A stranger approached Gage and asked him a simple yet powerful question. It was a moment that made him stop, reflect, and ultimately turn his life around. That one question led him to break free from addiction and find a new purpose. Today, Gage is not just living in freedom—he is using his experience to counsel others who are struggling. His transformation is impacting lives and creating a ripple effect for God’s kingdom.

Gage’s story is a testament to the fact that no one is too far gone for God’s redemption. No matter how deep the struggle, how many mistakes have been made, or how hopeless life may seem, God’s grace is always within reach. Sometimes, it takes just one conversation, one act of kindness, or one divine moment to shift the course of someone’s future. A simple question or a caring gesture can be the spark that opens a heart to change. God places people in our lives at just the right time, orchestrating encounters that remind us of His love and purpose. Gage’s transformation didn’t happen overnight, but that one pivotal moment set him on a new path—one filled with hope, healing, and the power to help others. His story is a reminder that God never stops pursuing us, and He can use even the smallest moments to bring about the biggest transformations.

If you or someone you love is battling addiction, know that there is hope and help available. True Purpose Ministries and Celebrate Recovery are incredible resources for those seeking transformation.

Want to read more stories of God’s life-changing power? Check out Jacob’s Testimony and Ashley’s Journey.

It only takes one moment to change everything.

What’s a question that changed your life? Share in the comments below!

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The post One Question Changed His Life S2 EP08 appeared first on Katie Hauck Ministries.

For years, Melinda believed a lie that many women carry quietly: to survive in this world, you need a man. That mindset shaped her relationships, her self-worth, and the decisions she made. Life became a cycle of chaos, uncertainty, and fear.

She tried to find peace in people, places, and patterns that only left her more anxious. In fact, when life did begin to calm down, she found herself creating chaos again—because dysfunction had become her normal.

But everything began to shift when Melinda had an encounter with Jesus, the Prince of Peace.

He didn’t just offer a temporary calm—He offered transformation. The peace Melinda had been chasing for years was not found in a relationship, a perfect plan, or even a clean slate. It was found in surrendering her heart to the One who had been pursuing her all along.

Peace isn’t the absence of problems—it’s the presence of Jesus.

When you invite Him into your story, He doesn’t erase the past—He redeems it. He speaks stillness into the storm. He brings clarity into the confusion.

If you’ve been operating in dysfunction or chaos has become your default, there is hope. You were made for more. You were made for peace.

Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you… Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).

Want to go deeper? Watch Melinda’s full story and see how God met her right where she was.

You may also enjoy Jehovah Shalom – The Lord Is Peace for more on God’s promise of peace.

The post Finding True Peace: S2 EP07 appeared first on Katie Hauck Ministries.

For years, Tara believed the whispers of doubt: You’re not good enough. No one loves you. You’ll never measure up. These lies shaped her identity, leading her down a dangerous path of seeking approval from the world. No matter what she did, the emptiness remained.

She tried to become whoever people wanted her to be—chasing success, relationships, and validation. But no achievement, no person, and no amount of striving could fill the void. It wasn’t until she encountered Jesus that everything changed.

The world may tell you that you’re not enough, but God says you are chosen, loved, and redeemed.

In Ephesians 2:10, Scripture reminds us, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.”

Tara’s story is a powerful reminder that our worth isn’t found in what we do—it’s found in who we belong to. When we stop striving for approval and start resting in God’s love, we begin to see ourselves the way He does: valued, cherished, and more than enough.

If you’ve ever struggled with feeling unworthy, take heart. Your identity is secure in Christ. His love is not based on what you achieve—it is freely given.

Ready to break free from the lies? Watch Tara’s full story and see how God replaced her shame with confidence.

For more encouragement, read Jehovah Tsidkenu – The Lord Our Righteousness and discover how God makes us whole.

The post S2 EP06: You’re Not Good Enough appeared first on Katie Hauck Ministries.

After 38 years of pain, silence, and prison walls, Joshua believed his story was over. Years of trauma had convinced him that he had no value, no purpose, and nothing left to hope for. But God had a different plan.

Joshua’s journey through addiction and incarceration was long and heavy, but something began to shift when he was introduced to True Purpose Ministries. It was there that he encountered the love of Christ—and it changed everything.

After all this time, Joshua was finding hope after 38 years. He realized that his past didn’t disqualify him—it positioned him to bring hope to others who felt hopeless.

God is in the business of restoring what feels too far gone.

In Joel 2:25, God promises, “I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten…” That’s exactly what He did in Joshua’s life.

Joshua now lives as a man filled with purpose, boldly speaking hope to others who feel trapped by their past. His story is a beautiful reminder that it is never too late to be redeemed, restored, and repurposed by God.

If you’ve been holding onto regret or feel like too much time has passed, let this encourage you: God can bring beauty even from long seasons of brokenness.

Watch Joshua’s full testimony and see how God brought restoration after nearly 40 years.

Need more encouragement? Read Jehovah Mekoddishkem – The Lord Who Sanctifies You and discover how God makes all things new.

The post S2 EP05: Finding Hope After 38 Years appeared first on Katie Hauck Ministries.

Thanks to the prayers of his grandfather and the influence of godly men, Kelton realized there was more. He encountered the truth of God’s love and began to walk in real freedom. His story is proof that no matter how broken we feel or how stuck we’ve become, Jesus offers a way out—a better way.

You don’t have to keep doing life on your own. When we surrender everything to God, He gives us peace the world can’t offer and strength we didn’t know we had. Kelton isn’t just free—he’s transformed. And the same can happen for you.

