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"Anybody can be an alcoholic. That's easy... all you got to do is pick up the alcohol and start drinking... and eventually you'll become an alcoholic... because you allow that to take over and consume your life. Anybody can be a drug addict. Anybody can be a prostitute or a drug dealer or this or that. That's all the easy parts. The hard part is not doing it."

Jeff was paying a great price for his drinking. His wife left with the kids and he was all alone. She wouldn't have anything to do with him. It didn't matter how he tried to connect with her, she wouldn't acknowledge him. That hurt him more than anything. But it got his attention.

Jeff, a Cayuga from Six Nations, grew up off the rez in Buffalo, New York. He started partying at an early age and he worked to support his drinking habit. His team's success in lacrosse gave cause to celebrate often, and even when everyone else went home, for Jeff, the party never ended. He found out though, that not only does drinking ruin relationships, it ruins families.

Alcohol had taken Hugh... it had taken everything from him like it does to so many others. But something happened in his life that made all the difference, and now he has been clean and sober for over 27 years. Listen as Hugh shares the rest of his story.

"I took a drink of my mom's beer. And it was terrible. I said, 'Oh, how can you drink that stuff'. I'll never forget her answer: 'You'll find out.' And she was so right on." Listen to Hugh share about how he got involved with alcohol and the toll that it would take on his life.

From falling into the freezing waters of the Yukon River to serving on the battlefields of Vietnam, George has lived through many challenging and difficult situations. And then there were the issues of his heart.

George grew up in Mountain Village, Alaska where life can be pretty rugged. One day, while he was out on his snow machine he got caught in a storm. He got lost and, eventually, his snowmobile ran out of gas. This could be a deadly situation. Should he abandon his snow machine or stay put?

You don't have to do bad things to be bad. Nicole grew up in a Christian home where her father was a pastor. She knew right from wrong and what she needed to do. But she also knew that deep down in her heart she wanted to do evil. Where does that come from, and what is the remedy? Nicole has the answer.

It was a tragic, unexpected loss. Willie's son and daughter-in-law, along with some others, were standing by their car alongside the highway checking their vehicle for a noise they had heard. All of a sudden another vehicle recklessly turned into them and took their lives. Listen as Willie tells the story about how God comforted him in this difficult time.

"I guess it was in June - the first part of June of 1963 that I couldn't take it anymore. My body couldn't take what I was doing - what I was putting into my body. And I realized that I had to quit or something was going to happen." Find out what Willie did that made all the difference in his life.

Willie grew up in Hobert, Oklahoma in a pastor's home. He recalls the Sunday gatherings at church along the river, how the ladies dressed... what they did. He tells how, as a boy, they chased tumbleweeds and hunted them as if they were buffalo. And he shares how he lost his older brother in a car accident because of bad choices.

The Storyteller New Years Special with Tom Claus (Mohawk) New Years Eve is a very special time in the Claus family. It was on that night many years ago on the Six Nations reserve that the family gathered together around the radio and heard a message that would change their lives forever. Listen as Tom reflects on the significance of that day. This is a Storyteller Classic!

Christmas is traditionally a time of gift-giving. Ever wonder why? Mark Custalow of the Mattaponi and Chickahominy tribes of Virginia shares the Christmas story - and reminds us that we celebrate this day because of the greatest gift ever given. What are you going to do with the gift of Jesus?

Leona is from the Alaskan village of Tatitlek on Prince William Sound. She grew up in a large family as one of ten children. At the age of 12, her father passed away. She and her brother took up fishing to help support the family. Then her mother sent her to school. It was there that she discovered that something was missing in her life.

Have you ever gotten tired of the way you're living? Merritt did. He knew that what he was doing wasn't right and it was taking a toll on him. Something had to change. This is the story of how that change came... a story about hard questions, real answers, and how a troubled man finally found peace with God.

