Day One of Sobriety | Christian Recovery, Emotional Healing, Overcoming Shame, Spiritual Coaching

Brenda Kennison - Mind Renewal, Recovery & Spiritual Coach
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The Day One of Sobriety podcast helps you renew your mind so you can live healed, whole, and confident in Christ. Each bite-sized episode blends biblical truth with brain science to help you break destructive habits, calm the chaos, and build the mindset God designed you to carry. You’ll learn practical tools you can apply right away—because knowledge fills you up, but application transforms you. If you’re ready to break free from toxic thoughts and walk boldly in your God-given identity and purpose, this is your weekly home for hope, healing, and real change. Connect and find encouragement in our Mind Renewal Solutions Made Simple Facebook Community. Become a Day One of Sobriety Insider and receive our weekly email newsletter. Links below! Website:  day1ofsobriety.org Become an Insider: https://bit.ly/4hEYsI4 Mind Renewal Community: https://bit.ly/3ESyCBL

  1. 14h ago

    74. Stop Conforming to the World: Renew Your Mind Daily

    Do you ever find yourself agreeing to something you don't want to do, worrying about what others think, or questioning your worth because you feel pressured to fit in? The world's expectations can influence our thinking in subtle ways. Over time, familiar beliefs about success, acceptance, and approval may begin shaping our decisions without our even realizing it. In this episode of the Day One of Sobriety podcast, we'll explore what Romans 12:2 teaches about renewing your mind instead of conforming to the world. Through a personal classroom experience, biblical teaching, and a little neuroscience, you'll discover why knowing God's truth doesn't always mean we're consistently living it. You'll also learn the P.U.R.R. Tool, a practical strategy for recognizing familiar thought patterns, examining your beliefs, and choosing responses that reflect Christ.   IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER How cultural expectations and the desire for approval can quietly influence your identity and decisions. The difference between being willing to grow and believing you must change who you are to be accepted. What it means to live set apart while reflecting Christ's love, truth, and grace in everyday relationships. Why familiar emotional and thinking patterns can be difficult to interrupt, even when we know we need to change. How to use the P.U.R.R. Tool to begin responding from God's truth instead of fear or pressure.     SCRIPTURE AND MIND RENEWAL Romans 12:2 teaches us not to conform to this world's patterns but to be transformed through the renewing of our minds. Transformation involves more than changing outward behavior. It includes examining the beliefs and thought patterns that influence our choices. In 2 Corinthians 10:5, Paul speaks about bringing thoughts into captivity to the obedience of Christ. Applied to daily mind renewal, this encourages us to examine our thinking rather than automatically agreeing with every thought that enters our minds. Jesus also teaches in Matthew 5:14–16 that His followers are the light of the world. Living differently isn't about withdrawing from people or acting superior. It's about allowing our relationship with Christ to influence how we treat others and respond to everyday situations. God created our brains with the capacity to learn and adapt. Through neuroplasticity, repeated practice can help us develop more familiar ways of responding. As we partner with the Holy Spirit and apply God's Word, we can begin practicing choices that agree with His truth.   YOUR RENEWAL PRACTICE: LEARN TO P.U.R.R. UNDER PRESSURE This week, choose one situation where you feel pressured to please someone, fit in, or meet an expectation that doesn't agree with what you believe. When that pressure appears, practice P.U.R.R.: This downloadable guide features the P.U.R.R. Tool, additional real-life examples, and a personal mind renewal practice!  It can be accessed in two ways: Join the Mind Renewal Made Simple Facebook Community https://bit.ly/mindrenewalsolutions Join the Day One Insider to receive the weekly resource and Friday Renewal Practice by email https://bit.ly/Join-Day-One-Insiders If someone you know is struggling with people-pleasing, fear of rejection, or the pressure to meet everyone's expectations, consider sharing this episode with them.   CONNECT WITH DAY ONE OF SOBRIETY 🗞️Join the DAY ONE INSIDER for weekly encouragement and practical tools for mind renewal: https://bit.ly/Join-Day-One-Insiders 💬Connect with the Mind Renewal Made Simple Facebook Community: https://bit.ly/mindrenewalsolutions 🌐 Learn more about Day One of Sobriety Ministries: https://day1ofsobriety.org/ 📖 Explore Brenda Kennison’s book, Trapped in Your Thoughts: https://a.co/d/0b03SCtb Ready to begin a relationship with Jesus? https://tryjesuschallenge.com/   ⚠️ DISCLAIMER The Day One of Sobriety podcast is for educational and spiritual growth purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional therapy, counseling, or medical treatment. If you are experiencing significant emotional distress, please seek help from a licensed mental health professional.

