This is Your Wake-Up Call || alcoholic, addict, co-dependent, tools and resources for recovery, HOPE

Send us Fan Mail Meet Todd - a former Professional Rodeo Cowboy/Bull-Rider - whose time with horses now is in the pen sharing the Gospel across the country and around the globe via Riding High Ministries (https://g.co/kgs/iEzi3C6).  But it wasn't always this way. As Todd shares, he was hurting - and therefore hurting a lot of others along the way. With days of promiscuity, alcohol, people ple...

Send us Fan Mail Meet Molly; entrepreneur, single-parent, lover of Jesus and so much more! While Molly doesn't go deep into the story of her ex/alcoholic, she shares how all three of her boys have suffered addiction. And yet the last 5 years have been, by far, the most challenging and difficult to navigate, as her oldest, John traversed into the dark side with paranoia into severe psychosis. ...

Send us Fan Mail Meet Richard - fun-loving Bostonian in the restaurant industry who speaks to his journey before and after alcoholism. As the child of two parents who smoked and drank, (and a passel of other family members) Richard began his imbibing at the tender age of 12. The on-again-off-again cycle with months of not drinking was how it started, until he found himself 'in the bottle&apos...

Send us Fan Mail Meet Steve - whose gripping story of recovery and redemption eclipse the long and winding road, with a 13-year stop along the way in a Colorado penitentiary. Steve is well-versed now in what he refers to as the "Gold Standard" of recovery.  And trust me, having tried sobriety for ten years on his own, he learned some of the most difficult lessons in the hardest of ways. ...

Send us Fan Mail Greetings and Happy New Year! I love this time of year - this sense of 'new beginnings'. Today I'm so happy to introduce you to Christine - a dear friend in recovery in my own program, ironically called 'New Beginnings'!  Christine shares her testimony in such a raw, authentic, vulnerable way - one I know you'll relate to. My hope is, that while she,...

Send us Fan Mail Meet Lacy...beautiful entrepreneur, who, from the outside looking in, has it all together. So goes so many of our stories! Yet you and I both know, it's far from the truth. By now we recognize that literally, everyone has a story . Which is why I'm so grateful to each person who bravely shares their experience, strength and hope, to give us just that, for when we most ne...

Send us Fan Mail Meet Creigh, contestant on The Voice ! I was so inspired when hearing his introduction on this year's season of The Voice , I immediately reached out to see if he would be willing to share his awesome testimony! Fortunately, he shared his 'yes' and here we are! To hear once again that "You are not alone" and to not let this disease 'rob you of your be...

Send us Fan Mail Meet JD - Men's Center Director for 180 Ministries here in Denver. His story begins as a young kid, lacking self-confidence and real identity, though not a bad childhood as some stories. Recognizing he wanted to 'get away', he'd ultimately join the Marines and land in Okinawa, Japan for his first assignment. Things got dark, as this self-proclaimed former &apos...

Send us Fan Mail Karen is well acquainted with the depth of loss, grief and all that is enveloped in the world of the alcoholic/addict. And yet, with 37 years of recovery to her name, she now helps countless others in their journey to recovery. There are so many nuggets of wisdom shared throughout this episode! A favorite quote from the 'big book' states, "Glass in hand, we have war...

Send us Fan Mail Meet Kayla - self-admitted naive, sheltered home-school girl from a loving family who meets her Prince Charming at Bible School! Life is grand and married life 'seemed so easy' - until it wasn't.  Kayla had never known or experienced the devastating effects of alcoholism or addiction in her family. And when she was introduced, the ugly, dysfunctional story began to...

Send us Fan Mail Meet Monica. As a self-proclaimed "fixer of people", she would find solace, relief and begin her healing journey in the rooms of Al-Anon. And what a journey it's been! Her story begins the week after Thanksgiving when her son-in-law called stating, "I can't find her" (implying her daughter was missing). Subsequent calls were about to ensue to the hosp...

Send us Fan Mail Meet Dr. Nicholas Samstag, who shares his story and work in the field of psychoanalysis and more. In the course of our conversation, we look at the intersection of mental health and addiction, and beyond. With a wealth of experience around the 'soothing' component of addiction, he poses some great questions and recognizes that no one size fits all. I'm left ponderin...

