The Feeling Better - Compulsive Gambling Addiction Podcast

Welcome to the Feeling Better Podcast! In this week's episode, I'm diving into chapter 1 of my new book, Imbalance: The Addict's Guide to Fixing Our Broken Lives. This first chapter dives into what I think is for most of us our number one primary imbalance, which is having the wrong priorities. Especially having one big, unbalanced priority that holds us in bondage as a slave to it. You'll see what I mean when you listen.

If you have any feedback, please reach out! I love to hear from my listeners.

For more information about my books, podcast, resources, please visit my website: https://www.thefeelingbetter.com To get in touch, please click this link for my contact page: CONTACT ME

Or you can email me directly: maria@thefeelingbetter.com

Here it is, friends. The introduction to my new book, "Imbalances: The Addict's Guide to Fixing Our Broken Lives." In this introduction episode, I talk about what "balance" means from the Christian perspective, and why/how the armor of God is so critical when fending off the spiritual attack of addiction. I share how this book is a form of ointment for our eyes. And yeah, I talk about Bosu balls. ;-) And my birthday. Do you know what a Jubilee year is? If not, you'll find out here! I hope you enjoy.

For more information about my books, podcast, resources, please visit my website: https://www.thefeelingbetter.com To get in touch, please click this link for my contact page: CONTACT ME

Or you can email me directly: maria@thefeelingbetter.com

Hey, friends! Got some news for you this week. And, not suprisingly, my best laid plans went a bit awry.

For those who want to check out Pastor Voddie Baucham's video on Brokenness, you can find that here: https://youtu.be/GVow8rSQwiA?si=yQtU1cIHX18KLc2L

For more information about my books, podcast, resources, please visit my website: https://www.thefeelingbetter.com To get in touch, please click this link for my contact page: CONTACT ME

Or you can email me directly: maria@thefeelingbetter.com

Hey, friends! Check it out. I have a major announcement! But I've got to tell you the backstory first, about why God put the spiritual attack of gambling addiction on me, and what He's got planned for me next. If you suffer with an addiction, depression, or spiritual attack, you have check this out. It's super cool, and I'm both excited and nervous. Let me know your thoughts! Email me: maria@thefeelingbetter.com

For more information about my books, podcast, resources, please visit my website: https://www.thefeelingbetter.com To get in touch, please click this link for my contact page: CONTACT ME

Or you can email me directly: maria@thefeelingbetter.com

In this episode, I take you along on my camping trip and tell you all about how I discovered the secret to letting go of your worries.

Here's the link for my recommendation of an audio book by John Eldridge called: Get Your Life Back: Everyday Practices for a World Gone Mad 

You can also buy the paperback version here at this link: https://www.amazon.com/Get-Your-Life-Back-Practices/dp/1400229146/

And here's the Kindle version link: https://www.amazon.com/Get-Your-Life-Back-Practices-ebook/dp/B07TD1856B

For more information about my books, podcast, resources, please visit my website: https://www.thefeelingbetter.com To get in touch, please click this link for my contact page: CONTACT ME

Or you can email me directly: maria@thefeelingbetter.com

In this episode, I share some blessings that came upon me recently. God is good all the time, and all the time God is good!!!

For more information about my books, podcast, resources, please visit my website: https://www.thefeelingbetter.com To get in touch, please click this link for my contact page: CONTACT ME

Or you can email me directly: maria@thefeelingbetter.com

Yeah, friends. You read that title right. It's been one heck of a two weeks. I had a great time with my family, but I also succumbed to anxiety and feeling overwhelmed. And I messed up with a gambling addiction relapse. Have a listen to my story. Thank you all for listening.

In this episode, I share my all-time favorite worship song, called "Breakthrough" by Red Rocks Worship. Here's the link to the song on YouTube:  Breakthrough by Red Rocks Worship

For more information about my books, podcast, resources, please visit my website: https://www.thefeelingbetter.com To get in touch, please click this link for my contact page: CONTACT ME

Or you can email me directly: maria@thefeelingbetter.com

Hey, all -- my sincerest apologies, but I made an impromptu decision to take a two-week summer break. All is well! I've just been ridiculously busy and have family coming up for a visit. I'm going to take some time to enjoy a bit of downtime with them.

I'll be back on August 13th. 

Thanks! Take care.

For more information about my books, podcast, resources, please visit my website: https://www.thefeelingbetter.com To get in touch, please click this link for my contact page: CONTACT ME

Or you can email me directly: maria@thefeelingbetter.com

In this episode, I address generational curses. Can things like alcoholism or addiction be handed down via our genetics? And if so, is there anything we can do about it? I tell the story of how as a young teenager, I thought my mother had cursed me. And I also (of course) share what the Bible has to say about curses. 

For more information about my books, podcast, resources, please visit my website: https://www.thefeelingbetter.com To get in touch, please click this link for my contact page: CONTACT ME

Or you can email me directly: maria@thefeelingbetter.com

In this episode, I take some time to dive deeper into the discussion of wealth and materialism. Is being poor a curse? Or is being rich a curse? What happens when we love money more than we love God? Should we look at our gambling addiction debt as something that's a curse? Last week, I referenced Randy Alcorn's book, and I want to link it here for those who are interested in more. I highly recommend the audiobook version!