  2. Oct 28

    73. How to Recognize Spiritual Growth: The Fruit of the Spirit

    Have you ever reacted in a way you thought you had already moved beyond? Maybe an old pattern of impatience, perfectionism, or control appeared in a new season of life, and you wondered whether you had really grown. Recognizing that familiar response does not automatically mean you have gone backward. Sometimes, the fact that you recognize it reveals genuine progress. In this final episode of Keep Your Oil Full, Brenda Kennison explores how the fruit of the Spirit develops as we abide in Christ, how the Holy Spirit helps uncover thinking patterns that still need renewal, and how spiritual growth becomes visible in our choices and relationships. Through John 15, Galatians 5, and a personal experience from her transition into full-time ministry, Brenda reminds us that the return of an old thought does not require us to agree with it.   IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER Why spiritual fruit begins with remaining connected to Jesus rather than trying harder What Galatians 5:22–23 teaches about the fruit of the Spirit How to examine the beliefs and expectations beneath an impatient or defensive response Why old patterns can surface in new seasons without erasing earlier growth How growing awareness helps us respond to the Holy Spirit’s guidance Where love, patience, kindness, gentleness, and self-control become recognizable in daily life   SCRIPTURE AND MIND RENEWAL John 15:4–5 teaches that branches bear fruit by remaining connected to the vine. Jesus is the source of our spiritual life, and the Holy Spirit works within us as we remain in relationship with Him. Galatians 5:16–25 identifies the fruit of the Spirit and calls believers to walk by the Spirit. Renewed responses involve both His transforming work and our willingness to follow His guidance. 2 Corinthians 3:18 describes believers being transformed into Christ’s image by the Spirit. Growth can include recognizing a familiar thought sooner, examining it in light of Scripture, and choosing not to let it direct our response. YOUR RENEWAL PRACTICE: RECOGNIZE THE FRUIT Think about one recent situation in which your response surprised or disappointed you. Before concentrating only on what you did, invite the Holy Spirit to help you understand what was happening beneath it. Ask yourself: What was I thinking or expecting? How did that influence my response? What truth from Scripture can guide me differently next time? Notice signs of growth too. You may have recognized the thought earlier, made amends, or chosen a different response. Thank God for His work while remaining open to what still needs renewal.   🪔 KEEP YOUR OIL FULL: 21-DAY DEVOTIONAL The final installment, Days 15-21: Bear Fruit, accompanies EP73. These daily reflections explore love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, and how the Holy Spirit helps us recognize growth in everyday life. Use the same O.I.L. rhythm throughout all 21 days: O: Open the Word I: Interact Honestly With God L: Live What He Shows You You can access the devotional in two ways: Join the Mind Renewal Made Simple Facebook Community https://bit.ly/mindrenewalsolutions Join the Day One Insider to receive the weekly resource and Friday Renewal Practice by email https://bit.ly/Join-Day-One-Insiders   Whether you begin with Day 1 or continue with the final seven days, approach the devotional as an invitation to grow closer to God, not another performance requirement.   CONNECT WITH DAY ONE OF SOBRIETY 🗞️Join the DAY ONE INSIDER for weekly encouragement and practical tools for mind renewal: https://bit.ly/Join-Day-One-Insiders 💬Connect with the Mind Renewal Made Simple Facebook Community: https://bit.ly/mindrenewalsolutions 🌐 Learn more about Day One of Sobriety Ministries: https://day1ofsobriety.org 📖 Explore Brenda Kennison’s book, Trapped in Your Thoughts: https://a.co/d/0b03SCtb Ready to begin a relationship with Jesus? https://tryjesuschallenge.com/   ⚠️ DISCLAIMER The Day One of Sobriety podcast is for educational and spiritual growth purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional therapy, counseling, or medical treatment. If you are experiencing significant emotional distress, please seek help from a licensed mental health professional.

