Radiant Grace in a Cold Room
Last night’s AA meeting was small—just four men gathered in the bitter cold of southern Australia. We met in the old nuns’ convent, huddled around a radiant heater that looked like it had been faithfully showing up since the late 1980s. Fitting, really. Because Lawrence showed up too—for himself, and for his family.
I hadn’t seen Lawrence in about four months. He got sober 15 months ago and stayed that way for a solid year. No glitches. No drama. Just quiet, consistent sobriety. His wife and primary school-aged daughter were living 2,400 kilometres away in northern Australia, waiting for him to prove himself and settle into his new management role in Tasmania.
Lawrence spoke of them often in meetings. He wanted them to relocate, to see his new life, to grow together as a family. I’d bump into him at church—polite, responsible, decent. The kind of guy who doesn’t just talk about change, he lives it.
Eventually, they made the move. His wife and daughter arrived. He was overwhelmingly happy. And here’s the thing: happiness is a change in emotional state. It’s not a stressor in the usual sense, but it’s still a crack in the ground. The Adversary doesn’t just lurk in despair—he prowls around joy too. Especially joy that’s new, fragile, and untested.
Lawrence, proud and content, smiled to himself. Life was good. His daughter got into the exact school they’d hoped for. And then came the whisper:
“Look at your life. You’re fine now. You can drink normally. Just one. Buy the four-pack.”
He did. While his wife was at work. No one noticed. Two weeks later, he did it again—cash only, no bank trail. Within a month, the gap between drinks had shrunk to two days. Then came a funeral in New Zealand. The Adversary struck again:
“This person mattered. You’re grieving. Cut loose.”
Lawrence did. And it got messy.
But through the grace of God, he came back to AA last night. He shared the whole story. Not just the relapse—but the emotional terrain that led to it. The reminder that the Adversary hunts in joy as much as sorrow. That comfort can be just as dangerous as chaos.
His sponsor gave him a blast. A reality check. And Lawrence walked back into the rooms. We didn’t blink. We said, “Welcome home, mate. Great to see you again.” And we meant it.
As he left, he looked each of us in the eye and said, “Thanks guys. I really needed that.”
I unplugged the old radiant heater and thought about how the group had radiated something far more powerful than warmth. Lawrence walked out with a light glowing inside him—brighter than when he walked in.
About Jason Bresnehan
Jason is a fixer—of businesses, of broken momentum, and occasionally of entire spiritual frameworks gone sideways. He speaks fluent boardroom and AA, deploys Catholic doctrine with the subtlety of a scalpel, and isn’t afraid to lace his insights with both war-room metaphors and dad-sermon tenderness.
Founder of Evahan, a consultancy built on the idea that legacy and liquidity don’t need to fight, Jason draws on 30 years of commercial grit, tactical leadership, and emotional radar to help people rebuild what entropy took. He works with companies, communities, and recovery misfits alike—often using the same principles to sort both cap tables and chaotic lives.
Jason draws deep inspiration from historical figures who got results—especially those who led from the margins, built with scarce resources, and refused to be shackled by conventional wisdom. He’s known for assembling unorthodox teams of passionate experts to solve complex problems in chaotic environments. Whether in boardrooms, recovery communities, or legacy disputes, Jason’s approach is rooted in common purpose, tactical innovation, and the belief that clarity thrives when paradigms are challenged.
A strong advocate for freedom, limited government, and enterprise-driven progress, Jason also draws deeply from his personal recovery journey—an experience that reshaped his life and fuels his commitment to growth, contribution, and principled living. Through writing, speaking, and service, he continues to learn, share, and speak with purpose.
I can be engaged (on a remunerated or volunteer basis) to sit on Boards, Committees, Advisory and Reference Group Panels, and to speak to Business, Community, and Youth groups. I’m also open to providing comment to media on topics where I have relevant experience or insight. Please feel free to make contact.