: I wouldn't have chosen it, But now I can see 353 00:19:28,480 --> 00:19:31,280 Speaker 1: what he is doing and why, and I think that 354 00:19:31,720 --> 00:19:34,560 Speaker 1: it gives you that opportunity to look back it passed 355 00:19:34,640 --> 00:19:37,719 Speaker 1: disappointments and things that you would have done differently and 356 00:19:37,920 --> 00:19:41,200 Speaker 1: really understand that he has a plan and his timing 357 00:19:41,280 --> 00:19:43,520 Speaker 1: is perfect. It's one of those like you have to 358 00:19:43,560 --> 00:19:45,720 Speaker 1: live it out right, you have to like go back. 359 00:19:45,760 --> 00:19:48,000 Speaker 1: And that's what we talk about all the time too 360 00:19:48,080 --> 00:19:52,199 Speaker 1: with Gal struggling with anxiety or things that they're future 361 00:19:52,240 --> 00:19:55,320 Speaker 1: tripping over, like go back, well back, look, bust out 362 00:19:55,320 --> 00:19:58,760 Speaker 1: your journal, babe, and let's write down all the times 363 00:19:58,920 --> 00:20:02,199 Speaker 1: that he showed up for you in the disappointments or 364 00:20:02,240 --> 00:20:05,040 Speaker 1: in the ways that you wouldn't have chosen it. And 365 00:20:05,480 --> 00:20:09,720 Speaker 1: it's that kind of clarity and space that I think 366 00:20:10,200 --> 00:20:13,679 Speaker 1: is truly only possible when you are clear headed and 367 00:20:13,760 --> 00:20:15,560 Speaker 1: not fuzzy from alcohol. 368 00:20:15,880 --> 00:20:18,879 Speaker 2: And that's the perfect word, the fuzziness. I mean, you're there, 369 00:20:19,280 --> 00:20:23,000 Speaker 2: but are you really all there for saying like that 370 00:20:23,080 --> 00:20:23,360 Speaker 2: to hear? 371 00:20:23,520 --> 00:20:23,639 Speaker 1: So? 372 00:20:23,640 --> 00:20:26,280 Speaker 2: How did your prayers change once alcohol was out of 373 00:20:26,280 --> 00:20:27,080 Speaker 2: the picture. 374 00:20:26,880 --> 00:20:29,840 Speaker 1: Prayers change in that I gave him space to speak 375 00:20:29,840 --> 00:20:33,399 Speaker 1: to me. I also am really I don't want to 376 00:20:33,440 --> 00:20:35,800 Speaker 1: say in tune, but I feel like I'm more aware 377 00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:39,360 Speaker 1: of the spiritual battle that this is for a lot 378 00:20:39,400 --> 00:20:42,520 Speaker 1: of us. Okay, that alcohol really is a tool of 379 00:20:42,560 --> 00:20:46,320 Speaker 1: the enemy, that he uses it to create division between 380 00:20:46,720 --> 00:20:49,720 Speaker 1: us and God and us and other Christians. And I 381 00:20:49,760 --> 00:20:51,560 Speaker 1: hear it. I'm sure you do too, right, like of 382 00:20:51,800 --> 00:20:56,199 Speaker 1: just and so we are dealing with powers outside of 383 00:20:56,240 --> 00:20:59,639 Speaker 1: this world that we cannot see, and so being rooted 384 00:20:59,680 --> 00:21:02,639 Speaker 1: in the world and rooted in prayer is so so important. 385 00:21:02,880 --> 00:21:05,160 Speaker 2: So how did scripture that you're talking about, or even 386 00:21:05,200 --> 00:21:09,600 Speaker 2: the simple self awareness, how did it help you interrupt 387 00:21:09,640 --> 00:21:15,400 Speaker 2: those thought patterns? Yeah, maybe spiraling into self judgment. 388 00:21:15,960 --> 00:21:18,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think it's when we look at the armor. 389 00:21:19,000 --> 00:21:21,080 Speaker 1: The word is the sword. It's our only weapon. 390 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:23,159 Speaker 2: That good point. 