As a pastor’s kid who has grown up in the church, I’ve had my fair share of Sunday services. However, none of them prepared me for the disappointments in life. We all have them, right? The relationship that didn’t work out. The dream job that never materialized, loss of your health or the death of a loved one. For most, it’s simply the dreams that never came into fruition. Church and its collection of “do’s & don’ts” for how to live your life didn’t soothe my broken soul. My faith faltered during my personal struggles, as the chronic pain from 5 spine fusion surgeries overwhelmed me and my bipolar depression left me empty and dead within. Instead, I found alcohol and prescription opioids & fentanyl to be a much better comfort.