Turns Out: A Sobriety Podcast

You held them first.Before any of this.You remember who they were.You still see it.You tried to help.Tried to fix it.Tried to hold it together.You stayed.Even when it hurt.You didn't cause this.But you've been carrying it.And somehow...you're still here.Signed,Still Holding On

Some people get you to the room. Some make you stay. Some show you what honesty looks like. Some remind you that recovery only works when you stop trying to do it alone.In this episode, the guys talk about the people who changed the course of their lives. The ones who listened, challenged, called, welcomed, and showed up. They unpack what community actually does in recovery, why the right people matter so much, and how isolation loses its grip when you let others in.00:00 – The guys joke about the Minnesota goodbye, Irish exits, and why leaving someone’s house can somehow take 45 minutes02:54 – Brian opens the episode and frames the conversation around the relationships that surround us in recovery03:46 – Introductions. The guys talk sobriety milestones and settle into a conversation about why the people around us matter so much05:43 – Jake reflects on the people who changed the course of his life, including an employee who quietly showed up for him when he was struggling06:42 – John shares how outpatient treatment first showed him he could not do this alone, even when the people around him did not look like him08:59 – Brian remembers feeling out of place at Quest, standing in the corner, and the guy who first helped pull him in10:58 – Jake talks about the men who first got him to a meeting and the sponsor who helped carry him forward11:57 – God Guy explains why he shows up for others now and how gratitude has turned into responsibility13:46 – The guys talk about old friends, current circles, and how relationships change once sobriety becomes real16:30 – Jake explains why he is drawn to struggling people, how helping others fulfills him, and why recovery has become part of how he lives19:49 – The group talks about what it takes to let someone in and what kind of sincerity earns access to the deeper parts of them22:15 – John shares why being honest about recovery can still feel risky, especially in dating and new relationships25:08 – The guys reflect on who they allow close now, how their circles have narrowed, and what kind of people they want around them27:17 – Jake runs through the people who shaped him and explains how each one gave him something he still carries31:07 – God Guy talks about his brother-in-law and how one steady relationship changed as sobriety deepened32:51 – Brian asks whether different people played different roles in recovery and how each kind of support mattered35:06 – The group reflects on how walls came down, facades fell off, and real friendship became possible39:57 – They wrestle with why some people still struggle to accept help, even when the tools are right in front of them43:55 – God Guy shares how a therapist once told him he did not have a problem, and how dangerous that kind of false reassurance can be46:44 – Brian asks whether the right people fix you, and the guys unpack the difference between being saved by community and choosing recovery for yourself50:25 – The conversation lands on the power of anti-isolation, the courage it takes to let people in, and why the people around you really are superpowers54:35 – Final encouragement for anyone listening who feels stuck, alone, or afraid to ask for helpNeed help? Find your local AA or Celebrate Recovery group. Or email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠.

What starts light quickly turns into something deeper. The guys talk about what it actually looks like to use the tools of recovery when life doesn’t go your way.From job loss to anxiety to everyday frustration, this episode lives in the tension between knowing what to do and actually doing it. There’s a big difference between hearing it, believing it, and living it.This one is about the in-between. The uncomfortable space where nothing is resolved yet. Where surrender feels impossible. Where you either reach for the old way… or finally try something different.00:00 - Brian shows up to his 3-year medallion... wearing an inappropriate shirt02:15 - The show opens and the crew is back together after time apart03:40 - Reflecting on Grand Marais and the moment that cracked everything open04:38 - God Guy revisits the raw emotion of sharing his story06:36 - Alone in the cabin, a fleeting but terrifying thought08:35 - The importance of saying it out loud and not holding it in10:34 - Turning painful moments into tools for the future11:32 - The episode theme: this only works if you actually use it12:51 - Jon on self-awareness and seeing the wake you leave behind15:35 - Becoming who you were actually created to be16:04 - Jake's anxiety and the reminder that fear still shows up18:48 - Fear of falling vs fear of death and what that reveals21:11 - Sitting with someone in early recovery and just listening23:31 - Where we still try to control instead of surrender27:50 - Letting go of control in work, money, and daily life29:48 - Brian shares losing his job and the real struggle to use the tools31:13 - Panic, grief, and the uncertainty of the in-between33:24 - Knowing it will work out... but not feeling it yet34:51 - Before vs after: how we would have handled it drinking36:18 - Trying to surrender and realizing it's not that simple36:48 - Jon stuck in the airport and not needing a drink to cope39:38 - Adapting when life doesn't go your way40:38 - Hardship as the pathway to peace41:33 - The gap between knowing and actually doing43:41 - Trust, control, and what surrender actually means46:20 - Driving the car vs giving up control entirely49:48 - Final reflection: this isn't simple, but it works if you use itNeed help? Find your local AA or Celebrate Recovery group. Or email us at [email protected]

