Healing Generational Scars with Karen Ehman
03/04/24 • 32 min
New York Times best-selling author Karen Ehman shares her deeply personal narrative of growing up with an alcoholic father. Her courage in exposing the raw emotions of her childhood not only touches the heart but also opens the door to understanding the complexity of addiction's impact on families. Within these revelations lie powerful lessons of forgiveness and the indomitable strength found in surrendering to God those things we cannot change in those we love.
As Karen's story unfolds, we probe the silent battles faced by those raised in homes marred by addiction. It's a discussion that uncovers the lasting effects of maintaining a veneer of normalcy amidst internal turmoil and the toxic relationship patterns that can emerge from such chaos. But there's hope—mentorship, community support, and choices- leading away from pain toward a healthier future. Karen's experiences shine a light on the importance of these lifelines in breaking free from the cycles of secrecy and addiction.
Thank you, Karen, for your willingness to be vulnerable so that others will be encouraged as they listen to your story. May they find renewed hope in your story and trust that God is loving them through it.
Karen Ehman is a New York Times bestselling author, a Proverbs 31 Ministries speaker and a contributing writer for Encouragement for Today online devotions and a teacher in the First 5 Bible study app which has over 2 million daily users. She has written 19 books and Bible studies including Keep It Shut: What to Say, How to Say It, and When to Say Nothing at All and the 2020 ECPA devotional book of the year Settle My Soul: 100 Quiet Moments to Meet with Jesus.
She is a Cum Laude graduate of Spring Arbor University with a major in Social Science. Karen has been featured on TODAY Parenting, Redbook.com, Foxnews.com, Crosswalk.com, YouVersion.com, and is a monthly columnist for HomeLife Magazine. Her passion is to help women live their priorities as they reflect the gospel to a watching world. She is married to her college sweetheart, Todd, and is the mother of six children—three biological and three in-laws by marriage—although she forgets which ones are which. Karen enjoys collecting vintage Pyrex kitchenware, cheering for the Detroit Tigers, and spending her days feeding the many people who gather around her mid-century dining table to process life and enjoy her county fair blue-ribbon winning cooking.
About the She Surrenders Podcast:
On the She Surrenders podcast we are talking about women, faith and addiction all on the same platform. There are many podcasts for women and sobriety, but very few for women seeking information and stories from others about faith-based recovery.
Help us reach more listeners: like, subscribe, review, and share.
Find us on Instagram @shesurrenders_sherry, on Facebook @shesurrenderssherry, and online at www.shesurrenders.com.
New York Times best-selling author Karen Ehman shares her deeply personal narrative of growing up with an alcoholic father. Her courage in exposing the raw emotions of her childhood not only touches the heart but also opens the door to understanding the complexity of addiction's impact on families. Within these revelations lie powerful lessons of forgiveness and the indomitable strength found in surrendering to God those things we cannot change in those we love.
As Karen's story unfolds, we probe the silent battles faced by those raised in homes marred by addiction. It's a discussion that uncovers the lasting effects of maintaining a veneer of normalcy amidst internal turmoil and the toxic relationship patterns that can emerge from such chaos. But there's hope—mentorship, community support, and choices- leading away from pain toward a healthier future. Karen's experiences shine a light on the importance of these lifelines in breaking free from the cycles of secrecy and addiction.
Thank you, Karen, for your willingness to be vulnerable so that others will be encouraged as they listen to your story. May they find renewed hope in your story and trust that God is loving them through it.
Karen Ehman is a New York Times bestselling author, a Proverbs 31 Ministries speaker and a contributing writer for Encouragement for Today online devotions and a teacher in the First 5 Bible study app which has over 2 million daily users. She has written 19 books and Bible studies including Keep It Shut: What to Say, How to Say It, and When to Say Nothing at All and the 2020 ECPA devotional book of the year Settle My Soul: 100 Quiet Moments to Meet with Jesus.
She is a Cum Laude graduate of Spring Arbor University with a major in Social Science. Karen has been featured on TODAY Parenting, Redbook.com, Foxnews.com, Crosswalk.com, YouVersion.com, and is a monthly columnist for HomeLife Magazine. Her passion is to help women live their priorities as they reflect the gospel to a watching world. She is married to her college sweetheart, Todd, and is the mother of six children—three biological and three in-laws by marriage—although she forgets which ones are which. Karen enjoys collecting vintage Pyrex kitchenware, cheering for the Detroit Tigers, and spending her days feeding the many people who gather around her mid-century dining table to process life and enjoy her county fair blue-ribbon winning cooking.
About the She Surrenders Podcast:
On the She Surrenders podcast we are talking about women, faith and addiction all on the same platform. There are many podcasts for women and sobriety, but very few for women seeking information and stories from others about faith-based recovery.
