What if alcohol isn’t the core problem—but escape is? We sit down with Jon Seidl, author of Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic, to unpack a bracingly honest journey from cultural drinking to quiet day buzzes, from a bestselling book high to an aching low, and a night in Miami that tore the blinders off. Jon doesn’t glamorize a bottom; he shows how subtle compromises pile up when success fades, old wounds whisper, and numbing feels easier than feeling.

If you’ve ever asked why sobriety can feel flat or why white-knuckling fades, this conversation offers a clearer target and practical tools for the long haul. Freedom grows when we stop numbing, tell the truth, and let God fill what alcohol only muted. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs hope, and leave a review to help more people find a path to lasting recovery.

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Jonathon M. Seidl (Jon) has been telling stories his whole life. In fact, he’s written over 10,000 posts in his lifetime, first after helping start a successful news website and then as the editor in chief of the popular nonprofit I Am Second. He writes and speaks all across the country on the power of storytelling, radical vulnerability, faith, mental health, and addiction. His first book, Finding Rest, became a bestseller in several categories and a top 100 book on Amazon. His latest book, Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic, is his radically vulnerable story of being the Christian who became an alcoholic, his climb out of addiction, and how others can break free from all of life’s entanglements. Shortly after its release, the book became the top new release in addiction recovery on Amazon. He lives in Frisco, TX, with his wife and two young children. He holds a Masters in Theological Studies from Southwestern Seminary.

Connect with Jon

Instagram @jonseidl
ChristianAlcoholic.com

About the She Surrenders Podcast:

On the She Surrenders podcast we are talking about women, faith and addiction all on the same platform. There are many podcasts for women and sobriety, but very few for women seeking information and stories from others about faith-based recovery.

Help us reach more listeners: like, subscribe, review, and share.

Find us on Instagram @shesurrenders_sherry, on Facebook @shesurrenderssherry, and online at www.shesurrenders.com.

Some stories find their turning point in the unlikeliest moment—like a hungover Sunday when a single sermon about confession cuts through the noise. That’s where Stephanie’s path shifted from white-knuckle control to honest surrender, and the difference changed everything.

We walk through her early years in Wisconsin where football and drinking were inseparable, the college chaos that ended in a mandated detox, and the AA meeting that cracked denial. Then comes a quieter chapter and a slow slide back through “sophisticated” wine culture. She describes the hidden labor of moderation, the work events that exposed the gap between her values and her actions, and the shame of representing faith in public while self-destructing in private.

If this story resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs hope, and leave a review to help more people find a path to freedom.

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Stephanie Ziebell is a wife, mom of four, and the Chief Legal Officer of a financial institution, who once believed she had to “hold it all together” while privately struggling with alcohol. Her recovery began when she stopped asking if her drinking was “bad enough” and started listening to what God was asking of her.

Connect with Stephanie

Instagram and Facebook: @radiantinbattle

About the She Surrenders Podcast:

On the She Surrenders podcast we are talking about women, faith and addiction all on the same platform. There are many podcasts for women and sobriety, but very few for women seeking information and stories from others about faith-based recovery.

Help us reach more listeners: like, subscribe, review, and share.

Find us on Instagram @shesurrenders_sherry, on Facebook @shesurrenderssherry, and online at www.shesurrenders.com.

What if surrender was the beginning of real freedom, not the end of it? Ericka Andersen—journalist, author, wife, and mom—joins us to share how she rethought alcohol through the lens of faith and rebuilt a life that’s joyful, clear, and deeply connected. Her new book, Freely Sober: Rethinking Alcohol Through the Lens of Faith, offers important insights on how women’s relationships with alcohol are shifting as they grapple with increased pressures at home and work, and her approach wisely utilizes faith as a recovery tool without positioning it as a cure-all.

This is a candid, hope-filled conversation for anyone sober curious, stuck in the cycle, or longing to support someone they love. Tap play to learn concrete tools, hear hard-won wisdom, and feel seen in your questions. If this resonates, share it with a friend, subscribe for more faith-based recovery stories, and leave a review so others can find their way to freedom too.

Episode referenced: EP | 53: Sobriety Through Spirituality

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Ericka Andersen is a journalist whose writing has appeared in Christianity Today, World Magazine, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post. She is the author of Leaving Cloud 9 and Reason to Return: Why Women Need the Church and the Church Needs Women. She lives with her husband and two children in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Connect with Ericka

Instagram: @ericka_andersen

Website: erickaandersen.com

Get the book: freelysober.com

Get her free Sober Curious Guide: sobrietycurious.com

About the She Surrenders Podcast:

On the She Surrenders podcast we are talking about women, faith and addiction all on the same platform. There are many podcasts for women and sobriety, but very few for women seeking information and stories from others about faith-based recovery.

Help us reach more listeners: like, subscribe, review, and share.

Find us on Instagram @shesurrenders_sherry, on Facebook @shesurrenderssherry, and online at www.shesurrenders.com.