Merritt sought to live a perfect life. He thought that this was necessary to be a Christian. But as much as he tried he found that he just couldn't do it. And so finally, he gave up trying. But that didn't leave him feeling any better. This is part one of his story of how he finally found peace with God.

Martin believed that he would die an alcoholic. His wife coped with his drinking by abusing prescription meds. When it landed her in the hospital Martin didn't care. But when lasting change came into her life, he noticed. Find out what she had, and what would eventually change Martin's life too.

Martin was abandoned by his parents when he was thirteen years old. It was then that he had his first taste of alcohol. It wouldn't be his last. The bottle had a grip on Martin that would not let go. Listen as he shares about his early years before Christ came into his life.

Gus was from old Iliamna Village in Alaska. He speaks of how life was back in the old days living off the land. It was tough, and some didn't make it. Along life's way Gus met a man who said that Jesus was the only way one could get to Heaven. But, Gus didn't believe him.

Drinking and partying was a big part of his life. It didn't change after he got married and had a family. But something happened one day that would alter the course of his life forever.

John was close to his mom and dad growing up. John was a good athlete and played a number of sports. His dad was there for every game. His senior year he got a call from a professional baseball team. They invited him to a private tryout. That was the best and worst day of his life.

"I'm ready. If I were to die today, I know that I would go to Heaven." How can Jimmie say that? And how can she talk so confidently about death? As you listen to her story you'll find out.

Frank grew up on a reserve north of Winnipeg. At a young age, his dad took ill and so Frank dropped out of school to help meet the family's needs. Alcohol would eventually get hold of him. And it was that way until his son asked him a question.

When God saved Larry - he didn't want to continue living the way that he used to. He wanted to live his life fully for One who loved Him and rescued him from sin. Considering what Jesus did for Him on the cross, it only made sense.

His was mother was Chickasaw. His father, who was Anglo, rejected him as his son... so Larry grew up in someone else' home with the stigma of being a "half-breed". He had heard that these kinds of boys were the worst, and so somehow he thought he needed to live up to that. This is a story with a sad beginning, but thankfully it doesn't end that way.

When people can tell you they see the joy of the Lord or they can see God in you, WOW, that makes it more worthwhile. That just gives me that joy that's inexpressible, because there's people that walk up to me and ask me, "Why are you always smiling, why do you smile?" Well, it ain't really me being happy sometimes; it could just be the joy of the Lord, and that gives me a chance to just tell them who I am and why. That gives me a chance to say it's all about God.

All this time these people are witnessing to me, telling me Jesus loves me, then I start finally understanding what they meant. They told me that Jesus came here and died for sinners. He died on the cross because of the human race rebellion and sin - that we needed a Savior, we needed to be born again spiritually. That's when the Lord opened up my eyes to what it meant that I needed to be born again, because I was lost and I needed salvation, and Jesus provided that when He came to earth and died on the cross for our sins.

I started running around as older adults do when I was a teenager, and we got caught one night, and we had an open container; I was only fourteen years old and I got judged as an adult, and I had to sit in jail. They wouldn't let me out of jail for seven days. It hurt me, and that's where, I believe... that was the turning point where I wanted to get even with society. I wanted to get even; I wanted to rebel against any kind of authority or law.

James grew up in Moose Factory, Ontario, a Cree community on the south end of James Bay. His parents brought him up in religion, but his life was empty as a young man. There was a man though, who had come to the community who was different... and he helped James move from religion to a real relationship with his Creator.

Carrie was born in 1929 on Nunavik island, the second largest island on the Bering Sea. There were no stores, no running water... nothing that resembles the conveniences of today. Life was challenging. Listen as Carrie recounts her experiences and the rich culture of growing up on the island. And listen as she shares her spiritual heritage... something she didn't leave behind when she left the island.

