Choose Hope: 31 Days of Encouragement for Parents of Addicted Loved Ones

By Deb Reyes

As parents of addicted adult children we need our own recovery. It’s a long process and there are no shortcuts. Watching our adult child struggle with drugs and alcohol is both painful and heart wrenching. We did not choose this journey and we have no control over our sons and daughters, but we can choose how we are going to walk it out. The Choose Hope devotional offers biblical insights pertinent to the daily battle’s parents wrestle with such as enabling, regret, fear, heartache, and the inability to move forward. Parents can stay hopeful even when facing the harsh realities of our loved one’s substance use disorder.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: May 21, 2024
• ISBN: 9798385018932

Deb Reyes

Deb Reyes is the mother of three grown children and “MiMi” to five granddaughters. She is a military spouse and has been married to Ken (a retired Air Force Chaplain) for forty-three years. They live in Spokane, Washington near family. Deb grew up in San Diego and has a degree in Communications from San Diego State University. She has a heart to minister to hurting parents and facilitates a weekly group for parents through PAL (Parents of Addicted Loved Ones). Facing the realities of her own son’s addiction led her to find healing in God’s compassion and grace, and through PAL. She loves spending time with her granddaughters and enjoys her two feisty cats.

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Copyright © 2024 Deb Reyes.

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Press On by Selah. Curb Records, June 12, 2001.

Unless otherwise indicated, scripture quotations are taken from the ESV Bible® (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

ISBN: 979-8-3850-1892-5 (sc)

ISBN: 979-8-3850-1893-2 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2024908577

WestBow Press rev. date: 05/16/2024

For my son, Micah, who has bravely battled his addiction

and is now on a new journey, walking out his recovery.

My heart overflows with love and thankfulness.

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God never wastes our pain.

CONTENTS

Introduction

Day 1     Choose to Wait Well

Day 2     Choose Hope

Day 3     Choose Faith

Day 4     Choose Responsibility

Day 5     Choose Forgiveness

Day 6     Choose Thankfulness

Day 7     Choose Light

Day 8     Choose Rest

Day 9     Choose Health

Day 10   Choose to Receive

Day 11   Choose Healthy Helping

Day 12   Choose God’s Word

Day 13   Choose New Beginnings

Day 14   Choose to Give Yourself Permission

Day 15   Choose Lasting Hope

Day 16   Choose Prayer

Day 17   Choose Your Words

Day 18   Choose Courage

Day 19   Choose Perseverance

Day 20   Choose to Look Up

Day 21   Choose an Abundant Attitude

Day 22   Choose to Release Your Burdens

Day 23   Choose to Count Your Days

Day 24   A Parent’s Prayer

Day 25   Choose Genuineness

Day 26   Choose to Be a Soldier

Day 27   Choose Resiliency

Day 28   Choose Peace

Day 29   Choose Trust

Day 30   Choose to Believe

Day 31   A Prayer for A Parent’s Heart

Endnote

INTRODUCTION

I am the mother of a son who has a substance use disorder. It’s been a long and difficult journey. I attended my first family support group, and a mother leaned over to me and said, Oh, your son is a heroin addict just like my son.

I cried. The reality of my youngest child’s addiction was sinking in. Our tears may blur our vision of God’s love for us, but the truth is God’s love remains constant, and he is always good. Our feelings do not define the truth. The Bible keeps us pointed in the right direction. The choice is ours to trust Christ.

Substance use disorder is difficult to grasp. My understanding from a biblical perspective on addiction leads me to consider the issue of sin. We all make many sinful choices because of our sin nature. Addiction is the consequence of poor choices. Sadly, the addict’s ability to choose diminishes over time as he or she become enslaved to the alcohol or drug.

The Bible tells us in Romans 3:23, For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. The Bible balances out the bad news of sin with the good news of forgiveness and redemption. God’s Word gives us hope, because it declares God’s love and sacrifice, stating, But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).

God knows we are prone to weakness and in need of a Savior.