You didn't know my name yet.But I knew you were trying.I saw every small step.I stayed when it got hard.I didn't ask for perfection.I asked you to keep coming back.Signed,Recovery

You didn’t know my name yet.But I knew yours.I watched. I waited. I found the cracks.I didn’t come crashing in.I came quietly.Signed,Your Addiction

Most of us were pretty good at saying sorry.We said it after a long night. After we showed up late. After we promised it wouldn’t happen again… and then it did.Sorry became part of the routine.But somewhere in recovery you start to realize something uncomfortable. Sorry doesn’t fix much if nothing actually changes.In this episode the guys wrestle with the difference between apologizing and making amends. The quick “I’m sorry” that ends a conversation. And the much harder work of actually living differently.They talk about unfinished amends, awkward conversations, drunken neighbor confessions, and the slow process of repairing trust with the people closest to them.And along the way they ask a question most of us try to avoid.If you’ve made amends to everyone else… have you forgiven yourself yet?00:00 - Humans share DNA with bananas, snails apparently sleep for three years, and the guys begin debating whether one of them might secretly be part snail.02:01 - The guys introduce themselves and reveal their versions of the perfect date night.05:29 - The topic begins: apologizing versus making amends.06:28 - The group breaks down the difference between saying sorry and actually changing.10:32 - Early sobriety memories surface and the guys reflect on how apologies worked (or didn't) in their old lives.12:29 - The concept of living amends begins to take shape.15:54 - Why apologies can sometimes be used to shut down a conversation rather than repair the damage.18:51 - A story about a long-overdue amends that released a burden carried for years.20:41 - Why the amends list often grows as recovery deepens.23:21 - What it really means to acknowledge the emotional impact of your actions.24:46 - Apologizing to your kids and why that can be one of the hardest amends to make.29:06 - The guys admit that many of their amends are still unfinished.29:33 - A drunken rib delivery to the neighbors turns into one of the most awkward confessions imaginable.31:55 - Living amends inside marriage and why some relationships require lifelong change.35:26 - Family dynamics and the lasting effects addiction can have.37:23 - Sponsors, discernment, and when someone is actually ready to make amends.41:02 - Why timing matters and why some amends take years.45:53 - How facing people with the new version of yourself can bring healing.48:20 - The difference between apologizing and amending.49:16 - The hardest question of the episode: have you forgiven yourself?52:46 - Final reflections and encouragement for anyone struggling with addiction.Need help? Find your local AA or Celebrate Recovery group. Or email us at [email protected]

Shame and accountability get confused all the time. Let's unpack the difference, why shame keeps people stuck, and how accountability can actually lead to freedom. The guys talk relapse loops, parenting, self-worth at work, and what it looks like to bring the dark into the light instead of letting it rot.00:00 - The baritone story. Not choosing your instrument. Sometimes it chooses you.02:06 - The core question. Did you confuse shame with accountability?04:02 - What shame actually is. The painful belief that you are bad.05:29 - Shame in the relapse loop. Isolation, spiraling, hiding.06:58 - Shame grows in the dark. Vulnerability and accountability bring light.08:26 - Where shame shows up now. Work, comparison, insecurity, worth.11:22 - Clean distinction. Shame attacks worth. Accountability addresses behavior.13:00 - Why owning it is hard. The instinct to justify instead of say "I'm sorry."14:48 - Moving quickly through slips. Repair before isolation sets in.16:39 - Shame vs guilt. "I did something bad" vs "I am bad."18:08 - "Shame sucks." Why it's one of the most destructive forces in recovery.19:07 - Saying messy things out loud and being met with "been there."23:44 - Ego, surrender, and believing you're not the center of everything.29:35 - Commitment as daily practice. Not a one-time decision.32:42 - Accountability slowly replaces shame. Owning the past without crawling back into it.38:43 - Comparison as a shame trigger. The "never enough" trap.41:10 - Parenting without shame. Worth tied to who you are, not what you do.45:13 - "Already but not yet." Saved, but still growing.46:53 - Feeling disqualified. Why hope is active. Keep showing up.51:59 - Closing reflection. Connection pulls us toward accountability and away from shame.Need help? Find your local AA or Celebrate Recovery group. Or email us at [email protected]

