Finding Confidence in Sobriety and Jesus
Finding Confidence in Sobriety and Jesus
Vol. 4: A Weekly Love Note
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Well hello lovely reader! It’s me, your faithful (and typically over-caffeinated) weekly writer, Jess. For those of you new around here - it’s my mission to slip a little note your way every Monday - oops! - Thursday, filled with topics related to embracing a sober lifestyle, motherhood, wellness, homeschooling, and more!
As some of you know, earlier this year I became curious about God. I decided I wanted to read the Bible (for the very first time), build a stronger understanding of my faith, and set out on a spiritual journey. With a little guidance from some trusted loved ones, I jumped in with both feet (like I do with all things) and haven’t looked back. It’s been such an incredible experience, one that I frequently struggle to put into words. Which brings me to the story I’d like to share with you today. Wish me luck and please read with an open mind…
A few weeks ago we had a couple of family members visit from out of town. While we were catching up on the patio, my husband’s cousin, Chelsea, was gushing about how excited she was to hear how my God-curious journey was going. She smiled, listened intently, and wanted all the deets. After telling her where my curiosity had come from, what I was learning, loving and all the in between, she caught me off guard and asked, “So do you think it’s safe to say that you’ve accepted Jesus into your life?”
I don’t know why, but I totally went BLANK.
I immediately felt like I wasn’t sure how to answer the question. I mean, I know I believe in God, I believe in Jesus, and am loving this journey - but I was stumped on how to answer the question. I think I mumbled something ridiculous. Probably a combination of, “Uhm… yes? I mean, I think so? Yes, definitely. Of course. Wait was I supposed to ask Him? How do I ask Him? Helllllppppp?”
I felt like a schmuck and desperately wanted a re-do. Why was this so hard for me to answer? Why couldn’t I just say yes?
The next day I proceeded to do what I do really, really well - overthink.
I started to realize that my lack of confidence in talking out loud about my faith, was very similar to how many feel in early sobriety. When asked why we aren’t drinking - a lot of times we’re not sure how to answer. We stumble on our words, worry about what the other person is thinking, and forget that what we’re doing is actually pretty stinking cool.
After an embarrassing amount of overthinking, I decided to bring it up to my two cousins (different family members than mentioned before) that I do a weekly Bible study with. I grew up with these girls, have nailed every Mariah Carey high note and Wilson Phillips song with them, they’re practically sisters to me. I told them about how Chelsea’s question caught me off guard and I felt like a total doofus for not being able to come up with an answer - one that I felt sounded like what a ‘true’ believer or a ‘real’ Christian would reply with.
We all agreed that I was being ridiculous (I know, shocking, right?!) and here’s where it gets good…
Later that afternoon my cousin text me saying she couldn’t stop thinking about Chelsea and her question. She included the following:
John 13:34-35 says, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Romans 10:9-10 says, “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”
She ended with, “I love how the Bible has a response for everything.”
I read those texts over and over. Suddenly, I realized that instead of feeling uncomfortable with Chelsea’s important question - I was actually in complete awe of her confidence.
She is the epitome of a loving, honest, positive woman of faith. I’m now thoroughly inspired by her love for Jesus and her ability to give me a gentle push in the right direction, especially when I didn’t even know I needed it. Had she not asked me that initial question, I wouldn’t have taken the time to digest all of this, talk about it during my study, and realize how important it is to be brave and honest about our amazing beliefs and life choices.
So whether it’s your sober lifestyle, your faith, your interests, passions, relationships, parenting styles, etc. - be confident when you talk about it. Keep your chin up and know that you don’t necessarily have to have the perfect answer, the right words, or a complete understanding of what the heck you’re even talking about. The important thing is that you stay true to YOURSELF, listen to your heart, and be authentically you. If anyone has a problem with that, well then, my guess is that their response or reaction could be a reflection of their insecurities. Just sayin’.
xo, Jess
Newest Episode on Decidedly Dry:
Episode #72: In this episode, I’m chatting with my sweet friend, Jen McGraw. Jen is Mom to 5 kids, a wife, and Jesus lover. She’s the founder of a nonprofit for equine therapy to help heal and restore those who have gone through trauma in their life. Jen also is the host of a wonderful podcast called Restored Mama, which we’ll chat about during our interview. She’s a firm believer that life is meant to truly be lived and enjoyed! You guys are going to absolutely love her, oh and did I even mention?! Jen is a sober mama! True story folks, you’ll get to hear all about her sober story and the absolutely incredible things she’s doing in life because of it.
Things I’m Digging:
Quick Spicy Coco Sauce. Recipe here.
Currently listening to on repeat: Church in a Chevy by Jordan Davis
Reading: I wrapped up The Winter Street book series by Elin Hilderbrand this past weekend and holy Toledo, I didn’t want it to end! It’s a quick, lovely series that immediately has you falling in love with the characters. In fast, I miss them already. Next up? It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover.
Our latest favorite game to play as a family is Rummy.
The Plan update: I pushed paused on the program just for a few days while we were out of town. I was mindful and choose veggies as much as I could. Luckily, I’m still down a total of 10 pounds and am proud to say that cheese and my beloved bread have shown no signs of being reactive! Can I get an AMEN!?
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One Last Thing…
I just want to take a minute and say thank you for sticking with me. If you’re receiving this email it’s because you’ve either purchased a journal, participated in a wellness challenge of mine, loved my content, purchased coaching, etc. No matter what it was, our paths crossed at some point and you’re still here. That means so much to me and YOU, my sweet friend, are the reason I continue doing what I do. Regardless of which you choose, free or paid, we’re still bff’s.
xo,
Jess
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