“Your brain is actively rewiring itself every second. The question is: Will you do it on purpose?”

That’s from my fascinating conversation with Dr. Lee Warren. Dr. Lee isn’t just a neurosurgeon—he’s a husband, father, Iraq War veteran, and grieving dad who lost his 19-year-old son in a tragic and mysterious death. He’s also one of the most compelling voices today on how faith and neuroscience intersect to transform your life.

In this episode, I talk to Dr. Lee about the mind-blowing science of neuroplasticity, what it means to “do self-brain surgery,” the science behind the Bible’s commands regarding our thinking, and how trauma—if we let it—can either define us or refine us. Dr. Lee opens up about surviving more than 100 mortar attacks during the Iraq War, his battle with PTSD, and how he and his wife Lisa rebuilt their lives (and faith) after the unimaginable loss of their son.

But this isn’t just a story of suffering. It’s a story of redemption. It’s a masterclass in how to find hope again—even after the worst day of your life. And it’s essential for anyone who has been told to “renew your mind” but never felt like that mandate came with any how-to instructions.

We explore:

—The night Dr. Lee got caught outside in a mortar attack with no gear

—What PTSD taught him about unprocessed trauma and healing

—Losing his 19-year-old son—and how that reshaped his faith

—Why the brain can literally change based on what you choose to think about

—How Scripture aligns with neuroscience on anxiety, gratitude, and transformation—The connection between addiction, neuroplasticity, and the lies we believe

—The principle of “loss to legacy” and how suffering can become ministry

Subscribe to Dr. Lee’s newsletter: drleewarren.substack.com

Listen to the Self-Brain Surgery podcast

Get Dr. Lee’s books

Follow Jon: https://www.instagram.com/jonseidl/

Order the book, Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic: www.christianalcoholic.com.

Watch this episode and get daily motivation: www.theveritasdaily.com.

Support the Show: https://www.jonseidl.com/

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

"Alcohol was the only relationship I could count on."

That’s how Kristi Tanner described her relationship with alcohol, which led to two DUIs in three days over the Fourth of July weekend. It also led to a host of other problems. In this deeply emotional and radically vulnerable conversation, Kristi—also known as the Mocktail Mommy on Instagram—talks about addiction, motherhood, mental health, and why she decided to open Wisconsin’s very first non-alcoholic bottle shop.

We dive into Kristi’s chaotic journey—from partying through college and motherhood, to blacking out at a neighborhood party with a newborn, to being arrested on the side of a highway in Indiana. But more importantly, we explore what happened after that: how Kristi rebuilt her life, learned to grieve the loss of alcohol as a “friend,” and now lives a life that’s not just sober, but joyfully so.

This episode is for anyone who's ever whispered, “I don’t know if I can do this”—and anyone who loves someone who has.

We explore:

—Growing up around normalized drinking and how that shaped Kristi’s views

—The drinking culture in Wisconsin, and why Kristi calls it “ground zero”

—How becoming a mom amplified her alcohol use

—What led to two DUIs in 72 hours and her emotional retelling of the story

—The grief of letting go of alcohol as a "friend"

—Choosing to stay sober after divorce

—Building a life of autonomy, joy, and purpose in sobriety

—Starting “Mocktail Mommy” and founding the first NA bottle shop in Wisconsin

Follow Kristi: https://www.instagram.com/mocktailmommy

Visit her store: sobersocialshop.com

Follow Jon: https://www.instagram.com/jonseidl/

Order the book, Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic: www.christianalcoholic.com.

Watch this episode and get daily motivation: www.theveritasdaily.com.

Support the Show: https://www.jonseidl.com/

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

“When you stare into the abyss, don’t be shocked at what stares back at you.”

That’s how I open this powerful episode, and it couldn’t be more fitting. This week, I sit down with deep thinker, theologian, and recovering alcoholic Griffin Gooch—whose journey into addiction began not with trauma or peer pressure, but with an overwhelming sense of meaninglessness. A nihilist by 13, Griffin plunged into alcohol in a desperate attempt to numb the philosophical weight of a broken world.

But it was in a jail cell—after multiple OWIs—that he finally encountered the God who battles emptiness. In this deep conversation, Griffin opens up about why alcohol stuck when other drugs didn’t, how his analytical mind became both a curse and a calling, and how community, confession, and spiritual rhythms have sustained him in sobriety.

Whether you're an overthinker, an academic, or someone silently struggling, Griffin's story reminds us that even intellectual doubt and existential dread aren’t beyond the reach of Christ's healing.

We explore:

—How Griffin embraced nihilism and atheism by age 13

—Why alcohol became his drug of choice over harder substances

—The jailhouse encounter with Jesus that changed everything

—What it means to numb philosophical and existential anguish

—Why sobriety has been a long and non-linear journey

—The role of community, confession, and spiritual discipline in recovery

—Whether full abstinence is necessary for every Christian struggling with alcohol

—How changing your system—not just your willpower—leads to real transformation

Follow Griffin: https://www.instagram.com/griffingooch97/

Explore Griffin's writing: https://griffingooch.substack.com

Follow Jon: https://www.instagram.com/jonseidl/

Order the book, Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic: www.christianalcoholic.com.

Watch this episode and get daily motivation: www.theveritasdaily.com.

Support the Show: https://www.jonseidl.com/

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.