I finally stopped hiding and asked God for help. ✦ Hearing the daily devotional aloud anchors me before our recovery group. ✦ Hearing my brother read the daily devotional aloud brings us closer. ✦ I finally feel like I have my husband back. ✦ With Dad still drinking, each course week unlocking automatically kept me grounded. ✦ Our recovery nights finally feel like ministry, not just meetings. ✦ The Spanish devotionals let my whole family pray through Dad’s recovery. ✦ Our recovery nights are where I see grace become real. ✦ The Spanish devotionals let my husband’s whole family pray with us. ✦ As his brother, I trust my companion chats are encrypted and private. ✦ My brother’s 90-day milestone card made this sister cry. ✦ The Spanish devotionals let our whole family pray for our grandson. ✦ I finally know how to love my son without enabling him. ✦ Seeing my husband’s name on the prayer wall carried me. ✦ I finally stopped blaming myself for my dad’s drinking. ✦ Our recovery ministry finally has structure without losing the heart. ✦ Hearing my husband read the daily devotional aloud feels like progress. ✦ My wife’s 30-day streak badge proves she’s showing up every day. ✦ Our recovery ministry finally has something families actually keep using. ✦ God met me in my mess, and I’m finally healing. ✦ I’ve got my best friend back, one honest day at a time. ✦ Watching him trust God and himself again keeps me grateful. ✦ Sharing his 90-day milestone card gave our family something to celebrate. ✦ The prayer wall shows me where my sponsees need support. ✦ I finally got my brother back, one honest day at a time. ✦ I’ve prayed for my grandson every morning, and I finally see hope. ✦ I pray every morning for my grandson to keep choosing recovery. ✦ I finally feel like I have my wife back. ✦ At 2am, the AI companion talked my brother through a craving. ✦ I love when my brother reads me the daily devotional each morning. ✦ Hearing my son read the daily devotional aloud gives me hope. ✦ I finally stopped blaming myself for Dad’s drinking. ✦ I finally feel like we’re a team again. ✦ The prayer wall keeps our recovery group praying between meetings. ✦ Spanish devotionals let his grandparents join us in praying for my son. ✦ After Dad’s addiction, hearing him read the daily devotional aloud means everything. ✦ I finally feel like I have my husband back. ✦ The Spanish devotionals let our whole family pray with my husband. ✦ I finally learned how to love my son without enabling him. ✦ Knowing the AI was there at 2am helped us both breathe. ✦ I finally stopped hiding, and God met me there. ✦ I’m finally seeing my wife laugh again, and I’m so grateful. ✦ My brother stays focused when each new week unlocks automatically. ✦ I stopped blaming myself and started praying with hope. ✦ Seeing strangers pray for my husband on the prayer wall carried me. ✦ I finally have my brother back, one honest day at a time. ✦ Watching him trust God again has strengthened my own recovery. ✦ Our recovery nights have become the most honest hour at church. ✦ Posting my dad’s name on the prayer wall made me feel less alone. ✦ Sharing your 90-day card with the family made everyone so proud. ✦ I pray every morning for my grandson’s strength and healing. ✦ I’m finally rebuilding trust with my kids, one day at a time. ✦ Seeing strangers pray for my wife on the prayer wall carried me. ✦ Knowing my chats are encrypted helps me finally talk about Dad. ✦ I finally feel like we’re facing this together. ✦ I finally trust his promises again, one sober day at a time. ✦ I finally feel like I’m getting my wife back. ✦ I finally feel like I have my husband back. ✦ The prayer wall carries my prayers for my grandson when I’m weary. ✦ The Spanish devotionals let my sponsee’s whole family join in.   ✦   I finally stopped hiding and asked God for help. ✦ Hearing the daily devotional aloud anchors me before our recovery group. ✦ Hearing my brother read the daily devotional aloud brings us closer. ✦ I finally feel like I have my husband back. ✦ With Dad still drinking, each course week unlocking automatically kept me grounded. ✦ Our recovery nights finally feel like ministry, not just meetings. ✦ The Spanish devotionals let my whole family pray through Dad’s recovery. ✦ Our recovery nights are where I see grace become real. ✦ The Spanish devotionals let my husband’s whole family pray with us. ✦ As his brother, I trust my companion chats are encrypted and private. ✦ My brother’s 90-day milestone card made this sister cry. ✦ The Spanish devotionals let our whole family pray for our grandson. ✦ I finally know how to love my son without enabling him. ✦ Seeing my husband’s name on the prayer wall carried me. ✦ I finally stopped blaming myself for my dad’s drinking. ✦ Our recovery ministry finally has structure without losing the heart. ✦ Hearing my husband read the daily devotional aloud feels like progress. ✦ My wife’s 30-day streak badge proves she’s showing up every day. ✦ Our recovery ministry finally has something families actually keep using. ✦ God met me in my mess, and I’m finally healing. ✦ I’ve got my best friend back, one honest day at a time. ✦ Watching him trust God and himself again keeps me grateful. ✦ Sharing his 90-day milestone card gave our family something to celebrate. ✦ The prayer wall shows me where my sponsees need support. ✦ I finally got my brother back, one honest day at a time. ✦ I’ve prayed for my grandson every morning, and I finally see hope. ✦ I pray every morning for my grandson to keep choosing recovery. ✦ I finally feel like I have my wife back. ✦ At 2am, the AI companion talked my brother through a craving. ✦ I love when my brother reads me the daily devotional each morning. ✦ Hearing my son read the daily devotional aloud gives me hope. ✦ I finally stopped blaming myself for Dad’s drinking. ✦ I finally feel like we’re a team again. ✦ The prayer wall keeps our recovery group praying between meetings. ✦ Spanish devotionals let his grandparents join us in praying for my son. ✦ After Dad’s addiction, hearing him read the daily devotional aloud means everything. ✦ I finally feel like I have my husband back. ✦ The Spanish devotionals let our whole family pray with my husband. ✦ I finally learned how to love my son without enabling him. ✦ Knowing the AI was there at 2am helped us both breathe. ✦ I finally stopped hiding, and God met me there. ✦ I’m finally seeing my wife laugh again, and I’m so grateful. ✦ My brother stays focused when each new week unlocks automatically. ✦ I stopped blaming myself and started praying with hope. ✦ Seeing strangers pray for my husband on the prayer wall carried me. ✦ I finally have my brother back, one honest day at a time. ✦ Watching him trust God again has strengthened my own recovery. ✦ Our recovery nights have become the most honest hour at church. ✦ Posting my dad’s name on the prayer wall made me feel less alone. ✦ Sharing your 90-day card with the family made everyone so proud. ✦ I pray every morning for my grandson’s strength and healing. ✦ I’m finally rebuilding trust with my kids, one day at a time. ✦ Seeing strangers pray for my wife on the prayer wall carried me. ✦ Knowing my chats are encrypted helps me finally talk about Dad. ✦ I finally feel like we’re facing this together. ✦ I finally trust his promises again, one sober day at a time. ✦ I finally feel like I’m getting my wife back. ✦ I finally feel like I have my husband back. ✦ The prayer wall carries my prayers for my grandson when I’m weary. ✦ The Spanish devotionals let my sponsee’s whole family join in.   ✦   