Albert's heart was hard - by his own admission. He had a hateful feeling towards anyone who would try to speak to him about Jesus. He was mean to his wife who was a Christian. He even burned her Bible. But through it all, she stuck with him and prayed for Albert. Albert had a problem with alcohol. His sons began to follow his lead to the bottle. The question was asked, "Who do you think you are?" and he though, "How am I going to answer this?"

I tell people that I had a drug problem when I was young. Our church was Sunday afternoon on the reservation. I got drug to church on Sunday afternoon, and I got drug to church on Sunday evening, and I got drug to church on prayer meeting night. So that was my drug problem.

Ed was raised by his grandma until she died when he was fourteen years old. His uncle was as close to a dad as he ever had. He didn't know who his real dad was. His grandma sent him to boarding school because she couldn't afford to keep him.

Frank speaks candidly about the quest for love. He shares how he would do things he knew weren't right in order to gain the acceptance of others. He would come to realize though that all he needed was found in a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Frank grew up in the Cree community of Loon Lake, Alberta. He remembers good times with family in the bush, hunting and trapping. He reflects on the blessing of having a dad and a mom. And he speaks about his spiritual journey, how he came to understand that he had a problem he couldn't fix.

Emerson joined the army. It was a rebellious time in his life and he was getting into trouble. One day, someone stole some money from another person's locker. The commanding officer told Emerson he knew that he had taken the money. When he asked why the CO thought that, the officer said, "because you're nothing but a worthless human being." Emerson couldn't say anything because that's how he felt about himself. What happened after that changed his direction forever.

Emerson was raised in an urban setting away from the reservation. But home was where the relatives were and they would go back often. His dad raised the family Christian after being coming out of the traditional way. Emerson followed, but later began to question what he believed.

Though originally from Washington State, she was raised by her grandparents in rural Oklahoma. When she was three, her father was shot and killed. Thankfully, she had her grandparents who provided a stable, loving environment... and made a lasting impact on her life.

"I wanted to go do these drugs cause I hadn't done them for quite some time and it was time for me to do them again. I used to go on three-day binges. I would disappear and my wife and kids didn't know where I was. They didn't know if I was dead or alive or nothing." Listen as Paul shares his battle with addiction and how it finally came to an end.

Working on the Alaska pipeline, Paul got into drugs and alcohol. It changed his life. His addictions had full control over him, until one night, when he had a dream so terrifying, that it caught his full attention.

He was in a fist fight at least twice a week, every week for most of his schooling... because of the way he looked. He didn't fit in with the white kids... he didn't fit in with the Native kids. Listen as Paul shares about the early days of his journey and how that would influence his outlook in the days to come.

Where was the peace that others seemed to have? As she looked around, she couldn't help but notice. How come she couldn't find it? It seems she'd been fighting for something all her life... perhaps just fighting to survive. She'd learned that in her youth. But she wanted what these folks had. Listen as she shares how she finally found what she was looking for.

Adrienne recalls as a young girl how she was sick at school one day. As the teacher took her home, all she could think about was what they were going to find when they got there. She wanted to jump out of the car and run into the house so no one would see what she was afraid of.

Vince was kicked out of his home at the age of 11 because he stood in the way of his father abusing his mother. He quickly learned how to live on the streets of Chicago. Trouble was something he was very familiar with. His life was careening out of control and he was headed for disaster when God came into his life and changed everything.

Ryan grew up with sports, but he was especially good at hockey... so good in fact that he was eventually drafted by a professional hockey team. He wasn't content though - something was missing.

Ray shares how his grandfather told him stories that were handed down from his people... stories that were very scary and brought fear to him as a child. He shares one of these along with the impact that it had on him then, and the perspective that he has about it now.

Ray recalls a sobering moment: "When I woke up, I was sick. Not only from what I had drank that previous night, but the burden of sin was heavy upon me. And not only that but, I was so sick I knew if I died at that moment, I wasn't prepared to meet God."

