Articles by Hope Is Alive

Hope After Loss Women’s Retreat: Why You Need It

Hope After Loss Team

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Hope After Loss Women’s Retreat: Why You Need It

We know at Finding Hope that addiction can end in institution, recovery, or even death. Loving someone in addiction isn’t easy. Neither is losing someone to it. Whether you are a mom, a dad, a sibling, or a friend, it can feel incredibly lonely, confusing, overwhelming, painful… The list can go on and on. You may not always have the words for how you feel, but those emotions sit heavy on your heart.

Losing a loved one to addiction is a pain like no other. It changes everything, and it’s a weight you carry every single day.

At Finding Hope, some have lost a loved one or know someone who has. That’s why we are sharing about our upcoming Hope After Loss Women's Retreat. We want you, as well as your friends and family, to know you are not alone — we are here for support.

“For the first time… the darkness lifted,” shared Faith S. “Every single day after my son died, I begged God to take me with him. I would whisper, ‘I don’t want to be here anymore.’ That thought lived with me daily. But after attending the Hope After Loss Moms’ Retreat… something shifted. For the first time since losing my son, those thoughts were gone. Hope found me again.”

Today, Faith remains deeply connected to the women and leaders she met at the retreat. Because of the impact they had on her life, she has gone from surviving addiction to now advocating for Hope After Loss, helping countless other mothers find peace and hope after losing a loved one to addiction. Taking the next step forward, Faith is training to launch an in-person Hope After Loss group in Carson City, Nevada in 2026, so other grieving moms can find the same lifeline she did.

If you think you are alone, know that you are NOT alone. There are other mothers struggling with the loss of a child, other mothers who are just like Faith and Denise — just like you.

“Strangers became sisters… and I found my way forward.” shared Denise R. after a meeting in April. “Our son, Nathan, died from a heroin and fentanyl overdose in 2018. Years later, in 2025, I found myself facing a new wave of complicated grief. When I first heard about Hope After Loss, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I took a step and attended a support group. That one step led me to the retreat… and it changed everything.

From the moment I arrived, I was met with a kind of love and understanding I hadn’t experienced before. Women who were once strangers quickly became sisters. There was an unspoken bond between us — each of us carrying the weight of devastating loss. For the first time, I felt safe to share my story… to weep openly… to simply be.

There were moments of connection and also space for quiet reflection, both bringing deep healing to my soul. Through meaningful conversations, powerful teaching, shared meals, and intentional self-care, I began to realize something I hadn’t fully believed before: I am not alone. The relationships formed during that retreat became a lifeline — a community I didn’t know I needed, but now cannot imagine walking without. Hope After Loss gave me the space to process my grief… and the strength to move forward with peace and renewed purpose.”

You are not alone. And your story is not over. If you are or you know someone carrying the unimaginable weight of loss, the Hope After Loss Women’s Retreat is a place where your grief is seen, your story is held, and healing can begin — one step at a time.

Register today by clicking here.

Worship While You Run at HIA's 2026 Run for Hope

Finding Hope: A Plan for Loved Ones of Addicts | Bible Reading Plan

15 Year Sober: A Love Letter to Hope is Alive

15 Year Sober: A Love Letter to Hope is Alive

Today, I’m celebrating something that, for a long time, I didn’t think was possible: 15 years of sobriety.

When I think about that, I don’t just think about my story. I think about the thousands of stories connected to Hope is Alive that are just like mine.

I think about the moments we all go through on the journey to sobriety. I think about the very real chance that I wouldn’t be sober today — maybe not even alive — if God hadn’t used this ministry to change everything about my life.

To think about how it all started… It’s crazy, to say the least.

I launched Hope is Alive on the heels of one of the most disappointing seasons of my sobriety. I was hurt. I was humbled. And I was holding tightly to this small desire to live with other addicts. I thought that maybe, just maybe, I could help them.

But if I’m being honest, all these amazing people who struggled with addiction that I hope I’m helping find freedom? They’ve been the ones to give me the freedom I desperately need.

Sometimes I joke that the people who give their entire lives to something like this are probably the sickest ones, and there might be some truth to that. In many ways, I’m proof of it.

That’s why I am so incredibly thankful for Hope is Alive. This ministry is my purpose and my job, but that’s not the only reason why I’m so grateful for it. Hope is Alive has always demanded something from me: my sobriety. And because of that, I have a life today that I never thought was possible.

I have a wife I love, who loves me.

I have incredible children.

I have everything I could ever want or need.

I’ve said it for years: You have to build a life worth living — SOBER — if you actually want to stay sober.

Today, I have that life. And without Hope is Alive, and the thousands of people who make it possible, I wouldn’t. That’s why today is so special to me. Today, I’m fifteen years sober and fifteen years into this amazing new life.