  3. Oct 21

    72. Stay Ready: Faithful in the Waiting

    Have you ever been so busy doing good things that you barely noticed how little time you were spending simply being with God? Sometimes our desire to serve Him faithfully can become tangled with expectations we've placed on ourselves. We keep adding responsibilities, pushing harder, and assuming that doing more means we're being more faithful. But what does Jesus actually teach about spiritual readiness? In this episode, Brenda shares a personal revelation about ministry, performance, and the importance of cultivating her relationship with God. Through Matthew 24:42–46, she explores what it means to remain spiritually attentive and faithful as we await Christ's return. Readiness is something we cultivate through our relationship with God and the way we live each day.   IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER What Jesus teaches about spiritual readiness in Matthew 24:42–46 Why staying attentive involves more than maintaining religious routines How to recognize the difference between God-given responsibilities and self-imposed expectations Why faithfulness is measured by more than how much we accomplish How familiar thinking patterns can influence our priorities and decisions Why remaining connected to God and other believers matters as we await Christ's return   SCRIPTURE AND MIND RENEWAL Matthew 24:42–46 reminds us to remain watchful and faithful because we do not know when Jesus will return. His teaching directs our attention toward how we live and steward what has been entrusted to us. Romans 12:2 teaches us to be transformed through the renewing of our minds. Sometimes that renewal involves examining beliefs we've carried for years, including the assumption that doing more makes us more valuable or faithful. As we bring those beliefs before God, His Word helps us reconsider the expectations shaping our choices. Hebrews 10:23–25 reminds us to hold firmly to our hope, encourage one another, and remain connected with other believers. Spiritual readiness includes strengthening one another as we continue walking with Christ.   YOUR RENEWAL PRACTICE: STAY READY This week, consider three areas of your life: Stay Attentive What has been receiving most of your attention lately? Are you remaining personally engaged with God as you move through your daily responsibilities? Stay Faithful Consider what God has entrusted to you in this season. Have you added expectations that are making those responsibilities heavier than they need to be? Stay Connected Are you receiving and offering encouragement within the body of Christ, or have you gradually become isolated? Choose one area to bring into an honest conversation with God this week. Then identify one faithful response you can practice.   🪔 KEEP YOUR OIL FULL: 21-DAY DEVOTIONAL Days 8–14, Stay Ready: Faithful in the Waiting, accompany this episode. Each day guides you through the O.I.L. rhythm: O: Open the Word I: Interact Honestly With God L: Live What He Shows You These seven days focus on attentiveness, stewardship, grace, perseverance, encouragement, and living with hope as we anticipate Jesus' return. You can access the devotional in two ways: Join the Mind Renewal Made Simple Facebook Community https://bit.ly/mindrenewalsolutions Join the Day One Insider to receive the weekly resource and Friday Renewal Practice by email https://bit.ly/Join-Day-One-Insiders Move slowly and allow the devotional to guide your personal time with God. If you miss a day, return when you can. This is an invitation to relationship, not another source of pressure.   CONNECT WITH DAY ONE OF SOBRIETY 🗞️ Join the DAY ONE INSIDER for weekly encouragement and practical tools for mind renewal: https://bit.ly/Join-Day-One-Insiders 💬 Connect with the Mind Renewal Made Simple Facebook Community: https://bit.ly/mindrenewalsolutions 🌐  Learn more about Day One of Sobriety Ministries: https://day1ofsobriety.org/ 📖 Explore Brenda Kennison’s book, Trapped in Your Thoughts: https://a.co/d/0b03SCtb Ready to begin a relationship with Jesus? https://tryjesuschallenge.com/   ⚠️ DISCLAIMER The Day One of Sobriety podcast is for educational and spiritual growth purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional therapy, counseling, or medical treatment. If you are experiencing significant emotional distress, please seek help from a licensed mental health professional.

