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The Catholic Sobriety Podcast
Welcome to The Catholic Sobriety Podcast with your host Christie Walker!
This podcast is dedicated to empowering Catholics to live lives of freedom by providing tips and tools to help them be successful as they reduce or eliminate alcohol consumption. Christie Walker, a compassionate Catholic life and sobriety coach, is here to support you on your journey toward a healthier, more fulfilling life.
Are you questioning whether alcohol has taken control of your life? Do you worry about the impact it may have on your well-being? Many people find themselves in this situation, fearing the loss of pleasure and stress relief associated with alcohol. They assume that giving it up will only bring deprivation and misery. But Christie offers a different and much more positive perspective.
With Christie's expertise, you'll discover the joy and peace that come from embracing a healthier lifestyle rooted in the Catholic faith and tradition.
Ready to get curious? Start listening!
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The Catholic Sobriety Podcast
Ep 129: Feeling Discouraged? Same Here. Let's Change that!
Have you ever battled that sinking feeling of discouragement while trying to change your relationship with alcohol? That overwhelming sense that maybe your efforts don't matter, that progress seems impossible, or that your excuses are simply too powerful to overcome?
In this deeply vulnerable episode, I share my recent struggle with discouragement in my own ministry. Despite years of helping women find freedom from alcohol dependence, I found myself questioning if my work was making any difference—if anyone even cared about the message of alcohol freedom. This raw conversation reveals how discouragement functions not just as an emotion, but as one of the enemy's most powerful weapons against our growth and freedom.
Discouragement thrives on fear, doubt, and obstacles. It zeroes in on our vulnerabilities and tries to blind us to the truth of who we are and whose we are. The enemy wants us to fixate on our failures, forget God's goodness, and believe we're incapable of meaningful change. But there's profound hope in recognizing this spiritual attack for what it is.
Whether you're just beginning to question your relationship with alcohol or you're well along your sobriety journey, this episode offers comfort, solidarity, and practical wisdom for those moments when discouragement threatens to derail your progress. Remember: God's grace is sufficient, His power is made perfect in weakness, and with His help, you can push through even the toughest days.
Walking with Purpose Catholic Women’s Bible Study: https://walkingwithpurpose.com/bible-study/
Break free from alcohol with Christ-centered guidance, community support, and powerful tools. Transform your life with the Sacred Sobriety Lab. Join today at SacredSobrietyLab.com.
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Welcome to the Catholic Sobriety Podcast, the go-to resource for women seeking to have a deeper understanding of the role alcohol plays in their lives, women who are looking to drink less or not at all for any reason. I am your host, christi Walker. I'm a wife, mom and a joy-filled Catholic, and I am the Catholic Sobriety Coach, and I am so glad you're here. Welcome everyone. Today I'm going to get vulnerable with you. You see, I hesitated to record this episode because I've been wrestling with discouragement. This episode because I've been wrestling with discouragement and I started wondering if maybe you've been feeling discouraged lately too. Maybe you're finding it hard to see progress in your goals towards reducing or eliminating alcohol. Maybe you're facing obstacles that just feel insurmountable. Maybe your excuses are just so loud that it is difficult to say no. But if so, I want you to know that I am right here with you. I don't know if I'm feeling this way, because my twins are graduating from high school soon and I'm just feeling all the feelings. You know, it's bittersweet, sometimes I feel sad, sometimes I feel happy. I think about one of our boys is going to go off to college in another state again. So happy and excited for him, but also sad and kind of grieving that I won't have him here pretty soon. So maybe that's kind of cast a cloud over my generally sunny disposition. I'm usually a very positive, very joy-filled person, but I'm human and I feel feelings too, of sadness and grief and all of that. So what's been happening with me is I've just been kind of in my own head. I've been thinking does anybody even care about the work that I'm doing? Do my podcasts, newsletters or social posts even make a difference? And I've thought a lot about if what I'm offering even matters. But then I remembered something and I want to share it with you today. I remembered that the Lord has called me to this work and I know this with every fiber of my being. He has placed on my heart a holy discontent.
