Addiction, Recovery, and Biblical Counseling

This episode is a sweet story of God’s redemption through marriage, addiction, a blended family and the fellowship of other women.  Carolann Sheppard is a biblical counselor, certified through Association of Certified Biblical Counselors.  Be sure to visit Carolann’s site for her free download “The Lies We Believe and the Promises of God – Truth Over Temptation” (see show notes for the link!).

Carolann’s story is a reminder that God can redeem your marriage even through addiction, restoration and maybe with the resource of biblical counseling.  And He loves to use His people to encourage us and challenge us as we grow and heal!

Highlights from this episode:

• “There’s nothing like digging into the word with a group of ladies, praying together, laughing together, crying together, encouraging one another, and even calling each other out in love… it’s hard, but it’s good; it yields good fruit.”
• “Living an inviting life is not just inviting others into the good parts of life, which is really easy to do, but it’s inviting others into the hard and even the dark parts of our suffering.”
• “Living an inviting life is bearing each other’s burdens so we can fulfill the law of Christ.”
• Galatians 6:1-2 tell us to restore one another in a spirit of gentleness and to bear each other’s burdens.  We need both!
• “With biblical counseling, the goal is to get to the heart of the issue, mainly using God’s word.”
• “In biblical counseling, we focus on the redemptive work of Christ in all circumstances.”
• 2 Timothy 3:16-17 reminds us that God’s word is necessary and sufficients in our working through challenges and issues in our lives.
• “We have to be mindful of making trauma our identity.”
• But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.2 Corinthians 12:9-10
• “I used to think we had to live up to the Instagram ideal in order to live this inviting life; but biblical hospitality is inviting people into what God has given us, so we can glorify Him right where we are.” 

Two sweet moments from this episode:

Carolann reminds us that God commands us to bear each other’s burdens, and to restore each other when we struggle with sin.

Her story of how God has used other women in the life of her daughter is a beautiful reminder of how important the body is, and how God uses generational discipleship in the lives of His people.

Find Carolann online:

• Carol Ann on Instagram
• Foundations Christian Counseling on Instagram
• Foundations Christian Counseling

LET’S CONNECT:

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Join the Facebook Community!
• Pinterest
• YouTube

Episodes Mentioned:

• Responding to the Pride Movement with Humility 

• When We Are Afraid But God is Bigger: Kim Russo episode

Resources:

Here are some of the resources mentioned or ones that encourage and equip you for growing in God’s word and living the #invitinglife!  

• Free e-book The Lies We Believe and the Promises of God – Truth Over Temptation
• America’s Keswick Addiction Recovery

(Some links above are affiliate links, which help to support Everyday Welcome at no additional cost to you; some include discounts.)