"But Jesus Drank Wine" & Other Stories That Kept Us Stuck

You probably recognize Millie Mackintosh as a model, a superstar influencer, or one of the beautiful faces from "Made in Chelsea." However, once you engage in a conversation with Millie, it becomes evident that her most cherished role is that of a mum. This heartwarming interview delves deep into Millie's journey to alcohol freedom, delivering a heartfelt message that will resonate profoundly with...

Today's episode is part 2 of our powerful conversation with guest Caroline Dooner, a former New Age practitioner and author, who shares her profound journey from the depths of the New Age movement to the embrace of Christianity. She provides a candid exploration of her Catholic upbringing, initial misunderstandings of Jesus, and the allure of the New Age's promises of personal power. Caroline disc...

Join us for this powerful conversation over the next two episodes as our guest Caroline Dooner, a former New Age practitioner and author, shares her profound journey from the depths of the New Age movement to the embrace of Christianity. She provides a candid exploration of her Catholic upbringing, initial misunderstandings of Jesus, and the allure of the New Age's promises of personal power. Caro...

Dear Listener, Have you made it all the way through the Christmas season without alcohol and today – Christmas Day of all days – you are finding yourself entertaining thoughts of mimosas with Christmas brunch? Or maybe you have been mindfully drinking through this season and today you are exhausted and ready to try differently by not drinking, but don't know where to start?    No matter the reason...

Today we're engaging in an open conversation about the pursuit of moderation along the freedom from alcohol journey. From the inherent challenges of moderation to uncovering the underlying fears that often propel the desire for moderation, and the things to consider if moderation is your desire, we cover it all here today.    But first, you won't want to miss Christy's reflections from her fourth...

In today's inspiring episode, we're thrilled to share a heart-to-heart with Brittany Tonkavich, a former client of Christy's. Her journey isn't just a story of sobriety; it's a raw, deep dive into finding herself amidst the unexpected turns in life. Brittany kicks off with her life's mantra that struck a chord with us: "If it looks like the high life, it's probably the lie life." She opens up abou...

"But what about all the parties?" Today we're chatting all about the challenging but rewarding world of sober socializing during the festive Christmas season. We had the pleasure of hosting Karolina Rzadkowolska, an alcohol-free empowerment expert and bestselling author of "Euphoric: Ditch Alcohol and Gain a Happier, More Confident You."  Karolina's expertise has helped thousands through her book...

In this episode, we are tackling a listener's question about dealing with the shame associated with looking back on past drinking experiences. We reflect on our own regrets from our drinking days and emphasize the importance of revisiting past regrets with curiosity and self-compassion. We both share how our relationship with Jesus transformed through forgiveness and grace.   We discuss the signif...

Have you ever felt like you want to drink and not want to drink at the same time? Have you ever felt like wine is getting in the way of meaningful connections with the Lord, your hub, kids and others? And at the same time you feel like wine is the thing that's connecting you to your hub, and girlfriends so you can't imagine actually doing anything about the wine situation? These conflicting though...

Today, we're chatting about understanding and managing triggers on the path to sobriety. Triggers, those little sparks that push us towards a drink, come in various forms, and today, we're unpacking them one by one. We start with emotional triggers. From feelings of loneliness to grief, we explore how uplifting and challenging emotions can lead us to seek solace in a bottle of wine. Next, we tackl...

Our friend and guest today, Erik Frederickson, is a fellow Jesus follower, coach and author of the newly-released and incredible book, "Recovering Reality: Freedom from the torment of addiction." We invited Erik to join us on the pod because he, like us, believes that there is not a one-size-fits-all approach to freeing ourselves from the substances and everyday addictions that take up the space i...

In this profoundly personal and enlightening episode, we welcome Sam, a former client of Christy, who shares her intimate journey with alcohol. Sam's story begins with her college years, where she transitioned from indifference to heavy drinking, trying to find her place in a new environment. Despite facing alcohol-related challenges, she managed to prioritize her studies and later ventured into t...

On today's episode, we're honored to chat with Jenn Kautsch, the inspiring founder of the SoberSis community. Jenn is a pivotal voice in the "Sober Curious" movement and the author of "Look Alive, Sis." Her mission? To forge a judgment-free space where women can reassess their bond with alcohol. Jenn specializes in guiding those stuck in the "gray area" of drinking, steering them away from the min...

