The Recovery Lifestyle™

In this episode of The Recovery Lifestyle Podcast, John Rizzi on a transformative episode where the veil is lifted on the living Jesus in today's recovery journey. Delve into the revelation of who Jesus is now, understand the power of his sovereignty, and learn how this knowledge can lead to lasting change in your life. Uncover the keys to freedom, sobriety, and a stronger relationship with Jesus through the exploration of Revelation and its profound impact on the recovery lifestyle.KEY TAKEAWAYSExplore the revelation of Jesus in Revelation 1, transcending the historical figure to understand who Jesus is today.Recognize the authority and sovereign power of Jesus over your life, the keys to freedom from sin and lasting sobriety.Gain insights into the transformative journey of the host, James Lent, and discover the five revelations that awakened a deeper connection with God.Understand the symbolic significance of Jesus' appearance in Revelation, from the white hair symbolizing purity to the blazing eyes representing all-seeing judgment.Reflect on the assurance that Jesus holds the keys to death and hell, unlocking a path to life and heaven for believers.HIGHLIGHT QUOTES"Don't be afraid. I am the first and the last. I am the living one. I was dead and now look, I am alive forever, and I hold the keys to death and hell.""Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we experience His blessings when we choose to live out our relationship and service to Jesus Christ.""King of Kings and Lord of Lords is our God. He's 100 percent man and 100 percent God. This is who we serve with loyalty and allegiance."Want to share feedback or need a prayer request? Please visit https://recoverylifestyle.com/contact to reach out!

In this episode of The Recovery Lifestyle Podcast, we delve deep into the essence of transformative choices within the Christian recovery journey. We emphasize the importance of understanding motives, aligning choices with spiritual principles, and embracing a life ruled by a creator's love. Exploring scriptural insights and personal experiences, we highlight the need to deny self-indulgence, pursue God's will, and be awakened spiritually, emotionally, and physically.KEY TAKEAWAYSUnderstanding Motives: Highlighting the significance of checking motives behind every choice to discern their impact.Power of Scripture: Encouraging a deeper engagement with the Word to understand God's will and the state of one's heart.Denial of Self: Emphasizing the need to deny self-gratification and selfish pursuits in favor of following Christ.Revival and Awakening: Urging listeners to seek spiritual revival, aligning with God's will for a fulfilled life.Living a Life of Purpose: Embracing choices that honor Christ and contribute to personal growth and endurance.HIGHLIGHT QUOTES"Every choice impacts life positively or negatively. No one can make choices for you.""The heart of man is deceitful above all things... none are truly good, we've all fallen short.""God wants to give us a new heart, full of love, joy, and self-control.""The culture preaches selfishness for happiness, but true fulfillment lies in friendship with God.""Denying self involves rejecting self-indulgence, selfish ambition, and seeking to please oneself at the expense of others."Want to share feedback or need a prayer request? Please visit https://recoverylifestyle.com/contact to reach out!

In this episode of The Recovery Lifestyle Podcast, James Lent and Chris Decker delve into the profound journey of redemption and transformation. In this special episode, Chris shares his vision for a groundbreaking film, Son of a King, born from a momentous prayer walk and a life-changing retreat. This film encapsulates Chris's raw personal story, portraying the intense struggles with addiction, deception, and the ultimate quest for redemption through faith. Chris invites listeners to be part of this transformative project that aims to touch the hearts of a million men, emphasizing the power of faith and deliverance from the deepest of struggles.KEY TAKEAWAYSFinding Redemption Through Truth: Chris reveals his profound realization during a prayer walk, acknowledging his past and the pursuit of a career that led to a life far from God's plan.Confronting Rock Bottom: The pivotal moment when facing a lawsuit became the catalyst for Chris's awakening, leading to a floodgate of truth and transparency about his addictions, double life, and immense guilt.Unveiling a Vision: Son of a King represents Chris's redemption story, a deeply personal journey of transformation, faith, and the pursuit of purpose through filmmaking.Crowdfunding for a Purpose: Inviting listeners to participate in this project through crowdfunding, emphasizing the impact of collective support in reaching the hearts of a million fatherless men and boys.HIGHLIGHT QUOTES"I was trying to siphon pleasure from a deep well of darkness.""I knew exactly how we were going to live this way. I had it all figured out.""The recovery lifestyle podcast is about how the Lord brought freedom from years of addiction.""We're not going back to those things. The deliverance from addictions is permanent."Want to share feedback or need a prayer request? Please visit https://recoverylifestyle.com/contact to reach out!

In this episode of The Recovery Lifestyle Podcast, James Lent and Chris Decker dive into the profound experiences of spiritual healing and the pursuit of lasting transformation. They explore the recent powerful insights gained from a special four-day event: the "Wild at Heart" boot camp retreat on Catalina Island, attended by Chris. The conversation delves into the eye-opening journey Chris undertook during this transformative retreat led by John Eldridge, a renowned Christian author and counselor. Through raw, candid discussions, they dissect the core elements of spiritual warfare, masculine identity, the impacts of wounds on one's life, and the pursuit of true deliverance through the grace of Jesus Christ.The discussion touches on the significance of reintegration into one's daily life after such transformative experiences, the challenges encountered, the reality of spiritual warfare, and the impact of these lessons on personal growth. The hosts emphasize the need for men to confront their wounds, realize their role in the battle against the enemy, and seek true deliverance and healing through faith.Throughout the conversation, they highlight the importance of facing personal wounds and exploring the powerful impact of the Holy Spirit in bringing about genuine healing. The episode provides a poignant exploration of finding strength, purpose, and identity in a world at war and seeks to encourage men on their journey toward spiritual growth, unveiling the transformative potential found in faith, self-discovery, and the pursuit of true masculinity.KEY TAKEAWAYSUncovering the true essence of masculinity and the battle against Satan's attempts to emasculate men.Healing from wounds, addictions, and deep-seated agreements made with the enemy through the power of the Holy Spirit and confession.Understanding the misconceptions of a "good Christian man" and the call to be warriors for Christ in a spiritually besieged world.The tangible impact of spiritual warfare and the challenges of being misunderstood, envied, and facing jealousy in the journey back to reintegration.HIGHLIGHT QUOTES"The root of my addictions was not the lack of a 12-step program to follow. The root was trying to make myself feel like I'm good enough, good enough for the Lord." - Chris Decker"Sobriety is not salvation. It's when we come into the power of the Holy Spirit by accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior, laying down our lives for Him in surrender." - James LentWant to share feedback or need a prayer request? Please visit https://recoverylifestyle.com/contact to reach out!