  4. Oct 14

    71. How to Grow Closer to God: A Simple Daily Rhythm

    You can read your Bible, complete a devotional, listen to worship music, and pray, yet still finish without connecting what you received to the life you are actually living. These practices can support spiritual growth, but growing closer to God requires personal participation. It happens as you slow down, give His Word your attention, talk honestly with Him, and respond to the truth He brings before you. In this Application Episode, Brenda introduces O.I.L., a simple daily rhythm for engaging personally with God: O: Open the Word I: Interact honestly with God L: Live what He shows you You do not need hours of uninterrupted time, an impressive prayer vocabulary, or a perfect routine. You can begin with one passage, one honest conversation, and one faithful response.   IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER Why spiritual activity and personal engagement with God are not always the same thing How a simple rhythm can help you become more intentional in your relationship with God Practical questions to ask as you read Scripture Why honest conversation with God supports biblical mind renewal How one faithful response helps truth become part of the way you think and live Why consistency does not require a powerful emotional experience every day   SCRIPTURE AND MIND RENEWAL Second Timothy 3 teaches that Scripture corrects, trains, and equips us. Opening the Word gives God’s truth our attention, but the goal is not simply to complete a reading. We slow down so we can notice what the passage reveals about God and how its truth connects with the life we are living. Psalm 62:8 invites us to pour out our hearts before God. Honest interaction allows Scripture and real life to meet in conversation with Him. We can bring Him our questions, fears, resistance, gratitude, and confusion without pretending. James 1:22 reminds us not only to hear the Word, but to do what it says. As we repeatedly respond to biblical truth, we give our minds a new response to practice. Over time, those choices can help establish healthier patterns in how we think, choose, and respond.   YOUR RENEWAL PRACTICE: THE O.I.L. RHYTHM Use the O.I.L. Rhythm during your time with God this week: Open the Word Choose a passage small enough that you can slow down and give it your attention. Read it once to understand what it says. Read it again and notice what stands out. Ask: “What does this passage reveal about God?” & “What truth needs my attention today?” Interact honestly with God Bring Him what the passage connects with in your life. Tell Him what encouraged you, confused you, challenged you, or touched something you are currently facing. Then return to the passage and ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand how its truth applies. Live what He shows you Ask: “What is one faithful response You are inviting me to make?” Your response may involve believing God’s truth when fear rises, apologizing, forgiving, pausing before reacting, making a phone call, setting a healthy boundary, or surrendering an outcome you cannot control. Choose one response that is specific and realistic for today. This week, Days 1–7 of the 21-Day Keep Your Oil Full Devotional will guide you through this rhythm one day at a time. You can access the devotional in two ways: Join the Mind Renewal Made Simple Facebook Community https://bit.ly/mindrenewalsolutions Join the Day One Insider to receive the weekly resource and Friday Renewal Practice by email https://bit.ly/Join-Day-One-Insiders Move slowly and allow the devotional to guide your personal time with God. If you miss a day, return when you can. This is an invitation to relationship, not another source of pressure.   CONNECT WITH DAY ONE OF SOBRIETY 🗞️ Join the DAY ONE INSIDER for weekly encouragement and practical tools for mind renewal: https://bit.ly/Join-Day-One-Insiders 💬 Connect with the Mind Renewal Made Simple Facebook Community: https://bit.ly/mindrenewalsolutions 🌐  Learn more about Day One of Sobriety Ministries: https://day1ofsobriety.org/ 📖 Explore Brenda Kennison’s book, Trapped in Your Thoughts: https://a.co/d/0b03SCtb Ready to begin a relationship with Jesus? https://tryjesuschallenge.com/   ⚠️ DISCLAIMER The Day One of Sobriety podcast is for educational and spiritual growth purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional therapy, counseling, or medical treatment. If you are experiencing significant emotional distress, please seek help from a licensed mental health professional.

