Episode 1: Rooted & Recoverd – When I Can’t, God Can

In this powerful and transparent episode of Rooted & Recovered, Dan and Justin dive deep into Step One of the 12-Step Program: "We admitted we were powerless over our addiction—that our lives had become unmanageable." Whether you're in recovery, walking with God for the first time, or struggling through the weight of life, this episode is for you.

Dan shares his rock-bottom moment—the day he realized willpower wasn’t enough and surrender was the only way forward. Justin opens up about finding grace behind the bars of a jail cell. Together, they break down the lie of "I got this," and point listeners toward a deeper truth: God’s power is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).

You’ll hear raw stories, spiritual insight, and real encouragement to let go of pride, drop the mask, and fully surrender. This episode isn’t about shame—it’s about freedom. Whether you’re battling addiction, anxiety, depression, or simply trying to hold it all together, Dan and Justin remind you: Surrender isn’t quitting. It’s letting God step in when you can’t.

🔹 Key Themes: Powerlessness, Surrender, Recovery, Faith, Identity in Christ
🔹 Scriptures Highlighted: Romans 7:18, 2 Corinthians 12:9
🔹 Includes a heartfelt prayer for salvation, strength, and boldness.

"You are not too far gone. You are not too broken. And you are not alone."

Support this podcast with your prayers, shares, and by hitting that subscribe button. Help us spread the message of recovery and hope. Let’s stay rooted, stay recovered, and get to work.

Transcript

0:00

This world doesn't hand out healing. It offers quick fixes, cheap pies and empty promises, but real recovery. It takes roots. Roots that dig deep into truth, into identity, into the unshakeable grace of God. We're not here to sugarcoat the struggle. We've lived it. Addiction, shame, relapse, regret, but we've also seen resurrection. We've seen what happened. Happens when broken people get anchored in something real rooted and recovered is more than a podcast. It's a battleground for the soul. A place where scars tell stories, where scripture speaks louder than shame, where freedom isn't just a word. It's a war we win daily. So if you're tired of surface level answers, if you want truth that convicts, hope that heals, and conversations that cut through the noise, you're in the right place. Welcome to Rooted and Recovered.

Dan: 1:07

guys, we have got such a powerful episode today, and I can't wait to get into this, but just real quick, just to do a little housekeeping we really could use your support and I know Justin, a lot of times when people hear the word support, they're like, oh God, how much money do they need? Guys, we don't need a dime from you. Here's the support that you can do for us. Number one, pray for us. We desperately need your prayers because we want this podcast. Anytime we kick a podcast out, we want it to get into the right people. We want the right people to hear it. And this can happen by you. See, we only got, me and Justin only have so much of a reach. But you got friends that we don't have, you have acquaintances that we will never be able to encounter with. So. Where you can help us out is by sharing this, share this podcast. Hit that like button. Hit that subscribe button. We are on Google, Spotify. Apple, you name it. If there is a podcast platform, we are on it. Share that podcast. Get that out to people. Be praying for us. That's how you can help us support that. That's all the housekeeping I got for today. Thank you so much for tuning in with us, but we are going to jump into the very. First episode, and we are gonna be talking about step one in the 12 step program. If you have followed NA, AA, celebrate Recovery there is so many others that utilize a 12 step. You are very familiar with this. But before we can jump to step 12, Justin, there's gotta be a step one when you are serving God, and we're gonna talk about here this in just a moment. I don't care if you've been serving God for today, or if you've been serving God for 20 years, there was a step one that you had to take in your life first. And when we look at this step one. When you read it, it tells us that we admitted we are powerless over our addiction and that our lives have become unmanageable. Let me repeat that to you, step one, the very first step, it says, we admitted we are powerless over our addiction, that our lives have become unmanageable. And Justin, let me ask you a question, brother. and I've asked this myself, what do you do when your best effort isn't enough?

Justin: 3:50

I can tell you what I used to do was I'd strive, I'd struggle, and I'd just continue to keep doing things that honestly weren't working. If you look back, it was insanity, and we're gonna get to that step later. But I've come to find what works is coming to a posture of surrender. It's getting out of my own way because I've come to realize that it's only when I get to the end of me, that God starts, because that's where Christ lies. He doesn't lie in what Justin does. He lies in what he does, and that's where I'm supposed to meet him at. So man, that's such a powerful step. And I think so many people skip it too many times in life.

