The holiday season can bring joy, nostalgia, and connection—but it can also stir up pressure, unspoken expectations, and complicated family dynamics. In this episode, Julia shares what it looks like to lean into this time of year with intentionality, staying connected to God, herself, and others even when emotions run high. We talk about the weight of expectations, how to communicate honestly when it feels safe, and practical ways to set healthy boundaries.

Why do we begin every Friday night at Celebrate Recovery with worship? In this episode, we explore how worship anchors our recovery by turning our hearts toward our one true Higher Power, Jesus Christ. Worship isn’t just singing—it’s ascribing ultimate worth to God with our hearts, minds, and bodies. We’ll talk about how what we worship shapes what we pursue, why we’re prone to worship the wrong things, and how true worship brings us back into alignment with God’s design for our lives.

Our thought life shapes the way we step into the world—our attitudes, emotions, and behaviors all flow from what we choose to dwell on. In this episode, we explore how recovery invites us to renew our minds, move from autopilot to awareness, and let God transform our thinking through Romans 12:1–2.

In this episode, we unpack Principle 1 — realizing that we are not God and admitting our powerlessness to control our tendency to do the wrong thing. We’ll talk about what it means to adopt an attitude of surrender, lean into God’s strength instead of our own, and recognize His power at work in our lives. Through honest reflection and biblical truth, we’re reminded that admitting we’re powerless isn’t defeat—it’s the first step toward real freedom and transformation.

This episode explores Principle 6 and what it looks like to live out God’s grace in our relationships. We talk about forgiveness, making amends, and how receiving God’s grace empowers us to extend it to others. Even when a relationship can’t be fully restored, God’s grace frees our hearts from bitterness and leads us toward peace and healing in Christ.

In this episode, we dive into The Landing—Celebrate Recovery’s ministry designed specifically for students. Justin, the pastor who leads the ministry, shares how The Landing provides a safe, judgment-free space where teens can be real about their struggles and find freedom from hurts, habits, and hang-ups. We discuss why this environment matters in a world filled with comparison and social pressure, and how honest community helps break isolation—the place where the enemy often feeds lies. At The Landing, students hear truth spoken over them from God’s Word, experience genuine relationships, and discover how deeply God loves them.

In this episode, we sit down with Sylvia, the National Celebration Place Director, to talk about “Pre-covery” and the vital role of Celebrate Recovery’s children’s ministry. With over two decades of experience, Sylvia shares how Celebration Place equips kids to understand and process their emotions in healthy, Christ-centered ways. She discusses the global impact of the program, how it partners with parents, and the transformational effect it has had on her own family. This conversation sheds light on why building a foundation of emotional and spiritual resilience early on is so important.

Rodney Holmstrom and Andy Petry explore attachment theory, asking a foundational question: What do I assume God feels when I come to His mind? Through the lens of secure, anxious, and avoidant attachment styles, they examine how early relational experiences shape not only our connections with others but also our relationship with God. The conversation challenges listeners to understand their emotional patterns without turning them into identity labels and invites a deeper trust in God's unwavering love—beyond performance, fear, or shame.

In this episode, we sit down with Ailee, a college ministry leader, for an honest conversation about her own journey of healing and how it’s shaped her heart for the next generation. She shares how tools like counseling and Celebrate Recovery helped her walk through struggles with pride, control, and isolation—and how that experience now informs the way she supports college-aged women in their own battles.

Together, we talk about the growing awareness among young adults of their struggles, the challenges they face in seeking help, and how Celebrate Recovery offers a Christ-centered community where they can find real hope and freedom.

In Part Two of this series, journaling is explored as a meaningful tool for spiritual growth and recovery. This episode emphasizes journaling as a private, intentional practice — not for performance, but for processing, healing, and deepening connection with God.

The episode also highlights some of the real, tangible benefits of journaling, like reduced stress, better sleep, and improved emotional health. Whether writing prayers, copying Scripture, or simply making space to reflect, journaling remains a powerful tool for growth.