At the time we recorded this, Charlie is 90 days sober. His story is about thinking he had control until one Monday proved otherwise.Charlie walks us through the quiet unraveling. The routines that kept him skating by. The embarrassment at work that finally broke through the noise. And the moment he found himself sitting in a room he never planned to be in, saying something out loud for the first time.We talk about early sobriety. The shock of honesty. The weight people carry without realizing it. And what happens when the consequences finally matter more than the buzz.This is a conversation about surrender, willingness, and what changes when you stop trying to manage it quietly.00:00 - Sweatpants, public rules, and warming up the room02:41 - Brian's sobriety intro03:09 - Meeting Charlie. 90 days sober03:39 - What life looked like 120 days ago06:54 - Thinking it was under control07:24 - "No addiction October" and the thought to quit drinking08:22 - The Vikings game and slipping after 20 days09:18 - The Monday that broke him11:14 - Embarrassment vs consequences12:41 - Getting "tricked" into Quest14:06 - Realizing where he was15:32 - Choosing to stay and listen18:21 - Thinking he could do it on his own19:50 - Step four and the room breaking open21:15 - Saying "I'm an alcoholic" out loud22:50 - Finding similarities instead of differences24:45 - Realizing he wasn't alone27:20 - Writing inventory. Crying alone. Facing himself31:00 - The illusion of being the "fun guy"32:00 - Surrender and faith shifting33:51 - Early sobriety and the craving question36:46 - Noise, temptation, and choosing tomorrow38:40 - The wedding. Saying no. Over and over40:06 - Having someone to call42:59 - Remembering the day it stopped being worth it45:54 - What's annoying about sobriety46:53 - Why Quest feels different50:36 - Nightmares, cravings, and adding Saturday meetings53:19 - Sitting on the bench vs doing the work55:35 - Losses turning into lessons57:32 - Living in the early sobriety "high"58:30 - Is Charlie's story unusual?01:00:29 - Courage, discomfort, and choosing bravery01:03:57 - Elevator pitch: the last 90 days01:06:20 - Closing reflection and invitationNeed help? Find your local AA or Celebrate Recovery group. Or email us at [email protected]

Willpower works. Just kidding, no it doesn't.Most of us come into recovery believing that if we just try harder, get more disciplined, or finally do things the “right” way, we’ll fix what’s broken. Sometimes that works. For a while.In this episode, we talk about what happens when self-reliance hits its limit. We unpack addiction, surrender, community, and why real transformation doesn’t come from better habits or stronger resolve.This is a gospel episode. About dependence, not discipline. About why willpower will always run out—and why that might be the beginning, not the end.00:00 - Why you can't whip a horse forever. And why that matters more than you think01:27 - The core myth. If I just try harder, I'll fix myself02:56 - The limit of self-reliance and what people call rock bottom03:24 - Steve's story. 17 years of recovery and the addiction no one talks about05:19 - Addiction, dopamine, and why rational thinking eventually fails10:53 - The night everything broke. Trauma, loss, and the turn toward comfort13:45 - Hiding in plain sight. Conviction, exhaustion, and asking for help16:38 - Isolation vs community. Why addiction convinces you you're the only one18:06 - "I have a part to play, but it's not mine to do"21:26 - What trying looked like. Lies, rules, and collapsing willpower24:43 - Why the 12 steps make sense but still aren't enough26:13 - Sobriety isn't the goal. It's the result37:40 - Discipline vs dependence. Why discipline always breaks first44:27 - There is no secret. Something has to happen45:24 - Telling the Jesus story without church language56:11 - Turns out... willpower will run outNeed help? Find your local AA or Celebrate Recovery group. Or email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠.