Speaker 1:I see so many women who have things all together in pretty much every area of their life, but alcohol is holding them back, it's making them feel shame, it's just causing a lot of chaos because they just don't feel like they even have the option to choose. They feel like they have to drink to fit in, to be part of a community. They feel like they have to drink to cope with just you know just everything going on in our world, in our families, in our homes. But I'm here to tell you that that is not necessary. I've lived almost 30 years without alcohol, feeling feelings, getting through social situations and all of that sort of thing without alcohol, and I know that you can do it too. I mean, you don't have to give it up forever, but you can reduce it and you can live a life that you love of peace, and you know you don't have to be worrying about alcohol all the time or the shame or chaos that is causing you.
Speaker 1:My heart is for Catholic women who are silently struggling with alcohol and desperately seeking freedom, and I know that that is you, because you're listening to me Whether this is the first time you found me, you found me somehow, or you've been listening for a while. I know that you are seeking freedom or, at the very least, some answers and tools that are going to help you regain control over your drinking Now, even though the discouragement that I've been feeling is trying to tell me otherwise, that what I'm doing doesn't matter, that no one cares, that no one needs it, that no one's really motivated or has the willingness to even do the work to try to break free. I've seen the evidence. That's contrary to those lies. I know they're lies. I know again that you are listening because you are looking for hope and, even if I never meet some of you or you never work with me, that you will know that the Lord knows your heart, knows your struggle and sees your victory. That is the most important thing that I want to convey is that you are seen and you are loved. God desires your freedom even more than you, even more than you. He just is waiting for you to take those steps to break free, and once you start taking those steps, he is going to be with you to equip you and empower you and help you every step of the way.
Speaker 1:But still, I know, because I'm experiencing it, that discouragement can creep in, and so we're going to talk about it today. We're going to talk about how to recognize it, what to do with it and how to keep going in the face of it, because I know for a fact that I am not the only one feeling this way. Now, discouragement, it really is such a sneaky thing, isn't it? It definitely caught me off guard and I had to really do some thought, work and ask myself some really important and powerful questions, to get to the root of what was going on, because part of me just wanted to throw in the towel and just give up on everything, and I want you to know that you might feel this way too. Like one moment you might be feeling extremely motivated, like you're going along your path, things are going really well, and then the next minute you're questioning everything. That's basically what happened to me.
Speaker 1:But discouragement, it thrives on fear and doubt and obstacles. It zeroes in on our vulnerabilities and it tries to blind us to the truth of who we are and whose we are, of who we are and whose we are, and it tries to get us to completely forget what we've already accomplished, not to even look at it. The enemy loves to use our vulnerabilities, like discouragement, to shift our focus from the truth. He wants us to fixate on our failures. He wants us to forget God's goodness and all the things that we've already done. He wants us to believe that we are incapable of change or growth, and what that does is it steals our willingness, it steals our forward motion, our forward motion. But here's what I hold on to. In moments like this, I remember that discouragement is one of the greatest weapons of the enemy. But it's a lie. It is not the truth.
Speaker 1:So if you've been trying to curb your drinking and you feel like you're failing because you've had setbacks or you know things haven't gone according to your plan, I just want you to pause for a moment and look at the big picture. Look at the progress that you have made. What are you overlooking? Maybe you've cut back, even if it looks a little bit messy, but here's the thing You've initiated a forward movement. You are making steps forward, even if it's imperfect, it doesn't matter. If you take a look at what you're doing or the awareness you've gained, I would bet you have huge improvements. If you're having a hard time, you know thinking about it, then just sit with God and ask him to reveal what those things are what those things are Maybe the lies that you've come to believe and help him. Allow him to replace that with truth, his truth.