Ray grew up in northern Alberta. He loved ball games, dances, and the pleasures of life in his youth. But he had no peace. One of his friends though seemed to have what he was looking for. Ray noticed and was curious. Inner peace can be allusive, and finding it can be a journey. This was the journey Ray found himself on.

God tells us in His Word that if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. That's exactly what happened to Venus. When she put her trust in Jesus God took her broken life and changed it. He made something beautiful out of the ashes of deep pain and grief. Life was still hard, but things were different now. God gave her purpose, hope, and a very bright future.

In deep distress Venus cried, "I can't do this anymore. I can not do this anymore." Her heart was so broken that she didn't believe it could be repaired. What would cause Venus to feel this way? And is there anything that could fix it? Join us for part 2 of Venus Cote's amazing story. And make sure that you don't miss part three... because the best is yet to come.

Venus' life got off to a tragic start. As a little girl she saw her dad kill her mom. And this was only the beginning our her heartache and pain. Listen as she opens her heart and shares about the early years of her life in part one of her remarkable journey.

When Larry's wife became a Christian he noticed a real change in her life. He saw how peaceful she was, even when they were encountering spiritual darkness. He wanted what she had. Larry speaks about the reality of death, the emptiness he saw in ritual, and the hope that he has found in Jesus Christ.

Larry shares about the reality of spiritual darkness, traditions, and his quest for truth. He wasn't satisfied with the answers he was getting. He was looking for something he could confidently believe in.

Nida's sister rejected her because of Nida's choice to follow Jesus. But years later tragedy would bring the sisters back together - closer than they had ever been. Then again, tragedy struck. But this time it would result in death. Listen as Nida shares what happened and the confidence she has that she'll see her sister again.

Nida finally found what she'd been searching for. You can hear the joy in her voice as she recalls the moment that she did. She was at peace with God. But life was still filled with challenges. Find out what happens next as she comes home from church to a husband whose been drinking.

Nida said, "There were things I was doing that I didn't want to do. I was hurting my family. I wanted change in my life and I couldn't do it." That's not an uncommon place to be. But she didn't stay there.

Alcohol had Sam. But Sam had friends who really cared for him. In fact, they cared enough not to be silent. He didn't like it when he saw Arthur coming because he knew what he was going to hear. Then his old drinking buddy started showing up - Buck was different now - in a good way, and he wanted that for Sam.

Have you ever felt wicked because of what someone else did to you? Winnie knows what it's like. How about losing someone close to your heart? She's been there too. Her life was filled with pain and shame. But things are different now... because of Jesus.

Shawn was close to his grandfather, who had a profound impact on his life. But there was someone else who would have an even greater impact on Shawn... someone who would change his life forever.

Ever heard voices? Jess did. It shook him up. "So I went to Charles, but I didn't tell him what was going on in my thoughts. I asked him to give me a straight shot of whiskey, and I always had the pills to make me high or low, so I went into the bathroom and took those two elements, and what I was trying to do, I was trying to forget that voice."

Growing up with alcohol can make a significant impact on a life... and hateful words from those who are close can cut like a knife. Today's Storyteller has experienced both. But, he has not been defeated. He is an overcomer.

Alcohol really took a toll on his family, but for Ralph, it never took hold of him. What is it that made him different? Was it fate? Was it the choices that he made? You may be surprised by what he says. Listen in as Ralph shares the rest of his story.

Ralph grew up in Shawnee, Oklahoma. He talks about his roots and talks about his grandmother who had a significant influence on his life. As you listen to him share his story, you'll understand why.

Tom Claus reflects on what Christmas was like growing up on the Six Nations Reserve near Brantford, Ontario many years ago. After all the gifts were opened, the family would sit down together and read the Christmas story from the Bible. Tom goes on to read the story for us. Then he shares about the greatest gift ever given - the gift God gave to all people - His Son, Jesus Christ.