Turns out sobriety isn’t what the internet makes it out to be.In this episode, we rapid-fire our way through some of the biggest sobriety myths. From “you become a motivational speaker overnight” to “you should be able to moderate by now,” we react honestly, laugh a lot, and call out what’s actually true from lived experience.Just four guys who’ve been sober long enough to know what holds up and what falls apart.It’s about freedom, growth, and doing the work you can’t avoid anymore.00:00 – Intro. Why sobriety myths exist. Episode framing00:57 – Myth: Cravings never go away02:43 – Myth: Sobriety means mocktails at every event04:15 – Myth: You have to replace alcohol with another addiction06:43 – Myth: Sobriety makes you boring08:10 – Myth: You lose friends in sobriety10:07 – Myth: You can totally moderate now13:55 – Myth: You have to hit rock bottom first16:20 – Myth: Sobriety is just not drinking18:18 – Myth: Alcohol helps with stress19:35 – Myth: Sobriety fixes everything21:10 – Myth: Once you’re sober, life gets easy21:56 – Myth: You can’t be successful without drinking23:16 – Myth: “I’m not that bad”24:18 – Myth: “I’m not as bad as him”25:16 – Final segment setup: “Turns out sobriety isn’t ___, it’s ___"Need help? Find your local AA or Celebrate Recovery group. Or email us at ⁠[email protected]

What happens to your people when drinking becomes the priority, and what it costs to rebuild when you finally stop. Brian talks about choosing his wife and kids even when it disappointed his family of origin. God Guy names the “sad eyes” he still remembers from the people he was hurting. Jake brings in grief, high functioning drinking, and trying to be a chain breaker for his daughters. It is a slow, honest look at boundaries, talking to your kids about alcohol, and why real recovery cannot happen in isolation.00:00 – The definition of Haboob03:03 – Trying to define “relationship” while quoting Avatar, jellyfish trees, and Len feeling connected to everything06:44 – God Guy remembers breaking trust, seeing “sad eyes,” and knowing he was doing damage in real time10:07 – Brian tells his family he is an alcoholic, chooses his home team, and starts rebuilding trust one awkward step at a time19:20 – Jake walks through grief, a house full of alcohol, and what it means to be the chain breaker in his family25:25 – How the guys talk to their kids about alcohol, and the tension between protecting them and telling the truth42:03 – Moving from quantity to quality in relationships, and why isolation is a signal that you have not fully surrenderedNeed help? Find your local AA or Celebrate Recovery group. Or email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠.

This is Don't story. He takes us through decades of “I can quit whenever I want,” isolation, stints in treatment, gaming the system in sober living, and the DUI that finally shattered his pride. Along the way he talks about support that he didn’t think he deserved, the brother he can’t fix, and the simple spiritual practice that turned recovery from a chore into actual peace.It’s honest, humbling, and quietly hopeful.00:00 – Popcorn with chopsticks and a bowl of wet baby pickles03:08 – Brian thanks listeners and shares why they’re bringing more guests into the circle05:11 – Don traces when alcohol stopped being “social” and started taking over his work and home life during COVID10:26 – The three-year stretches of not drinking, the secret stashes, and why he always slid back18:43 – Hazelden vs. Fairview and the first time someone clearly explained what alcohol was doing to his brain and body23:38 – Finding Quest, comparing it with AA, and why the “biker room” honesty felt more real than anything else27:41 – The DUI night: speeding home to drink, getting pulled over in a suit, and the shame that finally broke him33:52 – Rebuilding trust with his wife, kids, and grandkids while realizing how far his selfishness had spread52:20 – Don on the true root of sobriety, daily prayer, and why spiritual surrender finally quieted the anxietyNeed help? Find your local AA or Celebrate Recovery group. Or email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠.

Learn to level out. Take the peaks and valleys and turn them into something steadier. In this one we interrogate Jake. Then talk urges, boredom, living amends, the weight of grief, and what it takes to let the inside finally match the outside.00:00 – Dinosaur debates and Jurassic Park theology02:09 – “Have you craved alcohol in the last month? Walk me through the first 90 seconds.”03:11 – Sunday triggers, boredom, and how naps and batting cages became tools07:28 – “The deepest part of sobriety for me is being the same on the outside as I feel on the inside.”08:54 – Learning to share feelings instead of lashing out — and how unfair it still feels18:14 – “What do you do with the pain you caused?” Grief, repair, and new tools31:02 – From peaks and valleys to moguls: character defects shrink, gratitude growsNeed help? Find your local AA or Celebrate Recovery group. Or email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠.

