Genuine Life Recovery with Jodie Stevens

We Lost Our Son—Now We’re Fighting to Save Yours (Ep. 187)

In this powerful episode of Genuine Life, I talk with Emmy-nominated filmmakers Kay and Murray Sumner, creators of the award-winning documentary Survivors.

After losing their son Josh—a gifted musician—to opioid addiction, the Sumners turned unimaginable grief into purpose. Through their film and mission, they’re working to break the stigma, raise awareness, and save lives in the midst of the opioid/fentanyl crisis.

This conversation goes beyond headlines. It reveals the truth about addiction—how it can impact any family, how quickly things can spiral, and why awareness and honest conversations matter now more than ever.

You’ll hear:

• The real story behind their son Josh and the inspiration for Survivors
• How addiction often begins in unexpected ways
• The devastating impact of fentanyl in today’s world
• Why breaking the stigma can save lives
• And where hope, healing, and purpose can still be found

This episode is heartbreaking, eye-opening, and ultimately uplifting—it's a reminder that even in the darkest moments, light can still break through.

🔗 Learn more and watch the film: https://www.notonemoretime.com/

​You can watch the award-winning Survivors documentary for FREE on YouTube or Tubi. It is also available to buy or rent on Amazon Prime. For the latest news on the opioid crisis in America, please follow @NotOneMoreTimeNonProfit on Instagram.

Surviving Psychological Abuse and Finding Your Way Out (Ep. 186)

In this vivid and important episode of Genuine Life Recovery, I’m joined by writer Christopher Carazas, author of the memoir Now That I’m Still Here: A Memoir of Ruin and Resurrection. Christopher shares the story of how a life that looked successful on the outside slowly collapsed under the weight of psychological abuse—and how he fought his way back after reaching the brink.

From the outside, his life looked awesome. He worked around the world in places like Haiti, Mali, and Madagascar, building a career in international development. But privately, he was caught in a cycle of psychological and emotional abuse within his marriage.

In this conversation, we talk about how abuse often doesn’t start in overt ways. We delve into the cycle of psychological abuse and how it moves—subtle shifts, small manipulations, and moments of control that gradually become normal. Over time, the danger becomes harder to recognize, and many people find themselves living inside something they never would have accepted at the beginning.

Christopher also shares how trauma doesn’t simply disappear when the situation ends. The body and mind can continue carrying those survival patterns long after the danger is gone. Diagnosed with autism later in life, he reflects on how autism shaped his self-esteem, relationships, and what he was experiencing. 

Most importantly, this episode is about hope—leaving, healing, and rebuilding a life after surviving the unimaginable.

Feeding Tube to Freedom: A Story of Sobriety, Surrender, & Miraculous Healing (Ep. 185).

Feeding Tube to Freedom:  A Story of Sobriety, Surrender, & Miraculous Healing (Ep. 185). 

What do you do when survival mode becomes normal — and pain just feels like part of who you are?

In this powerful episode of Genuine Life Recovery, I sit down with Sara Kelsey to talk about a life marked by chronic illness, medical trauma, foster care, deep grief, and years of binge-drinking that felt more like coping than addiction.

For decades, Sara lived with gastroparesis and a feeding tube doctors said would be permanent. Behind the scenes, alcohol became a way to quiet the emotional noise — until the shame and consequences became impossible to ignore.

Then came a turning point. 

Sara and her husband chose sobriety together, changing the trajectory of their marriage and family. Not long after, faith became real and personal. She was baptized in 2025 — not just as a symbol of sobriety, but of surrender. And in a moment that even doctors couldn’t explain, healing came in a way she never saw coming.

This conversation is honest, vulnerable, and full of hope. Because recovery isn’t just about behavior — it’s about letting God meet you in the middle of the mess.

If you’re wondering whether freedom is possible for you — this one’s for you.

Gutter Gospel: A Story of Hope from the Hardest Places (Ep.184)

Gutter Gospel: A Story of Hope from the Hardest Places (Ep.184)

Mike Smith joins me, a veteran whose life story is a raw, honest testimony of addiction, mental illness, homelessness, and ultimately, redemption. Mike takes us deep into his journey — from growing up with trauma, battling substance abuse and suicidal attempts, to finding hope through faith and a life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ.

This episode is about real recovery, real pain, and real grace. Mike shares how brokenness shaped his life, how the “gutter” became the place where God met him, and why our stories matter more than our scars. His message is simple but powerful: no one is too far gone, and healing is possible.

Mike is the author of Gutter Gospel: The Road to Redemption, a memoir that dives even deeper into his story and the power of testimony. Today, Mike speaks openly to encourage those who feel stuck, lost, or overwhelmed by addiction, trauma, or mental health struggles.

If this episode resonates with you, Mike welcomes connection and conversation. You can reach him directly at Mike@TheGutterGospel.com and learn more about his mission, book, and speaking work at TheGutterGospel.com.

This is a story of faith, recovery, and hope — straight from the gutter to redemption.

