Apr 22, 2024
EP 28 - Today's guest is Erika Kelly, and her story is gonna interest you, because it isn't the typical one. Erica grew up in a safe and almost idyllic Home, one that's described by her as from the Nick at night show. She was raised in the church and found comfort and faith in Jesus at an early age. Despite not having a tragic or traumatic upbringing, Erika's unique story has shaped her into the person she is today.
02:19 Erika's Personal Life: Family, Career, and Passions
04:10 The Athlete's Struggle: Performance Anxiety and Identity
10:43 The Battle with Alcohol: Recognizing the Problem
13:05 Quitting Alcohol for Family and Self
17:04 The Impact of COVID-19 on Drinking Habits
21:47 Rebuilding Life, Marriage, and Health
26:10 The Impact of Alcohol on Physical Appearance
26:48 The Surprising Age Reversal After Quitting Alcohol
28:48 The Interplay Between Alcohol, Mental Health, and Stress
31:32 The Challenge of Quitting Alcohol Cold Turkey
32:00 The Power of Support and Overcoming Shame
33:04 Embracing Publicly and Its Challenges
36:20 Finding Strength in Gratitude
In this podcast, we invite you to step into a world where freedom
from the psychological slavery of alcohol and other substances
isn't just a dream—it's a reality. Through the power of shared
stories and unfolding faith, God reveals the amazing gifts and
promises waiting for us all when we stop drinking or remove
something toxic from our lives.
Through Say Goodbye And Imagine you are invited into a Christian
community where triumph over alcohol or other substances is not
only possible… it's happening every day through faith and the power
of God’s Word! Feel a profound connection with others who have
walked the same rocky path yet found solid ground by putting
biblically-based principles and God at the center of their journey
to freedom.
Imagine replacing the weight of guilt and isolation with the
lightness of grace and companionship through a shared Chirstian
community seeking alcohol freedom. Through the testimony of our
podcast community, you can discover how the Holy Spirit moves
powerfully in the lives of those who have surrendered their
struggles and embraced a journey of true transformation with God at
the helm.
Witness the transformative power of Jesus Christ while you gain
insight into the lies of the enemy. Through each episode, you'll be
equipped with biblically based strategies that others have used to
prioritize their spiritual well-being and expose the lies embedded
in a toxic habit that is also trying to control your life.
Ultimately, each episode guides you to a place where being
alcohol-free is just the beginning of your newfound
freedom--showing you the amazing world of promise and possibility
through God’s grace when alcohol is successfully set
aside.
Say Goodbye And Imagine shares the firsthand victories of those who
have broken free from the psychological slavery of alcohol or other
substances. Our greatest hope is to share these stories of triumph
so you can draw inspiration and courage from their stories. But our
podcast doesn't just offer hope—it showcases the real, tangible
outcomes of lives transformed by faith and the collective strength
of a community that believes in second chances.
Warning: our Say Goodbye And Imagine podcast is a little different.
We don’t use words that create shame or a negative identity. So, in
our podcast we don’t use vocabulary like alcoholic or alcoholism,
alcohol addiction or alcohol recovery, recovery or recovering,
sober or sobriety, addict or addiction, powerless or powerlessness,
and other words that take away our identity in God. Since we are
remade in the image of God, we seek an identity that is empowering
through Him. Although we respect and honor groups like AA
(Alcoholics Anonymous), Celebrate Recovery, and sober
rehabilitation centers, our topics tend to be very individual,
focusing on the unique journey of each participant.
If you desire to quit drinking or have been searching for ways to
reconnect with God, then please tune in. Hear the amazing success
stories of Christians just like you who decided to choose freedom
from alcohol or other substances. Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) “For I know
the plans I have for you”, declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you
and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a
future.”
Rose Ann Forte is the host of Say Goodbye and Imagine. Rose Ann had
reached a point in her own life when she realized that alcohol was
stealing from her and understood that God had a much better plan
for her. Today she is the bestselling author of The Plans He has
for Me Daily Devotional. Through her podcast, blog articles, books,
public speaking, Choose Freedom Program, YouTube and TikTok videos,
and Choose Freedom coaching and church mentor programs, Rose Ann
loves to share her experience of transformation with others and
discuss the power of the Holy Spirit and God’s foundational
principles behind renewing your mind.