In this episode of The Recovery Lifestyle Podcast, James Lent and John Rizzi delve into the transformative power of Step Two in their recovery program. They discuss the challenges and revelations that come with addressing anger issues and control struggles. By sharing their personal experiences and insights, they shed light on how individuals can break free from the chains of anger and find lasting recovery and peace.KEY TAKEAWAYSStep Two, the Transformation Journal, focuses on identifying and addressing anger and control issues.Anger often stems from an underlying fear of losing control.Control-related triggers can be as simple as traffic, but they have a significant impact on our emotional well-being.Negative internal dialogue and rehearsing conflicts in our minds only steal our joy and energy.Learning to live unoffendable can bring more joy and peace to our lives.HIGHLIGHT QUOTES"Whenever expectations aren't met, the result is disappointment, frustration, and anger.""If I could live unoffendable, how much more joyful would life be?""Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things." (Colossians 3:2)Want to share feedback or need a prayer request? Please visit https://recoverylifestyle.com/contact to reach out!

In the previous episode of The Recovery Lifestyle Podcast, James Lent shares his deeply personal journey of recovery and transformation. Discover how embracing the grace of God, commitment to obedience, and the power of the Word led James out of a life of denial and into lasting freedom from addiction. He discusses the importance of studying the Word, understanding the standards of the Lord, and finding peace amidst the chaos of life. James also emphasizes the need to tackle common addictions like pornography, alcohol, and drugs, while urging listeners to seek the Lord with a pure heart. This episode is an inspiring testament to the power of faith, transformation, and recovery.KEY TAKEAWAYSEmbracing the grace of God and commitment to obedience are key to lasting recovery and transformation.The Word of God is the ultimate guide to understanding the Lord's standards and building a relationship with Him.Peace and freedom from addiction can be achieved through a strong connection with the divine and the power of the Holy Spirit.Addressing common addictions like pornography, alcohol, and drugs is crucial for personal growth and recovery.Seek the Lord with a pure heart, allowing Him to search your soul and guide you toward eternal life.HIGHLIGHT QUOTES"The transformation journey I have been on has been one of coming to an understanding of the grace of God, a deeper experience with the faithfulness of Jesus Christ, character, discipline, and repentance in my heart and life.""The Lord did a marvelous work through Chuck Smith, and, uh, many of those pastors around the country sprang from the Calvary Chapel movement.""The rewards and benefits of knowing and understanding the Lord are freedom from addiction, confusion, emotional and mental distress, anxiety, and finding peace that goes beyond our ability to understand.""You are fully and completely undermining your potential for life if you're indulging in pornography, alcohol, or drugs.""I pray that you would invest time with the Lord and ask Him to search your heart and lead you towards the path that leads to eternal life."Want to share feedback or need a prayer request? Please visit https://recoverylifestyle.com/contact to reach out!

In the previous episode of The Recovery Lifestyle Podcast, James Lent shares his personal journey from a 40-year-long heroin addiction to redemption through Christ-centered recovery. He discusses the importance of transforming one's belief system and emphasizes the need to prepare for the coming Kingdom of Heaven. Drawing from scripture and personal experiences, James provides insights into the power of the Holy Spirit and the significance of studying and applying the Word of God in one's life. He also explores the concept of the rapture and its implications for believers. Join James and the Recovery Lifestyle community as they guide you towards lasting sobriety and a deeper relationship with Jesus.KEY TAKEAWAYSThe Recovery Lifestyle program focuses on a 16-week journey, beginning with confessing sins and addressing character defects.James emphasizes the role of a dysfunctional belief system in influencing behaviors and decisions.The transformation of one's belief system aligns with God's will and involves the Holy Spirit's guidance.James shares his personal journey from addiction to recovery and highlights the importance of making recovery lifestyle choices.Believers need to prepare for the Kingdom of Heaven by studying the Bible and allowing the Word of God to shape their lives.James discusses the concept of the rapture and the role of believers in the millennial reign of Christ.HIGHLIGHT QUOTES"Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another that you may be healed for the fervent, effective prayer of a righteous man availeth much." - James 5:16"If we confess our sins, He, meaning God, is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." - 1 John 1:9"To be poor in spirit is to know and understand your need for God, that God wants to prepare you for your calling and your ministry and anoint you with the Holy Spirit.""You never do this on your own. You're gonna need the help. So Jesus says, I will not leave you alone as orphans, but I will send the counselor, and he will guide you into all truth.""Prepare yourself with prayer, study the Bible. The Bible says, study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman who need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.""Blessed is the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." - From the BeatitudesWant to share feedback or need a prayer request? Please visit https://recoverylifestyle.com/contact to reach out!