  5. Oct 7

    70. Keep Your Oil Full: Spiritual Readiness and Your Personal Relationship With God

    It is possible to fill your day with Christian content and still neglect your personal relationship with God. In EP70, Brenda begins the four-week Keep Your Oil Full series by examining Jesus’ parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25:1–13. The primary message of this parable is spiritual readiness. While Scripture does not specifically define what the oil represents, the preparation of the wise women helps us recognize an important truth: spiritual readiness cannot be borrowed from someone else. A sermon can teach you. A devotional can guide you. Another person can pray for and encourage you. But no one else can open God’s Word, talk honestly with Him, respond to His direction, or cultivate your relationship with Him for you.   IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER What the parable of the ten virgins teaches about spiritual readiness Why religious appearance does not always reveal what has been cultivated within us How delays, disappointment, temptation, and unanswered prayer can reveal and develop our faith Why spiritual preparation happens during ordinary days Why another person’s relationship with God cannot be transferred to you The difference between recognizing biblical truth and personally living from it How Christian content can become a signpost leading you toward God   SCRIPTURE AND MIND RENEWAL In Matthew 25:1–13, all ten women expected the bridegroom, carried lamps, and appeared prepared. The difference became visible when the wait lasted longer than expected. In the same way, delays, disappointments, and pressure can reveal what we believe about God and what has been sustaining us. However, difficult seasons do more than expose what is already there. James 1:2–4 and Romans 5:3–5 remind us that, when we remain connected to God, these experiences can also develop perseverance, strengthen our character, and establish hope. Mind renewal happens as we repeatedly bring our thoughts, reactions, and experiences into agreement with God’s truth. Simply recognizing a familiar Scripture is not the same as living from it. Transformation requires us to personally engage with what God is showing us, return to His truth when our feelings pull us elsewhere, and practice one faithful response at a time. Spiritual readiness is cultivated through these ordinary moments of attention, trust, and obedience. Other people can teach and encourage us, but they cannot renew our minds or develop our relationship with God for us. Christian content can point us toward truth, but personal engagement with God allows that truth to become integrated into how we think and live.   YOUR RENEWAL PRACTICE: TAKE THE O.I.L. CHECK-UP This week’s companion resource, The O.I.L. Check-Up, will help you examine your personal relationship with God and notice where He may be inviting you to grow. O.I.L. stands for: 1) Open the Word, 2) Interact honestly with God, and 3) Live what He shows you. The Check-Up will help you consider how personally you are engaging in each area and whether the spiritual content you consume is leading you into greater connection with God. This is not a spiritual scorecard or another religious checklist. Use the questions as prayer and conversation with God. Notice where your relationship with Him feels personal and active, as well as where it may have become passive, hurried, or dependent on other people. You can access the weekly resource in two ways: Join the Mind Renewal Made Simple Facebook Community https://bit.ly/mindrenewalsolutions Join the Day One Insider to receive the weekly resource and Friday Renewal Practice by email https://bit.ly/Join-Day-One-Insiders You do not need to change everything at once. Complete the Check-Up honestly, bring what you notice to God, and allow Him to show you one area where you can participate more intentionally.   CONNECT WITH DAY ONE OF SOBRIETY 🗞️ Join the DAY ONE INSIDER for weekly encouragement and practical tools for mind renewal: https://bit.ly/Join-Day-One-Insiders   💬 Connect with the Mind Renewal Made Simple Facebook Community: https://bit.ly/mindrenewalsolutions   🌐  Learn more about Day One of Sobriety Ministries: https://day1ofsobriety.org/   📖 Explore Brenda Kennison’s book, Trapped in Your Thoughts: https://a.co/d/0b03SCtb   Ready to begin a relationship with Jesus? https://tryjesuschallenge.com/   ⚠️ DISCLAIMER The Day One of Sobriety podcast is for educational and spiritual growth purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional therapy, counseling, or medical treatment. If you are experiencing significant emotional distress, please seek help from a licensed mental health professional.

