BeTempered Episode 89 – Sobriety Starts With Surrender After Alcohol Became the Escape with Jerry Wilson

What starts with a fifth a night and a recliner slowly becomes absence. Jerry Wilson was still providing, still present in the house, but slipping further away behind the glass. His story does not begin with a polished plan to change. It begins with a daughter asking hard questions about death, a desperate prayer whispered in a Kroger parking lot at midnight, and a baptism that changed everything in a single breath. In this episode of BeTempered, hosts Dan Schmidt and Ben Spahr sit down with Jerry to walk through the full arc of his story. Childhood mentors and the missing pieces they left behind. Moving to Ohio. Marriage, homebrewing culture, and a career that kept rewarding him even as his presence at home faded. Jerry shares how small nudges began stacking up until they forced a decision he could no longer avoid. The turning point came at 3 a.m. when a stranger named Thomas prayed over him and spoke identity instead of shame. That moment cracked something open and made faith feel possible instead of performative. Jerry describes waking up sober after baptism with no craving, grieving the loss of old circles, and choosing practical obedience to stay steady. Taking a pay cut to be home. Saying yes to discipleship. Serving every week. Writing prayers down to track daily provision and answered prayers. Jerry also opens up about what his family faced next. Night terrors. Spiritual warfare. Fear inside their own home. He shares how prayer brought peace back into their space and how church shifted from behavior modification to true belonging. With Dan and Ben guiding the conversation, this episode digs into rebuilding trust after addiction, letting faith fuel discipline, and how community becomes a lifeline when willpower runs out. They talk identity, mentorship, resilience, and the quiet power of showing up early to serve people you love. If you are wondering what the next right step looks like, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share this episode with one person who needs it, and leave a review to help others find stories that heal. Listen more at https://betempered.com Support the show at https://patreon.com/betempered Send us Fan Mail Support the show