Paul spent 23 years in addiction, reached the point of loading a gun on the beach, and chose life instead. Almost two years clean, he’s wrestled with isolation, brain fog, losing his job, nearly losing his home, and still finding the courage to start again. We talk through what it feels like to abstain versus recover, how faith and community keep him going, and what surrender really looks like when everything falls apart. If you’re stuck, scared, or slipping, Paul’s story shows you’re not alone—and it turns out, you can be okay.00:00 – Brian cracks open a LaCroix behind his wife 4 days after sobriety04:11 – Paul loads a gun on the beach and chooses life instead07:56 – “I had everything going for me… but none of that mattered.”15:17 – Paul admits he was doing the bare minimum: clean but not in recovery25:03 – “I didn’t get sober to feel this crappy.”34:58 – Job loss, legal fight over his house, and his dad’s health scare45:35 – Fresh haircut, a smile, and new actions after hitting bottom again56:59 – “Turns out… you can be okay.”Need help? Find your local AA or Celebrate Recovery group. Or email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠.

This one is special. Paul joins us for a long, honest look at a life shaped by surrender, relapse, grace, and growth. He sobered up at 18. Fell hard in mid-life. Came back through the doors with nothing left but willingness. And over the decades he has become someone we all look to for wisdom.We talk about blackouts, bottoms, the stubbornness that almost killed him, and the miracle that pulled him back. But we also talk about the calmer, quieter work. The sixth and seventh step. The ego. The anger. The peace he never thought he could find.If you’ve ever wondered what long-term sobriety actually looks like, this is it. A man who has rebuilt his life again and again. A man who still asks God for help every single morning. And a man who has helped more people than he’ll ever know.00:00 – How God Guy would dispatch a goose05:07 – The table fills with four decades of sobriety08:36 – Sobering up at 18: strict home, early bottom, and young fellowship11:33 – Leaving AA, discovering alcohol for real, and going off the deep end15:29 – Treatment, halfway house, and the five-month reset that saved his life17:22 – What is an alcoholic? Bottoms, loss, and why only you can decide18:59 – Why treatment alone doesn’t keep people sober20:51 – God, meetings, sponsorship, and what “doing the deal” really looks like23:43 – Meditation enters the picture and changes everything27:06 – Therapy, adoption, abandonment, and deeper emotional work31:29 – When “you’re not an alcoholic” becomes dangerous permission36:49 – Bars, cocaine, blackouts, and near arrests39:18 – Parenting through addiction and the long road back to his daughter42:37 – The 12th step that didn’t “work” and the power of this disease45:52 – The third DWI, flashing lights, and the moment of surrender47:49 – The millionaire friend, the paid-for treatment, and a flat-out miracle53:14 – Why Paul still chooses traditional AA and one main meeting56:08 – Shrinking his network and finding peace in a smaller life57:37 – Steps six and seven, ego, anger, and character defects01:03:02 – God as friend, habit, and daily anchor01:10:36 – The real secret to long-term sobriety: change and humility01:15:18 – The most surprising part of this season: peace01:16:31 – What Paul hopes his inner circle understands about him now01:24:43 – Turns out… I’m a really good personNeed help? Find your local AA or Celebrate Recovery group. Or email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠.

Guest Len has a phrase he says all the time. “I’m not that guy anymore.” He got sober later in life after 58 years of running from God, seven failed treatments, and a life built on self-determination. Today, he’s a steady presence in our recovery group, showing up week after week with humility and hope. In this episode we talk about what it takes to truly change, what’s lost and what’s gained, and how to keep moving forward when the old version of you still tries to show up.00:00 – Bumper-sticker rants and baby-on-board debates set up Len’s arrival05:59 – God Guy recalls being welcomed by Len’s wife, the “mother figure” he needed to stay10:45 – Len reflects on Jake’s early skepticism, drinking on the way to meetings, and the eventual turn toward willingness21:02 – Len shares how Brian’s faith foundation gave him both hope and concern in early recovery31:15 – Len’s “screaming surrender” moment in treatment that changed everything39:53 – The roots of arrogance, baseball, and why old patterns took so long to break54:29 – How Len catches himself when the “old Len” shows up and why pausing makes all the differenceNeed help? Find your local AA or Celebrate Recovery group. Or email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠.