Dan: 4:37

No, I agree with you, Justin. You know what I was thinking, not even early in recovery, I'm just talking about life in general. I. I really thought that if I could get A and B to line up, C would just happen to work itself out. And I know somebody listening to this podcast today is thinking that same things because I couldn't tell you how many times, Justin, that I said to myself, never again. I'm done. And maybe I flushed dope down the toilet. Maybe I threw it away. But guess what, man? Something. Inside of me a few hours later would fire right back up and I'd be on that phone again. Fast forward to recovery. Learning how to be a better person, learning how to be a Christian that walk with God. And I would mess up and I would say to myself, never again. And did I? Little did I know the just a few moments later, a few hours later, man, I would be right back into that mess again. And that's when I finally had to realize, man, I'm powerless, bro. Dan is powerless, and that is a word that we don't want to talk about. You can't tell me I'm powerless. I'm a man, I'm a husband, I'm a dad. I'm established. I'm not powerless. I got everything figured out, but no matter how many times Justin, I tried, dude, I continue to fall, I continued to mess up. I continued to wipe out, and it wasn't until I hit that rock bottom moment. That rock bottom moment, Justin, that I realized, you know what, I don't have this figured out. My life is unmanageable. I need help. And it was that day that I cried out to God at that rock bottom moment, man. And you know, I'm gonna ask you here in just a moment, but man, while I'm talking, I wanna share that the reality of powerlessness. You know, I watched my family, bro. Walk out on me again. Sick and tired of me, man. Sick and tired of the lies. Dude. Sick and tired of the deception. Sick and tired of me blowing$700 a week on dope and then watching us scrape by to get food for the house. I'm talking real to somebody real and raw right now. My wife was sick of it, family, and she had enough of it and she was. Tired of me putting her through that stuff. And I watched her walk out the door, man, and I heard my voice echoing dude, into a house. That should have been a home. That should have been loud with little kids running around my kids man. Now I'm sitting in this. Empty house all by myself, ma'am. And I walked into this mirror. I shared this in our first episode. I walked into this my bedroom dude, and I remember looking at myself in the mirror and I seen this sick. A sick individual, bro. I lost everything Again, me, Dan, who has it all figured out, if I could just get A to line up with B Justin, C's gonna work itself out. Well, guess what, It never happened, bro. So I'm sitting here looking at myself, man, this busted, broken, disgusting mess, And I heard the voice of the Lord that day. We talked about this. He asked me, when are you going to give this to me? And it was at that moment, Justin, that I finally realized, this is so much bigger than me.

Justin: 8:30

Every time you tell that, Dan, I get chills because that's that moment that Christ became real to you. To me. And that's that moment of powerlessness that you were talking about here for me. And I told the story too, last week. It was that jail cell. This was, so this was the beginning of December. I had a child who was 13 years old, who had already lost his mom to a drug addiction, and here I was sitting in a jail cell looking at six to 10 years. I. And in that moment, and I talked about it, how I came to the end of myself, how I gave up, and I hated everything about me. And Jesus came to me and said, but I still love you. But it was in that moment, Dan, where I had sat there and I realized nothing I had ever done had worked. Like you said, I kept thinking if A and B lined up, I can get all the way to Z if I can get that to happen. And I'd spend so much time in my mind. Trying to figure these things out only to see'em come to nothing. And when it finally came to nothing, when I came to nothing, there was something there, right? There was that love that moved inside those four walls that reminded me that I was not alone, and that there is a power to help change. But in order for that to happen, I had to come to a place of powerlessness. Man, it's in that powerlessness. I found freedom and I still find it in that today because how many times, Dan, do we go through this life and even though we've been walking this walk, we still think, ah, this next step I'm gonna go ahead and take it on my own'cause I got it. And where does that end up? Leading Right down the drain. We gotta continue to live in powerlessness.

Dan: 10:19

It's such a good point too, man, because you know, there's a lie that we tell ourselves. I got this. I can handle this, I can control this. But man, when I, every time I hear that, every time I hear that, man, I'm reminded of a scripture in Romans chapter seven, and I'm gonna be reading from the NIV. I love the book of Romans, Justin. Anytime I meet a newborn believer and they say, you know, pastor Dan, where's the first place I need to read? I always send them to Romans. Because it's like our Declaration of Independence from sin. Is found in the book of Romans, and you know, every time we tell that lie to ourself, I got this, I can handle this. The Bible tells us something completely different, and this is in Romans chapter seven, verse 18. Listen to what Paul tells us for. I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. See, you wanna do good, and I'm not knocking you, I'm not saying that you don't want to do good as human beings, our nature is to be able to do good and to want to do good. But guys, the reality is we have a sin nature. There is a sin nature that you and I. Have this goes all the way back to Genesis chapter three. Guys, this is a whole lesson for another day, but this goes all the way back to Genesis chapter three. You and I were born with a sin nature. No matter how hard we tried, Justin, without God in the center of my life, bro, I don't got this. I don't have this figured out. A will never line up with B to give me CI.