  6. Sep 30

    69. How to Calm Anxiety in the Moment: 3 Steps to Interrupt Anxious Thought Patterns

    What do you do when anxiety rises before you have had time to think clearly? Maybe you immediately start analyzing the situation, searching for reassurance, trying to solve the problem, or reacting to a conclusion that has not actually been confirmed. EP69 is the Application Episode that follows last week’s teaching on anxiety, faith, and identity. This week, we move from understanding anxiety to practicing what to do when your body reacts and your mind begins building a fearful story. You will learn a simple three-step process: Regulate the body. Evaluate the thought. Challenge the pattern. The goal is not to deny anxiety or force yourself to become perfectly calm. It is to create enough space between the anxious signal and your response so you can separate what actually happened from what fear is predicting and choose your next response more intentionally.   IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER Why trying to “think your way out” of anxiety may not be the most helpful first step How to use a brief pause to help your body settle before evaluating the situation How to separate a fact from the anxious story your mind attaches to it Why learned beliefs can make certain situations feel threatening before you have enough information How to challenge “What if?” thinking with an “Even if” response grounded in truth and trust in God   SCRIPTURE AND MIND RENEWAL In 2 Corinthians 10:5, Paul speaks about confronting arguments and thoughts that set themselves against the knowledge of God and bringing them into obedience to Christ. In an anxious moment, that gives us an important question: Does the conclusion my mind is making agree with what is actually true and with what Christ says is true? Mind renewal does not require pretending the feeling is not real. It gives us a way to examine the conclusion attached to the feeling and decide whether we want that conclusion directing our response. This is where faith and participation meet. We bring the anxious pattern into awareness, invite the Holy Spirit into the process, and practice responding to truth rather than automatically following fear. YOUR RENEWAL PRACTICE: REGULATE BEFORE YOU EVALUATE This week’s companion resource, Regulate Before You Evaluate: A 3-Step Practice for Responding to Anxiety in Real Time, was created to help you carry the episode teaching into real-life anxious moments. The goal is to give you a simple visual reminder you can return to when anxiety rises and clear thinking feels harder. Rather than trying to remember every point from the episode, use the resource to help you pause, recognize what is happening, and practice a more intentional response over time. You can access the weekly resource in two ways: Join the Mind Renewal Made Simple Facebook Community https://bit.ly/mindrenewalsolutions Join the Day One Insider to receive the weekly resource and Friday Renewal Practice by email https://bit.ly/Join-Day-One-Insiders Repeated practice matters. The resource is designed to support that process, not to create pressure to “get it right” in every anxious moment.   CONNECT WITH DAY ONE OF SOBRIETY 🗞️ Join the DAY ONE INSIDER for weekly encouragement and practical tools for mind renewal: https://bit.ly/Join-Day-One-Insiders   💬 Connect with the Mind Renewal Made Simple Facebook Community: https://bit.ly/mindrenewalsolutions   🌐  Learn more about Day One of Sobriety Ministries: https://day1ofsobriety.org/   📖 Explore Brenda Kennison’s book, Trapped in Your Thoughts: https://a.co/d/0b03SCtb   Ready to begin a relationship with Jesus? https://tryjesuschallenge.com/   ⚠️ DISCLAIMER The Day One of Sobriety podcast is for educational and spiritual growth purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional therapy, counseling, or medical treatment. If you are experiencing significant emotional distress, please seek help from a licensed mental health professional.