It’s easy to focus on the wreckage. But recovery brings quiet, powerful wins. This one wasn’t planned. We wrapped one episode and Jake threw out, “what about recovery highlights?” So we hit record again. What came out was a string of stories we don’t want to forget... making amends with kids, seeing life more clearly, learning to listen, finding calm, and living with gratitude.A reminder that sobriety isn’t about what we’ve lost... it’s about what we’ve gained.00:00 – Traffic jams, lotion hands, and a midnight beef jerky breakdown06:29 – God Guy shares the quiet pride of raising kids who’ve never seen him drink07:57 – Making long-delayed amends to a daughter and the healing that followed16:44 – Seeing family with fresh eyes after years of shame and distance18:14 – Learning how to talk instead of shut down21:09 – Turning awkward honesty into connection, even when it makes people uncomfortable22:01 – The guys reflect on how far they’ve come—and how much further there is to goNeed help? Find your local AA or Celebrate Recovery group. Or email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠.

Jake hits his first real bump in the road since getting sober, and it shakes him more than he expected. We talk about how recovery isn’t a straight path, what it feels like when a setback threatens your momentum, and why there’s no finish line to cross. The journey keeps going, and the only way through... is through.00:00 – A fly torments Brian for 200 miles and survives every murder attempt03:01 – Jake’s first big rattle in a year08:14 – Finding peace through a 7-day devotion13:40 – A simple nighttime image that calms the mind16:36 – The ATV loop and why recovery never ends21:54 – Making recovery a habit and liking the new you32:59 – Reframing embarrassment in sobrietyNeed help? Find your local AA or Celebrate Recovery group. Or email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠.

Fun used to be easy. We’d drink and the night took care of itself. Sober, it’s different. We’ve had to relearn what joy looks like without a buzz, stumble through awkward starts, and figure out who our people are now. And then there are the moments we laughed so hard it felt like the old days... only better.00:00 – Fireworks: how have any of us made it this far?05:13 – Brian’s first time finding joy sober09:42 – The awkward starts and dead ends14:10 – Why planning fun matters now19:27 – Learning to laugh like the old days25:16 – Making room for joy in recoveryNeed help? Find your local AA or Celebrate Recovery group. Or email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠.

When is a drink just a drink and when is it something more? In this episode, Pete joins the crew to unpack his story: a late-onset spiral into alcoholism that began only after decades of “normal” drinking. But beneath the surface was always something deeper: childhood trauma, shame, and a relentless chase for belonging. Together, the group opens up about rock bottoms, secrets, habits, and the surprising moment each of them realized… alcohol wasn’t the real problem. This one hits deep.00:00 – Pete teaches us about the tongue. Organ or body part?02:27 – Pete shares how he “became an alcoholic in his 50s” after decades of normal drinking05:53 – The moment the CEO title lost its potency and the shame surfaced10:13 – How self-deception masked the pain for decades13:08 – Pete realizes for the first time: “I didn’t even know I was in pain”27:14 – Jake relives the trauma of losing his brother to alcoholism34:18 – Brian confesses the secret drinking patterns he thought were harmless44:38 – Jake describes the “in-between” year before real recovery beganNeed help? Find your local AA or Celebrate Recovery group. Or email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠.

A raw post-launch debrief. The guys reflect on what it feels like to finally hit publish, how vulnerability lands with family and friends, and the fear of slipping once your story is out in the world. What follows is honest, funny, and deeply human—a reminder that recovery isn’t about perfection. It’s about courage, connection, and doing the work anyway.00:00 – We finally hit publish. People have opinions, and our stories are out.01:05 – Gratitude for the work behind the scenes and what it took to get here.04:26 – Old friends, unexpected messages, and the fear of relapse after going public.07:50 – Permission to air it out—why we shared the mess anyway.10:52 – The courage of men and the evolution toward vulnerability and faith.14:04 – Wives, parents, and kids: how honesty ripples through family.18:48 – What we’d tell anyone listening.Need help? Find your local AA or Celebrate Recovery group. Or email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠.