Speaker 1:It's so interesting because I've been part of a Bible study for the past eight years. I've been one of the co-coordinators and I'm a small group leader for walking with purpose Bible study at my parish. It's a huge study. We have usually 50 to 60 women. It's crazy, but it is because so many women are looking to be fed and they really want those truths of scripture delivered to them in a way that helps it make sense in their daily lives. And I'm always I don't know why. After eight years I am still always surprised at, when I go through a study, how certain lessons just really speak to where I'm at, and this happened to me yesterday actually. So I've been doing Opening your Heart, a Walking With Purpose Bible study. It's actually the foundational study, so it's like the one that they recommend that you start with. This is the third time I've done it and, ladies, I can't recommend this study enough and I'll make sure to leave a link in the show notes. You can do it by yourself, you can do it with a small group, you can do it as a parish program. But after eight years, going into my ninth year, I can tell you it has changed my life and the lives of so many of the women who have participated.
Speaker 1:But this isn't an ad for Walking With Purpose. I just wanted to say that we did our very last study of opening your heart yesterday and here's what stuck with me this time around, because, just based on what is going on in my life at the time, and I know this because I have, like my old books and I'll look at my answers to questions from previous years that I've done it, and then I'll look at answers to questions from where I'm at now. I always just pull something different out again based on what's going on in my life. So this time, lisa Brennekenmeyer, who is the founder of Walking With Purpose and author of this study she's actually the one that said that discouragement is one of the greatest weapons of the enemy, and I truly believe that and she said that Satan wants you to see nothing but the obstacle. He wants you to be so discouraged that you give up. And that is so true. That is exactly what was going on for me, and maybe that's what's going on with you.
Speaker 1:So if discouragement has a grip on you, it's not because you're failing. It's because the enemy doesn't want you to experience the joy, the peace and the freedom that God has in store for you. We know better than that. We know whose we are, and he loves us and he desires our freedom and our betterment. And again he has placed these desires on our heart, or a holy discontent, where we are the ones that can step up and do something for others that is going to help them. But if we are believing the lies of the enemy, we're just not going to do it because we are going to be so discouraged that we give up. And that is what he wants us to do, because a powerful, praying woman who knows who she is and whose she is is the nemesis of the enemy, right? He wants to keep us stuck. We're not going to let that happen, right, ladies?
Speaker 1:So now, what do we do with this discouragement? I mean, I can tell you from experience of this week. It can feel so powerful. Honestly, it has felt so powerful. Sometimes I feel like I just can't breathe, like there's this tightness in my chest and my stomach is just like wonky with anxiety, and I've just had to really work through it with breathing, with walking, with journaling, with stretching, with praying. I wish that I could say that I did that first, but it was again after watching this video where Lisa said that we need to not focus on productivity but instead focus on prayer doing well lately. So I can admit that to you and let you know that I've found the weak link in my chain that has really led to this discouragement. But when we're feeling discouraged we can wonder, like now, what? How do we respond? It's again those sinking feelings that I just described can just keep us stuck. But here's what you can do, what I've done, and I already listed some of these things, but you can acknowledge it, don't pretend that it's not there.
Speaker 1:Jesus wants your honesty, not perfection. Progress, not perfection. Right, sit with him, pour your heart out, tell him what's weighing on you and ask for his clarity and strength. Even tell him, like I know, lord, that you desire this more for me than I desire it for myself. Please help me, desire it as much as you do. Please give me the willingness that I am lacking right now. Please give me the strength that I just feel like I don't have, but I know I do.
Speaker 1:One of my favorite verses for moments like this comes from 2 Corinthians 12 9, and it's my grace is sufficient for you. My power is made perfect in weakness. Write that on a post-it, put it on your mirror or your computer or as a screensaver or something. His power is made perfect in our weakness. The other thing you can do is write it out. I alluded to it.
Speaker 1:For me, journaling can really really help me kind of untangle untangle the web of negative thoughts and also recognize them. If I write everything, then I can look at it and say where is the lie. And if you've listened to me before, I've talked about declarations like speaking God's truth over you and that comes from scripture and using scripture verses to replace a lie with God's truth. So journaling can really help with that, because then you can actually see it and counter those lies with truths about who God says that you are. Then the other thing you can do is shift your perspective. So this is where the mind work comes in right, instead of obsessing over what isn't going right.