One day Richard's brother told him that he was ready to meet the Lord. Richard wondered how this could be. He wanted to be sure that he was ready too. But his brother didn't tell him how he could be. Listen as Richard tells of his quest to be ready to meet his Creator.

We all have failures and regrets in life. What do we do with them? There is a remedy. Bill shares the confidence that he has now regarding these things. He talks about how he found forgiveness, and how we can to.

Bill is a Cree from northern Alberta. He was born and raised in the Whitefish Lake Cree Nation. He was sent away to residential school early in his childhood. He didn't make it easy on the people there. Actually, he wasn't allowed to go back.

And I thought about my Indian people, you know, when they would go into Kingman, my mom's tribe, the Haulapai's, only two or three of them could go into the store at one time. They wouldn't let a whole bunch of Indians in because we were Indians and they didn't trust us.

It's tough growing up when you feel like you don't fit in. For a little girl named Harriet, it was a lonely time. Listen as she reflects back on the early days of her life, and as she shares the most significant moment in her life... at a school away from home.

And I said, 'Do you happen to remember, back in 1949, your mother coming into possession of a little Apache Indian baby?' And she sucked in her breath - I heard it on the phone. And she said, 'Why, why yes. Why do you ask?' I said, 'Well I'm that baby.'

I remember, early on, wondering a whole lot about my place in the world and if there was any significance to my life, or was I just kind of drifting along here like a twig sitting on the waves of the ocean, no significance, no background, no future.

"Danny was the big man on campus. He was the meanest, toughest, most foul-mouthed boy on the ranch, and we all wanted to grow up and be just as tough and mean as he was. But he would kick us around, hit us, yell at us, force us to do his chores and things, just a very mean fellow, but one day Danny just changed, totally without any explanation, without any warning his life changed. His demeanor changed, his vocabulary changed everything about him, and nobody knew what had happened."

You've heard alcohol referred to as "spirits". Have you ever wondered why? Ted's story may help shed some light on this. What he experienced was frightening beyond imagination. But it didn't matter because he was determined to be set free.

When alcohol is your master, it effects every part of your life. For some, it comes on slow. But eventually you begin to realize the grip is not you on the bottle, but the bottle on you. Ted speaks candidly of his journey to find freedom, and the demons he faced along the way.

Growing up without a dad was not easy. But it was in the loss of his father that Jimmy came to know God as Father. Listen as he reflects on how that happened.

It's not often that a boy gets to see his father die. It's even less common to hear someone talk about it. But that's what Jimmy does as he shares what happened the day that his dad unexpectedly took his last breath.

Hazel grew up on the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation in South Dakota. When her family moved to the town of Dupree, she experienced prejudice for the first time. At a young age she ended up getting married to a non-Native man in order to get away from abuse. The result was not what she was expecting.

I finally turned my life to God. I got on my knees and I cried and it seemed like another year went by, just not getting His presence back in my life. I think for all the misery and the shame and the name that I disgraced, began to haunt me and to really eat away at my soul, and I even thought that God was on the other side of the universe at times, and little did I know that He's slowly weaning me off in a way out of all that substance use and to unwash my mind of the world, and just the crying and the pleading was really the work of God once again in my life.

"I used to sit on the hillsides back when we had no electricity or running water in our community I grew up in. And I used to gaze into the sky at night and the only friends I had were my dogs. I would sit there on a hill. I'd wonder where, and why and all these things. My sense of belonging... and all these questions were always there."

Boyce got in trouble with the law and it landed him in prison. Thankfully, something happened that would change the direction of his life. And even though he would be back in jail again, it wasn't because of trouble, but to share with others what changed his life.

Our choices have consequences. Deborah knows that well. We can get ourselves into trouble in a hurry when we're not careful... and the impact can last a lifetime. But there was one particularly important decision which she made that would change her life forever... and she's never regretted it.

Have you ever felt rejected because of the color of your skin? Today's storyteller knows exactly how that feels. It's bad enough when that happens, but when it's your own relatives who turn you away, it takes it to another level. Where does one turn for love and acceptance? Thankfully, there was grandfather.

