Ep 35 – Today’s guest is Russell Manzo and he purchased a devotional and was an active participant in our Facebook group while he took The 12 week challenge, Russell is going to take us through his transformative journey from his early days in Boston to his new life in Wilmington, North Carolina.
Russell, who’s been married for 35 years, open it opens up about his long time relationship with alcohol, a relationship that. began when he was 18. Now on day 250 of his alcohol free journey, Russell shares the challenges and the victories he faced along the way, from working in the heavy drinking environment of construction to his current role at a hospital equipment rental company, his story is one of perseverance and faith. In this episode, you’ll hear about the toll addiction took on his relationships. Russell talks about the pivotal moments that prompted him to seek change. especially his desire to set a positive example for his family. He credits his faith in God and his walk with Jesus as critical elements in his healing, leaning on prayer and community support when temptation strikes.
Join us as we dive into themes of healing, forgiveness, and the relentless pursuit of a healthier faith centered life, whether you’re seeking encouragement for your own journey or looking to support someone else, Russell’s story is a powerful reminder of the resilience of the human spirit.
In this podcast, we invite you to step into a world where freedom from the psychological slavery of alcohol and other substances isn’t just a dream—it’s a reality. Through the power of shared stories and unfolding faith, God reveals the amazing gifts and promises waiting for us all when we stop drinking or remove something toxic from our lives.
Through Say Goodbye And Imagine you are invited into a Christian community where triumph over alcohol or other substances is not only possible… it’s happening every day through faith and the power of God’s Word! Feel a profound connection with others who have walked the same rocky path yet found solid ground by putting biblically-based principles and God at the center of their journey to freedom.
Imagine replacing the weight of guilt and isolation with the lightness of grace and companionship through a shared Chirstian community seeking alcohol freedom. Through the testimony of our podcast community, you can discover how the Holy Spirit moves powerfully in the lives of those who have surrendered their struggles and embraced a journey of true transformation with God at the helm.
Witness the transformative power of Jesus Christ while you gain insight into the lies of the enemy. Through each episode, you’ll be equipped with biblically based strategies that others have used to prioritize their spiritual well-being and expose the lies embedded in a toxic habit that is also trying to control your life. Ultimately, each episode guides you to a place where being alcohol-free is just the beginning of your newfound freedom–showing you the amazing world of promise and possibility through God’s grace when alcohol is successfully set aside.
Say Goodbye And Imagine shares the firsthand victories of those who have broken free from the psychological slavery of alcohol or other substances. Our greatest hope is to share these stories of triumph so you can draw inspiration and courage from their stories. But our podcast doesn’t just offer hope—it showcases the real, tangible outcomes of lives transformed by faith and the collective strength of a community that believes in second chances.
Warning: our Say Goodbye And Imagine podcast is a little different. We don’t use words that create shame or a negative identity. So, in our podcast we don’t use vocabulary like alcoholic or alcoholism, alcohol addiction or alcohol recovery, recovery or recovering, sober or sobriety, addict or addiction, powerless or powerlessness, and other words that take away our identity in God. Since we are remade in the image of God, we seek an identity that is empowering through Him. Although we respect and honor groups like AA (Alcoholics Anonymous), Celebrate Recovery, and sober rehabilitation centers, our topics tend to be very individual, focusing on the unique journey of each participant.
If you desire to quit drinking or have been searching for ways to reconnect with God, then please tune in. Hear the amazing success stories of Christians just like you who decided to choose freedom from alcohol or other substances. Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) “For I know the plans I have for you”, declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Rose Ann Forte is the host of Say Goodbye and Imagine. Rose Ann had reached a point in her own life when she realized that alcohol was stealing from her and understood that God had a much better plan for her. Today she is the bestselling author of The Plans He has for Me Daily Devotional. Through her podcast, blog articles, books, public speaking, Choose Freedom Program, YouTube and TikTok videos, and Choose Freedom coaching and church mentor programs, Rose Ann loves to share her experience of transformation with others and discuss the power of the Holy Spirit and God’s foundational principles behind renewing your mind.