08/18/2026
This is one of those stories that common amongst the rooms. One thing I could say is it doesn’t have to be your story!
Also if this is your story we will love you through it!
Brad Pitt is not an alcoholic. He just needed a break to learn how to manage it. Seven years of a break. He’s fine now. Doing great in fact. Just drinks casually.
It must be nice. To be able to have a break and then start again and be able to drink nicely.
I did that once, not 7 years sober but I had 6 months up. I had done really well. I had gone out on New Year’s clubbing and not had a single drink. I remember feeling like I could do this. I didn’t manage to get to any meetings around New Years and I did great. And then when I came back from holiday, I got really busy and missed a couple of weeks.
Then I went to my Aunt’s house for my birthday. She asked if I was still, “not drinking.” And I said, “ahh, no, not really, kind of.”
And so I had a glass of wine to celebrate my birthday with my family. It was nice. I drove home afterwards. I went to bed proud of myself. I had kinda aced this whole not drinking for a while thing and now it turns out I could drink again.
I would now be a social drinker.
Like everyone else.
It was going to be rainbows and unicorns all the way.
Two weeks later, I was vomiting into the gutter outside a club, having peed my pants, lost my wallet/phone/shoes and punched a guy in the face.
All the classic Jessie moves.
My drinking was sometimes having a nice glass of wine. My drinking was sometimes assaulting people. I never knew which way it was going to go.
I was never a daily drinker. I never lost a job. I never lost my licence. I never had medical consequences. I never did a lot of “alcoholic” things.
But when I did drink, I was psycho.
That’s a technical term.
At my rock bottom, I met Jesus. He was with me on the way down and he is what made me get up off my vomit soaked knees to rise again. My friend David puts it better: he lifts the needy off the ash heap. Not even the fire, the ash heap after the fire has burned away. Thank you Psalm 113:7.
Getting sober was so hard for me. Because it meant admitting that I was an alcoholic. And, I don't know if you know this but us alcoholics, we really like to drink. Like, it's kinda our whole thing. And when you admit you are an alcoholic, it ruins your drinking.
I don’t know anyone who is sober without God. I tried getting sober without God myself. I know so many others who have tried it. It just doesn't seem to work.
On the other hand, I know plenty of people who have gotten sober with God and are not in recovery.
It’s almost as if addiction is a spiritual problem.
So bless you Brad Pitt with your perfect symmetry and your ability to drink again. Must be nice.
Bless you my friends,
Rev Jessie
PS If you are struggling with your addictions this week, that’s ok, you’re not alone. When you are ready to climb off the ash heap, ask Jesus, he’ll help.