What made him decide to put the knife away? What was it that changed his mind about ending the abuse this way? In this final episode, we'll hear the answer. It's a remarkable story... and proof that no matter how dark the situation, there really is hope when we turn to God.

The abuse had to end. Tim went from thinking about taking his own life - suicide - to taking the life of his abuser. He prepared himself mentally and physically. He planned. He was ready. It was time... and so began the longest night of his life.

Tim grew up in a military home. It was also an abusive home. The physical and mental suffering that he with his mother and siblings endured is difficult to imagine. This is part one of a three-part story... of a father and son's remarkable journey from darkness into the light.

Family was important to Florence. But when she decided to follow Jesus she found it cost her some of her most valued relationships. They walked away when she would come to visit. It was very painful. But then she found a new family.

Florence has lived most of her life on the Peguis Reserve in Manitoba. She learned much from her father as she worked the farm with him, and much from her time at the school. She was asked if she would teach the Bible to younger students. In order to do that, she had to read it herself.

Emerson found himself with his back against the wall. He had a wife, three kids, and lost his job. It was a crisis that usually would result in getting drunk, but this time it was different. He turned to God instead... and life is different now.

I was lost. I just couldn't figure out my life, and I kept going and looking for the answers. Went to college, thinking that the money would give me the answers. Went to bars thinking the bars would give me answers. Had the relationships with different women. Thinking that was going to give me the answers. And it just never did.

Molly's early years were marked with abuse. Alcohol had a hold of her, but she wasn't content. This is her story of how she was set free from the bottle... and so much more.

Sometimes it takes a tragedy to get our attention. Jimmy knew that the alcohol and drugs were affecting his family. He wanted to quit, but it was not happening. One day his wife gave him an ultimatum... and he had to make a choice. He told her he would quit, and he really meant it. But he only broke her trust again. When she realized that she could help him, things began to change. But it was on a highway headed into Oklahoma City that God finally got Jimmy's full attention.

Standing in front of the court, listening to the Judge telling his lawyer to shut up and sit down, Jimmy realized that this was serious. What was it that took him down this road? And how could he change? He became the person he never wanted to be. But this isn't the end of the story.

Harsh words can cut deep... and they can flow freely when someone is intoxicated. Jimmy knows. He describes the shock and pain of hearing the most important woman in his life call him down. He was used to dealing with the outbursts, but when they began being directed at him, it was different.

Jimmy was affected by alcohol at an early age. For all those who have suffered through the fear and uncertainty that comes when a family member is under the influence, this story will speak to you. Listen as Jimmy recounts his early days, and the struggle he faced as a young boy in his home.

Their marriage had been filled with much pain and hardship. But, instead of abandoning her husband, Mary committed to love him. God gave her what she needed to care for him while he was sick. She loved him to the end.

Mary suffered much physical and emotional abuse in her marriage, but drew strength from God's Word and the encouragement of others. She found Him very real even through these difficult times.

Mary has good memories of her early childhood in Oxford House, but when she went away to residential school as a teenager, it was not good. After running away rather than returning to school, she soon entered adult life where new challenges awaited.

Daniel grew up on the Navajo Rez in a broken home. He used alcohol, drugs, and relationships to pursue happiness. But in the end he found that they could not satisfy. The pressures of life intensified and so he considered a final solution. Find out what happened to Daniel Esplin as he tells his story in his own words.

Matt grew up as a preacher's kid. He knew lots of things about religion, but with all he knew, he didn't really understand the truth. And for some time, he really wasn't interested. Listen as Matt shares how he came to understand that he was lost and without hope apart from God.

When asked the question about where he would spend eternity, CR came up short. He didn't know. Many people are in the same place CR was - but he isn't there anymore. Find out what changed and how he now knows the answer to the most important question in life.