And to make today even more special, I’m excited to release the new and improved Hope is Alive book — the one that started it all. I published the first edition 13 years ago. Today, you can grab a copy of the second edition, which accounts for another 13 years worth of experience.

If you’ve never heard my story, or if someone in your life is just beginning their sobriety journey, this book is a great place to start. Hope is Alive is about so much more than just my journey to sobriety, and I truly believe you’ll be able to learn something from the 15 years of life I poured into it.

Thank you for being part of this story. Thank you for helping keep hope alive for so many.

—Lance Lang

Founder, Hope is Alive

Finding Hope Podcast: The Roles We Play

The Weight of Addiction

Sunday Nights at Hope is Alive: Sober Living Done Differently

Sunday Nights at Hope is Alive: Sober Living Done Differently

There’s something special about Sunday nights at Hope is Alive, and anyone who has ever spent one with us knows why.

Every Sunday night, our residents gather in their homes across the country to celebrate sobriety through stories of triumph and radical life change.

You’ll hear about milestones — days, months, and years of sobriety that once felt impossible. You’ll see men and women set goals and achieve them as they build a future they can be proud of. You’ll witness restoration happening in real time as families reconnect and residents light up with hope. And most importantly, you’ll feel the power of community.

We do sober living differently. There is no doubt about that.

So, What’s a Sunday Night Meeting Actually Like?

A lot of fun, obviously. Let us give you a glimpse.

The following recaps were written by our program managers and shared internally with all Hope is Alive staff so we could celebrate the wins, too. Now, we are sharing them with you. Well, two of 15+ plus!

Weatherford: Faith in Action

Welcome back to another Sunday night recap from Weatherford!

Speaker: Pastor Jeff

Meal Provided By: Leslie & Tommy Kirkpatrick

Alumni Present: Thomas M. & Matt B.

Goals:

Ryan is working on his credit
Turner got a pickup
Luke was baptized
Boots has stopped vaping

We also celebrated 20 months of sobriety with Aaron — a huge milestone!

Pastor Jeff brought a powerful message from Exodus 1:8, encouraging us to stay the course and live as the Church. He spoke about how, like the Israelites, we can face oppression, but when we stay in God’s will, those challenges can actually make us stronger.

One key point he highlighted was the faith of the midwives, Shiphrah and Puah. Even when pressured to do wrong, they stood firm, feared God, and chose what was right. Their courage is a reminder that doing the right thing isn’t always easy, but it matters.

Colorado Springs: Finding Hope

Our Sunday night meeting here in Colorado Springs was absolutely amazing! Huge thank you to the Finding Hope group for making it an incredible experience. They provided the food: shredded beef barbecue sandwiches, baked beans, chips and dip, and cookies & brownies. Alec Carper also joined us as our guest speaker.

Tonight we had a lot to celebrate. We started by introducing our two newest residents to the family, Jim and Dustin. Jim drove here from Indiana, and Dustin came from Texas. God is sending us some men hungry for radical life change, and we can’t wait to witness it. WELCOME HOME!

Then we jumped into sobriety milestones for the last week!

Jim: 3 months
Dustin: 1 month

After that, we celebrated some SMART goals we’ve achieved in the last week.

Dustin made it here safely.
Jim also made it here safely.
Andrew had to go back home to deal with some legal issues from years ago, spending four days in jail. While in there, he got three men to apply to the program, and one of them was accepted!!
Storm celebrated a GOD GOAL!! He saw his sister for the first time in four years, and had more restoration in his relationship with his mom.
Landry got a job.

Then we wrapped up our culture components with brag on a bro.

And finally, our speaker, Alec Carper, gave a word. Alec gave his testimony, explaining how he was terrorized by his weed addiction and tormented by demons for 10+ years. He was about to lose his marriage, had already lost his job, and had to make a choice: truly surrender to Christ or keep letting false idols run his life. Alec described how just three months ago, he made this decision. Since then, he has dived headfirst into casting demons from others, working on doing full-time deliverance. Here are some notes from his talk:

Faith grows through suffering.
Godliness is outward obedience.
The enemy will try to attack your mind to go for your heart to separate you as far from God as possible.
The enemy wants you on the bench, paralyzed with fear, unable to be a warrior for Christ.
Jesus is the only one who can fight your demons — not you.

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There is hope in the fight against addiction! There is hope for those in recovery, and there is hope for the families of addicts and alcoholics!

Different: How to Radically Change Your Life | Bible Reading Plan

Turning Prayer into Action: Equipping Churches with Addiction Recovery Resources

Turning Prayer into Action: Equipping Churches with Addiction Recovery Resources

After service, when most people are heading out and the room is starting to quiet down, someone walks forward for prayer.

