Stage 7 of 7 Loving someone in addiction

Stage 7 of 7 Loving someone in addiction

What are the common struggles and victories in addiction recovery? This conversation with Shannon, the Recovery Pastor, lands in the final stage of her seven-part journey: **Stage 7 – Success and Testimony**. It’s aimed at anyone loving someone in addiction, especially those who feel battle-worn but still hungry for hope.

Shannon recaps the earlier stages – from “shell shock” and “clinging to hope” to “getting off the crazy train” – and explains that Stage 7 is reached after walking "through all the valleys of hell" and deciding, very simply, that you deserve better and need proper “wound care”. Here, you’ll hear how long-term healing and self-care turn into something bigger: sharing your story so someone else can keep going.

She talks about meeting "probably 2,000 women" through jail and recovery ministries, and staying in touch with around 200. Her favourite view? Watching women go "from the jail cell to leading recovery groups" over the course of a few years.

She calls it a front row seat to “the greatest show on earth… restoration and redemption,” where change happens so quickly that “if you stopped blinking, you might actually catch a glimpse of God.” There’s a powerful moment where a woman, fresh out of jail, looks at her group leader and says, "I never thought I would ever see anyone survive heroin, but you did it." That simple sentence captures what this stage is all about: visible hope.

Shannon stresses that it all begins with one decision: "I need to get help." From there, she encourages humble hearts, obedience to God, healthy boundaries, and letting your actions speak louder than any speech: "Your walk will tell them exactly what's going on in your life better than your talk ever will." If you’re sick and tired of being sick and tired, this conversation might be the nudge to choose being a success story instead of a statistic.