In the previous episode of The Recovery Lifestyle Podcast, James Lent shares his inspiring journey from a life of addiction to finding faith and recovery. He discusses the importance of transforming dysfunctional beliefs and aligning one's life with God's plan. James emphasizes the need for a Christ-centered approach to recovery and encourages listeners to embrace the freedom that comes from lasting sobriety.KEY TAKEAWAYSRecovery is a journey of transformation, where individuals can overcome addiction and embrace lasting sobriety through faith and personal growth.Dysfunctional belief systems often underlie addictive behaviors, and addressing these beliefs is a crucial step in the recovery process.The power of community and accountability in recovery cannot be underestimated, as sharing one's struggles and progress with others is a key element of healing.James highlights the importance of studying and understanding the Word of God as a means of personal growth and spiritual development.He reminds listeners that the time for recovery is now, and that embracing God's calling and anointing can lead to a purposeful and fulfilling life.HIGHLIGHT QUOTES"To be poor in spirit is to know and understand your need for God, that God wants to prepare you for your calling in your ministry.""We don't have to do this with machoism. We don't have to do this with testosterone. We do what we do under the power of the Holy Spirit.""The recovery journey is about sweeping aside things that keep us from truly knowing and understanding God and discovering what real life in Christ is all about."Want to share feedback or need a prayer request? Please visit https://recoverylifestyle.com/contact to reach out!

THE BREAKING PART OF RECOVERY IS AN ONGOING PROCESSIn the previous episode of The Recovery Lifestyle Podcast, John and James discuss the "Search me" prayer in Craig Groeschel's Dangerous Prayers book referencing Psalm 139.In today's episode, the duo will be diving deeper into the dangerous prayer, “Break me” and the break me story of the perfume from Mark chapter 14 on the day before the Passover. There are tons of great insights and inspiration so tune in to this episode of The Recovery Lifestyle.RECOVERY MOMENTSJOHN: RECOVERY ALWAYS STARTS FROM BEING BROKEN“I was broken and then I found recovery, started in recovery, and then the whole process of recovery really led to so many blessings in my life. So I shouldn't be afraid of becoming broken because of all the fruit that winds up coming from it.”JAMES: IT'S THE GOODNESS OF GOD THAT DRAWS US TO REPENTANCE“When a child of God sins, which we will continue to do saved or unsaved, what happens is the grace, love, and mercy of God goes out from the throne and just expands around us and draws us away from the sin.”Want to share feedback or need a prayer request? Please visit https://recoverylifestyle.com/contact to reach out!

NOTHING'S MORE DANGEROUS THAN THE PATH TO RECOVERYIn the previous episode of The Recovery Lifestyle Podcast, John introduced us to Craig Groschel's book, Dangerous Prayers, where he broke down the 5 dangerous prayers, "Search Me," "Reveal My Fears," "Break Me," "Send Me," and "Disturb Me".In this episode John, together with his new co-host, James Lent, will be diving deeper into the first dangerous prayer, “Search me”. The duo discuss this prayer in detail with reference to Psalm 139. Learn more by staying tuned to this latest episode of The Recovery Lifestyle. RECOVERY MOMENTSJOHN: GOD IS EVERYWHERE“God is everywhere. God knows everything. And his love for us is unbounded.”JAMES: IT'S WE WHO DON'T KNOW ABOUT OURSELVES“When we ask God to search us, there isn't anything that he doesn't know about us. Yeah, but there's plenty that we don't know about ourselves.” Want to share feedback or need a prayer request? Please visit https://recoverylifestyle.com/contact to reach out!

NOTHING'S MORE DANGEROUS THAN THE PATH TO RECOVERYIn this episode of The Recovery Lifestyle Podcast, John discusses the book "Dangerous Prayers" by Craig Groeschel. He explains the purpose of the book and its significance for those in recovery.John discusses the five dangerous prayers mentioned in the book: "Search Me," "Reveal My Fears," "Break Me," "Send Me," and "Disturb Me" and provides a detailed explanation of each prayer and the related Bible verses and devotionals. RECOVERY MOMENTSJOHN: THE FIVE DANGEROUS PRAYERS“Jesus didn't just challenge others to leave their own wills behind. He too lived the dangerous states. He touched lepers, showed grace to prostitutes, and stood bravely in the face of danger. Then He told us, we could do what He did, and more. So the dangerous prayers are search me, reveal my fears, break me, send me, and disturb me.”JOHN: EARNESTLY PRAY FOR GOD TO USE YOU“If you're feeling like your prayer life is stale, or if you hit a recovery plateau, then earnestly pray for God to use you, and He will.” Want to share feedback or need a prayer request? Please visit https://recoverylifestyle.com/contact to reach out!

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE FREE?Can freedom be achieved by man alone? How does one know that he/she is free? This edition of The Recovery Lifestyle discusses the relationship between freedom and holiness. It explains that holiness means being set apart for God and that Jesus came to restore the breath of life lost in Genesis 3. It also highlights Jesus' mission statement and the progressive steps of spiritual awakening and recovery outlined in the Beatitudes. RECOVERY MOMENTSFREEDOM FROM THE STATE OF BEING DEAD“Its freedom from the state of being dead, God releases us back into our natural original condition, that of being alive, like Adam was before Genesis three in him in Jesus.”THE TWO KINGDOMS“Every single one of you is a kingdom man. Make no mistake about it. Every one of you in every man, is a kingdom man, and every man belongs to one of two kingdoms. There's not more, there's only two. There's two kingdoms on earth, and every man belongs to one of the other, there's the Kingdom of Heaven and the kingdom of darkness. That's it. When Jesus said, repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. He was pointing out now that he's bringing the Kingdom of Heaven down to the earth.” Want to share feedback or need a prayer request? Please visit https://recoverylifestyle.com/contact to reach out!