Justin: 12:12

And you know what, Dan, that was the problem in the beginning. You know, you talk about Genesis three, but what did Adam and Eve want? They wanted to be like God, they wanted that power. And look where it led'em. Look where it led. Every single human after that man, and like you said, that I got this mentality got me in places that I didn't want to be in, but. When I came to Christ and I stopped saying, I got this, and started saying, Lord, you have this. You take this. I started seeing change and I'm not just talking about some weird outer change where, oh, I was in a good mood. I'm talking about real life lasting change that has carried me through some of the darkest days of my life because I can look back and see what he's done for me.

Dan: 13:02

And as you were sitting there talking about that man, and we talk about the reality of powerlessness, you know, the thought that came to my mind man, is we don't need more willpower, bro. We need more surrender. We need more surrender the more willpower guys, I'm just going to be 100 with you. It's not gonna cut it against the sin nature. The only way that you and I are going to defeat this, Justin, the only way that I was able to get to the other side was to surrender my life to Jesus Christ. Man, there is a song, bro, we used to sing in, in the old Pentecostal churches. It says Only Jesus. Can satisfy your soul family. I've come here to tell you today, I don't care what the lie from the enemy is telling you and pounding into your head. I don't care what society might be telling you, what your family might be telling you. I'm telling you there is. Freedom in Jesus. There is freedom in the name of Jesus. We don't need more willpower. We don't need another step. As good as they are and as good as we're talking about'em, bro, we need surrender.

Justin: 14:20

You know, if you've been around 12 step programs, there's a saying that denial is more than just a river in Egypt. Right. But if we're actually looking at our lives, that denial that we aren't capable of doing it ourselves or that we're not capable of doing it ourselves is exactly where the enemy wants us. Because, like you said, up ahead, we're looking at lions and tigers and bears. Oh my. But meanwhile, we're drowning in the struggles of life and the enemy. We can't even see'em coming. But we gotta be willing to surrender and say, I'm taking a step out of this denial. I'm taking a step out of this river because guess what? What lies ahead is far greater than where I am, and that freedom lies ahead. Are you willing to take that step into freedom? Are you willing to let go and surrender? Are you willing to admit I can't? But God can and accept that because you might find yourself in that river a hundred times before life's over. But guess what? You have to keep reminding yourself when I can't, God can.

Dan: 15:29

Justin. And that's the thing right there. That's the whole title of this podcast. When I can't, God can I got news for you brother. I got news for you sister. You can't. You can't. If you coulda, you would've. And if you would've, you should've, but you didn't. And you're right here where you're at. You are at your rock bottom moment right now, and I might not even be talking about dope. I. I might be talking about anxiety. I might be talking to you about depression. I might be talking to you about suicidal thoughts It doesn't have to be about dope and alcohol. It could be something in your life right now that you are trying to lead yourself and you are trying. If I could just do this, if I could just get that, if I could just achieve this, my life will be okay. I'm telling you family, it won't. You don't need more willpower. You need surrender. And I remember Justin, I used to beat myself up so bad. We was actually talking about this today. I. because I didn't go to Bible school, I don't have a Bible degree, I don't have I don't have all the accolades somebody might need in my position. And I used to listen to people like, oh no Dan, you gotta sit down for a while and you gotta learn, you gotta grow. And that's true to an extent, but when you're called by God, you're called by God. And I used to let people dictate me what I could and couldn't do. Then I would look at myself and I'd be like, yeah, I'm not qualified. Yeah. I can't do this. And the Lord spoke to me so plainly, Justin, and he told me whoever said you could. Whoever said you could.

