The Living Clean Podcast

n this episode of the Living Clean Podcast, we continue our book study of Living Clean: The Journey Continues, focusing on the final six paragraphs of the “Illness” section in Chapter 4.
Illness can challenge our recovery in ways we never expected. Physical suffering, fear of the future, and difficult choices can test the spiritual principles we rely on every day. In this conversation, we explore how the tools of recovery help us navigate those moments when life becomes uncertain and painful.
We discuss the importance of reaching out—calling a sponsor, leaning on our support group, and turning to the wisdom found in NA literature such as In Times of Illness. These tools help us make decisions we can live with and take the next right action, even in the middle of crisis.
The episode also explores the spiritual tension many of us feel when illness strikes. We talk about bargaining with God, expectations in prayer, and the powerful shift that happens when we move from demanding outcomes to practicing surrender. Recovery teaches us that our Higher Power is not a vending machine, and that acceptance of life on life’s terms often opens the door to gratitude—even when gratitude feels hardest to find.
We also examine the deeply personal nature of health decisions. Recovery does not give us a single model for how to live, and each of us must find our own balance between caring for ourselves and avoiding the self-destructive patterns of our past. Through honest reflection, inventory, and surrender, we learn how to live according to our values rather than our fears.
Ultimately, this section reminds us that recovery is not about perfection. It is about continually returning to the tools of the program, refining our balance between health and illness, action and acceptance, and learning how to live a life that aligns with our beliefs.
Freedom in recovery means something powerful: we get to live life according to our own choosing and design.

Gratitude is one of the spiritual principles that transforms our recovery and changes the way we experience life. In this special episode of the Living Clean Podcast, My Gratitude Speaks, we hear a chorus of voices from members of Narcotics Anonymous sharing what gratitude means to them today.
Inspired in part by the spirit of the Newcomer Montage and the Original Gratitude Exercises, this episode brings together reflections from addicts in recovery who have found a new way to live. Each voice represents a different journey, but the message is the same: recovery has given us more than we ever imagined possible.
Members share about the simple and profound things they are grateful for today—freedom from active addiction, connection with others, the gift of service, the power of the Steps, and the ability to live one day at a time. What emerges is a collective expression of hope and appreciation that reflects the heart of our fellowship.
Gratitude reminds us where we came from, keeps us grounded in the present, and points us toward the future. When we share it, it multiplies.
Sit back and listen as addicts from across the fellowship let their gratitude speak.
Because in Narcotics Anonymous, we don’t recover alone.

n this episode of DM’ing the Pamphlets, Mason from the Living Clean Podcast sits down with Douglas from the Anonymous Podcast to take a deep dive into IP #2 – The Group.
The group is often described as the heart of recovery. It’s where addicts find connection, accountability, and a place where the message of recovery can be carried addict to addict. But what actually makes a group work? What is the purpose of a group beyond just holding meetings? And what responsibility do members have in protecting the unity and integrity of their home group?
Douglas and Mason walk through the pamphlet line by line, discussing the principles behind healthy groups, the importance of participation and service, and how groups function as the foundation of the fellowship. They also explore practical topics like home groups, group conscience, unity, and the role each member plays in keeping the doors open for the next addict who walks in.
Along the way, the conversation blends literature, personal experience, and a bit of real talk about what happens when groups thrive—and when they struggle.
Whether you’re new to recovery or have been around meetings for years, this episode offers insight into why the group matters and how each of us contributes to keeping the message alive.
DM’ing the Pamphlets is a series where we explore recovery literature one pamphlet at a time—breaking it down, discussing its meaning, and connecting it to real recovery.

After nearly five years of persistence, Francis finally tracks down Keith S., and in this special episode, both Mason and Francis sit down with him for a rare and powerful conversation about early Narcotics Anonymous history and service.
Keith was deeply involved in the Ohio fellowship during the early 1980s and attended both the 1982 and 1983 World Service Conferences. He shares firsthand insight into that pivotal era, including the moment he made the motion for Bob Stone to become office manager — a decision that had a lasting impact on NA’s service structure and communication. He also reflects on his experience at the Fifth World Literature Conference in Warren and what the fellowship felt like during one of its most challenging and formative periods.
Mason and Francis explore Keith’s memories of Jim M., discussions around Greg P., and the realities of navigating unity, growth, and difficult transitions within the fellowship at that time. Alongside the history, Keith opens up about his personal recovery journey and what it was like to stay clean and committed to service while NA itself was still evolving.
This episode is a rare blend of fellowship history, personal experience, and deep service perspective — an honest, insightful conversation that captures the spirit, struggles, and resilience of NA during a defining chapter in its development.

Living Clean Podcast – Francis’s Archives
Episode Title: Texarkana Roots: Carrying the Message Forward
As Mason and Francis prepare to attend the Texarkana Area Convention (March 20–22), we felt it was only fitting to pause and honor the local history that made this convention — and this fellowship — possible.
With the help of our friends Steven and David, Francis sits down with long-time members Russell, Carlotta, and Billy Mac to capture the story of Narcotics Anonymous in Texarkana. Together, they recount the early days of the fellowship in the area, the growth of the Texarkana Area Convention, and the powerful legacy of Terry S., the addict who helped bring NA to Texarkana.
This episode is more than a history lesson — it’s a reminder of how one addict, carrying the message, can change an entire community. Through laughter, gratitude, and honest reflection, our guests share how NA took root, survived, and continues to thrive in Texarkana today.
This is Francis’s Archives — preserving the voices, stories, and spiritual DNA of Narcotics Anonymous, one conversation at a time.