Abounding Hope: A Hope for Addiction Podcast

"Let go and let God." "Fake it till you make it." "Make amends." Recovery culture has a whole vocabulary for change — and some of it sounds almost biblical. But does it actually lead people to the power they need? In the final episode of this series, Liz Beck and Lara Kees finish working through the Hope for Addiction Biblical Language Chart, examining the process-of-change language of recovery culture and showing how each term can be reframed biblically to point people toward real transformation in Christ.

Terms covered: Higher Power, Moral Compass, I need to fix this, Amends, Forgive yourself, Intervention, Tough love, Fake it till you make it, Let go let God.

📥 Download the free Biblical Language Chart: https://www.hopeforaddiction.com/podcast#chart

Get the FREE church toolkit: hopeforaddiction.com/toolkit

Have questions or comments? Please email [email protected]

Music by West Coast Revival, used with permission

Check out all their great music: 

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"I'm an addict." "I'm in recovery." "It's a generational curse." These are the labels people carry — sometimes for decades. But what does God actually say about who you are? In this episode, Liz Beck and Lara Kees work through the identity and diagnosis language of recovery culture and hold each term up against Scripture — replacing labels that lead to hopelessness with the biblical truth that opens the door to real, lasting change.

Terms covered: I'm an addict / in recovery, Normies, Generational curse, Character defect / Disease, Codependent, Triggers, Recovery, Spiritual experience.

📥 Download the free Biblical Language Chart: hopeforaddiction.com/toolkit

Have questions or comments? Please email [email protected]

Music by West Coast Revival, used with permission

Check out all their great music:

https://linktr.ee/westcoastrevival

#AboundingHope #HopeForAddiction #BiblicalLanguage #AddictionRecovery #ChristianPodcast #GospelCenteredRecovery #ChurchAndAddiction #BiblicalCounseling

The recovery world has its own language — triggers, higher power, character defects, amends — and much of it has quietly made its way into the church. But what if the words we're using are actually pointing people away from the only real source of help?

In this episode, Liz Beck is joined by Lara Kees (church liaison and biblical counselor at Hope for Addiction) to ask: does it matter what words we use when we talk about addiction?

They explore:

• Why churches and counselors often default to secular recovery language
• How biblical language connects people to Scripture — and to God
• Why only Scripture can reach the "thoughts and intentions of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12)
• Two terms from the H4A Biblical Language Chart: Higher Power and Addiction

This is Episode 1 in a 3-part series on biblical language for addiction.

📥 Download the free Biblical Language Chart: hopeforaddiction.com/toolkit

📧 Questions? [email protected]

🌐 hopeforaddiction.com

Music by West Coast Revival, used with permission

Check out all their great music:

https://linktr.ee/westcoastrevival

#AboundingHope #HopeForAddiction #BiblicalLanguage #AddictionRecovery #ChristianPodcast #GospelCenteredRecovery #ChurchAndAddiction #BiblicalCounseling

Every Sunday, families sit in our churches carrying burdens no one can see, navigating psychosis, addiction, exhaustion, and grief. In this final episode of the series, Liz and Deborah Geesling get practical: what families in crisis actually need from the church, common mistakes churches make, how to maintain a relationship with someone experiencing psychosis, and what faithful long-term presence looks like.

We also address whether the gospel still speaks to someone who struggles to reason, and how to share hope without offering empty answers. For pastors, small group leaders, and anyone who wants to love a struggling family well but doesn't know where to start.

Resources for Churches:

https://www.hopeforaddiction.com/toolkit

Resources for SMI:

https://p82homes.org

Support Kenny's Home:

https://www.p82homes.org/kennys-home

Drugs are more potent than ever, and we're seeing the effects in the form of increasing psychosis and serious mental instability. In this episode, Liz and her guest, Deborah Geesling, explain what psychosis is, what it looks like day-to-day, and why drug-induced psychosis is becoming more common.

We discuss the difference between the brain and the mind from a biblical perspective, how Christians should view someone whose thinking is impaired, and practical guidance for families navigating these moments. We also address common questions: Is psychosis demonic? Does sanctification still happen? Where does a family turn for help? Grounded in 2 Corinthians 4:16, this episode equips pastors, church members, and caregivers to respond with wisdom and compassion.

