About the Guest
John Elmore
John Elmore is the senior director of pastoral care and director of recovery at Watermark Community Church in Dallas, Texas. Now, over fifteen sober years later, he leads the world’s largest weekly recovery gathering, called re:generation, where more than 1,200 people with every known sin struggle find healing in Christ. Just months after sobriety, Elmore attended and was discipled at the Kanakuk Institute. He holds a BBA in Marketing from Baylor University, a MA in youth and family ministry from John Brown University and a ThM with honors in systematic theology from Dallas Theological Seminary. John and his wife, Laura, have not had REM sleep since 2013, after having three kids in three years. They survive on coffee, takeout, and lots of prayer.
About the Host
Dave & Ann Wilson
Dave and Ann Wilson are hosts of FamilyLife Today®, FamilyLife’s nationally-syndicated radio program. Dave and Ann have been married for more than 38 years and have spent the last 33 teaching and mentoring couples and parents across the country. They have been featured speakers at FamilyLife’s Weekend to Remember® marriage getaway since 1993 and have also hosted their own marriage conferences across the country. Cofounders of Kensington Church—a national, multicampus church that hosts more than 14,000 visitors every weekend—the Wilsons are the creative force behind DVD teaching series Rock Your Marriage and The Survival Guide To Parenting, as well as authors of the recently released book Vertical Marriage (Zondervan, 2019). Dave is a graduate of the International School of Theology, where he received a Master of Divinity degree. A Ball State University Hall of Fame quarterback, Dave served the Detroit Lions as chaplain for 33 years. Ann attended the University of Kentucky. She has been active alongside Dave in ministry as a speaker, writer, small-group leader, and mentor to countless wives of professional athletes. The Wilsons live in the Detroit area. They have three grown sons, CJ, Austin, and Cody, three daughters-in-law, and a growing number of grandchildren.
Episode Transcript
Bob: If we’re honest, everyone of us would have to look at our lives—as we have tried to construct them/as we have been in charge of them—and we would have to say, “We’ve made a mess here.” Even those people, who look successful outwardly, still have to look inside and say: “Why is there emptiness in my life? Why do I feel so incomplete?”
And part of the reason is what Dave and Ann Wilson have been talking with John Elmore about today. If you’re not living a surrendered life, then you’re going to find yourself frustrated, angry, alone, messed up, like John was. And the place where freedom starts is with Jesus.
John realized that; he’s written a book called Freedom Starts Today that is about overcoming struggles and addictions, which you have to do, day in and day out. Whatever has been the struggle or the addiction that has been controlling your life, John’s book can paint a picture for you of how you get from where you are to where you want to be and where God wants you to be.
We would love to send you a copy of this book. In fact, we’re sending it out this week to any of you who would like to get a copy. If you could make a donation to help support the ongoing work of this ministry, the book is our gift to you. FamilyLife Today is listener-dependent, so your financial support is what makes this daily program possible. It makes all that we do, here, at FamilyLife possible. We’re so grateful for the listeners who help underwrite the cost of this program.
And again, today, if you could make a one-time donation, or if you’d like to find out about being a monthly FamilyLife Today Legacy Partner, go to our website, FamilyLifeToday.com; make your donation online; and request your copy of John Elmore’s book, Freedom Starts Today. You can also call 1-800-FL-TODAY to make your donation over the phone, and request the book that way. We look forward to sending you the book; and thanks, in advance, for your financial support that makes life change possible and helps strengthen marriages and families. We appreciate you.
Now, tomorrow, we’re going to hear from John Elmore about how you get from where you are today to where you want to be. How do you find freedom and get unstruck from the habits or patterns that have been weighing you down? I hope you can be back with us, again, tomorrow.
On behalf of our hosts, Dave and Ann Wilson, I’m Bob Lepine. We will see you next time for another edition of FamilyLife Today.
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