If you’re feeling like life is just too heavy or like you’re stuck in the same cycle, don’t give up. There’s hope. There’s healing. And there’s a Savior who knows exactly how to get you where you need to be.

Want more stories of hope? Check out our devotional series on freedom in Christ to dive deeper.

You are not alone—and you are so incredibly loved.

The post S2 EP04 – Finding the Cheat Code to the Game of Life appeared first on Katie Hauck Ministries.

Eric stumbled out of the car he was living in and passed out in the grass in front of a liquor store wanting his life to be over. His drug dealer found him, and you’ll never guess where he took him. Watch to hear this incredible story.

Your Turn For Addiction Recovery

You are loved by God, and it is possible to rebuild your life! Here at Katie Hauck Ministries we have resources that may be helpful to on your path to addiction recovery. A few to get you started:

• Seeking Prison Re-entry support? View some resources here.
• More true stories of hope are available in my book, From These Broken Pieces.
• Download the free YouVersion Bible app and explore many devotional and Bible reading plans.

If you have additional questions, I would love to hear from you and direct you to the resources that can best meet you where you are. Contact Katie today.

The post True Story of Addiction to Recovery appeared first on Katie Hauck Ministries.

Romans 8:28

One popular verse on this topic is Romans 8:28 which says, “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” (CSB) All things. Nothing is a surprise to God and nothing is outside of His domain.

It is also important to note that this verse doesn’t say that all things are good, only that God can redeem anything. Jail is not good. Addiction is not good. Struggling is not good. Difficult circumstances are not easy, but the Lord can use all of it.

James 1:2-3

James is an incredible book of the Bible! I highly encourage you to read it in it’s entirety if you haven’t recently. A beautiful passage in this book is James 1:2-3. “Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.”

Here we see evidence that there is purpose in the middle of pain. Growth can come from even the most difficult places.

2 Corinthians 4:17

 “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” In the context of when Paul wrote this verse, his circumstances weren’t very “light” as we would probably define them. Paul had suffered. He’d been persecuted and later in this letter talks about his “thorn in the flesh.” Simply put, Paul’s troubles were pretty major by our standards. And yet, he kept his focus on glory, on what was eternal.

Want a real life example of someone going through something difficult but finding purpose in it?

Daniel was living in active addiction, and it took him going to jail for the first time to wake up and realize how desperate he was for help. He actually begged the judge to either leave him in jail or take him directly to a recovery home because he knew he couldn’t do it on his own. Watch to hear where he was and where he is today.

Do you have more questions about how God can use difficult circumstances? Time studying God’s Word is so important to also understanding the broader questions about life. A great place to start is my Coming to Life Bible Course which will walk you through the entire Bible to better understand God’s big story.

The post Can God Use Difficult Circumstances for Good? appeared first on Katie Hauck Ministries.

Here is the original interview. I also wanted to share with you the chapter of her story from my book: From These Broken Pieces.

Free Falling

Terror filled Jayme as she stared down at the earth thousands of feet below. Underneath the bubbling fear was a boiling excitement. It was time to leave the plane, and something told her that she would love this. 

She took a deep breath and jumped, wind whipping at her face. Her arms were outstretched as the world zipped by. This is what freedom feels like. She thought. This is what living feels like. 

Free falling 15,000 feet from an airplane felt like going a month without binging and purging herself. Bulimia had ruled her life. Her childhood perfectionism grew into a check-the-box relationship with God, food-restricting diets, and over-exercising. It ate away at her. Her relationship with her husband broke down. Finally, she just left him and fled to Florida. 

She started dating an atheist. One day they drove by a church and he said, “I know you used to go to church when you lived in Michigan, and if the only reason you’re not going now is because you don’t want to go by yourself, I’d go with you.”

An atheist. Telling her to go to church. In that moment, she knew it had to be God, so she took a chance and tried church again. It didn’t lead to recovery right away. She tried seeing a counselor, but she wasn’t ready yet. The hold bulimia had over her was just too strong. The craving twisted her mind. If she didn’t give in, she just knew she would die. And yet, to keep purging was killing her.

Something had to change.

It was time to start trying to recover. She had nothing left to lose trying it God’s way. She prayed out even though she was terrified. 

What if I gain weight? 

What if all these bad things happen that I don’t have control of?

Her thoughts spun wild, but she had to let go of control and start getting help. She came across a book written by someone who had dealt with bulimia. She saw herself in the pages of the book, only this person had gotten better. The story was enough to make Jayme realize it was time to start taking tiny, gradual steps. 

She went one day without purging.

A week. 

At the one-month mark, she signed up for skydiving. She had struggled so long that she didn’t know who she was anymore. She didn’t have hobbies or dreams. Something new was needed. How different could you get than launching yourself out of a plane and into the sky?

As soon as her feet touched the ground, she knew everything was different. That free fall was what it felt like to be free from bulimia and she’d never forget it. There was no going back. She started traveling the world—even bungee jumping in Switzerland—and she knew was traveling with Him. Just her and the Lord.

She’s now gone eight years without purging. Jayme thought she’d live with this addiction her entire life, but God had a different plan. She has even hosted a podcast: Recover With God Podcast to encourage others struggling with eating disorders.

It was a long journey that led to jumping out of that plane, but she now lives every day in beautiful, God-given freedom.

Want more encouraging true stories of hope and healing? Check out my book, From These Broken Pieces. Another great place to start your healing journey is diving deep into God’s Word! My free online course, Coming To Life may help!

The post Free Falling: A True Story of Eating Disorder Recovery appeared first on Katie Hauck Ministries.