MORAL MEANS MORE THAN MEETS THE EYEGetting close to Season 3, John Rizzi opens the episode by talking about where they are now in planning what the season will look like. Then he proceeds to discuss Lesson 8 from Celebrate Recovery. John focuses the episode today on MORAL. What does it really mean? In the book, MORAL is an acronym for Make Time, Open, Rely, Analyze, and List. Stay tuned to learn these in detail in the latest episode of The Recovery Lifestyle podcast. RECOVERY MOMENTSJOHN: MAKE TIME TO LISTEN“M is MAKE TIME. I think that the book suggests setting aside a day or a weekend, to listen to yourself and to God, and I think that we need to be really prayerful about this.”JOHN: OPEN YOURSELF TO THE TRUTH“O is OPEN. So this is where the fearlessness comes in, ask God to reveal things. So we have to ask him to be truthful. But it's there's no problem asking him to be gentle to and he will be. Sometimes it might not feel that way, so we're talking about waking up our feelings”JOHN: RELY ON JESUS“R is RELY. This is relying on Jesus, for strength, for guidance, for wisdom, for insight, at this point, I should have completed step three and turned my will over to the care and control of Jesus.”JOHN: ANALYZE BY JOURNALING“A is ANALYZE, I think I've talked about one of my goals for 2023 is being better at journaling, being better at reflection, and setting these specific goals of having consistency in daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly annual reflection.”JOHN: LIST YOUR EXPERIENCE“L is LIST. So this is where we're getting the good, the bad, and the ugly out on paper, and there's something really powerful about seeing it on the page, or the screen. One of the questions in this lesson is ‘why is it important to do a written inventory?' And in my share, I said writing it down makes it real. There's power in seeing on paper, the patterns, the enormity, the realness. It's a bit like a confession.” Want to share feedback or need a prayer request? Please visit https://recoverylifestyle.com/contact to reach out!

NEW WAYS ARE ABOUT TO STARTIn this episode, John and Chris will be talking about the new 12-step program where certain methods are changed and outside topics are being utilized to make the program more accessible and flexible for its participants. John breaks down the steps and the logic behind them and invites everyone to join. Find out more about these changes in this latest episode of The Recovery Lifestyle. RECOVERY MOMENTSJOHN: MAKING IT ACCESSIBLE"The whole premise is we want to make recovery a bit more accessible without it losing any of its power.”JOHN: OUTSIDE TOPICS FOR MORE FLEXIBILITY"We've brought in the topics outside of just pure Celebrate Recovery material because we want to have that flexibility.” Want to share feedback or need a prayer request? Please visit https://recoverylifestyle.com/contact to reach out!

IT'S JUST FAIR GAME TO DREAM BIGGER, AND ASK GOD'S BLESSINGChris quotes a chairman from Chick-Fil-A about asking God's blessing for your business as fair game and he, with John, talked about how it applies to being a person in service. As we receive blessings fro God, it becomes an enabler for us to grow our service in a bigger way. Let's dive deeper into this amazing talk in this latest episode of The Recovery Lifestyle. RECOVERY MOMENTSJOHN: IT'S JUST FAIR GAME"This is a quote from Jesus, I came so that you would have life and have it abundantly. And that doesn't necessarily mean he wants to give us a bunch of money and stuff. But he wants to give us this really rich life that includes relationships with others with him. And with serving, right, Jesus is all about serving. And if I'm successful financially, I'm going to be able to serve in a bigger and bigger way. So I think that that's, that's totally fair game.”CHRIS: WE ARE DIFFERENT, BUT WIRED TOGETHER"I have a choice with every action I take is a vote for me I have control over the things that I do. I can choose to take the next right step. I can choose to pray about a situation. I can seek the wisdom of God who promises to give it to us.” Want to share feedback or need a prayer request? Please visit https://recoverylifestyle.com/contact to reach out!

Chris and John are back, and in this episode, they discuss the importance of setting goals, both in general and specifically in regard to recovery from addiction. They talk about how goal setting is biblical, and how it can help people to continue to grow and evolve in their recovery journey.The two discuss that setting goals is a spiritual responsibility. They also talk about how goals are statements of faith and how the bigger the goal, the more faith is stretched. Learn more about how goals can be fundamental to your work in this latest episode of The Recovery Lifestyle. RECOVERY MOMENTSJOHN: WE NEED GOALS TO TRULY RECOVER"I think it's important, you know, where we're living the recovery lifestyle, and I think it's important for us to have recovery goals if we're going to continue to grow and evolve in our recovery.”CHRIS: WE ARE DIFFERENT, BUT WIRED TOGETHER"I've come to understand that everybody does things differently, and that is because we are all made that way, and we are made to work together. We're just we're wired that way spiritually and physically to work together.” Want to share feedback or need a prayer request? Please visit https://recoverylifestyle.com/contact to reach out!

As they gear up for another series about intimacy anorexia, Chris and John share personal experiences. John has shared his personal experience with his accident and what lessons he learned from it. Now is Chris' turn to share, and he will be talking about battling depression, anxiety, anger, and fear, and how he is fighting back. Find inspiration in Chris' story in this latest episode of The Recovery Lifestyle. RECOVERY MOMENTSCHRIS: GOD LIFTED ME OUT OF DEPRESSION"It helped turn a corner and adjust this series of events watching how God is working, lifting me out of this depression very slowly right now. But I'm noticing just the intentionality. He's like wanting me to see certain things and to experience certain things and learn some serious lessons right now.”CHRIS: FEAR IS NOT OF GOD, HAVE NONE OF IT"Fear is not of God. It's not, it's not, And the more time I spend in negative thoughts, not holding them captive, like the Bible tells me to, the more I allow these things to perpetuate, the more you know, the enemy wins.” Want to share feedback or need a prayer request? Please visit https://recoverylifestyle.com/contact to reach out!

