This week, we welcome writer Jonathon M. Seidl, who transparently shares his struggle with alcoholism. Jonathon opens up about how he turned to alcohol as a solution to his problems, the breaking point moment when he realized something needed to change, and the real, raw, honest circumstances that led him to healing. 

Later in the episode, we’ll hear from author Yana Jenay Conner. She shares her personal experience of learning to forgive deep wounds from her family and friendships, highlighting the crucial difference between forgiveness and reconciliation. She also reveals the daily spiritual practices that sustain her heart in the midst of ongoing pain.

 

Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned:

Jesus Calling Podcast

Jesus Calling

Jesus Always

Jesus Listens

Past interview:Jeanne Lakin

Upcoming interview: Michael Leach

 

Jonathon M. Seidl

Morning And Evening by Charles Spurgeon

www.jonseidl.com

Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic

 

Yana Jenay Conner

www.yanajenay.com

Living Beyond Offense

 

Interview Quotes:

“I’m the Christian that became an alcoholic, not the other way around. I think what’s unique about my story and a lot of people’s stories is the shame that comes with being a Christian who falls.” - Jonathon M. Seidl

“I think what’s unique about my story—and what I think is actually a lot of people’s stories but we don’t talk about enough—is that as Christians, we can still and do fall into sin.” - Jonathon M. Seidl

“I finally got to the point where the Lord was like, ‘Jon, if there’s not the chance of it costing you something, it’s not a sacrifice—like the definition of sacrifice is that it has to cost you something.’ Okay, here we go. And so, here we are. I decided, Alright, Lord, I’m just going to put this in Your hands. I’m going to tell my story.” - Jonathon M. Seidl

“I finally got to the point where the Lord was like, ‘Jon, if there’s not the chance of it costing you something, it’s not a sacrifice—like the definition of sacrifice is that it has to cost you something.’ Okay, here we go. And so, here we are. I decided, Alright, Lord, I’m just going to put this in Your hands. I’m going to tell my story.”- Jonathon M. Seidl

“I think we think in order to have a problem with something, it has to look a certain way. That actually kept me drinking a lot longer and in an unhealthy relationship a lot longer because I said, ‘Well, I’m not doing this. I don’t look like this.’ And yet, especially if you look at the Bible, anything that occupies an unhealthy place in our life is disordered.” - Jonathon M. Seidl

“We can follow Jesus and know what’s right and yet still struggle to do it.”  Jonathon M. Seidl 

“My goal is for you to have a deeper, more enriching, relationship with Jesus. And that takes care of not just the sobriety, but it takes care of the anger, it takes care of the pride, it takes care of the selfishness, and all those other things that you need to work on as well.” - Jonathon M. Seidl

“I think it wasn’t until I was in my early twenties that I really allowed myself to feel the ache of my dad’s absence and to really take stock of how not having him in my life was really impacting how I moved in the world.” - Yana Jenay Conner 

“I am trying to create space for people to be human and to mess up and not hold them to standards of perfection that I can’t even reach.” - Yana Jenay Conner 

“The thing that keeps me moving towards forgiveness is remembering the forgiveness that I’ve received. I’m learning that the power to forgive comes from remembering the grace and the mercy that I have received.” - Yana Jenay Conner

“Forgiveness is releasing them of their debt and not retaliating against them in anger. We make this decision out of mercy, because people don’t deserve forgiveness, but we offer it to them freely because forgiveness was offered to us freely.” - Yana Jenay Conner 

“He’s always inviting us to be in His presence. And I can confess that on the days where I choose to not accept that invitation, it shows in how I show up in the world.” - Yana Jenay Conner 

________________________

Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel!

Audio Episodes:     https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7 

Bonus Podcasts:     https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw 

Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer:  https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C 

Peace for Everyday Life:     https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj 

Peace in Uncertain Times:     https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u 

