Today, Pastor George May, Chris Torchia, and Greg Schmalhofer are unpacking the struggle with addiction. Whether you or someone you know wrestles with addiction, or you’ve ever found yourself turning to unhealthy coping mechanisms to deal with the heaviness of life, this episode is for you! We’ll talk about what it’s like for someone experiencing addiction, how different addictions can present themselves, and ultimately how to approach this struggle from a biblical point of view so that we can find hope and support for recovery. No matter how you might find yourself relating to the topic of addiction, you are not alone!

Resources for Further Growth:

- Check out Greg’s Ministry at hoperecovery.us

- Addictions: A Banquet in the Grave: Finding Hope in the Power of the Gospel by Ed Welch

- Good News for the Chemically Dependent and Those Who Love Them by Jeff VanVonderan

- Calvary’s support group, Grace & Hope, meets on Tuesday evenings from 7:00-8:00pm.

Since childhood, Mike has struggled with anxiety and depression. Throughout the years, that struggle has presented itself in different ways, and he has walked through both good seasons and hard seasons. When Mike married Julie, she entered into the battle with him and began to understand struggles of mental health in a new light. Today, Mike and Julie—along with Pastoral Counseling Associate, Chris Torchia—are sharing both their story and insight. But ultimately, they are reminding us that there is hope to be found in the grace of Jesus, even on the hardest days.

Caryl Roper is Calvary’s newest Pastoral Counseling Associate. While she’s new to the team, she has been working in private practice for many years and has been a longtime member of the church. Caryl is typically the person that is genuinely curious and inquisitive of other people’s lives, but today she’s allowing us to turn the tables and hear about her life. Caryl’s testimony and passion for her vocation draw us straight to the heart of God, as she reminds us that we’re created for relationship—both with others and our Creator.