ONLY GOD HEALS ALL WOUNDSChris Decker and John Rizzi discuss recent events in John's life, including a severe bike crash that resulted in multiple injuries. As John reflects that this may have been a spiritual attack because of his recent recovery work, he also shares that this could be a way of teaching him to learn how to slow down and to always trust that God will heal him completely. Be inspired by John's story in this latest episode of The Recovery Lifestyle. RECOVERY MOMENTSJOHN: IT'S AN EVERYDAY BATTLE, AND GOD IS YOUR TRUSTY ALLY"As I've lived through recovery and into the recovery lifestyle, I realized this is a daily battle for me, where I'm saying that I trust God, even telling him that I trust Him.”JOHN: ACCEPT WHERE YOU ARE AND TRUST GOD TO HEAL YOU"People are looking at me going what's wrong with that guy? And say it. I don't care. This is where I am right now, and I'm just accepting it and leaning into it and trusting God to heal me completely.” Want to share feedback or need a prayer request? Please visit https://recoverylifestyle.com/contact to reach out!

Another inspiring and insightful series is about to end, and we will be closing this one with how servant leadership principles can be used in secular jobs to show Christ-like traits. It is important to live the example of someone that people would feel comfortable coming to about their spiritual struggles. Join Chris and John as they discuss this further in this latest episode of The Recovery Lifestyle. RECOVERY MOMENTSJOHN: Adopting servant-based leadership in the secular world"This concept of the secular world, adopting servant-based leadership and having these characteristics of valuing people, being humble, being a good listener, instilling trust, caring about the people who work who was leading. I mean, I look at those traits, and I think, who does that sound like? It sounds like Christ to me.”JOHN: The struggle of being a Christian in a leadership role in a secular job"I struggle with the whole concept of being a Christian in a leadership role in a secular job. I struggle with the part about, is this really even God's purpose for me, because it's so not Christian. and how I can bring my faith to work without forcing it on others, especially being in a leadership role. So it's really hard and where I try to land on it is just being authentic, being approachable. Being someone who cares about others, and who tries to love at work, and I know that's not a term that we often use at work.” Want to share feedback or need a prayer request? Please visit https://recoverylifestyle.com/contact to reach out!

The solution to withholding spiritual intimacy from our spouses is to take on the role of a spiritual leader. This means being open and honest with our spouses about our spiritual needs and desires, and being willing to offer spiritual guidance and support. In this episode, Chris and John will be discussing tips and suggestions for solving intimacy anorexia with your spouse with the guidance of the Bible, in this latest episode of The Recovery Lifestyle. RECOVERY MOMENTSJOHN: Pray with and for your wife"The number one thing is praying within for my wife, this is something that's easy to do. It doesn't cost me anything but a couple of minutes, and it should just be effortless.”JOHN: The best gift you can ever give to your kids"Think about like, what kind of gift you could give your kids if you guys were to, over their upbringing, indoctrinate them into the habit of Sabbath to where they're because you know, one of the things that God wants us to do, and I think we've talked about this before is work from a place of rest.” Want to share feedback or need a prayer request? Please visit https://recoverylifestyle.com/contact to reach out!

Welcome to another episode of The Recovery Lifestyle podcast. In this episode, John Rizzi and Chris Decker will be talking about the 6th trait of Intimacy Anorexia, which is Withholding Spirituality. Chris discusses this with John by sharing his own personal experience of having anorexia with his wife, how he can recover from it. RECOVERY MOMENTSCHRIS: Developing an affair out of spiritual moments"I had an emotional affair with my wife with a woman that I shared spiritual moments with, and from those spiritual moments, being willing to open up to another woman about God and spirituality. That led to an emotional bond and an attraction that in my mind was sexual. It never got acted out, and thankfully, I realized what I was doing and I broke it off.”JOHN: What “dying for our wives” really means"Jesus is saying, he's not telling us to literally die for our wives. I mean, if it came to that, yeah, we should, everybody should be willing to take a bullet for their wife. But really, he's talking about dying to our selfishness, dying to our need to be right, dying to our need to always have our way, dying to our need to be in control all the time, these are the things that Jesus is dying and is telling us to die to. And I'll tell you what, mentally, that's probably harder.” Want to share feedback or need a prayer request? Please visit https://recoverylifestyle.com/contact to reach out! #recoverylifestyle, #recovery, #intimacyanorexia, #withholdingspirituality, #spirituality, #affair, #spiritualmoments

For someone undergoing recovery, it can be challenging to stay on the path of sobriety while also trying to handle all the stresses and challenges of everyday life. The good news is that facing setbacks is perfectly normal, and it's all about continuing to have the will to get back on track. In this episode of The Recovery Lifestyle podcast, Chris shares with John some personal news, the regrets that he has with the way he handled some personal struggles, and what he intends to do about it, moving forward.  HIGHLIGHTSTaking over a ministry and completing a 'business divorce' Continuing recovery amidst personal and professional challenges Advice for people experiencing near-burnout levels of stress and overwhelmThe rhythm of creation, rest, and work Our culture celebrates over-work, but we don't have to Consistency always trumps intensity  QUOTESChris describes his recent struggle with balancing work, self, and family: "I'd given my partner a lot of paternity leave when he had his daughter earlier this year, and I thought that it was gonna be a no-brainer that I would get to take several weeks to rest and be with my family. And I got like, 10 minutes and went straight back to work." Chris on saying no more often: "As someone who struggles with co-dependency, in order to make space, I'm going to have to disappoint somebody by saying I need to take a break right now. I'm sorry, I cannot do this. Here are the other things that I need to do. As a co-dependent, saying no is very difficult for me."John on listening to God's will about work and rest: "We get to this place where we care so much about what other people think that we're starting to discount what God thinks and what He really wants us to do. We know unequivocally that He wants us to work from a place of rest. He built it into the rhythm of creation for us to work six days and take a day of rest." Want to share feedback or need a prayer request? Please visit https://recoverylifestyle.com/contact to reach out!