Justin: 17:19

Exactly whoever said that I could do what God wants me to do, whoever said that you could do what God wants you to do, God doesn't expect us to do it. He just expects us to surrender and let him do it through us every step we take. He wants to be the guiding force. He wants to lift your leg and place it where it goes, but you have to be willing to let

Dan: 17:40

go of that leg. So good. And the scripture that comes to my mind as we're talking about this is in second Corinthians 12, nine. And Paul, we're gonna be reading a lot about Paul, so get comfortable about this because Paul dealt with a lot of the things that you and I dealt with So when you are battling this weakness right now I'm talking to you right now. Listen to me, brother. Listen to me, sister. If you are sitting right now and you are listening to this podcast and you are saying, I want to do this so bad, but I can't I want to be a better person. I want to be in recovery. I want to be a better husband, a better. Father a better whatever that is in your life, and the enemy is coming and just. Beating on you and just gut punching you and just sucker punching you family. You can't on your own. Willpower is not going to cut it. You are going to have to surrender. And this is what the Bible says in second Corinthians 12, nine. But he said to me, and this is Paul talking about Jesus, listen to this. My grace is sufficient for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness so that Christ. Power may rest on me. This is why for Christ's sake, I delight in weakness. Come on now, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. Listen to this, for when I am weak, then I am strong.

Justin: 19:30

And notice a progression there, Dan. He begins by going to God first so many times we want to take that first step. But we don't take the step towards God and we wonder why we're falling flat on our face. It's great if you say you're powerlessness, but what are you looking to for power? And we're gonna get into that. But look where it goes. I. He says, my grace is sufficient, and Paul says, therefore, I will boast in my weakness. I will admit that I am powerless, proudly admit that I am powerless because I'm not proud of myself, but I have a good God who is up there, who is willing and able to do all that he promised. And. In my weakness, he will be glorified. In my powerlessness, I will see strength that I've never known, but too many people don't wanna be powerless.

Dan: 20:24

It's a pride issue. It all comes down to pride, because when I admit that I'm powerless, when I admit I'm weak, then I am letting people know that I've got struggles. Family, it's time to stop putting the mask on. It's time to stop showing people the good side of us and start letting my weakness show why? Because the Bible just told us guys, it's when he comes through his best. It's in my weakest moments that Christ is at his. Best, and guys, I wanna tell you, surrender. It isn't quitting. It's letting God step in when you can't.

Justin: 21:11

You know, a verse comes to mind, Dan. The Bible says that God will use the foolishness of the world to confound the wise. And the problem is too many people are wise in their own eyes and think they've got it all figured out. It's foolish to say, I surrender. It's foolish to wave a white flag, but can I tell you something? In the kingdom of God, it is not foolish to him. That is the most humbling thing you can do, and you can watch him move in those. Moments that you just give up and give it to God. But we have to

Dan: 21:42

give up and give it so powerful, as we get ready to wrap this podcast up, I gotta ask the listener, I even gotta ask myself this every day, guys, what am I still holding onto? What am I trying to be in control of? What am I letting my pride get in the way and say, Hey, God, I know me better than you know me. I got this, and we continue to crash and burn in our life. When is enough going to be enough to where we can finally step up and say, God, I need you. And that's step one guys. that's step one in recovery. That's step one in giving your life to Christ. That's step one in being a father, a husband, a wife, everything is admitting that God. Alone, I am powerless. But with you, my weakness is made strong in you. So therefore, I can boast in my weakness. Is it tough? Yes. Is there gonna be tough days that are tougher than others? Yes, but when I'm weak, that's where he's at his best. Justin, when I'm struggling, that's where God can come in and lift me up, and then I can say, you know what? It was a God thing that got me to C because A wasn't cutting it. B wasn't cutting it. And definitely any other thing I tried wasn't cutting it. And that is what step one is all about. It is admitting that we powerless over our addiction, powerless over our struggles and that our life. Has become unmanageable and it will not be family. You listen to me. It will not be until you come to that realization right there, that life will begin to change for you, that things will begin to change for you. But I've gotta tell you this, I got to tell you this'cause it's not a one and done thing. Surrender isn't the end of your story. It's the chapter where things start changing. It's not the end of your story. It's not a one and done. You're gonna have to wake up every single day, and you are gonna have to make the decision, am I going to follow the desires of my flesh, Dan, or am I going to follow what Christ has for me?