391 00:21:23,560 --> 00:21:26,000 Speaker 1: Yeah. I had someone actually on a coaching call yesterday 392 00:21:26,040 --> 00:21:29,240 Speaker 1: say her word for twenty twenty six is declare because 393 00:21:29,280 --> 00:21:32,240 Speaker 1: she wants to start declaring more of the word out loud. 394 00:21:32,359 --> 00:21:32,679 Speaker 2: Wow. 395 00:21:32,680 --> 00:21:35,400 Speaker 1: And so we talked about on this coaching hall yesterday 396 00:21:35,520 --> 00:21:37,840 Speaker 1: about how that is exactly what Jesus did when he 397 00:21:37,920 --> 00:21:40,720 Speaker 1: was faced with temptation in those forty days in the desert, 398 00:21:40,880 --> 00:21:43,199 Speaker 1: he brings the word, he says it out loud. It 399 00:21:43,280 --> 00:21:47,840 Speaker 1: is truly our only weapon. And so praying scripture is 400 00:21:48,440 --> 00:21:51,240 Speaker 1: something that I am working on every single day. There's 401 00:21:51,280 --> 00:21:53,440 Speaker 1: that great the Beth More study Living Free, I think, 402 00:21:53,480 --> 00:21:55,560 Speaker 1: is the one that where she teaches you how to 403 00:21:56,000 --> 00:21:58,600 Speaker 1: pray scripture, and I'm sure there's some other great ones 404 00:21:58,600 --> 00:22:01,040 Speaker 1: out there, but really knowing his words so that you 405 00:22:01,080 --> 00:22:03,880 Speaker 1: could bring it into the discussions with him and use 406 00:22:03,960 --> 00:22:05,800 Speaker 1: it when temptation strikes too. 407 00:22:06,119 --> 00:22:09,119 Speaker 2: Okay, So for the one who is listening right now 408 00:22:09,359 --> 00:22:13,359 Speaker 2: and who's afraid of what mind might do without alcohol, 409 00:22:13,720 --> 00:22:16,480 Speaker 2: what would you want to know from your own experience? 410 00:22:17,200 --> 00:22:23,320 Speaker 1: Yeah, that being present to your thoughts is something that 411 00:22:23,359 --> 00:22:27,480 Speaker 1: I'd never ever done before starting this work. I never 412 00:22:27,720 --> 00:22:30,200 Speaker 1: stopped to think about my thinking. I did not know 413 00:22:30,320 --> 00:22:34,879 Speaker 1: that the battlefield was in the mind. And so just 414 00:22:34,920 --> 00:22:38,480 Speaker 1: give yourself so much grace to pay attention to what 415 00:22:38,720 --> 00:22:41,720 Speaker 1: is going on up there, and that everything that you 416 00:22:42,040 --> 00:22:46,159 Speaker 1: think is not necessarily true, and everything that you feel 417 00:22:46,280 --> 00:22:51,240 Speaker 1: is not necessarily fact. It's getting really really clear, pulling 418 00:22:51,280 --> 00:22:55,159 Speaker 1: things out, uprooting things about why you like may or 419 00:22:55,240 --> 00:22:59,520 Speaker 1: may not like to drink, who God is, who you are, 420 00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:02,560 Speaker 1: you don't whatever, stop to really think about these things 421 00:23:02,560 --> 00:23:04,879 Speaker 1: in a clear context. And so I would just say 422 00:23:05,400 --> 00:23:08,480 Speaker 1: give yourself so much grace and that there's probably a 423 00:23:08,560 --> 00:23:12,080 Speaker 1: lot of spiraling thoughts going on up there, and it 424 00:23:12,160 --> 00:23:17,280 Speaker 1: is okay if it feels super spirally, but to talk 425 00:23:17,359 --> 00:23:21,000 Speaker 1: them out or write them down, just begin begin to 426 00:23:21,080 --> 00:23:24,320 Speaker 1: get pay really close attention to your thoughts. Like that's 427 00:23:24,960 --> 00:23:26,760 Speaker 1: very much the basis of the book when it comes 428 00:23:26,760 --> 00:23:29,560 Speaker 1: to an alcohol freedom story is pay attention to your 429 00:23:29,560 --> 00:23:32,159 Speaker 1: craving voice. And let's see if that's true or not. 430 00:23:32,680 --> 00:23:35,920 Speaker 1: But the cool thing about an Alcohol Exodus is when 431 00:23:35,960 --> 00:23:38,440 Speaker 1: it teaches you to pay attention to your alcohol craving voice, 432 00:23:38,440 --> 00:23:40,520 Speaker 1: it also teaches you to pay attention to your thoughts 433 00:23:40,560 --> 00:23:44,000 Speaker 1: about everything else, and so you can start to get really, 434 00:23:44,040 --> 00:23:47,040 Speaker 1: really clear, as Paul tells us, takes our thoughts captive 435 00:23:47,040 --> 00:23:49,760 Speaker 1: and hold them up to the light of truth. But 436 00:23:49,880 --> 00:23:53,400 Speaker 1: it's a process and it's a daily practice. But it's 437 00:23:53,440 --> 00:23:55,560 Speaker 1: funny because I think this ends up being a gift 438 00:23:55,560 --> 00:23:58,879 Speaker 1: from God, right, because it's a really tangible way of 439 00:23:59,240 --> 00:24:02,200 Speaker 1: teaching us how to take our thoughts captive. I think 440 00:24:02,240 --> 00:24:05,960 Speaker 1: when you're dealing with alcohol voices good point. 