Sometimes, being married means knowing how to ask better questions and having difficult but necessary conversations. In this episode of The Recovery Lifestyle podcast, our hosts Chris Decker and John Rizzi reflect on their own recovery journey, and the steps they've taken to improve their respective marriages. Both talk about the importance of being connected with your wife's needs and understanding that a successful marriage can never be a transactional relationship.  HIGHLIGHTSHow resentment is holding back your recoveryHaving difficult conversations is part of a healthy marriage Learn how to separate the problem from the symptomWhat would be a better question to ask?Marriage cannot be a transactional thing QUOTESJohn on the importance of having difficult conversations: "Just having the courage to have this conversation and talk about some of the areas where [we're missing each other], it gave me a little bit of a sense of peace. And to get it out there helped motivate me to do more on my part."Chris on misidentifying the symptom as the problem: "I do this all the time. I'll just complain about something that I don't have, and then describe that as being the problem and then try to do anything to solve that. But I'm not really solving the underlying intimacy anorexia thing that's happening that cause me not to be able to have this kind of sex that I want." Want to share feedback or need a prayer request? Please visit https://recoverylifestyle.com/contact to reach out!

In this episode of The Recovery Lifestyle podcast, our hosts Chris Decker and John Rizzi talk about the complexities of sexual relationships from a leadership standpoint. Whether you're a middle manager at some company or just a family man, you are exercising leadership to a certain degree. Being intentional about boundaries and the correct way of dealing with sexual dynamics in both your personal and professional life are crucial concepts to learn for every faithful man. At the end of the day, God can use any negative thing that the enemy has set for you and turn it into a tool for recovery, if you are open enough to let Him do His work on you.  HIGHLIGHTSLeaders that can't be questioned end up doing questionable things Leaders need to be intentional in placing boundaries in the workplace Your kids are gonna learn about sex; it might as well come from you It's been increasingly difficult but still possible to stay sexually pure It's not easy to commit yourself to recovery; but do it anywayAccountability can be freeing If you're gonna hang out in the barbershop, you're gonna get your hair cut  QUOTESJohn on why he continues to undergo recovery: "We all have damage, we all have hurt, we all have brokenness and we all have things that we can do better. For me that's been the most beneficial thing about recovery is  continuing to find these things and continuing to be aware of these things and continuing to try and work on them."John's on setting boundaries in the workplace: "There're real people who are attractive, that I want to get to know, that I want to talk to and I need to have boundaries like, I'm not going to lunch with a woman. Or to coffee with a woman. Or having a woman in my office with the door closed. Those are things that I need to be really careful about."Chris on God's power to change your life, if you let Him: "God can use every situation in your life and turn it for good. Everything that the enemy  meant for evil he can turn it for good."Want to share feedback or need a prayer request? Please visit https://recoverylifestyle.com/contact to reach out!

In this episode of The Recovery Lifestyle podcast, our hosts Chris Decker and John Rizzi talk about some practical tips on how to speed up one's recovery from sexual addiction. As married men, Chris and John both share their own shortcomings in terms of pursuing and meeting their wives' emotional needs, and provide ways to overcome those deficiencies. Whether it's staying clear of inappropriate media or choosing to meet your wife's emotional needs first, the important thing is to be intentional, assertive, and communicative.  HIGHLIGHTSWhat sobriety from sexual addiction means You have to confide in somebody and get help Keep pursuing your wife and meet her needs Be more assertive and intentional with your actions  QUOTESChris on why you need to avoid all inappropriate content: "Even the smallest seed can get into your brain and derail you. You need to stop all of it."John's tips for meeting your wife's emotional needs: "Know your wife's love languages. Speak to her in her love languages. Serve her. Compliment her. Talk to her. Ask open-ended questions. Actually listen. Give good feedback. None of this stuff comes naturally to most of us. So that means we have to have intentionality."Chris on why we need to be more communicative about expectations: "There's these covert contracts that we're creating with people in our life and we're disappointed when they don't do that thing. This is lunacy. It is necessary to be clear with communication. Actually setting boundaries creates more freedom." Want to share feedback or need a prayer request? Please visit https://recoverylifestyle.com/contact to reach out!

In this episode of The Recovery Lifestyle podcast, our hosts Chris Decker and John Rizzi talk about how sex is defined in the Bible, particularly on developing a kind of sexual discipline to prevent sin from taking hold of your life. John and Chris draw guidance from the apostle Paul's teachings about sex and why healthy sexual relations between a married man and his wife is a gift from God that must be treated with utmost reverence.  HIGHLIGHTSSex, as described in the Bible A life of sin leads to spiritual death Sex is a divine act that must be treated with reverence Lust is equal to adulteryAchieving sexual discipline will take a lifetime of practice QUOTESJohn on the need for man and wife to engage on sexual relations: "Paul is telling us at the end of these verses, you might want to take a break from sexual relations as long as you agree and it's really intended to be a spiritual thing, kind of like a fast. But then he says, ‘You've got to come back together or Satan will be able to tempt you because of your lack of self control, your lack of self discipline.'" Chris on the need to develop a sexual discipline: "A part of being a Christian man is developing discipline in these areas with the power of the Holy Spirit. And sex is something that requires developing habits and discipline or else, it will run rampant and control your life."Chris on the apostle Paul's warnings about sexual sin: "The Bible is clear. It's okay to engage fully and enjoy this thing with your spouse. The warning lights here that Paul is talking about, are if you don't engage together, as a man, your eyes will wander and that's where sin starts to get a foothold." Want to share feedback or need a prayer request? Please visit https://recoverylifestyle.com/contact to reach out!

