In this episode, I sit down with JP and Ashley Graves—longtime friends and members of our church—with a story that’s both difficult and deeply hopeful. We talk about alcohol—not just as a drink, but as an idol that slowly took the throne in JP’s life and nearly destroyed their marriage. What started as casual drinking turned into dependence, deceit, and despair. Ashley shares what it was like to live with a man she barely recognized, and JP walks us through the moment of surrender that led to healing. This isn’t just about sobriety—it’s about learning to recognize the lies you may be believing and the power of Jesus to meet us in our mess, pull us out, and redeem what feels too far gone. If you’re feeling stuck, ashamed, or maybe you aren’t sure if your drinking is a problem—this episode is for you.In This EpisodeA Fun Marriage with a Hidden Struggle: JP and Ashley share their early faith journeys, how they met, and the beginnings of alcohol use in their marriage.Numbing with Alcohol Becomes Normal: COVID, cultural norms, and unprocessed pain escalate drinking into full dependency—especially for JP.Deception, Distance, and Despair: JP begins hiding alcohol, Ashley senses the loss of connection, and both begin living separate lives under one roof.A Daughter’s Baptism and a Drunken Confession: JP breaks down the night before he’s supposed to baptize their daughter, leading to a confession that changes everything.Recovery, Rebuilding, and Radical Forgiveness: JP enters counseling and AA. Ashley processes her pain and begins to hope again as God starts to restore.For the One Who Feels Hopeless: JP and Ashley speak directly to listeners—those stuck in addiction and those silently suffering beside them.Resources If you are struggling with alcohol, I want to encourage you to find help. Find a Recovery program at a local church or if you are local to Dallas, Check out Recovery at The Village Church.FOLLOW and SUBSCRIBE:Instagram | Youtube | Website | NewsletterIf you’ve enjoyed this episode, one of the best ways to support the show and make sure others find it, is to subscribe and leave a review. Thank You!Thank you to our SponsorsCovenant EyesVictory by Covenant Eyes is a powerful tool that helps Christians who are serious and want to quit porn for good or never start. Victory combines industry-leading technology with decades of experience and leadership in recovery content, accountability, and behavior change.The Victory app, with powerful accountability features built in and the optional blocking technology, makes it an unparalleled tool in the fight to live a porn-free life.Anyone can get started on their path to recovery for free by visiting: Covenanteyes.com/overcomers for 30 days free.Acts 29This episode of The Overcomers is sponsored by Acts 29, with an invitation to the Acts 29 Conference this coming October in Dallas. To learn more and register, visit acts29.com/conference. Overcomers listeners will receive a special discount of $20 off registration prices using the code OVERCOMERS in all caps anytime before October 1.–Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co. For sponsorship inquiries, email
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