you will be found (erin jean warde)
Remember: The Spirit who plumbs the depths of the Pit to bring life to those who are in death knows how to find you. You are not like those who are without hope. You can stay; you will be found.
you will be found
This past Sunday, I was a guest for the Christian Ed hour at St. Julian’s Episcopal Church in Round Rock, TX. I was invited by my friend Tony Baker, who was first my seminary professor and friend, now just friend, but continually teaching me much the same. I’m deeply grateful for the theological foundation I received in seminary, specifically in Tony’s classes, which included me taking — and sometimes even auditing — every class with him I could. So, you can imagine how honored I was to be invited to have a conversation at St. Julian’s regarding Sober Spirituality. It’s truly not every day that your theology professor invites you to speak about your book.
During our time together, Tony shared a passage he enjoyed from the book, and I want to share it with you today, as our reflection this week.
Alcohol is, among other things, an opportunity to escape, but never move, to not feel what is in front of us. Alcohol is an escape hatch, but at the bottom of it, we tend to find the problems that forced us to cope. Coping with alcohol keeps us in feedback loops, such that because we tried to escape our hurt, we stay in our hurt. When we get mindful about our alcohol use, the question becomes, is this way of coping helping me heal? To change how we cope, we have to add new coping mechanisms that allow us to stay just a little bit longer in the hurt. Staying present through coping differently allows us to feel the feeling so that it can pass, and in letting the feeling pass, we aren’t staying in the feedback loop. Ironically, escaping holds us in our pain, and staying with the feeling, even just for a minute longer than we’re used to, helps us leave it. Whatever moment you are in, you can be only in this moment, and the Spirit who plumbs the depths of the Pit to bring life to those who are in death knows how to find you. We don’t have to be like those who are without hope, because if we stay, we will be found, and then we can be delivered.
—Sober Spirituality (page 61)
I share this with you, specifically, because I am still figuring out how to be present, even just for a minute longer than I’m used to. I am sober, but I am on the continued path of being human, which is always a path of figuring out how to cope.
So remember: The Spirit who plumbs the depths of the Pit to bring life to those who are in death knows how to find you. You are not like those who are without hope. You can stay, you will be found, and you will be delivered.
And I am beside you.
With love & care,
EJW
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EVENT TOMORROW!
WACO FRIENDS — Come hang out with me tomorrow, Wednesday May 3 at 7:00PM at St. Alban’s! I’m really excited to be talking about my new book and seeing friends, both old and new. There will be books available for sale if you don’t have your copy yet and would like to get one!
speaking
As you learned above, I had such a great time hanging out with the good people of St. Julian’s Episcopal Church in Round Rock this past Sunday! I was interviewed by my former theology professor and now just friend, Anthony Baker (author of many books and columnist at Patheos), about Sober Spirituality. Are you interested in exploring my work in depth in your community? Looking for a speaker who focuses on wellness and spirituality? If so, I would love to explore the possibility of me speaking at your event!
recovery coaching
If you’re seeking support around changing your relationship with alcohol, I’d love to work with you as your coach!
Recovery coaching provides empathy, practical support, and encouragement as you change your relationship with alcohol or quit drinking. We dig into what is motivational and demotivational for you, so I can help you stay motivated along the path. We will focus on setting achievable goals, removing failure as an option, accountability, recovery techniques, and more to help you change your relationship with alcohol.
Coaching with me means crafting a journey that is unique to you and your life, because the only way we can change our drinking is through support that is unique to our real lives! Sign up today or reach out with questions below. :)