In this episode of The Recovery Lifestyle podcast, our hosts Chris Decker and John Rizzi talk about sex, how God intended it to be, and why the pornification about everything is runing marriage and life, in general. Tune in to see if you're experiencing the same negative effects and know what you can start doing to restore your emotional and physical connection with your spouse.  HIGHLIGHTSIt's not a victimless crime: everything wrong about pornographyPornography is ruining your marriage and life, in general How pornography is affecting your brain and relationships Tell-tale signs that your sex life is missing a real connectionGod created sex to be beautiful and nurturing, let's keep it that way QUOTESEverything wrong about pornography, says John: "I heard it described as the most potent bioweapon ever unleased on mankind. And I think that's true because there are so much wrong with porn. It's incredibly addictive, it increases risky sexual behavior, it desensitizes sexual violence, it can lead to impotence. I know for me, it increases objectification to the point where I look at every woman as an object because I've been so desensitized to those sexual images." Chris' experience with pornography and its devastating effects: "What porn taught me is that I'm not worth anything unless I'm in the sexual act. It taught me that it needs to be frequent and it gave me unrealistic expectations of what a man is and it destroyed my ability to have deeper relationships."John on the emotional aspect of sex: "Sex is supposed to be an emotional connection. Most women want the emotional connection before sex, guys use the sex to boost the emotional connection, feel more emotionally connected after having sex." Want to share feedback or need a prayer request? Please visit https://recoverylifestyle.com/contact to reach out!

In this episode of The Recovery Lifestyle podcast, our hosts Chris Decker and John Rizzi share their progress towards recovering from intimacy anorexia. The journey towards self-improvement is never easy, and setbacks can happen. What matters most is that we keep pressing forward, and that we continue to work on being better spouses and people, in general.  HIGHLIGHTSChoose to be authentic instead of giving out a lame excuseTake a few minutes to carve out some reflection time Stop trying to change your spouse or blame yourself The truth about intimacy anorexiaLet your spouse know that you appreciate them more  QUOTESJohn's thoughts on assigning blame and trying to change his wife: "I can't change her. When am I ever going to learn that? I've been married almost 26 years and I still haven't learned that I can't change my wife. I can only change myself and pray for her. And that's what I need to do more consistently."Chris on the main reason of his being intimacy anorexic: "I think of intimacy anorexia as like, if I love my wife and I'm the opposite of intimacy anorexic, what am I afraid is gonna happen? I'm afraid actually of exposure to true love. I'm afraid of truly baring my soul and trusting and loving for fear of getting hurt." Want to share feedback or need a prayer request? Please visit https://recoverylifestyle.com/contact to reach out!

In this episode of The Recovery Lifestyle podcast, Chris and John continue their conversation about Withholding Praise, particularly in the context of leadership, and why a little praise goes a very long way for your direct-reports. Even if they're just going through the motions and are not making any groundbreaking progress, celebrating small wins can help boost them forward.  HIGHLIGHTSThe Power of Words: choose to praise freelyWe find whatever we are looking forTell your wife why you love her  Your subordinates need affirmation tooLeadership is about empowerment Don't overdo your praise either Try to make incremental progress QUOTESJohn on the power of words: "Our words have so much power. What you say can preserve life or destroy it. So you must accept the consequences of your words. That's in Proverbs 18:21."Chris on the power of simple affirmation: "Whether it's business or ministry, seeing people where they are and appreciating any amount of progress that they're making helps propel them forward." Want to share feedback or need a prayer request? Please visit https://recoverylifestyle.com/contact to reach out!

For one reason or another, people sometimes have difficulty praising each other, choosing instead to tear each other down. This is called Withholding Praise, another symptom of intimacy anorexia that our duo, John Rizzi and Chris Decker will attempt to break down. In this episode of The Recovery Lifestyle podcast, Chris and John shed light on the makings of Withholding Praise using words lifted directly from the Bible, for only when we truly know the problem can we truly find its cure.  HIGHLIGHTSWhat does 'Withholding Praise' look like?Words of affirmation should not be used for manipulation The power of words, according to the Bible Withholding Praise can come from a place of false humilityLift people up instead of tearing them down  QUOTESJohn on the difference between words of affirmation and manipulation: "I think we need to keep in mind that this is not a tool for manipulation. I think that as addicts, we can use a lot of good things manipulatively because we're selfish and we want to get what we want, we often will tell people what we think what they want to hear in order to get what we want from them."John on intentionally focusing on positive things: "We're fond of pointing out that we typically find what we're looking for. And when we're looking for the negative, we find it. So we need to be more intentional about looking for the praiseworthy things that our wives do and then pointing them out."Chris on having difficulty receiving praise leading to withholding praise: "There's been times when my wife is giving me genuine, observational compliments about my character or something about me, and I won't receive it. And I think that's the same intimacy anorexia as withholding saying something nice to her too. It's rooted in the same thing."Want to share feedback or need a prayer request? Please visit https://recoverylifestyle.com/contact to reach out!

There are many ways to lead. But by far, we should all strive to lead with love. In this episode of The Recovery Lifestyle podcast, our hosts Chris and John talk about love in the context of work and career. Our duo talk about showing love as described in the Bible, and why it's necessary to love the people you work with, especially those that make doing so a challenge.  HIGHLIGHTSWe are all leaders in our own rightLove in the context of work and careerTo love is to give people constructive feedbackYou need to earn the privilege of leading peopleYou need to love people, especially those who are hard to love QUOTESWhat loving your job really means, according to John: "True love, the kind of love that we're supposed to be showing as Christ's followers, and the kind of love that Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 13. I think that those love characteristics apply to leadership and no matter what we're leading, whether it's work, school, or at home."Chris's advice for young leaders: "As a leader, you actually have to earn that position with the people that you work with. They don't work for you. You work with them. It's a partnership. You have to earn that position everyday, with them." Want to share feedback or need a prayer request? Please visit https://recoverylifestyle.com/contact to reach out!