Speaker 1:I've had to ask myself what progress have I made? I've had to look at who have I helped. You know, I just had a client that I've worked with for a year and this client is doing amazing. They've come so incredibly far and they have completely given up alcohol. But through our coaching, through planning, through preparation, through, you know, making mistakes but then recalibrating for next time, it has been amazing to see this growth and it's I had forgotten about that. I was so focused on discouragement that I completely forgot just how grateful that client was. And then I heard from another client today. I mean, it literally brought tears to my eyes because I was feeling so discouraged. And this client was like I see how much progress I've made and I'm so grateful for the work that you have done with me, and it just, you know, that was just one of those like God winks of, like I know you need this right now. Sis, here you go, and it made me feel so good. So do that, think about the progress you've made.
Speaker 1:One of the things I tell people is to keep track of your alcohol-free days, because we can get so caught up in the times that we maybe stumble that we forget all the progress we've made or we forget how much awareness there is now around the choice that you make, whether that's to drink or not drink. So for me it's easy, when one of my clients gets discouraged about not being alcohol-free yet, to remind her of the progress she's made. But sometimes that's hard for me to do for myself. So that's why, you know, having a coach and I do have a coach can be so beneficial, because when we just kind of get stuck in that rut of not being able to recognize our wins, sometimes it takes talking to someone else or or praying about it or writing it down. That helps us to realize oh yeah, I do have a lot of wins. Like I'm just obsessing over lies or I'm just obsessing over the negative part. I've completely forgotten to look at my wins.
Speaker 1:When I start a one-on-one coaching session with someone, we always start with the wins. We always, always start with the wins before we talk about anything else and it really sets the tone for the rest of our session. Because I know this from experience. Like I've gone into a session thinking with my coach, thinking like I have a list of all the things that didn't go right that I need to work on and blah, blah, blah. But when I think about what were those things that did go right, where were those wins? Then I'm in a much more positive space because I'm recognizing that I'm working toward something and that I am making progress.
Speaker 1:The other thing is to lean on community when we're feeling discouraged. I mean I'm kind of using my podcast right now as my way of leaning on community, because I'm getting to share this with you. But in sharing it with you, I'm also hopefully helping to encourage you, because we are not meant to do any of this alone. So lean on those who love you most and love you best, and don't keep this as a secret to yourself. Sisters, I hope that what you've gotten from this podcast, this unconventional podcast that I am delivering today, is that discouragement is very real. I experience it myself and I really know deeply, when you are experiencing it too, how it feels.
Speaker 1:But discouragement is not the end. You don't have to give up. Do not allow the enemy to use his weapons against you. The Lord is an encourager. He loves you. So if you're feeling stuck today, I want you to remember that God's grace is greater than any obstacle you are facing, than any excuse that your mind can offer you. Take heart, because the Lord will use your struggles for good.
Speaker 1:Now I just want to leave you with this reminder from 2 Timothy 1, verse 7,. And it says For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and self-control. You are stronger than you think and, with God's help, you can push through even the toughest days, and so can I. I am praying for you and I am cheering you on every step of the way, and I am here for you. Do not hesitate to reach out to me anytime. God bless you.
Speaker 1:Well, that does it for this episode of the Catholic Sobriety Podcast. I hope you enjoyed this episode and I would invite you to share it with a friend, who might also get value from it as well, and make sure you subscribe so you don't miss a thing. I am the Catholic Sobriety Coach, and if you would like to learn how to work with me or learn more about the coaching that I offer, visit my website, thecatholicsobrietycoachcom. Follow me on Instagram at thecatholicsbrietycoachcom. Follow me on Instagram at thecatholicsobrietycoach. I look forward to speaking to you next time, and remember I am here for you. I am praying for you. You are not alone, thank you.