Money, Possessions, and Eternity, by Randy Alcorn

For more information about my books, podcast, resources, please visit my website: https://www.thefeelingbetter.com To get in touch, please click this link for my contact page: CONTACT ME

Or you can email me directly: maria@thefeelingbetter.com

In this episode, I dive into how having all-consuming collections, or obsessions, or attachments and infatuation with things, ideas, or people are really a form of idolatry and can leave us open and vulnerable to spiritual attack. I discuss some real life examples of how Christian believers (including myself) recognized that having these collections was against God's will. How does that tie into gambling addiction? Well, you'll have to listen to find out.

One of the things I share is this compelling video of a man who got rid of his $30,000 Pokemon collection when he realized how demonic it was. Check out the comments underneath while you're watching this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ep26xA5UVHI

I also mention two books by Randy Alcorn, which you can find at these links:

MONEY, ETERNITY, AND POSESSIONS

THE LAW OF REWARDS

For more information about my books, podcast, resources, please visit my website: https://www.thefeelingbetter.com To get in touch, please click this link for my contact page: CONTACT ME

Or you can email me directly: maria@thefeelingbetter.com

In this episode, I'm sharing with you the miracle of what happened to me this week as I continue on my own journey of gambling addiction recovery. You won't even believe it. And in telling this story, I hope to help each and every one of you celebrate your own personal Independence Day.

For more information about my books, podcast, resources, please visit my website: https://www.thefeelingbetter.com To get in touch, please click this link for my contact page: CONTACT ME

Or you can email me directly: maria@thefeelingbetter.com

In this episode, I discuss the struggle of temptation. In particular, why we give into gambling when we know we shouldn't, when we don't really want to do it, and why do we always find a way? Is there a way out of that temptation? Tune in to listen.

And for those who want to take my spin-off podcast survey as I mentioned in the intro, here is the link to that: Spinoff Christian women's podcast survey

For more information about my books, podcast, resources, please visit my website: https://www.thefeelingbetter.com To get in touch, please click this link for my contact page: CONTACT ME

Or you can email me directly: maria@thefeelingbetter.com

This episode answers a listener question that asked me why I became a Christian, and why I chose Christianity over Islam. I grew up as a Muslim, but left the Islamic religion behind as a teenager. I mentioned before that Satan uses many, many forms of spiritual attack. One of the biggest, most successful forms of attack is the false religion of Islam. As gambling becomes more widely accepted around the world, Muslims may also find themselves deep in the pit of hellish anguish as they battle their addiction. It's my intention to help provide them a path to healing as I dive into the differences between Jesus and Mohammad (the Islamic prophet) as well as how the Bible puts a spotlight on the flaws of the Quran, the holy text of Islam. I tell the story of my own personal experience with the Quran and growing up Muslim, and share some research I found that reveals deeply disturbing facts about Islam and inconsistencies in the Quran.

In this episode, I make reference to a few different items, which I'd like to provide here as links for those who are interested:

Book: What Every Christian Needs to Know about the Qur'an by James R. White

Book: Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus by Nabeel Qureshi

Book: No One But God: Allah or Jesus? by Nabeel Qureshi

Bible Challlenge for those seeking: Read the 21 chapters from the Book of John

ISIS man's testimony: His message and understanding of Jesus via Instagram

The Guardian Holy Infographic: 64,000 Bible Cross-References

For more information about my books, podcast, resources, please visit my website: https://www.thefeelingbetter.com To get in touch, please click this link for my contact page: CONTACT ME

Or you can email me directly: maria@thefeelingbetter.com

In this episode, I'll be talking about four things: 1- The movie Nefarious, and how it portrays demons who are intent on bringing God's people down and overtaking society--the spiritual battle between good vs. evil 2- What God expects of us as stewards of the money and gifts He's blessed us with 3-A deeper dive into self-exclusion and 4- Codependent relationships, enabling, and how that might tie into gambling addiction for both men and women.

As mentioned in this episode, this is the link to Feedspot's "Top 35 Christian Addiction Podcasts." Check out who is sitting at number 25! https://blog.feedspot.com/christian_addiction_podcasts/?feedid=5575930

Here is the link for the movie Nefarious, which can be rented on YouTube. It's well worth the rental price! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_76ajCb5E4g

This is the link to Dr. John Barnett's video sermon about gambling: https://youtu.be/zjOclK6Pr3E 

For more information about my books, podcast, resources, please visit my website: https://www.thefeelingbetter.com To get in touch, please click this link for my contact page: CONTACT ME

Or you can email me directly: maria@thefeelingbetter.com

Hey, friends! In this episode, I answer a couple of listener questions that take me down a deep rabbit hole of uncovering some of the seriously concerning privacy policies and background check practices iGaming and online casino apps use to validate or verify your personal identity, financial situation, and player status. It'll blow your mind when you hear what they're allowed to  do in order to gain knowledge about who you are and what you earn, spend, and use for financial transactions.