For teens and young people

My dad is drunk again. What do I do?

If someone is in danger right now
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You didn't pick this. You're probably in your room right now with the door shut, listening to how loud it is downstairs, working out whether it's a stay-put night or a leave-the-house night. You've got good at that. You shouldn't have had to.

Here is the thing nobody in your house is going to say: this is not your job, it's not your fault, and it isn't happening because you weren't good enough, quiet enough, or helpful enough. Your dad has an illness that lies to him. It lies to you too — mostly about how alone you are.

You are allowed to still love him. You are also allowed to be furious, embarrassed, scared, and done. All at once. God isn't confused by that, and neither are we.

Three things to do in the next hour

  1. 1
    Stay safe first
    If he's violent, or you're frightened, get out of the room or the house and go somewhere safe — a friend's, a neighbour's, a relative's. If you're in danger, call the police. You will not be in trouble for that.
  2. 2
    Don't try to manage him
    Don't hide the bottles, don't argue, don't try to get him to bed. Adults who are drunk can't be reasoned with. Your only job tonight is you, and any younger siblings.
  3. 3
    Tell one adult who isn't drinking
    A teacher, a youth leader, a school counsellor, an aunt, a friend's parent. Say the actual words: "My dad drinks and tonight is bad." Keeping the secret is what keeps you stuck in it.

A prayer for right now

God, I'm upstairs and he's downstairs and I don't know which version of him I'll get in the morning.

I'm tired of being the grown-up in this house.

Please be the parent tonight. Cover me, cover the little ones, and get us to morning.

And do something with my dad that I can't. I've tried everything and I'm only a kid.

Amen.

"When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up." — Psalm 27:10

Send this prayer to someone who needs it tonight

Somewhere that gets it

Our family course is for anyone loving someone through addiction — including sons and daughters. It's honest about what it's like to grow up with this, and there's a companion you can talk to at any hour, about anything. Your first two weeks are free.

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Other hard hours

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