Send us Fan Mail "I felt the shame" - was one of the earliest quotes from Kathy. As she shares her own tragic experience at such an early age, she's also quick to point out that "God kept me" as things could have gone drastically different for her. There are so many beautiful highs littered with numerous lows - sound familiar? Kathy's story is just that - it's he...

Send us Fan Mail Meet Nick Pollard - self-proclaimed people pleaser and recovered addict. This Instagram personality has an incredible story (as we all do!) and how he is sharing his many breakthroughs and thoughts on recovery so publicly is how we met. You'll hear the heart-wrenching story of multiple failed marriages, trying to soothe the pain of family revelations that hurt so deeply, he w...

Send us Fan Mail THIS!! The TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY of "This Is Your Wake-Up Call" and the 50th episode! Who else but Pastor Daniel Petruska, CEO of 180 ministries is my guest today. And we recount some of the INCREDIBLE stories from the last time we spoke - in January of 2023. There is a LOT of hope, healing and HELP within. I do hope you'll listen - and please share broadly.  There a...

Send us Fan Mail Meet Jennifer in Atlanta - as a young girl, she recalls always trying to avoid the pain in the short term for the grander plan in the long run. Her pattern of realizing that "takers are always attracted to the givers" is likely something with which many of us can identify.  Recognizing now that she was always searching for the unconditional love that seemed to be missing...

Send us Fan Mail Meet Barb - CEO and female entrepreneur - and SO.MUCH.MORE! As a woman born in KS and not afraid of work, she shares candidly of the roller-coaster that her story has been. The highs and lows of epic wins and losses - she shares it all.   The story unfolds with her husband, Dave, the bull-rider on the circuit, them owning multiples businesses, pockets of massive financial success...

Send us Fan Mail Meet Jordan - a beautiful young woman with a heroic story of overcoming - much like where you might be, also! When drawing pictures in Kindergarten of tombstones with RIP Dad, a caring adult stepped in and shifted everything for this young girl. Thanks to her principal, recognizing the RAGE and fear that this little girl was exhibiting, Jordan was able to get out of an exceedingly...

Send us Fan Mail In this incredible episode, you will meet Sharon; renowned author, speaker, professor and therapist. The depth of this woman's story of recovery has such far reaching levels of impact. I urge you to not only listen, but to share broadly.  From growing up in a teetotaling, legalistic religious household, Sharon really had no grid for the idea of alcohol having any sort of impa...

Send us Fan Mail Meet Eric...just WOW! This story is a bit outside of the usual conversation, as Eric's addiction included alcohol, but pornography was his drug of choice. He shares some incredible stories of his struggle - and to be clear, it is the struggle - UNSPOKEN in our culture in large part - of so many.  His resources are also something of note - to include that he, himself is now a...

Send us Fan Mail Hey, all! Meet Heather - with the reputation of the 'good girl' and 'that girl who goes to church', she shares a story not unlike many of our own. Or is it? On the day of her wedding, her souse was completely smashed in their honeymoon room, and all she can think if, "How do I get him to stop?!" - the question so many of us have asked - or maybe are a...

Send us Fan Mail Today Joann shares her incredible story of experience, strength and hope , unlike what we have heard to date. Her fairy-tale beginning begs the question, Why? And yet, we know that the disease of addiction knows no boundaries.  There's no race, socio-economic condition, sex or otherwise that this disease has not touched. While she thought her ex-husband was the 'prince-c...

Send us Fan Mail Meet Joe from Long Island. Former Wall Street junkie who OD'd on opiates. With 6 cans of NARCAN saving him in the bathroom stall at Penn Station, you know this guy has had a few 'wake up calls' of his own. His story is another 'don't miss'! He now speaks and coaches others at a high level on the importance of perseverance ,  growth and flipping your m...

Send us Fan Mail Well, hello again listeners! I'd like to offer my apologies for taking so long in getting a new episode your way. There have been numerous reasons behind this 'lapse', including rescheduling several of our guests due to conflicts - as well as having Covid and losing my voice for a bit.  (there's some relapse involved, as well, which I'll share on another e...

Send us Fan Mail While Ralph was once " all about the party" , he shares in true humility the journey of some 20 years and the damage done along the way before he'd pray the prayer that led to a vision of the man who would guide him to recovery. A remarkable, powerful story of pain and hurt, from a man whose tender heart would never intentionally hurt another - now brings hope to so...