Addiction

This is a safe space for those who’ve struggled or still struggle with addiction to drugs, alcohol, pornography or other behaviors. We believe there is hope and freedom to be found.

drinking excessively 8 healthier coping strategies for women

Drinking Excessively? Here Are 8 Healthier Coping Strategies for Women

This article was written collaboratively by Caroline Beidler and Lindsey Encinias. Did you know that one alcoholic beverage per day (five ounces—yes, that’s right, not even the size of a measuring cup) is considered “moderate drinking” for women? We didn’t either. Is cocktail hour coming a little early—like noon? Does “Momma social club” always offer drink options? Regular morning cocktails with brunch? Nightly wine (in that oversized glass) and Netflix? Is that drinking excessively? Maybe you can relate. Are Women Drinking Excessively These Days? Recent statistics show women are reaching for the bottle more than ever.1 According to researchers, women have increased their heavy drinking days by 41% in the last year.2 But the increase hasn’t just been since the pandemic. Since the early 2000s, […]

Drinking Excessively? Here Are 8 Healthier Coping Strategies for Women Read More »

Discover 5 AA Slogans That Bring Wisdom to Any Woman’s Life

Discover 5 AA Slogans That Bring Wisdom to Any Woman’s Life

My former chosen method of numbing pain included self-medicating with pills and toxic relationships. It’s taken years, open sharing and honest conversations, lots of therapy, and a few rock-bottom moments to set myself on a path of growth and healing. For many people who struggle with addiction, recovery programs like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) have ignited a new way of life, and a newfound sense of identity and purpose. Yet, the programs practices aren’t just life-changing for its members alone—anyone can benefit from the organization’s principles, and steps. Some of the best life practices can be found in the AA slogans. These five AA slogans every woman can incorporate into her daily life! 1. One Day at a Time To take it one

Discover 5 AA Slogans That Bring Wisdom to Any Woman’s Life Read More »

behind my pretty life my struggle with alcohol

Behind My Pretty Life: My Struggle With Alcohol

I slowly lifted my index finger parallel to my eyelash and blinked. My auburn lashes were clean. No leftover mascara remained. That meant I had washed my face and possibly pulled it together before falling into bed. The perfectly appointed midnight blue monogram on my J. Crew pajamas, wrinkled against my tired body, was a positive sign that my faux façade was in place. The bow on this sloppy package was neatly tied. Thank God I gave up wine for Lent. Substituting vodka seemed to be going swimmingly. The light peeked into my bedroom through the half-drawn shutters. It was deafeningly quiet, which meant it was early on a Sunday morning. I squinted to see across the room to the quiet cove

Behind My Pretty Life: My Struggle With Alcohol Read More »

My Story from the Downstairs Church with Caroline Beidler

My Story from the Downstairs Church with Caroline Beidler

Caroline Beidler, MSW, came charging into our world at Grit and Grace Life with a laser-focused sense of direction. Her life has been reclaimed, and she knows it. Her sense of purpose has been clear from the moment she entered our door—no one here had to convince her of it or help her discover it. We simply wanted to help provide a platform to share it, because we believe in her, and we believe in her desire to help others. We’ve enjoyed her talent as a writer, we’ve become acquainted with her heart, and it’s all so vulnerably lovely. So, what greater privilege could we have than the opportunity to share the grand news that she’s written a book? (We always knew

My Story from the Downstairs Church with Caroline Beidler Read More »

I Made a Change—And It Brought My Prodigal HomeLove, Not Judgment, Brought My Prodigal Son Home

I Made a Change—And It Brought My Prodigal Home

This is a story about me and my baby, who’s now 22, and the misery we walked through together to find a love connection. It’s a story of our mutual failure, but it’s a story with a happy ending. I lived the miracle. I watched it change me. And then I watched it change my prodigal son. Stone’s given me permission to tell it with all the sordid details—I love a blank check—but I’ll just hit the lowlights. How the Separation Started In the summers before his junior and senior years of high school, Stone got drunk on our family’s lake vacations. Both years, he also drank at his proms, letting us know his plans beforehand. He was proud he hadn’t drunk

I Made a Change—And It Brought My Prodigal Home Read More »

celebrate recovery month with grace instead of judgement

Celebrate Recovery Month With Grace Instead of Judgment

This may be a startling fact: there are over 23 million Americans (and more than half of those women) who identify as being a person in recovery from addiction. That’s a lot of people. Though in the world around us, people don’t celebrate recovery; addiction is rarely associated with something positive like that. If you are around my age (not telling), you might remember the stories upon stories about Lindsey Lohan and her wild red-maned shenanigans and less than glamorous bar-time photos or Charlie Sheen’s interview (I needn’t say more). Addiction in the news is focused on the cringe-worthy, shocking, and keeps us on the edges of our seats type of stories like the latest trending Netflix series on Britney Spears. In