Get Individual and Church Resources:

https://www.hopeforaddiction.com/toolkit

Resources for SMI:

P82 Project Restoration

https://p82homes.org

Have questions or comments? Please email [email protected]

Music by West Coast Revival, used with permission

Check out all their great music:

https://linktr.ee/westcoastrevival

What happens when a family member is diagnosed with a serious mental illness and where is the church when it does? In this episode, Liz sits down with Deborah Geesling, founder of P82 Project Restoration, to hear her family's firsthand experience navigating serious mental illness (SMI). Deborah shares the early signs something was wrong, the grief and confusion that followed a diagnosis, the impact on her marriage and family, and the role the local church played.

Deborah also shares how God used that suffering to launch a ministry supporting families and churches walking through SMI. If you're a pastor, caregiver, or family member quietly struggling, this episode is for you.

Get Individual and Church Resources:

https://www.hopeforaddiction.com/toolkit

Resources for SMI:

P82 Project Restoration

https://p82homes.org

Have questions or comments? Please email [email protected]

Music by West Coast Revival, used with permission

Check out all their great music:

https://linktr.ee/westcoastrevival

What does the Bible actually say about addiction—and is Scripture truly sufficient to address it?

In this episode of Abounding Hope, Liz and Lara Kees unpack why 2 Peter 1:3-4 is the foundational passage behind the mission of Hope for Addiction. Together, they explore how culture often misunderstands addiction by focusing only on behavior, while Scripture speaks to the deeper issue of sinful desire and the transforming power of the gospel.

This conversation considers the cycle of addiction, the limitations of behavior modification, and the hope found in God’s divine power, His promises, and the sufficiency of His Word. Rather than merely helping people “get sober,” this episode points listeners to the lasting freedom and sanctification found in Christ.

Get the free Church Toolkit and more biblical resources:

https://www.hopeforaddiction.com/toolkit

Have questions or comments? Please email [email protected]

Music by West Coast Revival, used with permission

Check out all their great music:

https://linktr.ee/westcoastrevival

In Part 2 of this conversation on addict behavior, Liz Beck and Lara Kees move beyond surface-level explanations and examine what Scripture says is happening beneath destructive patterns and choices.

Are addictive behaviors truly unique to addicts, or are they revealing something common to all humanity? Using passages like James 1:14–15, this episode explores how desires, temptations, and heart motives shape behavior, and why external triggers alone cannot explain the struggle.

This discussion contrasts behavior-focused solutions with the hope of the gospel and shows why true freedom cannot come from behavior modification alone. If the problem is deeper than habits and conditioning, then the solution must be deeper too.

These episodes are designed to help pastors, church leaders, and everyday Christians think biblically about addiction and confidently walk alongside those who struggle.

Find more resources on our website:

https://www.hopeforaddiction.com

Have questions or comments? Please email [email protected]

Music by West Coast Revival, used with permission

Check out all their great music:

https://linktr.ee/westcoastrevival

What do people mean when they talk about “addict behavior”? Why do addiction struggles often seem irrational, chaotic, and out of control? And does that mean addiction should be understood as a disorder?

In this episode of Abounding Hope, Liz Beck and Lara Kees walk through many of the behaviors commonly associated with addiction: deception, blame-shifting, self-centeredness, lack of self-control, escapism, and instability. They also examine common worldly explanations for these patterns and ask an important question: do these explanations actually account for what is happening beneath the surface?

This conversation challenges listeners to think carefully about how addiction is defined and why those definitions matter. Because how we define the problem will shape the solutions we offer.

Find more resources on our website:

https://www.hopeforaddiction.com

Have questions or comments? Please email [email protected]

Music by West Coast Revival, used with permission

Check out all their great music:

https://linktr.ee/westcoastrevival

Structure, Accountability, and Gospel Restoration

Building a Practical Plan for Early Recovery, Part 3

Understanding the importance of structure is one thing, knowing how to implement it is another. In this episode, we walk through a practical example of what accountability and structured discipleship can look like for someone in early recovery.

Drawing from Hope for Addiction’s 90-Day Early Recovery Discipleship Plan, we discuss how churches can establish meaningful accountability, create helpful guardrails, and guide someone toward stability in daily life. From daily check-ins and weekly discipleship to scheduling, relationships, and financial responsibility, we explore how intentional structure creates the environment where trust can be rebuilt, wise habits can form, and the gospel can take root.

Sign up for the free Church Toolkit:

https://www.hopeforaddiction.com/free-toolkit

Have questions or comments? Please email [email protected]

Music by West Coast Revival, used with permission

Check out all their great music:

https://linktr.ee/westcoastrevival