Episode 43: Robert — From Rock Bottom to Redemption: Finding God, Grace, and Freedom in Sobriety

Robert just celebrated 11 years sober—and this was his first time ever getting sober. Before that, he had lost absolutely everything he had worked for. When he finally surrendered, he was scholarshipped into a program, and on his very first morning, they took him to a 7 a.m. meeting. He walked in and saw people smiling—truly happy—and in that moment, he was struck sober. He knew deep down that this was it for him.

Robert had tried getting “Jesus sober” before—turning to church, praying for strength—but it never lasted. The second he left, the relief disappeared. But when he walked into AA, something clicked. The fellowship gave him not just sobriety, but a God of his own understanding. Today, he gets on his knees and prays every single morning.

Growing up in the South, Robert never felt safe being openly gay. When he first moved to Thousand Oaks, he feared he’d be the only gay man in the rooms—like he was right back in the South, feeling like the outsider again. But through prayer, faith, and the love of the fellowship, he found belonging and a spiritual home.

When Robert came into the program, he had nothing—no job, no car, no money, and no connection to his family. In that first year, he learned humility, how to ask for help, and how to reach out when he was struggling—and every time, someone in AA reached back. For six years straight, he went to a meeting every single day. “I just wanted someone to point me in the right direction,” he says, “and that direction was always toward God.”

At 13 months sober, tragedy struck when his aunt, uncle, and cousin were killed by a drunk driver. Robert shares the painful realization that he was that kind of drunk driver—and how, by the grace of God, he was sober when it happened. He walks us through how his faith carried him through that unimaginable grief, and how he’s learned to trust that God’s hand is in everything—both the blessings and the heartbreaks.

Over time, his life rebuilt itself piece by piece: a car from someone in the program, a job from another member, reconnection with family, and a sense of purpose rooted in helping others. Today, Robert gives back by showing up for the newcomer the same way people showed up for him.

🎧 Tune in for a powerful and emotional conversation about surrender, faith, and the kind of grace that only comes from hitting bottom and choosing to rise—with God and the fellowship lighting the way.