From Agnostic to Hopeful: Doug’s Recovery Story

In this episode of Alive & Sober with Reno Collier, Reno sits down with his lifelong friend Doug to explore the journey from rock bottom to recovery, focusing on the struggle to find faith and connection with God as an agnostic. Doug shares his powerful story of loss, addiction, and homelessness, describing the emptiness he felt—a "God-sized hole"—and how he tried to fill it with everything but faith. Through honest conversation, Reno and Doug discuss the challenges of resentment toward church, the difficulty of surrendering control, and the transformative power of community and spiritual connection in recovery. Doug opens up about his early years, losing his mother, being sent to military school, and how these experiences shaped his beliefs. He details his time as an EMT, witnessing humanity at its worst, and how this deepened his skepticism about God. Despite years of trying to manage life on his own, Doug ultimately found hope and healing by becoming willing to seek help, first through a recovery program and then by gradually reconnecting with God. The episode highlights the importance of humility, the role of the 12 steps—especially steps 6, 7, and 10—and the ongoing need for daily spiritual practice. Reno and Doug’s candid conversation is filled with humor, vulnerability, and practical wisdom for anyone struggling with addiction, faith, or feeling disconnected. They emphasize that recovery is possible, that no one is alone, and that God is always waiting for us to reach out. Take action with the 4 R’s: Read: Spend time in the Bible today, focusing on passages about hope, redemption, and God’s presence in times of struggle (such as Psalm 34:18 or Matthew 11:28-30). Reflect: Consider where you may be trying to fill a “God-sized hole” in your own life. What are you relying on for comfort or control? How might you open yourself to a deeper connection with God? Respond: Pray, “God, I admit I can’t do this alone. Help me to trust You, to let go of my need for control, and to fill the emptiness inside me with Your love and purpose.” Reveal: Share your story or a word of encouragement with someone else in recovery, or invite them to join you in reading and reflecting on Scripture. Demonstrate the truth of God’s love by being present and supportive to others on their journey. Keywords: Reno Collier, Alive & Sober, recovery podcast, addiction recovery, faith and sobriety, agnostic recovery, 12 steps, spiritual awakening, God-sized hole, Christian recovery, overcoming addiction, sobriety stories, hope and healing, recovery community, Bible reflection, prayer for recovery, redemption, Doug’s story, homeless to hopeful, recovery testimony, spiritual growth, higher power, recovery support, sobriety encouragement, Christian podcast, recovery journey, finding God in recovery, recovery inspiration, mental health, emotional healing, recovery resources, support for addicts, support for alcoholics, recovery meeting, faith-based recovery, recovery motivation, recovery advice, recovery help, recovery transformation, recovery and faith, recovery and God, recovery and spirituality, recovery and church, recovery and community, recovery and purpose, recovery and hope, recovery and prayer, recovery and Bible, recovery and Jesus, recovery and love, recovery and connection, recovery and humility, recovery and honesty, recovery and vulnerability, recovery and friendship, recovery and support, recovery and action, recovery and reflection, recovery and response, recovery and reveal.