Celebrate Recovery Month With Grace Instead of Judgment Read More »

How I’m Loving My Daughter and Her Kids Through Drug Addiction

How I’m Loving My Daughter and Her Kids Through Drug Addiction

I’m tired of waiting. Maybe I’ve been waiting so long because God is not hearing my prayers. Have I fallen that far that He doesn’t hear me? I know I haven’t been praying like I should, but God knows why. I’m just a middle-aged grandma, raising three grandkids. I’m busy; my hands are full. He knows this. I believed with all my heart that He was the one that brought these kids to me. By the time I sit down to pray, I end up falling asleep or my mind wanders off into all of the things I need to do. The Road Home “What time is it?” my son asked after he was jolted awake when we hit a bump in the road.

How I’m Loving My Daughter and Her Kids Through Drug Addiction Read More »

Ask Dr. Zoe - How Do I Set Boundaries with My Invasive Mother-in-Law? feature image

Ask Dr. Zoe — Why Does God Refuse to Heal My Alcoholic Son?

(Listen to the audio version of this article here.) ‘PetVet’ Asked: I am a 57-year-old mom of a 30-year-old alcoholic son. I feel that I cannot have joy/peace until he finds Christ/sobriety. This has created a loss of hope in me. I know God is all-powerful. I know He can heal him anytime. However, this means that He just chooses not to heal him. To be honest, I am tired. 13 years of hope and disappointment has left me in a pretty deep pit. How can I know God’s promises of an abundant life be true? Where can I find joy? I feel that my life is enduring. And that is it. Dr. Zoe Answered: My heart aches for you on the

Ask Dr. Zoe — Why Does God Refuse to Heal My Alcoholic Son? Read More »

Addiction Does Not Define You: A Recovery Story with Caroline Beidler - 194

Addiction Does Not Define You: A Recovery Story with Caroline Beidler – 194

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | Email | TuneIn | RSS | MoreMost people are unaware of the statistic that 1 in 3 women globally have experienced sexual assault.¹ This week’s guest, sadly, was one of those victims at the tender age of 14.  Caroline Beidler joins Darlene Brock and Julie Bender this week to recount some of the early challenges she faced, including a diminished sense of self-worth, a lack of boundaries and a spiral into substance abuse. Now 11 years sober and a passionate recovery advocate, Caroline shares how we can extend grace to those struggling with addiction, and what signs moms should look out for that may indicate their teenager is

Addiction Does Not Define You: A Recovery Story with Caroline Beidler – 194 Read More »

Challenges to conquer? All you need is a growth mindset.

How Brain Science Restored My Hope for Change

Ever find inspiration in the most unexpected places? A TV show? A friendly cashier at the supermarket? A good book? I love when that happens, when fate just seems to throw you a signal, grabbing the attention of your heart just when you need it most. Well as fate would have it, I was in desperate need of some encouragement, and I found it when I was least expecting it. Just When I Was Starting to Lose Hope, Something Told Me to Hold On I was going through the growing pains of real adulthood in my mid-20s. In conversations with friends, I described this stage of life as a domino effect where, whether in my personal life or the lives of my

How Brain Science Restored My Hope for Change Read More »

Colorado Springs Tragedy: Interview with Heather Kopp

From My Addiction Miracle to Tragedy and Loss—Hope Found Me

What if your whole and redeemed and comfortable life shattered after the miracle happened? Heather Kopp has been in publishing for decades, starting out as a columnist and then going on to edit and write more than two dozen non-fiction books. Her recovery memoir, Sober Mercies: How Love Caught Up with a Christian Drunk, tells her story of anguish, then redemption; and a cycle of addiction that God miraculously and mercifully breaks. Not only in her own life but in her son, Noah’s, as well. Heather speaks of the shame surrounding addiction for women, especially Christian women, and how challenging it was for her during her struggle with alcohol. “I was taught that alcohol was a sin issue only. And so, while

From My Addiction Miracle to Tragedy and Loss—Hope Found Me Read More »

Ask Dr. Zoe - How Do I Set Boundaries with My Invasive Mother-in-Law? feature image

Ask Dr. Zoe – I’m Separated From My Husband, Should I Move Closer to Him for Our Son?