Justin: 24:28

It's in that surrender that your weakness becomes his strength. You know, I had a good friend of mine, if you ever take a flashlight and you go into your bathroom and you shine it on your mirror and there's nothing wrong with it, the flashlight almost comes back dull. Right, and you can go and try that. Now, this next part, don't go and try because it's a little outlandish, but if you go in there and you take a hammer and you hit that mirror and you watch it crack, and you take that same flashlight and shine it on that mirror, the light comes back brighter. You see, we have to be willing to admit we're powerless and expose our cracks to God's light, to the light that is Jesus Christ. And we will see something shine brighter through us than we have ever seen before. You wanna be a good father? You want to be a good mother? Start asking God how to do it and quit trying to do it yourself. You want to be a good employee, you want to be a good friend, a brother, a sister. Quit asking. Others quit going to a well that has a hole in the cistern and go to the well that never runs dry, which is Jesus Christ. But it takes us surrendering to get there.

Dan: 25:42

So powerful family. It's not a one-time decision. It's a daily declaration that says, God, you can, because I can't, and I feel in the spirit. Justin, that somebody's gonna listen to this podcast and they're in that moment right now. They're in that moment of they know they need change. They've tried it, A and b they've watched, they're at that rock bottom moment right now. Justin, I want you to pray. This is a. Prayer. And I want you to, I, I want you, if you're listening to this, if you know somebody that needs this, we wanna pray for you right now. Number one, for your salvation. We wanna pray for your salvation, but we also wanna pray for you for boldness. I wanna speak boldness over you because it's bold. It's not weak, it's bold to say. I'm powerless, Justin, that is a bold step and I want to commend you for that. And the enemy's gonna come in and he's gonna try to wipe the floor with you, but where you can't, God can Justin pray for us. Whatever the spirit of the Lord is laid on you. Pray for this right now.

Justin: 27:02

Father, we come before you Lord, with humble hearts. You know the Bible says that where two or more are gathered in your name, you're a present, but the truth is Lord, your word says in low, I am with you always. And so I pray for that person, Lord, that doesn't understand that you're right there with them. I pray for that one struggling Lord with whatever their rock bottom is, because the truth is my rock bottom is not theirs and theirs isn't mine. But Lord, you know their heart. And Lord, I pray that they have an open heart, that they have an open mind, and that they believe and receive, Lord, and that they turn it over to you. Lord, I pray for the one struggling to let go, that they realize it's okay to be vulnerable. It's okay to be weak, and I'm not just talking about the newcomer. I'm talking about the Christian who feels like they can't come to an altar of repentance because they've been walking with you too long. The Bible says, but he demonstrates his great love towards us, and while we were yet sinners, he died on a cross. That word demonstrates. It means that it's never ending, it's still going on, Lord. So I pray for the one who's just struggling with whatever it is, Lord, that they quit trying to hold on and just let go. And Lord, sometimes that takes so much. Lord, that's where your strength is found. Because when we can't, you can Lord. So I pray, father, for the one that needs to let go of his life today, for the one that needs to just surrender it all and say, Lord, I surrender. I pray for the one who doesn't know you as their Lord and Savior, and that today would be the day of salvation. I pray that today would be the day that they taste and see that the Lord is good, and I pray for the ones Lord who are listening, who are just struggling with the everyday task of letting go, whether it's anxiety or worry, or doubt, or fear or unforgiveness. Lord, I pray that we realize that in our weakness, you are strong, and I pray Holy Spirit, have your way. Let these words not be our own and let them be of you, Lord, and we pray all this and your precious and powerful name, Jesus. Amen.

Dan: 29:48

Amen. And if you prayed that prayer, we want to celebrate with you. Please go over to our Facebook page rooted and recovered, and just leave a testimony, send us a message we want to celebrate with you. But before we go, I want you to hear this message loud and clear, and I just. Feel to share this for you. I wanna let you know that you are not too far gone, you are not too broken, and more importantly, you are not alone. We gotta get this thing into our head, Justin. That recovery, it's not about perfection, it's about progress and with God. The beautiful thing about serving God is your past doesn't disqualify you. What your past does, it prepares you. Keep showing up. Keep being honest. Keep surrendering yourself every day, even when it's messy, because you are stronger than your struggle. I promise you, you are loved beyond the shame and you are rooted. Grace that doesn't give up. We believe in you even if you don't believe in yourself. But more importantly, God hasn't and never will change his mind about you. Until next time, family, stay rooted, stay recovered, and let's get to work.

31:32

You are not just surviving. You are becoming, becoming rooted in truth, becoming recovered by grace, and becoming the person God always knew you could be. Thanks for joining us on Rooted in Recovered. If this episode stirred something in you, don't keep it to yourself. Share it, live it, let it take root. We'll see you next time right here where scars become testimonies and hope rises from the ashes.