Today, we dive deep into a story we have heard numerous times from clients: "I drink because I'm bored." And although we're talking about boredom, this is not a boring episode. In fact, we couldn't stop laughing all the way through. We explore the concept of boredom and how idle time can be perceived as a gift, providing an opportunity for reflection and creativity. We discuss how moments of still...

The fear of 'forever' when quitting alcohol is a common concern for many when exploring sobriety. And it can be a significant barrier to even daring to look at our relationship to alcohol because of the long-formed belief from traditional quit-drinking spaces that say alcohol must be eliminated forever. But do we have to say forever? And what does 'forever' when it comes to quitting drinking even...

On the latest jam of "But Jesus Drank Wine," we're hanging out with the amazing William Porter - the genius behind 'Alcohol Explained' (and its sequel). William has a serious gift for taking all of the sciencey jargon about alcohol and making it relatable and easy to understand.  We're diving deep into the nitty-gritty of how booze messes with our minds and bodies. Have you ever wondered why you'r...

In this episode, we dive into the intimate journey of coping with grief and numbing with alcohol. Christy talks about losing her mother and how breaking free from alcohol became essential to her healing process.  We chat candidly about the numbing effects of alcohol, a substance that ultimately trapped Christy in a cycle of unprocessed grief. We talk about how sobriety can help offer the tools to...

We love having guests on the pod to share about their quitting drinking journeys and Jolene's gray-area drinking story last week is powerful. Today's story, equally powerful but unlike any other story we've shared before, is the second part of our conversation with our friend, functional nutritionist and gray-area drinking coach, Jolene Park.    From growing up a self-described "pew warmer" in her...

In this eye-opening episode, we're thrilled to sit down with Jolene Park, a leading authority on Gray Area Drinking. You may recognize her from her groundbreaking TED talk, which has garnered an astounding 400,000 views. Jolene isn't just a functional nutritionist and health coach; she's also a pioneer in helping people rewire their nervous systems post-drinking using her revolutionary NOURISH met...

Join us for a heartwarming episode where we chat candidly with Meade's son, Crawford (13) and Christy's son, Carter (11), about the ripple effects of our decision to live alcohol-free.    From their moms having more time to spend with them and how our sobriety has impacted their dads' drinking habits, our boys give us a window into how much kids really notice.    Trust us, these young minds are aw...

Our guest today, Dan Jablonski, an IT executive at a multinational energy company, joins the hopeful conversation around how freedom from alcohol leads to a life full of peace, joy and purpose. Dan dives into his personal journey to alcohol-free living, which was sparked by a significant life shift. He shares his unique perspective as the lone male in one of Meade's coaching groups and shares abou...

Journeying Through the Early Days of Sobriety: Raw Insights from Meade's Journal Dive with us into this captivating episode, where we unearth the raw, unfiltered thoughts from Meade's journal during her initial alcohol-free days.  From the undeniable fatigue prompting extra naps, to unexpected sugar cravings signaling our body's way of compensating, we highlight the significant markers indicating...

Join us today for an oldie but goodie fun chat as we explore our 10 favorite things about being free from alcohol. We knew things like better sleep, less brain fog and more hydrated skin were possible by "quitting drinking," and those things would have been enough, but listen along to find out what unexpected gifts we have found from not just quitting drinking but from never having to drink alcoho...

In this episode, we continue exploring personal stories of those who have been stuck in the over-drinking cycle. Special guests, Amy and Matt Edwards, co-hosts of the "Alcohol-Free Marriage and More" podcast, join us to discuss their journey to freedom from alcohol. They share their initial challenges transitioning from being 'career drinkers' to achieving an alcohol-free lifestyle.    Matt delves...

In this episode, Meade and Christy welcome Jeff Salzenstein, a former professional tennis player and now keynote speaker and performance and leadership coach. Jeff shares his journey through the highs and lows of being a professional athlete, overcoming adversity and his dedication to achieving optimal performance physically, mentally and emotionally.    Not only does Jeff's story highlight the po...