‘Michelle79’ Asked: My husband and I are separated. He had severe addiction issues and went to rehab multiple times. It finally “stuck” in California. He lives there now. I live in NJ with our 6 year old son. My son was super close to him and misses him terribly. I have no desire to move to California, but am I doing my son a disservice by not going? There is no guarantee his dad and I would work it out anyway even if I lived there. Am I being selfish for staying in NJ with my son? Dr. Zoe Answered: It’s interesting to me that you didn’t ask if he was being selfish for not moving back to New Jersey where his

Ask Dr. Zoe – I’m Separated From My Husband, Should I Move Closer to Him for Our Son? Read More »

i gave up being a party girl to build a better life

I Gave Up Being a Party Girl to Build a Better Life

My first memories were created within the walls of the sweetest little preschool, St. Stephen’s. I can’t recall entire days; just bits and pieces of the time I spent there. Some moments are very vivid in my memory bank. The education building was simple: one long hallway with lots of nursery doors of which the top halves were swung wide open, welcoming little children into the cheerful classrooms. The smell of original Lysol filled the preschool, indicating the sky blue nap mats were clean. Rubbing my fingers along the vinyl mat during rest time is still a comforting thought today. After nap time, I loved to play “Family.” Often, I would pretend to be the mom and invite my friends in for

I Gave Up Being a Party Girl to Build a Better Life Read More »

Ask Dr. Zoe - How Do I Set Boundaries with My Invasive Mother-in-Law? feature image

Ask Dr. Zoe – How Do I Help My Spouse Recognize an Addiction?

‘Trying to help’ Asked: How do you help a spouse identify an issue with their addiction? Meaning, how do you help them see there is a problem that needs addressed because it affects you, your spouse, and your child? I’m normally very direct and that is not well received- to the extent that it is unilaterally dismissed. Dr. Zoe Answered: Stop trying to convince him. Instead, make statements of fact, and put up boundaries around the unhealthy behavior that is occurring because of the addiction. For example: Instead of saying: “I think you have a problem.” Say: “I will not engage with you when you are using because (this is how it affects us).” Or, “If you choose not to get help

Ask Dr. Zoe – How Do I Help My Spouse Recognize an Addiction? Read More »

This Grit and Grace Life Podcast

Behind Her Struggle With Alcohol With Lindsey Encinias – 161

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | Email | TuneIn | RSS | MoreIs social drinking just a glass of wine at dinner (the answer is yes), or can it become something else (the answer is also yes)? Current statistics show that many women find themselves in a struggle with alcohol, experiencing a significant upswing after the stress of 2020. With this knowledge in hand, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender interview Lindsey Encinias, writer for Grit and Grace, who bravely shares her battle overcoming alcoholism. In this personal story, she recounts contributing factors- her family history, the tragic loss of her father while she was a teenager, and wrestling with her identity after leaving an

Behind Her Struggle With Alcohol With Lindsey Encinias – 161 Read More »

Challenges to conquer? All you need is a growth mindset.

Challenges to Conquer? All You Need Is a Growth Mindset

Ever find inspiration in the most unexpected places? A TV show? A friendly cashier at the supermarket? A good book? I love when that happens, when fate just seems to throw you a signal, grabbing the attention of your heart just when you need it most. Well as fate would have it, I was in desperate need of some encouragement, and I found it when I was least expecting it. Just When I Was Starting to Lose Hope, Something Told Me to Hold On I was going through the growing pains of real adulthood in my mid-20s. In conversations with friends, I described this stage of life as a domino effect where, whether in my personal life or the lives of my

Challenges to Conquer? All You Need Is a Growth Mindset Read More »

Every Homeless Person Has a Story; Emily’s Changed Me Forever

It was late fall; the temperatures had already dropped below freezing. The snow was accumulating; freezing rain covered buildings and encased cars. We were facing the worst winter in decades. Homeless women and children were on the streets, living in cars, or huddling in camps on the outskirts of town. They were exposed, cold, and desperate. Multiple nights of subfreezing temperatures allowed the women’s emergency shelter to open in mid-December. It was home to single women and women with children in need of a meal, warm shower, and a safe place to sleep. Soon after the shelter’s doors opened I found Emily crouched in the corner of the doorway, elbows resting on knees, head in hands. She rolled an unlit cigarette between

Every Homeless Person Has a Story; Emily’s Changed Me Forever Read More »

Scroll to Top