96. Just Say YES! One Addict's Journey of Recovery by Going ALL IN96. Just Say YES! One Addict's Journey of Recovery by Going ALL IN
This is Your Wake-Up Call
John shares how his drinking began at eight years old and grew into a hidden, high-functioning addiction that cost him jobs, safety and nearly his family. A simple "yes" to his son’s invitation to church starts a long journey toward faith, community and ongoing sobriety, with a strong focus on service and telling his story.
48:16•5 Oct 2026
Just Say Yes: John’s All-In Journey From Hidden Bottles to Hope
Episode Overview
- A single invitation – in John’s case from his ten-year-old son – can become the starting point for major change.
- High-functioning addiction often hides deep shame and a split identity behind apparent success.
- Saying "yes" step by step – to church, to small groups, to serving – helps build a new life and identity beyond alcohol.
- Community with other men who are honest about their struggles is crucial for dealing with guilt, past behaviour and ongoing temptation.
- Serving others and telling one’s story shifts the focus away from self and can become a powerful part of staying sober.
“"It is one word. Yes. Just say yes. God's going to ask you to do something. Say yes."”
How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety? This conversation gives a raw, honest look at one man’s decision to go all in, simply by saying one small word: "yes". Jerry Bis Bee sits down with John, who describes himself as a former "high-functioning drunk". He talks about taking his first drink at eight, being drunk on the school bus by age ten, and drinking so much Jack Daniels he ended up on the distillery’s "squire" list.
On the surface he was succeeding – medical school, a master’s degree, a solid career – but underneath, as he puts it, "I was a bad person, a really bad person," hiding bottles, wrecking cars, and numbing a growing sense of shame. Things spiral until a DUI, job loss, and the moment his wife says, "I'm done." The turning point comes from an unlikely place: his ten-year-old son inviting him to church.
Sitting alone in a 5,000-seat auditorium, broken and terrified, John hears Pastor Jim open with, "You have two deals on the table... this one is death, this one is life," and feels like God has just called his bluff.
From there, the episode follows John’s series of "yeses": saying yes to showing up at church, yes to joining a men’s group, yes to deep soul work in the mountains, and eventually yes to leading other men through addiction and identity issues. Along the way he’s candid about relapse, spiritual warfare, and the constant need to "put the full armour of God on" every day.
This one’s especially helpful if you’re tired of labels, wrestling with guilt, or feeling like church might not be for you. John keeps hammering one simple invitation: "Just say yes" – to showing up, to serving, to telling your story – and see what might happen next. So where might a single "yes" take you in your own recovery?
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