441 00:24:06,119 --> 00:24:08,639 Speaker 2: So we are in a period of time where a 442 00:24:08,640 --> 00:24:12,280 Speaker 2: lot of people do like a dry January, and here 443 00:24:12,320 --> 00:24:14,879 Speaker 2: we are in January at the time of this recording. 444 00:24:15,160 --> 00:24:18,560 Speaker 2: What are your thoughts and where I'm coming at it 445 00:24:18,600 --> 00:24:23,080 Speaker 2: is I tried them before, and I worked with willpower. Yeah, 446 00:24:23,440 --> 00:24:27,080 Speaker 2: and power is not necessarily the correct way to go 447 00:24:27,200 --> 00:24:28,560 Speaker 2: about doing. 448 00:24:28,240 --> 00:24:30,840 Speaker 1: It right, because this is the thing. We have a 449 00:24:30,880 --> 00:24:35,280 Speaker 1: finite amount of willpower. It's my diets don't work, it's 450 00:24:35,320 --> 00:24:38,639 Speaker 1: might be. Instead of focusing on behavior change, we have 451 00:24:38,720 --> 00:24:41,960 Speaker 1: to focus on taking our thoughts captive again and changing 452 00:24:42,040 --> 00:24:45,320 Speaker 1: the way that we look at what alcohol is or 453 00:24:45,440 --> 00:24:48,960 Speaker 1: is not doing for us. This is a lifelong journey, 454 00:24:49,440 --> 00:24:52,320 Speaker 1: not necessarily with alcohol but with everything. Is again to 455 00:24:52,320 --> 00:24:54,919 Speaker 1: get clear about what we're thinking. And so the forty 456 00:24:54,960 --> 00:24:57,720 Speaker 1: day fast is different and that it's not a willpower 457 00:24:57,840 --> 00:25:00,800 Speaker 1: challenge of white knuckle your way through forty days and 458 00:25:00,920 --> 00:25:03,200 Speaker 1: prove to yourself that you don't have a drinking problem. 459 00:25:03,400 --> 00:25:06,520 Speaker 1: We're getting under the hood. Like so many gallons say, 460 00:25:06,520 --> 00:25:08,200 Speaker 1: they go back and read the book a second or 461 00:25:08,240 --> 00:25:10,960 Speaker 1: a third time and take something different, different from it 462 00:25:11,000 --> 00:25:14,720 Speaker 1: each time, because it really is about pulling apart all 463 00:25:14,760 --> 00:25:17,359 Speaker 1: these old narratives. Why do you think that you like 464 00:25:17,440 --> 00:25:21,160 Speaker 1: to drink? Is that true? What job are you giving alcohol? 465 00:25:21,600 --> 00:25:24,800 Speaker 1: Is that true? Because ultimately you're always going to have 466 00:25:25,119 --> 00:25:28,040 Speaker 1: the desire to drink if you think that there is 467 00:25:28,080 --> 00:25:31,760 Speaker 1: a benefit there. And so we want, if this is 468 00:25:31,800 --> 00:25:35,080 Speaker 1: what God has for you, to lose that desire completely, 469 00:25:35,119 --> 00:25:37,200 Speaker 1: which is something I never thought was possible. 470 00:25:37,480 --> 00:25:40,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, me neither, right, yeah, And so. 471 00:25:40,440 --> 00:25:43,679 Speaker 1: In order to lose the desire to drink, you have 472 00:25:43,760 --> 00:25:46,160 Speaker 1: to change the way that you think about alcohol, right, 473 00:25:46,200 --> 00:25:48,520 Speaker 1: And so that is what this fast is about, and 474 00:25:48,560 --> 00:25:53,080 Speaker 1: focusing on this as a gift and focus on feeling better, 475 00:25:53,560 --> 00:25:56,639 Speaker 1: and focus on this being a get to not a 476 00:25:56,720 --> 00:26:00,280 Speaker 1: have to. And ultimately, if the goal is about getting 477 00:26:00,280 --> 00:26:03,720 Speaker 1: closer to Jesus, then it's not something that you can 478 00:26:03,760 --> 00:26:05,360 Speaker 1: fail at because He will meet you there. 