What’s Good?     https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj 

Enneagram:     https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY 

________________________ 

Connect with Jesus Calling

Instagram

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

YouTube

Website

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This week, we welcome writer <a href="https://www.jonseidl.com/">Jonathon M. Seidl</a>, who transparently shares his struggle with alcoholism. Jonathon opens up about how he turned to alcohol as a solution to his problems, the breaking point moment when he realized something needed to change, and the real, raw, honest circumstances that led him to healing.&nbsp;
Later in the episode, we&rsquo;ll hear from author <a href="https://www.yanajenay.com/">Yana Jenay Conner</a>. She shares her personal experience of learning to forgive deep wounds from her family and friendships, highlighting the crucial difference between forgiveness and reconciliation. She also reveals the daily spiritual practices that sustain her heart in the midst of ongoing pain.
&nbsp;
Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned:
<a href="https://www.jesuscalling.com/podcast/">Jesus Calling Podcast</a>
<a href="https://www.jesuscalling.com/books/">Jesus Calling</a>
<a href="https://www.jesuscalling.com/books/jesus-always/">Jesus Always</a>
<a href="https://www.jesuscalling.com/books/jesus-listens/">Jesus Listens</a>
Past interview: <a href="https://www.jesuscalling.com/podcast/forgiveness-can-heal-our-deepest-wounds-jeanne-lakin-randy-hartley/">Jeanne Lakin</a>
Upcoming interview: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-leach-07334a15/">Michael Leach</a>
&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.jonseidl.com/">Jonathon M. Seidl</a>
<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/devotionals/morning-and-evening/today">Morning And Evening by Charles Spurgeon</a>
<a href="http://www.jonseidl.com">www.jonseidl.com</a>
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Confessions-Christian-Alcoholic-Conversation-Addiction/dp/0800747305">Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic</a>
&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.yanajenay.com/">Yana Jenay Conner</a>
<a href="https://www.yanajenay.com">www.yanajenay.com</a>
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Living-Beyond-Offense-Doing-Forgiveness/dp/0736990348">Living Beyond Offense</a>
&nbsp;
Interview Quotes:
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m the Christian that became an alcoholic, not the other way around. I think what&rsquo;s unique about my story and a lot of people&rsquo;s stories is the shame that comes with being a Christian who falls.&rdquo; - Jonathon M. Seidl
&ldquo;I think what&rsquo;s unique about my story&mdash;and what I think is actually a lot of people&rsquo;s stories but we don&rsquo;t talk about enough&mdash;is that as Christians, we can still and do fall into sin.&rdquo; - Jonathon M. Seidl
&ldquo;I finally got to the point where the Lord was like, &lsquo;Jon, if there&rsquo;s not the chance of it costing you something, it&rsquo;s not a sacrifice&mdash;like the definition of sacrifice is that it has to cost you something.&rsquo; Okay, here we go. And so, here we are. I decided, Alright, Lord, I&rsquo;m just going to put this in Your hands. I&rsquo;m going to tell my story.&rdquo; - Jonathon M. Seidl
&ldquo;I finally got to the point where the Lord was like, &lsquo;Jon, if there&rsquo;s not the chance of it costing you something, it&rsquo;s not a sacrifice&mdash;like the definition of sacrifice is that it has to cost you something.&rsquo; Okay, here we go. And so, here we are. I decided, Alright, Lord, I&rsquo;m just going to put this in Your hands. I&rsquo;m going to tell my story.&rdquo; - Jonathon M. Seidl
&ldquo;I think we think in order to have a problem with something, it has to look a certain way. That actually kept me drinking a lot longer and in an unhealthy relationship a lot longer because I said, &lsquo;Well, I&rsquo;m not doing this. I don&rsquo;t look like this.&rsquo; And yet, especially if you look at the Bible, anything that occupies an unhealthy place in our life is disordered.&rdquo; - Jonathon M. Seidl
&ldquo;We can follow Jesus and know what&rsquo;s right and yet still struggle to do it.&rdquo;&nbsp; Jonathon M. Seidl&nbsp;
&ldquo;My goal is for you to have a deeper, more enriching, relationship with Jesus. And that takes care of not just the sobriety, but it takes care of the anger, it takes care of the pride, it takes care of the selfishness, and all those other things that you need to work on as well.&rdquo; - Jonathon M. Seidl
&ldquo;I think it wasn&rsquo;t until I was in my early twenties that I really allowed myself to feel the ache of my dad&rsquo;s absence and to really take stock of how not having him in my life was really impacting how I moved in the world.&rdquo; - Yana Jenay Conner&nbsp;
&ldquo;I am trying to create space for people to be human and to mess up and not hold them to standards of perfection that I can&rsquo;t even reach.&rdquo; - Yana Jenay Conner&nbsp;
&ldquo;The thing that keeps me moving towards forgiveness is remembering the forgiveness that I&rsquo;ve received. I&rsquo;m learning that the power to forgive comes from remembering the grace and the mercy that I have received.&rdquo; - Yana Jenay Conner
&ldquo;Forgiveness is releasing them of their debt and not retaliating against them in anger. We make this decision out of mercy, because people don&rsquo;t deserve forgiveness, but we offer it to them freely because forgiveness was offered to us freely.&rdquo; - Yana Jenay Conner&nbsp;
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s always inviting us to be in His presence. And I can confess that on the days where I choose to not accept that invitation, it shows in how I show up in the world.&rdquo; - Yana Jenay Conner&nbsp;
________________________
Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel!
Audio Episodes: &nbsp; &nbsp; <a href="https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7">https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7</a>&nbsp;
Bonus Podcasts: &nbsp; &nbsp; <a href="https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw">https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw</a>&nbsp;
Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer:&nbsp; <a href="https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C">https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C</a>&nbsp;
Peace for Everyday Life: &nbsp; &nbsp; <a href="https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj">https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj</a>&nbsp;
Peace in Uncertain Times: &nbsp; &nbsp; <a href="https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u">https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u</a>&nbsp;
What&rsquo;s Good? &nbsp; &nbsp; <a href="https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj">https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj</a>&nbsp;
Enneagram: &nbsp; &nbsp; <a href="https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY">https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY</a>&nbsp;
________________________&nbsp;
Connect with Jesus Calling
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/jesuscalling/">Instagram</a>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/Jesus_Calling">Twitter</a>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/Jesuscallingbook?sub_confirmation=1">YouTube</a>
<a href="https://www.jesuscalling.com/">Website</a>
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Millions have been encouraged and inspired by the words of the #1 best-selling 365-day devotional "Jesus Calling." Listen to real-life stories of faith as told by those who have experienced the power of living in His presence.

Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith

Millions have been encouraged and inspired by the words of the #1 best-selling 365-day devotional "Jesus Calling." Listen to real-life stories of faith as told by those who have experienced the power of living in His presence.

Jesus Calling

Even Christians Struggle with Addiction and Forgiveness: Jonathon M. Seidl & Yana Jenay Conner 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/8f1c91df-10fc-45b5-bc43-b4160107acbb/transcript