On this episode of The Recovery Lifestyle podcast, our hosts John and Chris continue their conversation about withholding love, and offer practical advice on demonstrating love, particularly towards their own wives. Drawing from personal experiences, Chris and John candidly talk about some issues that have been hounding their respective relationships, and the steps that they are taking to address them.  HIGHLIGHTSPray with and for your wife Love is a choice; choose to love everyday Don't stop dating each other after marriage Go to church every Sunday no matter what Get into a couple small group Know your wife's love languages Schedule your lovemaking Set personal boundaries  QUOTESChris on avoiding less than ideal situations: "If you hang out in a barbershop for long enough, you're going to get a haircut. Don't go there if you don't want a haircut. Really simple principle."John on knowing your wife: "It's a lifelong process, getting to know someone as intimately as we should know our wives. And so, ask your wife questions. And you know what, remember stuff that she tells you. Remember stuff that she likes." Want to share feedback or need a prayer request? Please visit https://recoverylifestyle.com/contact to reach out!

On this episode of The Recovery Lifestyle podcast, our hosts John and Chris talk about Withholding Love. Something that we do to our loved ones often, even if done unconsciously. John and Chris also talk about God's Love as defined in the Bible, and what it means to truly follow His ways.  HIGHLIGHTSWhat is Withholding Love?'Love' is an overused word in EnglishGod's love is unconditional God's new commandment in John 13: 34-35 QUOTESJohn defines Withholding Love: "We're supposed to love unconditionally but that's hard for us to do and we put conditions on our love. ‘I'll love you back if you love me first. I'll love you if you give me sex. I'll love you if you meet my expectations.'"Chris on the incompatibility of withholding love and following Jesus: "The indicator of someone who is a disciple is that we show love. So if I'm withholding love, not only am I holding that back from my wife, I'm not being a disciple."  Want to share feedback or need a prayer request? Please visit https://recoverylifestyle.com/contact to reach out!

SHOW SUMMARYOn this episode of The Recovery Lifestyle podcast, John and Chris talk about why we assign blame, and why we should be using accountability instead.HIGHLIGHTSBlaming others for our shortcomings goes way back to GenesisThe value of leaning into our flaws and being vulnerableHow we can start practicing accountabilityQUOTESJohn on why we heap the blame on others: "Blaming is a way that we discharge anger. And the discomfort is, 'I screwed up and I don't want to own it.' There's discomfort because I'm losing control. So if I blame, I can make it feel like I'm in control."John on the difference between blame and accountability: "Blame and accountability, they're not the same. Blame is assigning fault, and accountability is owning and looking for a solution. Accountability requires vulnerability and that helps me improve my empathy."Want to share feedback or need a prayer request? Please visit https://recoverylifestyle.com/contact to reach out!

On this episode of The Recovery Lifestyle Podcast, John and Chris discuss some leadership principles.  want to share feedback or need a prayer request? Visit https://recoverylifestyle.com/contact to reach out!

On this episode of The Recovery Lifestyle podcast we talk about Pride, Blame and Shame and the things we do to try and hide from God.  Have questions, a prayer request, or feedback? please visit https://recoverylifestyle.com/contact

On this episode of the Recovery Lifestyle podcast John and Chris break down blame and introduce this month's new challenge.Have a question or a prayer request? Visit: https://recoverylifestyle.com/contact

Join us for this final recap episode on Busyness! Next month join us for our Blame challenge on this intimacy anorexia series. To send us a prayer request or a note please visit: https://www.recoverylifestyle.com/contact/

On this episode of The Recovery Lifestyle Podcast, Pastor Pat joins us as a guest expert on the topic of Busyness in Intimacy Anorexia.  Have a prayer request or want to let us know something? visit https://recoverylifestyle.com and fill out the contact form

On this episode of The Recovery Lifestyle Podcast, Chris and John discuss the first month's challenge to combat Busyness. This is a great episode for anyone married or single who wants to learn to combat busyness in their lives!   Please visit https://recoverylifestyle.com to leave us a prayer request, send us a message or suggest a future episode topic! 

We're now on Season 2! On this episode we give you an overview of what's to come in Season 2.  Please visit https://recoverylifestyle.com to leave us a prayer request, send us a message or suggest a future episode topic!

On this final episode of Season 1 of The Recovery Lifestyle Podcast, John and Chris metabolize a tough situation that Chris is going through with a toxic family member and end on an interesting note. 

In this special bonus episode for Season 1 - John and Chris examine this past weekend's message at Saddleback Church through the Recovery Lifestyle lens. 

The Recovery Lifestyle Podcast celebrates 1 year of publishing! Season 2 launching soon. 

On this episode of The Recovery Lifestyle Podcast, John and Chris discuss the topic of burnout and how we can avoid this as Christians in recovery and what to do when it happens. 

On this episode of The Recovery Lifestyle Podcast, John and Chris talk about ways to seek the truth, step out of denial and work a Step 4 Inventory that is rooted in biblical habits. 

On this episode of The Recovery Lifestyle Podcast, John and Chris discuss the power of prayer as it related to recovery. Have questions or want to submit a prayer request? Head over to recoverylifestyle.com

On this episode of The Recovery Lifestyle Podcast, Pastor Pat from Hope Crossing Community Church joins the podcast to talk about his new project for developing Relational Discipleship and the topic arrives at LOVE where John, Chris and Pat discuss how God first loved us. Follow Pastor Pat on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/HopeCrossingCC/

On this episode of The Recovery Lifestyle Podcast, Chris and John talk about dealing with emotional constipation and the temptation to use and instead choosing sobriety. They then transition into the topic of dealing with grief. 

Chris shares a revelation from this past weekend about finding a healthy way to deal with “emotional constipation” 

On this episode of The Recovery Lifestyle Podcast, Chris and John discuss pacing your recovery and finding a coach/sponsor!