A2D - From Addict to Disciple

Enjoy as you listen to our group of six guys in recovery from Australia, South Africa and the US as they react to the following quote by Mother Theresa "We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty." I'm sure they will touch your memories and your hearts as they describe their greatest pover...

Do you find yourself slipping and stumbling in your recovery? Today we look at what causes us to lose our footing in recovery. AND then we discuss four things we can do to get our foundation established and have strong and stable footing in recovery. We don't have to live in fear of slippery floors or road surfaces as we travel our journey of recovery.

What is the damage done by your years in addiction? In this episode we look at many areas of damage and how we learn to accept them with grace in our recovery. How do we find grace when we're battling so much grief for all that we lost because of our addiction? One of the keys is realizing that in our addiction we knew the price of everything and the value of nothing! In recovery we begin to find...

Today's group episode looks at the necessity of learning to manage the triggers that you cannot avoid. This includes people like friends and family, places like work situations and family gatherings, and things like money or thoughts that tempt us. Our guys in recovery share the things they employ to help them manage their triggers like pictures of their new life, honesty about how we can be our o...

Are you stuck in mediocrity? Do you struggle to keep your momentum going as you walk in recovery? In this episode we look at things that slow down our momentum, drain our energy or sap our enthusiasm. How can we get our momentum back when we find ourselves sliding into that same old level of mediocrity? I believe a key is in the choices we make every day. Choices in the moment have enormous weight...

Today's group episode looks at books or quotes that are precious to each of us in our recovery. The guys in the group react to this quote by Wilferd Peterson "It is time to browse through the precious books that have meant the most to you, that you may rediscover illuminating phrases and sentences to light your pathway to the future." I hope as you listen to this episode you will be motivated to "...

The old proverb says that opportunity knocks but once. This has led to that "seize the day" mantra. In today's episode we look at what keeps us from seizing an opportunity and how we prepare to know if the opportunity is the right one for us. We're challenged with the thought of opportunities seeking you rather than you chasing after them. And what we think about squandered opportunities. Enjoy, l...

Today's episode deals with making amends. Got other episodes on this topic check out #44 and #131. In this episode we look at our hopes as a result of making amends. Do you hope for reconciliation in your marriage, in the lives of your children, etc? Do you hope to have your status as head of the household and your respect and dignity restored? Are these hopes even realistic? Listen to this episod...

This episode is another group session with my friends in recovery from the US, South Africa and Australia. I'm sure you will be motivated as you listen to their answers to this question: One issue in recovery is developing compassion for those parts of ourselves that are unwanted or ignored or misunderstood by those we care about. Can you share one part of yourself that is important to you but not...

What keeps you strong in recovery? Is it stuff like meetings, programs, or a good job? Today we look at the importance of learning how to be resilient in the midst of all the burdens, demands, expectations, pressures and stressors we gave every day in recovery. How do we bounce back from life's situations and circumstances before they knock us down emotionally? Before we turn to our old comforters...

What does "catch you on the flip side" mean? Where did that phrase come from? Today we look at writing our flip side of life. A chance to start over and to turn from our past vices to tomorrow's virtues. What have we learned from the past? What good aspects of our past can we hold onto in our recovery? I hope you enjoy today's episode.

In today's group session episode we look at this question. People say we all have 3 versions of ourselves: 1) the person you think you are 2) the person other people see and 3) the person you really are. What does it mean to be the best version of yourself? How do you live that out or walk in it? Listen as our guys in recovery reflect on this questions.

Are you someone who always says the grass is greener on the other side of the fence? Do you find yourself hesitant at new opportunities in recovery? Are you focused on and always talking about the things you can't do? If so, then this episode is for you. Remember "There is no flak jacket against self sabotage!" See episode #120 for more on Self Sabotage.

This episode is another group meeting with guys in recovery from the US, Australia and South Africa. Listen to their ideas on the differences between the world view of being identified because of our past behaviors vs the kingdom view of finding your identity in your faith. Hear how each guy looks at his past, finds strength and safety in the present, and has hope for the future.

In this episode we take a look at what we do in From A2D. How we are motivated by all three: passion, purpose and compassion to walk in living what we do and sitting love for people caught in the snare of addiction. Not simply focused on fixing them or having them come right, but helping them find healing and wholeness. We do this by meeting them where they are at and listening to their feelings,...

Let's look at those situations and relationships we get ourselves into where we feel like we're stuck in quicksand and it's going to swallow us up. Why do we keep running back to the same people and situations that are quicksand to us? We need to not just deal with it, but to process it and feel it so that we can find our second wind which will carry us through to better days ahead.

We all need to develop a lifestyle of course correction to keep us focused on our destination. It's normal to get distracted, side-tracked or to veer off course every now and then. The key is to continue the journey, not stop and wallow in the shame of our mistake or the self-pity of the unfair thing that happened to us. Winds change and we need to learn how to keep sailing regardless. A good tool...

Today's episode is a group session as our guys in recovery from Australia, South Africa and the US share their feelings from episode # 173. Listen to their just of complicated grief in seeing the hurt their children carry, in stab wounds from the church, in physical and mental Spectra that make us feel like we're 70 even though we're 40, and in more aspects of grief. Listen, share with a few frien...

Today's episode is a walkabout on last week's Complicated Grief episode. We'll look at four listeners' comments as they reached out to me with their issues of grief. Maybe you feel like everyone is ready to throw stones of condemnation at you. Or you now realize that you have glossed over many things that you should have processed earlier in life. Perhaps you were an introvert in a family of extro...

Today's episode is about an often overlooked aspect of recovery, Complicated Grief. Specifically we'll be discussing the grief about the things we lost as consequences of our addiction. This includes things like: the loss of your marriage, the ability to see or maintain a relationship with your kids, loss of your career, your house, etc. This grief can settle in as our new core value AFTER we have...

This is a group session podcast as the guys share what they would plant in their garden that would be a good reminder in their journey of recovery. What trees, bushes, tall grasses, short grasses, teas, herbs and flowers would you plant AND why? Listen as the guys share their thoughts and share this episode with friends.

Let's look at what core values are and why it's so important to know your own personal core values. Many people think they're the same as your beliefs, but I propose that our core values are stronger than our beliefs. And we need to understand what our core values are that were caused by and shaped by childhood trauma and emotional wounds. For a list of 216 for values go to www.scienceofpeople.com...

This episode is a group meeting with the guys in recovery from the US, Australia and South Africa. The discussion question is "How do you deal with being hurt by the church (people in your church and other believers) when they judge where you're at in your recovery from the world's perspective? Listen to advice from "stay in your lane" to "draw close to the ones you trust." You'll also hear the jo...

In this episode we look at the belief that we have time to change and we can wait until we're ready. But before we know a decade has gone by and we're still caught up in pornography, drugs or alcohol addiction. When asked what's the biggest mistake we make in life the Buddha replied, "The biggest mistake is you think you have time." Yes time is free, but it's priceless. Don't squander your time an...

Are you tempted by forbidden fruit? Is it because you're rebellious? Or maybe you're innocently curious because it's "forbidden". In today's episode we look at why we want to grab ahold of forbidden fruit and how we can get empowered to break free from that temptation. Share it with two friends and chat with each other about your journey in this area.