When Success Hides the Drinking: Josh Kerr on Secrecy, Surrender, and Sobriety

Josh Kerr thought he was so sneaky. He once opened two beers at the same time just so his wife thought he was only opening one. He knew he had a drinking problem. But he also had growing businesses, a lake house, and a boat. He figured that if he could manage everything else in his life, he could manage his drinking, too.

On this episode of Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic, Josh describes how much work it took to keep his drinking hidden. He’d tell his wife he needed to stay at the lake house for work. When he couldn’t bring himself to come home, he’d pick a fight so she’d think he was staying away because he was angry.

After a seizure and 19 days in a coma, he woke up and told his family they could send him wherever they wanted. He went to treatment expecting to stay a month. He stayed six. While he was there, he opened the Bible his brother had packed and found a sticky note his mom had left on Joshua 1:9.

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."

It became his life motto.

Today, Josh talks about his story but also why sobriety was only the beginning for him, and what it’s like to follow Jesus in AA when people in church and in recovery rooms have both told him he doesn’t belong.

Explore the FREE Veritas Recovery Community to connect with people on a similar journey
Get Gospel-centered addiction recovery resources and help at veritasrecovery.org
Follow Jon: @jonseidl
Order Jon's book: Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic
Watch this episode ad-free at The Vertias Daily

We explore:

— Why feeling nothing felt so good the first time Josh drank
— How business success became evidence that his drinking was under control
— Why Jon used breaks from drinking to convince himself he didn’t have a problem
— How Josh picked fights to give himself a reason to stay away and keep drinking
— What changed when Josh woke up and told his family they could send him to treatment
— Why a sticky note on Joshua 1:9 mattered to two men in treatment
— What it’s like to follow Jesus in AA when people in both places question where you belong

Music licensed through Soundstripe.
Code: 4AEQL8RXXRG66F9S

Support the Show: https://www.jonseidl.com/

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.