 

Redeemed, Not Defined by my Past - Breaking Every Chain (Ep. 183)

Redeemed, Not Defined  by my Past—  Breaking Every Chain (Ep. 183)

What happens when childhood survival turns into adult addiction-and God steps in with redemption?    

In this episode of Genuine Life Recovery, Russell Ramos shares his powerful story of growing up in instability, carrying unhealed wounds into adulthood, and eventually finding freedom through recovery, surrender, and faith. Raised in an environment shaped by fear, confusion, and emotional chaos, Russell learned early how to survive—but those same coping skills later led him into addiction and broken identity.

Through the recovery process and a life-changing encounter with God, Russell began to experience healing that went deeper than sobriety. In this conversation, he opens up about trauma, addiction, shame, grace, and what it truly means to break free from the chains of the past. His story is honest, hopeful, and deeply encouraging for anyone who feels stuck, discouraged, or unsure if real change is possible.

This episode is for those navigating addiction recovery, healing from childhood wounds, or seeking spiritual freedom. Russell’s journey is a reminder that your past does not define you, healing is possible, and redemption is real.

You are not too broken. You are not alone. Freedom is available.

Grace in Recovery: A Biblical Walk through the 12 Steps (Pt. 2 Ep. 182)

Grace in Recovery: A Biblical Walk through the 12 Steps (Pt. 2 Ep. 182)

Tune in for a tender but truth-telling journey into how God meets us right in the middle of addiction, trauma, and everyday mess—and slowly, patiently, makes us new. In this episode I talk with author, counselor, and cancer survivor David Zailer as we walk through all 12 steps, showing how they rise straight out of Scripture and how they become a practical path for real people who are hurting, angry, ashamed, and scared to hope again.​

This conversation is deeply personal. David shares how alcohol once felt like his only solution, the thing that quieted a lifetime of pain, and what it was like to have that “solution” stripped away, leaving a raw sadness and shame that nothing could numb anymore. He talks about learning, one shaky day at a time, that addiction is more than bad choices—it is neurological enslavement rooted in trauma and family history—and how honest community, recovery rooms, and the steps gave him language, tools, and companions to walk out of that bondage.​

Together, we move from Step One’s powerless confession to Step Twelve’s call to give it all away, weaving in Romans, James, the Gospels, and the Serenity Prayer. We sit in the hard questions: Why didn’t prayer alone “fix” it? What does it mean to let God define sanity? How do you face inventories, amends, and old anger without collapsing back into shame?​

Grace in Recovery is for anyone who has white-knuckled their way through church, treatment, or life and secretly wondered, “What’s wrong with me that I can’t get this right?” We offers a fiercely compassionate reminder that your addiction grew out of pain, not defectiveness—and that by walking the steps with Jesus and with others, you can learn to live sober, honest, and deeply loved, one surrendered day at a time.​

Learn more about David Zailer and check out his compelling books and curriculum here. 

 

Courageous Conversations: Childhood Trauma, Faith, & Healing - Pt 1 (Ep. 181)

Courageous Conversations: Childhood Trauma, Faith, & Healing - Pt 1 (Ep. 181)

Listen and watch for an honest and compassionate conversation with author and recovery leader David Zailer as we explore the impact of childhood trauma and the long road toward healing.

David opens up about surviving sexual abuse within the church, growing up with a narcissistic parent, and carrying the emotional fallout of a deeply dysfunctional home. Together, we talk through the coping mechanisms he developed, the shame and confusion he carried for years, and how these early wounds helped shape his addiction.

We also dive into the realities of gaslighting, family dynamics, and that moment in recovery when Scripture and faith finally began to feel real. David shares how therapy, safe people, and spiritual awakening became turning points in his healing journey.

This episode is raw, hope-filled, and deeply relatable for anyone navigating their own recovery or supporting someone they love. It’s the first in a two-part series — with Part 2 focusing on the Christian 12 Steps and David’s book Our Journey Home.

The God Who Became Bread: A True Story of Starving, Feasting, and Feeding Others (Ep. 180)

The God Who Became Bread: A True Story of Starving, Feasting, & Feeding Others (Ep. 180).

Join us for this powerful episode of Genuine Life Recovery, with author and speaker Emily Wierenga, who nearly starved to death as a young girl but now feeds bodies and souls with the love of God. Emily shares her remarkable journey from battling anorexia and fear to finding healing, identity, and purpose through Christ.

As the author of The God Who Became Bread: A True Story of Starving, Feasting, and Feeding Others, Emily opens up about the moment God met her in a hospital room, the deep faith lessons she learned in Africa, and how those experiences led her to found The Lulu Tree, a nonprofit ministry serving mothers and children in Uganda and Sierra Leone.

Her story reminds us that God still works miracles — in our hearts, our families, and across the world. Through surrender, grace, and community, we can all learn what it means to be truly fed.

Learn more about Emily’s ministry and writing at www.emilywierenga.com.