She Loved Jesus And Couldn't Stop Drinking | A Love Life Sober Testimony
In this episode of Love Life Sober, Christy shares a powerful testimony about stopping drinking and finding freedom from alcohol through faith. Shantel Chandler shares her journey from struggling with alcohol to living alcohol-free, and how God used conviction, community, and surrender to break a drinking stronghold.
Just 15 months ago, Shantel was at the very beginning of her journey—listening to the podcast, reading Christy’s book, and wondering if freedom could actually be real for her. Today, she’s living alcohol-free and sharing what changed as a Fast Captain, apart of the Love Life Sober community.
Shantel opens up about how alcohol first entered her life as a confidence boost in high school, how it became a coping mechanism through heartbreak and loneliness, and how it eventually turned into a stronghold during some of the hardest seasons of her life—including motherhood, moving, stress, and navigating her child’s Type 1 diabetes diagnosis.
But this story is also about the slow and steady way God pursued her—through a sister’s gentle comment, through sermons she couldn’t forget, through discipleship that felt like grace instead of condemnation, and finally through the moment she woke up and prayed, “Okay God, I’m done… but I don’t know how.”
If you’ve ever felt the Holy Spirit tugging at your heart and you’re not quite sure what to do with it, this conversation will feel incredibly familiar.
If you’ve ever thought…
“I don’t know where I fit.”
“I’m keeping this secret.”
“I love Jesus… but I can’t stop.”
“This has a grip on me.”
This episode is for you.
What You’ll Learn
• How Shantel’s drinking began as a way to feel confident and fit in
• How heartbreak and divorce shifted alcohol from “fun” to coping
• What it was like becoming a single mom, rediscovering faith, and still living in a drinking cycle
• Why major stress can deepen alcohol’s grip—including moving, isolation, and parenting through medical challenges like Type 1 Diabetes
• The tension of wanting Christian community while still hiding struggles
• What conviction felt like for Shantel and how God used sermons and conversations to pierce her heart
• The difference between white-knuckling a fast and surrendering a stronghold
• How community support helped her stop hiding and begin healing
Links & Resources
Join the Love Life Sober Community
https://lovelifesober.co.uk/community
Join the Lent 40-Day Alcohol Fast
https://lovelifesober.co.uk/the-fast
Order Christy’s Book
Love Life Sober: A 40 Day Alcohol Fast to Rediscover Your Joy, Improve Your Health, and Renew Your Mind
https://lovelifesober.co.uk/book
Connect on Instagram
@lovelifesoberwithchristy
Subscribe on YouTube — Come hang with us!
Disclaimer
The creators, hosts, and producers of the Love Life Sober podcast are not healthcare practitioners and therefore do not give medical, psychological, or professional advice nor intend for the podcast or any Love Life Sober communication to substitute for such. Views and opinions expressed in any referenced or linked resources do not necessarily reflect those of the Love Life Sober team or guests.
Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
Christy found her true calling when she gave up alcohol and discovered a passion for helping women do the same. She has since coached hundreds of women across the US and UK as a highly trained senior sobriety coach, blending neuroscience, faith, and practical tools to help clients break free from alcohol and live with purpose.
She is the author of the best-selling Love Life Sober: A 40-Day Alcohol Fast to Rediscover Your Joy, Improve Your Health, and Renew Your Mind, and the host of the Love Life Sober podcast. Christy lives in Sussex, England, with her husband, their two teenagers, Ella and Carter, and their cavapoo, Copper.
You can discover more from Christy at
