Jim Nicklas affirms Brandon’s courage for sharing his story transparently here on the podcast. Brandon wants listeners to see how God is working in his life.On the day of this recording, Brandon has been sober 152 days. Before sobriety, he was drinking seven days a week, starting at 5:00 a.m., except for Saturday and Sunday when he slept in. When Brandon didn’t drink, his hands shook badly. Brandon’s wife, Jennifer, noticed how much he was drinking. He always blamed it on the stresses of business.

Brandon tried to stop drinking. He recounts a terrifying hallucination he experienced for nine hours one night, while Jennifer tried to talk him down from it. Brandon called his therapist the next day, who told him he had detoxed himself. Brandon learned that more people die from heart attacks, strokes, and seizures from stopping drinking than die from drinking.Undeterred, Monday at 5:00 a.m. Brandon was drinking again. He drove to Florida for a job but spent the time drinking. His wife and daughter drove down to find him but he tracked their phones and evaded them. They had the hotel do several safety checks on him. A friend came, took the bullets out of his gun, and told him his family was worried. Brandon knew, but he didn’t care. After a week, his brother and a buddy came to get him and he went home. For nine hours on the drive home, Brandon was throwing up into a garbage bag. He was dehydrated and sick from drinking. His brother delivered him to his family, who embraced him with open arms, regardless of all he had done. All his extended family gathered to ask how they could help him.All week long, Brandon continued to drink. Jennifer asked him, “What would you do if this was me?” They determined to get Brandon into a medical detox and then rehab. Brandon drank two cups of vodka on the way to detox. He checked in at 1:00 a.m. He woke up at 6:00 a.m., not having any idea where he was. After the detox, he wanted to go back to work, but Jennifer had gotten him into a Christian treatment facility, HopeQuest, for a three-month program. It was like Boot Camp. In one therapy session, the therapist gave Brandon an anonymous letter Jennifer had received from a woman with whom Brandon had had an affair. It was a harsh letter but it was true. Brandon was enraged and he walked out with no phone or wallet and started for home. He was going to get his truck and leave Jennifer. However, despite Brandon’s shame, when Brandon arrived, Jennifer persuaded him that God could restore their marriage.

 

Brandon got drunk again, but HopeQuest decided to let him back into the program. He went back but tried to hang himself with his belt in despair. He woke up on the floor; the belt had come loose. He was very grateful for that.He realized he had to be honest about his addiction and what he was doing. The next morning, he told the nurse what he had done but said he would run away if an ambulance came for him. The sheriff came anyway and brought Brandon to the hospital. Then they took him to a mental hospital for six days. Brandon details the awful experiences. He was able to maintain his composure so he wouldn’t get 30 days of confinement.HopeQuest did not allow him back, as he had become a risk to the other patients. Brandon was angry and hurt, but he now sees they were right. Jennifer and Brandon went back to Brandon’s long-term drug-addiction therapist and set up a plan for an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) and AA meetings. Brandon stayed sober 30 days. He talked himself into believing that he could drink and stay in control. For two days in a row, he drank a bottle of vodka before noon. His life got worse, including a car accident and a suicide threat.Brandon talks about an AA meeting he attended where he understood for the first time what it means to surrender to God. That was 152 days ago and he has been sober since that day. Jennifer says he has been a different person. When he reached 90 days, his family started to have faith in him. Brandon prays twice a day, reads the Word, listens to church online (due to the pandemic) and pays attention and takes notes. Church has a purpose in his life. Brandon has surrendered. He can’t fix it. His addiction is bigger than him and anyone he knows. Brandon thanks God that he failed to hang himself As dark, painful, and depressing as his life was, he is grateful, thankful, and happy for his sobriety. He goes to five or six AA meetings a week. Jesus plays the biggest role in Brandon’s sobriety.

 

Brandon and Jim are neighbors, but Jim would not have known any of his problems if Brandon had not told him. Jim stresses the powerful influence of a wife having God’s characteristics of grace and forgiveness. Jennifer, with God, has been gracious and merciful to Brandon in staying with him when she was justified in divorcing him. The Bible is clear. Two flesh become one person. We men need to look at how we can improve in serving our wives and being selfless.Jennifer and Brandon’s daughters are going to start attending AL-Anon. Brandon discusses the dreams of the family going forward. Brandon continues to check himself daily and share his story. He hopes that Jennifer and he will be able to share their story with another couple going through infidelity or alcoholism to offer hope that it is recoverable.

 

Jim Nicklas thanks Brandon for his courageous vulnerability and expresses his respect and admiration for Jennifer and their family. Brandon asks listeners to be careful with the decisions you make.Call to Action: Jim invites listeners to listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and all major platforms, hit that five-star review, subscribe, share it, and help get this word out of God’s grace and forgiveness.

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