John's story of recovery and redemption.
John was my first sponsor (spiritual advisor) in a 12-step program twenty-nine years ago. We met in the Army. John subsequently returned home, got married, and had a son. He advanced his concept of a personal Higher Power he received from the 12-step program to a devout belief in Jesus and Christianity. In the beginning, positive coincidences and circumstances beyond his control introduced him to a God of love and compassion and later exposure to dark forces and evil presences reinforced God's omnipresence.
He later entered the counseling field and finds a good amount of service to others through addiction therapy which includes directing alcoholics and addicts to various 12-step programs. He is not afraid to share his belief in God through the Bible but is not preachy or pushy. This approach has produced rapid results in many who cycled through the therapeutic system for years.

The following are links to John's preferred communities of faith.
1. We recommend stopping by your local Christian church to see what's going on!
2. John's church is Calvary Christian Church in Lynnfield, MA  (https://calvarychristian.church/ )
3.  Find AA meetings in your area by visiting AA General Service page
(https://www.aa.org/)
4. Need counseling? Visit New Life Consulting and Counseling LLC
(https://nl-cc.com/)


Want to tell your story? Got questions or comments? Connect with 'God is Real':
Email: godizreal.podcast@gmail.com
Discord: https://discord.gg/fv925akk
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/godizreal.podcast
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GodIzRealpdcst

Dex joins us today as my second guest ever!
Dex is an online drum tutor with a You Tube channel. I met Dex when I subscribed to his channel and enjoy his down to earth attitude, kindness, excellent customer service, and great teaching skills. Dex is also a lifetime Christian who continuously keeps his faith fresh through an active prayer life, fellowship with other believers, and filling his time and life with positive influences.
You, too, will be inspired by Dex's personal story of a transformative God and the practices that keep him living in positivity.

The following are ways to find the power Dex relies on and communities of faith.
1. We recommend stopping by your local Christian church to see what's going on!
2. Dex's church is Eagle's Nest Church in Nottingham, England (https://www.eaglesnest.org.uk/)
3.  Be inspired by Pastor John Ortberg's 'Become New' podcast available at: https://becomenew.me/
4. Interested in drumming? Check out Dex online at https://www.youtube.com/user/dexstardrummer


Want to tell your story? Got questions or comments? Connect with 'God is Real':
Email: godizreal.podcast@gmail.com
Discord: https://discord.gg/fv925akk
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/godizreal.podcast
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GodIzRealpdcst
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaRZNb8FRB9TvqZ_smkxCcQ

Find the power to transform your life!

Hey, everyone! Our goal is to show you God is Real by delivering personal spiritual experiences of people from different cultures, beliefs, and practices. One or two episodes will be aired weekly as we reach more and more people to share their story with us.

Each episode will include links to the guest’s community of believers and other resources. We are also available as a community to guide individuals to a relationship with a Higher Power of their understanding.

Want to tell your story? Got questions or comments? Connect with 'God is Real':
Email: godizreal.podcast@gmail.com
Discord: https://discord.gg/fv925akk
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/godizreal.podcast
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GodIzRealpdcst
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaRZNb8FRB9TvqZ_smkxCcQ

Find the Power to live your life - It's waiting for you!

My story starts with growing up in a family fragmented by alcoholism, moving into shame, embarrassment, and substance abuse, hitting bottom, finding help in a twelve step group, then finding God there as well. In the years since, God has transformed my life one day at a time into one I would never have dreamed of.

Each week, I will ask my guests these questions in conversation:
1. What were the circumstances that brought you to search for or make contact with a God of your understanding?
2. What was your first experience of God?
3. How does this relationship manifest daily for you?
4. What are your daily practices?
5. What helps your relationship and understanding to grow?
6. How do you pray?
7. Have you had strong spiritual experiences? Can you describe one or some of them?
8. When was the last time you shared your experience with God with a non-believer?
9. Are you willing to guide others?
10. How would you introduce a non-believer to this concept?
11. Two minutes of Belief – please share two minutes of no-holds barred Truth related to your faith and beliefs.
12. Pray together.

For anyone curious about the Twelve Steps of recovery, here are a modified version I would use to guide a non-addictive person in a relationship with a God of their understanding.
1. Admitted that our personal powerlessness has made our lives unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves can provide meaning and positive change in our lives.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of a God of our understanding.
4. Made a searching and fearless inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to our Higher Power, ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
7. Humbly asked God to remove our shortcomings.
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with our God, praying only for knowledge of God’s will for us and the power to carry that out.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to others and to practice these principles in all our affairs.


Want to tell your story? Got questions or comments? Connect with 'God is Real':
Email: godizreal.podcast@gmail.com
Discord: https://discord.gg/fv925akk
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/godizreal.podcast
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GodIzRealpdcst
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaRZNb8FRB9TvqZ_smkxCcQ