Episode 28: Failure, Faith & the Football Team We Shall Not Name — Mike Courtney

Mike Courtney was a successful pastor and an addict at the same time.Twenty-three years after a life-changing encounter with God in a recovery clinic, Mike joins Heather for a conversation about the secrets that nearly destroyed him—and the truth that helped set him free.Mike is the founder of Branches, a faith-based counseling organization serving Middle Tennessee, host of the Extending Branches podcast, and author of the brilliantly titled Failure and How I Achieved It. He opens up about rebuilding a marriage after betrayal, living the 12 Steps one day at a time, healing the father wound, and handing the leadership of Branches to his son.It’s honest, hopeful, deeply human—and somehow also involves tennis, emotionally supportive cottage cheese, and the one subject this Tennessee man specifically asked Heather not to mention: Georgia football.Mike’s story is a powerful reminder that failure does not have to become the name we answer to, secrets lose their power when brought into the light, and every time we tell our story in a safe place, shame gets cut in half.Learn more about Mike and Branches at Branches.org.We would love to hear from you! Support the showwww.heatherpetero.comFacebook: @theheatherpeteroshow