  7. Sep 23

    68. Does Anxiety Mean You Lack Faith? Why Christians Can Love God and Still Struggle

    If you really trusted God, would you still feel anxious? Many Christians quietly ask that question when fear, worry, or an anxious response shows up again. The anxiety itself can be difficult, but the shame and spiritual judgment attached to it can create an entirely different struggle. In this Core Episode, Brenda explores the relationship between anxiety and faith and explains why feeling anxious does not automatically mean your faith is weak. Through Scripture, mind renewal, a personal story, and an accessible look at learned brain and body responses, you will begin separating what anxiety feels like from what it actually says about who you are. The goal is not to pretend anxiety is irrelevant or accept worry as your permanent identity. It is to understand what is happening accurately so you can bring it to God and increasingly respond from truth instead of shame.   IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER Why anxiety does not automatically mean that your faith has failed The difference between experiencing a feeling and allowing that feeling to define what is true Why salvation gives you a new identity while mind renewal remains an ongoing process How learned associations can cause your brain and body to react quickly to familiar situations Why a familiar pattern is not the same thing as your God-given identity   SCRIPTURE AND MIND RENEWAL Philippians 4:6-8 does more than tell believers not to live in anxiety. Paul gives us a response. We are invited to bring what troubles us to God through prayer and thanksgiving and then become intentional about what we allow our minds to dwell on. That brings together relationship with God and mental participation. Proverbs 3:5-6 adds another important truth: trust does not require us to stop thinking. It means we refuse to treat our own limited understanding as the final authority. You can acknowledge what you feel, bring it honestly to God, and still choose to lean into what He says is true.     YOUR RENEWAL PRACTICE: SEPARATE THE SIGNAL FROM YOUR IDENTITY Spend some time this week becoming more aware of how anxiety shows up for you. When it does, consider two questions: What am I making this anxiety mean about me, God, or my faith? Has anxiety started becoming part of the way I describe myself? Maybe you have been thinking, “I should be further along by now,” or you hear yourself saying, “I am just a worrier.” Pause before accepting that conclusion. You may have practiced worry for years, but worry does not get to define you. Awareness does not complete the renewal process, but it gives you a place to begin. We will keep building on this topic inside the Mind Renewal Made Simple Facebook Community and through the Day One Insider Newsletter, where you will receive continued encouragement, reflection, and practical application. Links to both are included below.     CONNECT WITH DAY ONE OF SOBRIETY 🗞️Join the DAY ONE INSIDER for weekly encouragement and practical tools for mind renewal: https://bit.ly/Join-Day-One-Insiders 💬Connect with the Mind Renewal Made Simple Facebook Community: https://bit.ly/mindrenewalsolutions 🌐 Learn more about Day One of Sobriety Ministries: https://day1ofsobriety.org/ 📖 Explore Brenda Kennison’s book, Trapped in Your Thoughts: https://a.co/d/0b03SCtb Ready to begin a relationship with Jesus? https://tryjesuschallenge.com/   DISCLAIMER The information shared in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose or treat any mental-health condition or replace professional medical, psychological, or therapeutic care.

