How One Heroin Addict's Death Led Two Hundred Souls to Jesus

As many of you know, I recently moved from Canada back to the USA. Same general area, different community. This time, I’m lucky enough to call the ever-popular Hillsong Church my family’s home church. It’s pretty cool, I have to say. If you ever get the opportunity to attend a Hillsong service, I highly recommend it. One of the things I love the most about the church is tho opens and welcoming attitude of the patrons. Everyone comes as they are. A big sign at the front says, “Welcome Home” and you’re invited in with smiles, jeans and a lot of really, great music.

The Year I Lost Christmas: A Story About Grief and Addiction

I distinctly remember the year I lost my Christmas. I didn’t lose the meaning of the season or my appreciation for the birth of my Lord and Saviour. It was His strength that got me through it all but hovering above my Christmas was a dark cloud, a memory. For me, this cloud hovered almost a decade. I felt it every time she relapsed. It lifted during times when she was doing well and then returned with each stumble backwards. Its name is grief.

FamilyJudy TomczakDecember 18, 2016Grey Ministriesmother of an addict, new christian bloggers, modern christians, substance abuse issues, help, teenager is drinking, teen with eating disordre, Healing and Recovery for Addicts and their Families, What to do when you love an addict, what to do when someone you love has an addiction, what does the bible say about fear, what does God say about forgiveness, what it's like to love an addict, how God handles grief Comments

God Gave Us a Spirit of Power, Love and Sound Mind (So, why am I freaking out?!)

"You're not listening to me!”

“No, you don’t understand.”

“Can you put yourself in my shoes for just three [Un-Christian word] seconds?!”

“Ah! Never mind! I don’t even know why I try explaining to you, it’s useless!”

These are the things I find myself saying to my husband over and over again. As he fumbles and bumbles and tries to understand my range of complex emotions stemming from childhood wounds to the scars from our relationship to the present situation. He doesn’t know what to say and I know it.

You Can Love Your Child and Hate Their Substance Abuse

Blonde hair, blue eyes and a wealth of talent. She was my first born; Beautiful, funny, smart and excelled at anything she put her mind to from track and field, dance and figure skating. She had a beautiful voice and sang like an angel. She had the drive and determination of an Olympic athlete. She could have done anything she wanted but ended up doing none of the things she dreamed of because deep inside her lived a little girl who felt unworthy.

How to Faithfully Deal with Chronic Insecurity

Whack! Strikes of pain shot through my butt as we slammed into yet another pothole. I moaned softly, strained my neck against the window and lifted my eyes to the flaking roof of the van. When would we get there? Or rather, the more pertinent question: when was I going to get there? Emotionally, physically… spiritually. I sighed and turned my head to watch the billows of dust surface in our erratic wake.

Experts Weigh in With Practical Advice on Forgiveness

Forgiveness is one of those things I think we all have to struggle with at one point in our lives. No one is immune to being hurt so forgiveness becomes an important part of our human relationships.

To get a better understanding on this often very difficult subject, I asked some of my favourite fellow bloggers, writers, speakers and Christian influencers: “What practical advice would you give to a women who’s really struggling with forgiveness?”

Faith, Family, Mental HealthLeahApril 11, 2016Grey MinistriesMarried to an Addict, What to do when you love an addict, married to an addict in recovery, how to live with a drug addicted spouse, Healing and Recovery for Addicts and their Families, what it's like to love an addict, what to do when someone you love has an addiction, Leah Grey, my husband is an addict what do I do, how to forgive someone, what does God say about forgiveness Comments

25 Signs You're Experiencing Emotional Abuse

Emotional abuse isn't something we can see. It would be obvious someone is hurting us if they always left bruises, but when our emotions are bruised, it can be confusing to identify abuse.

It's a, "If a tree falls in the woods and there is no one around, does it make a sound?” situation.

Not surprisingly, there are plenty of experts who believe emotional abuse is more damaging than physical abuse because it often happens every day.

Mental Health, AbuseLeahJanuary 29, 2016Grey Ministrieshow to live with a drug addicted spouse, Healing and Recovery for Addicts and their Families, how to forgive someone, Anxiety about a spouse's addiction, what it's like to love an addict, what to do when someone you love has an addiction, what does God say about forgiveness, What to do when you love an addict, my husband is an addict what do I do, married to an addict in recovery, Married to an Addict, married to a drug addict, Leah Grey, being married to an addict Comments

How Difficult Times Prepare You for a Fruitful Future

Who is the most inspiring woman you know?

Think for a moment about a woman in your life or past who you think of being an absolute inspiration. Now, how would you describe them?

They are/were ____________. They always ____________. When I was ____________, they ____________. I’ll never forget the time they ____________.

Faith, WaitingLeahJanuary 22, 2016Grey Ministriesmy husband is an addict what do I do, how to live with a drug addicted spouse, Married to an Addict, married to an addict in recovery, married to a drug addict, being married to an addict, how to forgive someone, what to do when someone you love has an addiction, Healing and Recovery for Addicts and their Families, Anxiety about a spouse's addiction, Leah Grey, what it's like to love an addict, What to do when you love an addict, what does God say about forgiveness Comments

Why Being a Peaceful Christian Doesn't Mean Being a Pushover

Do you REALLY know the difference between prayerful and pushover?

If you’ve lived with an addict, you may have found yourself becoming the unofficial peacemaker. You learned how to manage tension and prevent tempers from flaring. You may push away your feelings or overlook wrong behaviours because your world revolves around keeping other people happy.

If you’re like I was, you probably didn’t see it in the beginning (or now!). But the "peacemaker" mentality is more than likely there.

Is the Saying, "Once an Addict, Always an Addict" True?

If you don’t believe in them, who will?

“Once an addict, always an addict.” -says, Everyone

When I was looking for help to save my marriage (and my husband's life!) I was told over and over, “An addict is an addict for life, you know,” or, “It will never really go away, they’ll always be an addict.”

I was also told, “Relapse is part of recovery,” and, “Once trust is broken, it can never be fully rebuilt.”

FaithLeahJanuary 8, 2016Grey MinistriesWhat to do when you love an addict, my husband is an addict what do I do, what does God say about forgiveness, what to do when someone you love has an addiction, what it's like to love an addict, how to forgive someone, how to live with a drug addicted spouse, Anxiety about a spouse's addiction, Married to an Addict, married to a drug addict, married to an addict in recovery, Healing and Recovery for Addicts and their Families, Leah Grey, being married to an addict Comments

Keep Still and Let God

Picture yourself standing on the edge of a cliff of a tall mountain.

It's dark outside and the earth is quiet. You hear only a few crickets and the wind as it gently whistles through the trees. There is no one around, it's only you and God...

What would you do?

You would be still.