Help us reach more listeners: like, subscribe, review, and share.
Find us on Instagram @shesurrenders_sherry, on Facebook @shesurrenderssherry, and online at www.shesurrenders.com.
Previous Episode
From Personal Struggles to Inspiring a Community: Jared Zimmerman's Journey with Mental Health and Addiction
Picture yourself in the shoes of a man who has lost his brother to suicide and succumbed to the depths of alcohol addiction. That's the raw and heart-wrenching journey of our guest, Jared Zimmerman, whose courage led him to ultimate recovery. Today's podcast with Jared Zimmerman will impact you no matter who you are. Both Jared and his wife’s family are what we affectionally call a “grove family.” That means that both of their families went to school with ours at the little country school called Forest Grove. Heartache still finds its way into beautiful families raising kids out in the country, as you will soon hear. God has woven together a story of suicide, addiction, family, and strength that, as painful as it is, Jared is using that story for God's purpose. Jared and Summer are a living testimony of what it looks like to live your faith out loud to encourage and walk alongside others in their pain. As he paints a vivid picture of his struggles, from the anguish of losing his brother to the stigma of mental health, we can't help but be moved by his resilience and determination.
We'll introduce you to the amazing business they recently launched, "Inspire One Life," a beacon of hope for those battling mental health challenges. Driven by their personal experiences, they are turning their pain into a platform for spreading positivity and mental health awareness. As we discuss the poignant messages conveyed by their merchandise, you'll be inspired by their resilience and determination. Summer shared a verse with me that seemed very fitting as I sat with them.
Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. Knowing these two lovely people since they were very young made it even more special to sit and share our stories together; even more special is that these are things that the fingerprints of God are all over.
There's a special meaning to that last sentence; listen for it in the podcast!
You can find out more about Inspire 1 Life!
Website: www.inspire1life.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inspireonelife/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/inspireonelifeapparel
About the She Surrenders Podcast:
On the She Surrenders podcast we are talking about women, faith and addiction all on the same platform. There are many podcasts for women and sobriety, but very few for women seeking information and stories from others about faith-based recovery.
Help us reach more listeners: like, subscribe, review, and share.
Find us on Instagram @shesurrenders_sherry, on Facebook @shesurrenderssherry, and online at www.shesurrenders.com.
Next Episode
Braving Addiction Together: A Pastor's Wife's Journey of Compassion and Hope
When the person you love becomes a stranger consumed in the grip of addiction, the world can feel upside down. Deb's bravery shines as she recounts her experience of supporting her husband, a pastor, through his harrowing battle with prescription pain medication dependency. Our conversation delves into the heart of a marriage tested by the silent war of addiction, offering a compassionate perspective on a struggle that is far more common than many dare to admit. Deb's journey, marked by resilience and faith, provides an intimate look at the complexities of loving someone through their darkest times.
This episode doesn't shy away from confronting the uncomfortable silence that often surrounds addiction in faith communities. We discuss the church's role in the healing journey, examining the stigmas and challenges faced when seeking support. Addiction within the walls of a church can be a lonely battle, but it's a story that needs to be told, and I am grateful to Deb for telling it here. I can honestly say the book they wrote about their story is one of the best I have ever read.
Bio
Deborah Beddoe is a writer and editor who lives in the Pacific Northwest with her pastor husband, Dave. She is the author of The Heart of Recovery: How Compassion and Community Offer Hope in the Wake of Addiction (Revell, 2019). Deb is in her last year of studies for a Masters in Theopoetics and Writing from Bethany Theological Seminary. Dave, whose story is central to their book, has led recovery groups since 2009. For many years, Deb also led groups for spouses and mothers of loved ones caught in addiction or recovery. Dave and Deb are newly empty-nesters whose four children left them with a big codependent dog and a bothersome cat for entertainment.
Order their amazing book; The Heart of Recovery!
https://amzn.to/49NhIP1
About the She Surrenders Podcast:
On the She Surrenders podcast we are talking about women, faith and addiction all on the same platform. There are many podcasts for women and sobriety, but very few for women seeking information and stories from others about faith-based recovery.
Help us reach more listeners: like, subscribe, review, and share.
Find us on Instagram @shesurrenders_sherry, on Facebook @shesurrenderssherry, and online at www.shesurrenders.com.
She Surrenders - The Podcast - Healing Generational Scars with Karen Ehman
Transcript
Welcome back to the she Surrenders podcast . My name is Sherry and my goal for this podcast is to bring you the good news that faith-based recovery works , and it is where you will find the joy in life that you did not think was possible while you were still in the bondage of addiction . The stories you will hear from the women , and sometimes men , of those that have walked in
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