Hope for Addiction

08/29/2026

The Church is not called to replace doctors or treatment.

But medical care is not the only care a person or family needs.

Families walking through addiction, serious mental illness, and other life-altering struggles need the presence of the Church: pastors who will walk beside them, leaders who will learn, and a church family that refuses to disappear when life becomes complicated, messy, hard.

As Deborah Geesling of P82 reminds us, never underestimate the hope your care can give a family. You don’t have to outsource all of it. In fact, your prescence can make all the difference.

Two ministries were founded because of one church's refusing to give up on two different families. Watch the full episode now! youtu.be/VWaNvwx2UNc

08/08/2026

How does the gospel change how we view addiction and ourselves?

The gospel tells us that Jesus does what we cannot do for ourselves. He offers forgiveness, freedom from sin’s power, a new identity, and reconciliation with God.

That’s why we talk about Jesus so much. Because we don’t simply want people to stop using. We want them to know the One in whom true and lasting hope is found.

Sobriety isn't our greatest need, salvation is. This is good news for someone struggling with addiction.

We know this can be a new concept for many people, even Christians who struggle with addiction. We want to invite you to explore our website where we have many blog posts detailing our beliefs on addiction, or download any of the free resources in our toolkit. We also have recovery meetings in Arizona and a few other states. We have connections in the UK as well. Go to hopeforaddiction.com or click the link in our bio to check it out!

08/04/2026

Replace the word "affliction" with "addiction" and read it again. It's still true. How do we receive that power? What do we do to get that grace? Come to a Recovering Hope meeting... the answer is simple, but that doesn't mean it's easy or comes quickly. That's why we need others around who understand and can help us look to Christ. Find a meeting here: tr.ee/hpo67F or go to the link in our bio.

08/01/2026

If you’re new here, you may have noticed that we talk about the gospel. Like, a lot.

That isn’t because we overlook the physical, relational, and practical realities of addiction. Addiction causes real and devastating harm to the brain, body, relationships, and entire families.

But we believe its deepest root is spiritual. Addiction is a form of misplaced worship: turning to something created for the comfort, control, escape, identity, or satisfaction that can ultimately be found only in God.

That is why sobriety, while incredibly important, is not the whole answer. We need more than changed behavior. We need forgiveness, freedom from sin’s power, new desires, and reconciliation with God.

We talk about Jesus because the gospel reaches deeper than addiction, and because in Christ, there is REAL hope. Not just behavior changes, but true transformation.

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” —John 8:36

If this is a new concept, or you are a Christian and struggle to see where God fits in to your repeated sin struggle, we invite you to come to a Recovering Hope meeting, or read some of our popular blog posts for more clarification. Because we believe defining addiction through the lens of the gospel doesn't condemn, it brings hope that the world cannot. Go to hopeforaddiction.com or the click link in our bio.

07/28/2026

New Abounding Hope podcast available now, wherever you get your podcasts!
What does it look like to provide more than housing for men living with serious mental illness?

In this episode of the Abounding Hope Podcast, Liz welcomes Deborah Geesling, founder of P82 Project Restoration, to share the vision behind Kenny’s Home: a permanent home where men with SMI can experience dignity, compassion, meaningful independence, and true community.

Because sometimes support does not mean pushing someone toward complete autonomy. It means meeting them where they are, helping them build skills within their abilities, and reminding them that they belong.

youtu.be/bKWHDyA82Ac

07/24/2026

Trying to outrun, cover or forget the past is at the heart of many addiction struggles. Sin against you is wrong and it grieves God. But it is not who you are. If you are in Christ, you have a new identity. A new life. That doesn't change what was done to you. But it means that it doesn't have to dictate how you live in the future. God chose you before you were born. He pursues you. He gave His son for you. That is where your worth lies. If you feel unlovable, unworthy or broken from sin against you, come to a Recovering Hope meeting. See how God sees you... Find one here: tr.ee/e96jAr

07/23/2026

She didn't offer advice. She didn't say "have you tried vitamins?" She didn't simply say "I'll pray for you."

She got in the car.
When Seth ran away, Deborah's pastor's wife drove the neighborhood with her. Her care group leader came over and sat with Deborah and her husband. They were just there.

That's what the church can be to people in crisis. They don't always have answers, but they can be there. 🤍

🎧 full story: youtu.be/Rbt_LX-aHjc

07/22/2026

What do you do when the person you raised, or married, or cared for is suddenly someone you don't recognize?

The world says the answer is solely medical and that the church can't help.

We don't believe that.

A person struggling with serious mental illness or addiction is not a case file. They are an image-bearer. They are seen, loved, and within reach of God's grace. And the family sitting next to you while everything falls apart at home, needs the church to move toward them, not away.

In this first episode of our new series on Addiction and Mental Health, Deborah Geesling shares her family's story- the shift, the diagnosis, the exhausting years, and how God used the hardest season of her life to build a ministry that now walks with families and equips churches to respond with both truth and grace.

If you've ever quietly wondered whether anyone sees you, this one's for you.

Listen now 👉 youtu.be/Rbt_LX-aHjc
Check out Deborah on Substack to understand more about SMI or get help if you are a caregiver! https://deborahgeesling.substack.com/

What happens when a family member is diagnosed with a serious menta...

07/11/2026

"Hi, I'm ____, and I'm an addict."

It may sound humble, and feel honest.

The Bible never defines believers by their former slavery. It defines them by their Savior.

Yes, the struggle is real. Temptation is real. Sanctification is often slow and costly.

But your battle is not your identity.

Scripture says that in Christ you are a new creation. The old has passed away. You have been crucified with Christ. Sin is no longer your master. You belong to Him.

That doesn't mean you'll never struggle.

It means your struggle no longer gets the final word about who you are.

Recovery says, "Manage your identity."

The gospel says, "Receive a new one."

07/09/2026

Everyone has an explanation for addiction. Trauma. Genetics. Environment. Willpower.

When the problem is misunderstood, the solution will always fall short.

At Hope for Addiction, we don't start with culture. We start with Scripture. The One Who created us knows what is really happening in our hearts, and His Word offers hope no cultural solution ever can.

Watch the full conversation and see why 2 Peter 1:3-4 contradicts what the culture says about addiction. youtu.be/v8jxNflTRFA