In this episode, I reference a few sources. Allow me to share those links here for you, so that you can read for yourself the information I provide here.

The State of the States - American Gaming Association

Pennsylvania iGaming Study Reaches Concerning Conclusions

Michigan Gaming Control Board's Internet Gaming Rules

An example of online casino's Terms & Conditions

Elite Sports NY's article about iGaming in New York for 2024

The push for iGaming in Rhode Island

For more information about my books, podcast, resources, please visit my website: https://www.thefeelingbetter.com To get in touch, please click this link for my contact page: CONTACT ME

Or you can email me directly: maria@thefeelingbetter.com

In this week's episode, I'm diving deep into why anxiety is also a spiritual attack, and what happens to it when we succumb to it. I tell the story of what happened to me while I was away on a work trip. Anxiety is no joke, but I had some real clarity on how anxiety is one of the devil's tools--just like addiction--to keep us down and prevent us from doing what we're meant to be doing. It's hard to be fishers of men (and women) when lions prowl around, looking to devour.

Here's a link to John Woods' book that I mention, "Gambling Addiction Explained: How to Stop Gambling and Gain Control of Your Life."

And here's the link to Shawn Johnson's book, "Attacking Anxiety: From Panicked and Depressed, to Alive and Free."

For more information about my books, podcast, resources, please visit my website: https://www.thefeelingbetter.com To get in touch, please click this link for my contact page: CONTACT ME

Or you can email me directly: maria@thefeelingbetter.com

Hey, all... sorry to bail on you this week. I had a work trip with some heavy travel this week, and am exhausted from that.  Plus, I had a serious mental breakdown that I'll be sharing next week as we dive into the topic of anxiety. Stay tuned, and tune in next Sunday when I share my story and how I coped.

Be blessed!

For more information about my books, podcast, resources, please visit my website: https://www.thefeelingbetter.com To get in touch, please click this link for my contact page: CONTACT ME

Or you can email me directly: maria@thefeelingbetter.com

Hey! This is my first episode just free-form talking about a few topics, now that the narration of my book is finished. It was a bit awkward for me not reading verbatim from my book, so let me know if it was awkward for you as well.  If so, I'll go back to writing out my "script" and reading it, which (I think) is how I prefer it. But some might think that's too scripted or canned. In a nutshell, this episode was an experiment and a break from my usual format.

Today I'm talking about three things: 

1. My diagnosis of diverticulitis, which I know resulted from all the stress that came from gambling. I knew gambling caused stress on my body on a level I'd never experienced before, but this is a doctor-confirmed, lifetime condition that I now have to deal with. Yeah. That sucks.
2. I also made the decision to abandon the debt settlement program and explore bankruptcy instead. Have a listen to hear why I came to that conclusion.
3. And finally, a listener emailed me and asked what I think my favorite part of Heaven will be. That's an awesome question! See if you can guess my answer before you have a listen.

I have several other listener questions and topic suggestions I'll address in upcoming episodes. If you have any feedback, please let me know! I love hearing from my listeners.

For more information about my books, podcast, resources, please visit my website: https://www.thefeelingbetter.com To get in touch, please click this link for my contact page: CONTACT ME

Or you can email me directly: maria@thefeelingbetter.com

In this episode, I'll be reading from parts most of the Afterword of my book, which I've modified and added onto for this podcast. I've also provided an update to where I am now, and some of the spiritual epiphanies I've had about my gambling addiction, and why I fell into it in the first place. I'm also sharing what happened to me after I published my book and launched this podcast--how I placed the biggest bet of my life.

A few things to note:

1. I was delighted to be a guest on Brian Hatch's "All In -- The Addicted Gambler's Podcast" which aired on April 29th, 2023. Brian is a terrific guy and a huge pillar of the problem gambling community, and it was an honor and a delight to be on his podcast. You can catch that interview here if you haven't listened to it already: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0xnen1H4C9ZhI7ga0mNIGi

2. Brian was just featured in a short segment on Fox News, talking about the big casino industry and gambling addiction. Check that out here at this link:https://www.foxnews.com/video/6326570253112

3. One of the videos I mention in this podcast that I highly recommend every Christian believer or gambling addict watch about how to REALLY get wealthy is from Dr. John Barnett at this link: True Financial Security -- Secrets to Endless Wealth

4.  For those of you who haven't yet checked out Pastor Craig Groeschel's Life.Church YouTube playlist, you can find that here: https://www.youtube.com/@life.church 

Just a final note, I'll continue to upload episodes every Sunday, even though I'm finished with the reading of my book, "The Feeling Better: 10-4 Program."  I have, however, stopped uploading to YouTube. I just didn't have the capacity or bandwidth to keep doing that.

God bless! See you next week.

For more information about my books, podcast, resources, please visit my website: https://www.thefeelingbetter.com To get in touch, please click this link for my contact page: CONTACT ME

Or you can email me directly: maria@thefeelingbetter.com

For more information about my books, podcast, resources, please visit my website: https://www.thefeelingbetter.com To get in touch, please click this link for my contact page: CONTACT ME

Or you can email me directly: maria@thefeelingbetter.com