The Living Clean Podcast

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.

In this episode of The Living Clean Podcast, Mason and Francis sit down with returning panel members Archer, Pete, and Douglas, along with two special guests, Jay and Mindy, for a powerful and honest conversation about Step 3: “We made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.”
This discussion goes far beyond the words on the page. The group explores what it really means to make a decision in recovery. They talk about control, ego, fear, and the deep-rooted habit of trying to run the show. Jay and Mindy bring vulnerability and fresh perspective as they share how Step 3 shifted their understanding of trust and changed the way they respond to life’s chaos. The panel wrestles with the tension between surrender and responsibility, discussing how turning it over is not passive resignation but an active daily choice to let go of self-will.
Together, the conversation moves from theory to lived experience. What does it look like when we actually stop fighting everything? How do we trust something greater than ourselves without fully understanding it? And how does this step move us from belief into action? As always, the heart of recovery beats when addicts share honestly with one another, and this episode captures that spirit in a real and practical way.

In this episode of Living Clean, Francis is joined once again by David, Amanda, and Travis—and this time we’re welcoming new voices to the table: EJ, Jenna, and Brittany.
Together, we take an in-depth look at the Be The Change exercises, moving beyond the page and into real life. We talk about what it looks like to practice these principles in our personal recovery, our relationships, and in Narcotics Anonymous service. This conversation explores how simple exercises can become living actions—how we carry the message, welcome the newcomer, and apply spiritual principles not just in meetings, but wherever we go.
Recovery doesn’t stop at understanding—it comes alive when we practice. This episode is about doing the work, living the program, and truly being the change.

Living Clean Book Study — Page 101: Illness (Living Clean: The Journey Continues)
On this episode of the Living Clean Podcast, Mason and Francis are joined by Jay, Jess, JW, Gregory, Dave, and Barb as we study page 101 from Living Clean: The Journey Continues and break down the section on Illness, one paragraph at a time.
This reading speaks to a reality many people in recovery face but don’t always talk about openly: life doesn’t stop happening just because we’re clean. Physical health issues, mental health struggles, and the long-term consequences of our past can show up in recovery and sometimes feel overwhelming. Together, the panel discusses how recovery tools help us cope with illness without falling into blame, resentment, or avoidance.
We explore the human tendency to search for explanations when we suffer, and how that can easily turn into judgment toward ourselves, others, or even a Higher Power. Instead of getting stuck in “why,” the conversation shifts toward perspective, acceptance, and learning how to just get through the day when life feels heavy.
This episode also takes an honest look at denial versus refusal, fear of treatment, stigma around illness, and the difference between truly turning something over and simply ignoring reality. The discussion connects illness to responsibility, self-care, ongoing step work, and making living amends to our bodies and our lives in recovery.
A grounded, practical Living Clean study focused on page 101 and the principle of living life on life’s terms — using recovery tools to face illness with honesty, action, and acceptance rather than fear or avoidance.

In this episode, Mason and Francis sit down with comedian Mark L., a performer known for bringing humor into recovery spaces and treatment settings across the world.
While respecting the spiritual principle of anonymity, this conversation focuses on experience, strength, and hope — not identity. Mark shares about his past, the role humor played in his recovery, and how laughter can help us talk about the things we once hid, denied, or ran from.
This is an honest discussion about addiction, recovery, perspective, and the power of being able to laugh without minimizing the seriousness of the journey.
If we can laugh about it, we can talk about it. And when we can talk about it, we don’t have to go through it alone.