  8. Sep 16

    67. Choosing Rest Without Guilt: A Real-Life Mind Renewal Moment

    After two weeks of teaching about physical, soul, and spiritual rest, Brenda recognized that God was not only speaking through her to the listeners. He was also speaking directly to her. Months of writing, publishing, podcasting, coaching, conferences, and ministry preparation had left her tired and off balance. She could push herself to produce another regular episode, but at what cost? In this short, personal episode, Brenda shares the conversation that helped her recognize when commitment had crossed into internal striving. You will hear how she used the Faith-Rest Reset to make a real-time decision and why choosing rest does not mean you are irresponsible, abandoning your commitment, or failing to show up. Sometimes mind renewal means receiving the same truth you would lovingly offer someone else.   IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER Why knowing what you need and permitting yourself to receive it can be two different things How a sincere commitment can quietly become pressure to keep producing at any cost Why choosing rest does not mean that you are irresponsible or have stopped caring How Brenda applied the Faith-Rest Reset to her own schedule and ministry Why rest may be the next faithful step when continued effort comes with an unnecessary cost SCRIPTURE AND MIND RENEWAL EP65 and EP66 explore the biblical foundation for physical, soul, and spiritual rest, including the teaching in Hebrews 4. Biblical rest does not require us to become passive or neglect what God has entrusted to us. It teaches us to act faithfully while trusting God with what only He can carry. EP67 shows what that truth looks like in real life. Brenda could have continued pushing herself to maintain the expected schedule. Mind renewal helped her pause and reconsider the belief that faithfulness always required producing one more episode. Choosing a different response did not weaken her commitment to the ministry. It allowed her to honor what God was showing her about balance, surrender, and receiving rest. YOUR RENEWAL PRACTICE: RECEIVE YOUR OWN COUNSEL Consider one area where you feel pressure to keep pushing. Ask yourself: What has God actually given me to do? What outcome am I trying to manage or guarantee? What would I advise someone I love if that person were carrying the same level of pressure? What is my next faithful step? Your next step may involve completing something important. It may also involve asking for help, postponing something, changing your expectations, or allowing yourself to rest. You do not have to abandon every responsibility to create a healthier rhythm. Begin by becoming honest about the cost of continuing to push and whether every demand you feel is something God has actually asked you to carry. CONTINUE THE JOURNEY This personal episode is a real-life application of the teaching and resources introduced in EP65 and EP66. EP65: Feeling Overwhelmed? How to Find Rest & Reduce Stress in a Busy Season (Part 1) Learn why physically stopping and internally resting are not always the same thing. Explore physical, soul, and spiritual rest and use the Rest Audit to identify which area may need greater care. 🎧 Listen: https://bit.ly/FeelingOverwhelmed-FindRest ▶️ Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/K-8FmpcJUU8 EP66: Feeling Overwhelmed? How to Find Rest & Reduce Stress in a Busy Season (Part 2) Learn how responsibility can quietly cross into control and use the Faith-Rest Reset to identify what belongs to you, release what does not, and take your next faithful step. 🎧 Listen: https://bit.ly/FaithRest ▶️ Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/mX4kqwmvTsM     CONNECT WITH DAY ONE OF SOBRIETY 🗞️Join the DAY ONE INSIDER for weekly encouragement and practical tools for mind renewal: https://bit.ly/Join-Day-One-Insiders 💬Connect with the Mind Renewal Made Simple Facebook Community: https://bit.ly/mindrenewalsolutions 🌐 Learn more about Day One of Sobriety Ministries: https://day1ofsobriety.org/ 📖 Explore Brenda Kennison’s book, Trapped in Your Thoughts: https://a.co/d/0b03SCtb Ready to begin a relationship with Jesus? https://tryjesuschallenge.com/   DISCLAIMER The information shared in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose or treat any mental-health condition or replace professional medical, psychological, or therapeutic care.

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The Day One of Sobriety podcast helps you renew your mind so you can live healed, whole, and confident in Christ. Each bite-sized episode blends biblical truth with brain science to help you break destructive habits, calm the chaos, and build the mindset God designed you to carry. You’ll learn practical tools you can apply right away—because knowledge fills you up, but application transforms you. If you’re ready to break free from toxic thoughts and walk boldly in your God-given identity and purpose, this is your weekly home for hope, healing, and real change. Connect and find encouragement in our Mind Renewal Solutions Made Simple Facebook Community. Become a Day One of Sobriety Insider and receive our weekly email newsletter. Links below! Website:  day1ofsobriety.org Become an Insider: https://bit.ly/4hEYsI4 Mind Renewal Community: https://bit.ly/3ESyCBL

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