They hesitate for a second before speaking.

“It’s not for me,” they say. “It’s for my son.”

Sometimes it’s a daughter. Sometimes a spouse. But the story is the same: Someone they love is caught in addiction, and they don’t know what to do.

So the church does what it knows to do. It gathers around them, places hands on their shoulders, and prays. But when the prayer ends, the person in need of help is often left wondering, “What now?”

For Felecia Athey, a leader at Journey Church in Kansas City, that question began to feel all too familiar.

“People don’t talk about addiction in church,” Felecia explained. “There’s a lot of shame and guilt, and you don’t always know who’s walking through it.”

After people started coming forward with their experiences with addiction, Felecia realized that Journey Church didn’t have clear next steps for anyone who needed them. Yes, the church could pray. But they didn’t have the resources to help people take the next step toward recovery.

That began to change when Felecia first encountered Hope is Alive.

At the time, their church wasn’t even looking for another local partner. They were already connected to several organizations in their community. But after learning more about the program, the decision came easily.

“After that first Sunday night meal, I was overwhelmed by the camaraderie of the women and how welcoming they were, inviting strangers into their journey and their struggle. The whole atmosphere and environment were like a big family, and I was shocked at how Jesus was always the focus and the answer to everything,” Felecia shared. “So, I asked God: What are we doing here? What does this look like for our church? Is this something you would want us to partner with?”

At first, she thought Hope is Alive would primarily be a way for Journey Church to have a bigger impact on the community through relationships and discipleship. What Felecia didn’t expect was how quickly Hope is Alive would become not just a place to serve but also a resource to lean on.

“I didn’t realize the value of having a resource like Hope is Alive,” she shared. “At first, I just saw it as another community partner — somewhere we could go, serve, and pour into others. But now I see that we actually have somewhere to point people when they need help.”

Just recently, two mothers reached out to Felecia looking for help for their children who were struggling with addiction. In the past, those conversations might have ended with prayer and encouragement, but little direction.

Because of Hope is Alive, though, Felecia was able to connect them with resources. Even if someone doesn’t qualify for Hope is Alive’s program, HIA still helps connect them to other places that might be able to help.

That’s when Felecia realized that this partnership wasn’t just about what Journey Church could give to Hope is Alive but also about what they now had to offer members of their congregation.

Today, Journey Church has a small but committed group actively involved with Hope is Alive’s recovery program — men going to the men’s home, women to the women’s home — building relationships, sharing meals, and stepping into stories they might never have encountered otherwise.

And through it all, Felecia has watched something powerful unfold inside the homes.

“The biggest impact for me is seeing the transformation,” she said. “Some of the women didn’t even have a relationship with Jesus before they came into the program. And now they’re discovering Him for the first time. It’s like watching someone become a new person.”

That transformation, both inside the homes and within the church, is what continues to affirm that this partnership was never accidental.

Finding Hope Podcast: Sober, Now What?

Becoming a Support Group Leader: Cindy’s Story

The Many Hats of Addiction

The Many Hats of Addiction

Have you ever found yourself wearing a hat that wasn’t yours? Maybe it didn’t quite fit, felt uncomfortable, or just wasn’t you. You spent the whole day adjusting it, feeling off balance, maybe even overwhelmed.

Now, think about that in the context of loving someone who struggles with addiction. How many “hats” have you picked up that were never yours to wear in the first place?

Let’s Talk About the Hats We Wear

When we love someone caught in addiction, it’s easy to slip into roles we were never meant to carry — roles like secretary, nurse, counselor, banker, shopper, sponsor, investigator, maid, boss, taxi driver… even trying to play the role of God.

How does it feel to wear all of those hats?
Why do we take them on?
Do we truly need to wear them?

Out of Position

If we’re wearing hats that God never gave us, we’re likely missing the one He did.

When we take on roles not designed for us, not only do we end up exhausted and frustrated, but we also prevent others — including our loved ones — from stepping into their God-given roles.

What roles in your life have been neglected or worn thin because you're carrying too much?
What responsibilities are you holding that someone else should be learning to handle?

Reclaiming God-Given Roles

“I am (loved one’s name)’s (your role: mom, son, wife, friend, etc.).”

What does that relationship look like when aligned with God’s vision?
What might shift in your life — and theirs — if you reclaimed the role God intended for you?

Your Role Matters

God chose you for this relationship. He made you their mom. Their wife. Their brother. Their son. That wasn’t an accident.

This week, ask Him for the strength to lay down the roles you were never meant to carry, and the wisdom to step boldly back into the one He created just for you.

“Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him.” 1 Corinthians 7:17 ESV

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For more information, visit:

FindingHope.Today

HopeAfterLoss.Today

Faith-based support groups for families of addicts and alcoholics.