From Codependence to Calling: Steve’s Journey Into Grace, Identity, and Healing

Have you ever tried so hard to fix someone else that you completely lost yourself in the process?
It’s a painful question—one many quietly wrestle with behind closed doors, in church pews, and in broken-hearted prayers. For Steve, that question wasn’t hypothetical. It was lived. And it became the doorway to a deeper discovery of grace, identity, and God’s unrelenting love.

Raised in an unchurched home in St. Louis, Missouri, Steve didn’t grow up knowing Jesus. But at 21, everything changed. He came to faith, got involved with Promise Keepers, and felt the stirrings of a call into ministry. That calling would evolve into roles as a children’s pastor, camp speaker, men’s ministry leader, and eventually the founder of a church plant called Walk Right. From the outside, it looked like everything was on track.

But inside? Something didn’t sit right.

“I still sold Jesus to folks and asked for the ‘prayer.’ That part of legalism wasn’t sitting right with me.”

Even while faithfully leading others, Steve began sensing a quiet tension within—a dissonance between the institutional teachings he’d absorbed and the truth his spirit was beginning to hunger for.

A Disruption of Grace

Steve’s turning point came not in a church pew or conference stage—but on YouTube.

“I stumbled across Steven McVey’s videos on the 101 Lies Told in Church. That opened my eyes. Then I read his book God is Not an Angry God, and that lit a fire in my spirit.”

The fire led to more study. More unlearning. More freedom. He connected with voices like Don Keathy and Baxter Kruger. He began to see that what he thought was faith had been laced with fear, striving, and performance. But the deeper he pressed into grace, the more a new foundation was forming—one built not on doing for God, but being with God.

At the same time, Steve’s personal life was unraveling. His marriage was marked by the pain of addiction, and his own identity became entangled in codependent patterns that masked as self-sacrifice.

“I wanted to fix her. I poured myself into helping her win over addiction, but it fed my own codependency. We were trapped in a never-ending cycle.”

That’s when God began writing a new story.

A Holy Encounter for a Weary Heart

One seemingly ordinary Friday night, Steve was delivering pizzas in a wealthy suburb of New Braunfels, Texas. Tired, discouraged, and questioning his path, he noticed a boy standing alone at the end of a long driveway holding a sign that said “.99.”

“He couldn’t have been over 6 years old. I stopped and asked what he was selling. He said, ‘Books.’ I bought the dinosaur one. He ran down the driveway and brought back two papers stapled together.”

It looked like nothing. But it meant everything.

“I read it. It was a story about a T-Rex who liked boxing. I’m a boxer. And in this child’s innocent tale, I saw my whole life: fighting, falling, trying again. And then—‘I’ve got a surprise… the best cake… Let’s dig in.’ I pulled over and just started to sob.”

That little boy became Jesus to Steve. Not in theological theory—but in presence. In the flesh. In the unexpected grace of a driveway moment that told Steve:
“I see you. I know your heart. You haven’t missed your calling—I’m still working in your life.”

“That moment showed me that God is still giving small victories. Even when we don’t see the full picture, He’s present. That boy reminded me to stop focusing on the ‘why me’ and trust again.”

From Pain to Purpose: A New Ministry is Born

In the years that followed, Steve did the inner work. He sought counseling. He confronted his codependency. He let the Spirit walk him from orphanhood into sonship.

“The freedom, joy, and overwhelming peace that came from understanding identity in Christ—that changed everything.”

Now, Steve is reclaiming his call with a new sense of clarity and compassion. He’s launching a program on Grace Awakening Network focused on helping others in the throes of codependency—especially those whose lives are impacted by the addictions or abuse of others.

“My program is for people who feel trapped—whether by a spouse, a family member, or even a church culture. I want them to know they’re not alone, and they don’t have to stay stuck.”

His upcoming book, God’s Imperfect Plan (Is Perfect), tells the story in more detail, and his coaching ministry offers practical guidance for healing and reclaiming personal identity.

“Churches do a great job supporting addicts. But what about the ones affected by addiction? I’d love to help churches build ministries for codependency healing too.”

Takeaway: The Grace That Finds You in the Driveway

Steve’s journey is proof that grace doesn’t always show up in big, flashy revelations. Sometimes, it meets you in a paper dinosaur book at the end of a long driveway. Sometimes, it’s in the breaking that the real beauty begins to emerge.

Maybe you’ve been there.
Maybe you’re still there—exhausted from trying to fix someone else, wondering if God’s promises still include you.

If so, let Steve’s story remind you:
God hasn’t forgotten you. He’s still speaking. Still healing. Still drawing you into your true identity. And ministry isn’t about perfection—it’s about presence.

So wherever you are in your journey, don’t ignore the .99 signs along the way. Grace often whispers where you least expect it.

🎥 Watch: Trusting God in Healing on GAN TV

Want to dive deeper into Steve’s journey and insights on grace, identity, and recovery? Don’t miss his heartfelt program on Grace Awakening Network. In Trusting God in Healing, Steve shares how God met him in the midst of pain, addiction, and codependency—and how healing became possible through divine grace and renewed identity.

▶️ Watch now: Trusting God in Healing – Ep. 5

📘 Coming Soon: God’s Imperfect Plan (Is Perfect)

Steve’s powerful journey of healing, grace, and identity is captured in his upcoming book, God’s Imperfect Plan (Is Perfect) — a heartfelt roadmap for those walking through pain, codependency, and recovery alongside someone they love. Drawing from personal experience and divine revelation, this book invites readers to see their story through the lens of God’s unwavering love and perfect timing.

🔗 Preorder now at walkrightcoaching.com/books

Learn More and Connect

Visit Steve’s website for program details and to learn about his book God’s Imperfect Plan (Is Perfect). You can also tune in to his upcoming program on Grace Awakening Network—a safe place for your healing journey to begin.

🎬 GAN EXTRA-What to Watch: The Eucharist by Malcolm Smith – Unconditional Love Ministries

Step into a deeper understanding of the table of union. In this powerful teaching, Malcolm Smith unpacks the richness of the Eucharist and what it reveals about God’s unwavering, unconditional love.

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