In this second part of Scott’s story, he shares how his childhood pattern of retreat from reality spilled over into his adult life. He hurt others in the same way he was hurt. God met him with His grace, freeing Scott to forgive himself and live in God’s forgiveness. Freedom and peace followed, along with the beauty of redemption.

A chaotic environment of alcoholism created a need for safety as a child for Scott. His way of coping was to retreat from reality to avoid the intense emotions he felt. He carried these coping skills into his adult life, with painful results. Yet God had His hand on Scott, and there was hope.

Sometimes we can be our own worst critic. Even when we know that God has forgiven us, we can have a hard time forgiving ourselves. The Holy Spirit longs to help us learn to live in His grace, freeing us to live in the hope of life without regret and self-reproach.

When Bill Folz surrendered his life to Christ, he moved from darkness to light and found the calling of his life. He asked God for a life worth living and God answered that prayer. Knowing this, we can trust God for His purposes for us. He wants to give each of us a life that brings us joy and meaning.

At the core of who we are, we desire a relationship with God. Even when we walk into the darkness, God continues to pursue us. Bill Folz shares his story of how he used drugs and music scene in an attempt to find relational depth. God met him before he understood his need, offering forgiveness and hope.

We may know in our heads that God has forgiven us and at the same time not feel forgiven. When we don’t feel worthy of God’s forgiveness, shame and guilt have a hold on us. Christ work for us is finished, and learning to rest in that forgiveness frees our hearts. Even when others won’t forgive us, we are forgiven.

Because of shame, we often want to hide our sin, which only fuels more sin in us. God’s design for relational healing calls us to risk trusting another with our sin so that we can come out of hiding into the light. It is in the light where God and others can come alongside us in our struggle. Shame loses power as we experience being loved and giving love to others.

Struggles with compulsive sin can rob us of hope and harm relationships. Attempts to bring the sin under control never seems to help and instead brings more shame. Bill Thrall, pastor, mentor, author, and leader, shares his wisdom, revealing how shame and hiding from others fuels the compulsion to continue. It is humility and Jesus’s work for us that can bring about healing.

God has given us the gift of conscience so that we remember the righteousness of God’s ways. In heeding our conscience and choosing obedience, our shame is lifted and we experience freedom.

God has given us the gift of conscience so that we remember the righteousness of God’s ways. In heeding our conscience and choosing obedience, our shame is lifted and we experience freedom.

Mike Speakman, licensed substance abuse counselor and founder of PAL groups, brings insight and understanding to the experience of parenting a son or daughter struggling with an addiction. Mike shares how a parent can use compassion and boundaries to inspire dignity and change.

Mike Speakman, licensed substance abuse counselor and founder of PAL groups, brings insight and understanding to the experience of addiction. He explains the process of recovery and why he created a resource for parents of addicted loved ones. He brings hope to the addict and their family members.

Healing and maturing are slow processes. God is patient with us. As we submit to Him and learn to walk in His ways a day at a time, change and growth occurs. The ongoing practice of choosing God’s ways instead of our own results in peace and joy. Dick shares this reality in His life as He lives in the discipline of working the 12 steps of AA.

Underneath all of the ways we try to numb our pain and protect our hearts is a deep desire for intimacy with God. In this episode, Dick shares his journey with alcoholism and how God pursued his heart. In the process, Dick began to live in sobriety, giving him hope for a new life.

When our compulsions take over our existence, it can be difficult to have hope for anything good. Mike continues sharing his story of how God worked to free him to a productive and rewarding life through humility and submission to God and others.

Drug addiction brings great destruction, whether it is the addicts’ lives, or the lives of those they love. With God all things are possible. Just when the destruction of drugs seemed to rob Mike of everything, an opportunity arose for a way out. In jail, Mike came to know Jesus, giving him hope for healing

Even when others won’t admit wrong, forgiveness frees us to love without expectation. Kiera shares more of her journey and how God’s perfect love helped her to see her mom with objectivity. There is hope for our hearts to heal and love well because God gives us His power to love as He does.

Complicated relationships can make reconciliation attempts challenging. Hear Kiera share about the family dynamics she experienced and how they affected her relationship with her mom. When Kiera began to look at those effects and grow in willingness to let her mom love her imperfectly, change started to happen.

When we finally allow God to have His way in us, reconciliation is possible. Fruit is born out of that obedience. In this episode, Joe Scheid shares about his ongoing journey of spiritual maturing. As he continued to learn and grow, he was able to then pass on to others what God had done in him. The redemption produced fruit in others’ lives, for God’s glory.

Joe Scheid shares his story of a broken relationship with his mom, and how her and his individual growth prepared their hearts to be able to reconcile. Reconciliation is possible when we humble our hearts and are willing to let God have His way in us. Hope and redemption are the beautiful fruits of that willingness.