479 00:26:06,000 --> 00:26:09,200 Speaker 2: Ah, that's a beautiful thought of hope. So, Christy, if 480 00:26:09,320 --> 00:26:13,240 Speaker 2: Jesus we're sitting with the one who's exhausted, the one 481 00:26:13,240 --> 00:26:18,399 Speaker 2: who's oh grieving or or maybe quietly like stuck, what 482 00:26:18,480 --> 00:26:20,119 Speaker 2: do you think he would want her to hear about 483 00:26:20,160 --> 00:26:21,119 Speaker 2: this season. 484 00:26:20,960 --> 00:26:24,359 Speaker 1: That he's right there, that each you know you're not 485 00:26:24,520 --> 00:26:27,879 Speaker 1: alone that he has freedom for you, and then he 486 00:26:28,040 --> 00:26:31,000 Speaker 1: has a perfect plan not only for your life, but 487 00:26:31,040 --> 00:26:34,720 Speaker 1: for whatever this chapter of un Alcohol Exodus looks like 488 00:26:34,840 --> 00:26:37,879 Speaker 1: for you. And the pressure is off. The pressure is 489 00:26:37,920 --> 00:26:41,080 Speaker 1: off because he wants to walk with you in it, 490 00:26:41,160 --> 00:26:43,119 Speaker 1: and he wants to walk with you through it, and 491 00:26:43,160 --> 00:26:46,360 Speaker 1: he wants you to learn so many things about who 492 00:26:46,440 --> 00:26:50,640 Speaker 1: he is and that his grace is just his mercies 493 00:26:50,640 --> 00:26:53,600 Speaker 1: are new every single morning. This doesn't have to be 494 00:26:53,680 --> 00:26:56,240 Speaker 1: a hard and heavy and scary you know, so many 495 00:26:56,280 --> 00:26:59,480 Speaker 1: people are feeling that right now in January of Oh 496 00:26:59,520 --> 00:27:01,040 Speaker 1: my gosh, I'm going to fail at this. I'm not 497 00:27:01,040 --> 00:27:02,480 Speaker 1: going to be able to do this. I'm going to 498 00:27:02,560 --> 00:27:04,359 Speaker 1: make this promise to myself and I don't even know 499 00:27:04,400 --> 00:27:06,919 Speaker 1: if it's going to last past five pm tonight. But 500 00:27:07,000 --> 00:27:09,520 Speaker 1: you know what, like He's with you in it, and 501 00:27:10,560 --> 00:27:13,080 Speaker 1: I just I don't even think we need to count. 502 00:27:13,440 --> 00:27:15,639 Speaker 1: If counting days doesn't work for you, That's what I 503 00:27:15,680 --> 00:27:17,480 Speaker 1: talk about in the book. It's a forty day fast. 504 00:27:17,520 --> 00:27:20,800 Speaker 1: But there's so many grace filled ways to look at 505 00:27:20,800 --> 00:27:23,919 Speaker 1: this so that you can really experience who God is 506 00:27:24,400 --> 00:27:28,320 Speaker 1: without adding extra shame on top, because that's the enemy. 507 00:27:29,080 --> 00:27:35,080 Speaker 2: Colutely Wow, So as we close today, listeners, I want 508 00:27:35,119 --> 00:27:39,119 Speaker 2: to remind you of this that freedom doesn't begin with willpower, 509 00:27:39,240 --> 00:27:42,840 Speaker 2: just as Christie was saying, it begins with honesty and 510 00:27:42,880 --> 00:27:46,159 Speaker 2: trusting that Jesus is going to meet us right where 511 00:27:46,160 --> 00:27:49,960 Speaker 2: we are. Christy, thank you for sharing your story and 512 00:27:50,040 --> 00:27:53,960 Speaker 2: your faith so openly. Your words are reminder that joy 513 00:27:54,080 --> 00:27:58,800 Speaker 2: something God restores. It's not something that we have to force. Yes, 514 00:27:59,359 --> 00:28:02,680 Speaker 2: and to the list or who feels exposed like I did, 515 00:28:03,280 --> 00:28:09,120 Speaker 2: or hopeful or unsure, you're not alone. We're not beyond 516 00:28:09,480 --> 00:28:13,959 Speaker 2: God's reach. Yes, Now, if you haven't already done so, 517 00:28:14,000 --> 00:28:16,359 Speaker 2: I encourage you to subscribe to this podcast so you 518 00:28:16,400 --> 00:28:19,240 Speaker 2: won't miss a single episode and rate it because it 519 00:28:19,320 --> 00:28:22,720 Speaker 2: encourages my co host Jennifer and me, and really share 520 00:28:22,760 --> 00:28:26,240 Speaker 2: it with your friends. And until next time, may you 521 00:28:26,359 --> 00:29:00,320 Speaker 2: liss one who has been set free. 522 00:29:00,080 --> 00:29:03,880 Speaker 1: There is malay still desis