Quitting drinking doesn’t magically make you patient, disciplined, or kind. We talk about the flaws that stuck around after the alcohol was gone, the ones we didn’t see coming, and what it takes to actually change them. Sobriety gave us the chance to do the work—turns out, the work is a lot bigger than just not drinking.00:00 – God Guy tells an overshare-worthy pee story01:25 – When sobriety feels like a switch—but the habits remain05:35 – Brain fog lifts, but control issues creep in09:03 – What’s the difference between abstinence, sobriety, and recovery17:20 – Relapse fears and redefining failure26:12 – Slipping into old roles without drinking44:52 – Spiritual condition check-in: “I’ve gotten sloppy”Need help? Find your local AA or Celebrate Recovery group. Or email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠.

An empty bottle in a three-year-old’s hand and the look on his wife’s face that said everything. What follows is the unraveling—intervention, confession, leaving home—and the long walk through chronic pain, a father’s surgery, and a son’s Type 1 diabetes diagnosis. At a borrowed kitchen table in winter, Brian finally surrenders: pages of truth, a whisper of forgiveness, and a new way to live.Turns out… grace is what holds.00:00 – A February day, a hockey game, and a empty half pint that changed everything00:58 – Three days later at Quest 18005:18 – Pain and fear stack up—then point the way forward10:13 – Mercy in the living room changes the trajectory13:36 – Finally surrendered (and kept surrendering)16:18 – The guys unpack Brian’s story and the patterns underneathNeed help? Find your local AA or Celebrate Recovery group. Or email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠.

Brian N. (aka God Guy ) opens up about growing up in faith, losing control to alcohol, and finding grace through surrender. His story isn’t about hitting a dramatic rock bottom, but about finally letting go of quiet control and realizing that strength isn’t toughness — it’s vulnerability. When he shares his story for the first time, emotion floods the room, and what unfolds is one of the rawest, most sacred moments of the podcast so far.Turns out… humility is stronger than control.00:00 – I'm Brian, alcoholic, God guy.04:54 – A Vikings game, motion sickness, and the beginning of surrender08:29 – Three years of prayer and the quiet rebuilding that followed11:14 – The real bottom: when silence spoke louder than words22:00 – The moment grace arrived disguised as consequenceNeed help? Find your local AA or Celebrate Recovery group. Or email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠.

Jake traces the quiet build of an ordinary life. Then, the shocks that cracked it open. A best friend’s cancer, a brother’s spiral, a father’s death. He drank to outrun grief until there was nowhere left to go but a meeting and a prayer to a God he didn’t know. What follows is a simple, stunning arc: community, daily action, and a faith that reframed death itself.Turns out… every moment led here on purpose.00:00 – Jake opens with a quiet monologue about fate, faith, and the design behind every moment01:59 – Loss and collapse: a friend’s death, a brother’s decline, and the spiral that followed04:00 – The first prayer: crying out to a God he didn’t know, Jake steps into his first AA meeting05:22 – A higher plan: from despair to discovery, purpose is found in pain06:36 – Conversation begins: the guys unpack faith, fear, and the moment he finally let goNeed help? Find your local AA or Celebrate Recovery group. Or email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠.

Protecting sobriety can look like turning your back on people you love. We’ve said no to friends, jobs, and even family to keep this thing. We wrestle with the guilt, the pride that had to die, and the moments that proved putting recovery first was the most loving and selfless choice we could make.00:00 – Jake debates whether half a cup of coffee counts as “making progress”01:13 – Why “selfish” can be the healthiest thing you do03:55 – Letting relationships go to protect sobriety08:24 – The slow death of pride in recovery12:02 – How boundaries make space for healing20:49 – Sobriety’s ripple effect on the people around you27:37 – Choosing recovery over comfort, every timeNeed help? Find your local AA or Celebrate Recovery group. Or email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠.

In a meeting, a newcomer shows up and rewinds everyone back to Step 1, sparking raw conversations about humility, belonging, and why it’s harder to return after you’ve drifted away. Sometimes the hardest part is walking back through the door a second time. One Tuesday night can change an entire week.00:00 – Kindergarten lessons still hold up in recovery—especially nap time and sharing02:01 – A powerful meeting sparks the idea to record raw, in-the-moment stories04:31 – The impact of hearing long-term sobriety from those ahead of you07:21 – Why newcomers shift the focus back to Step 110:15 – Bringing faith into AA spaces without holding back16:04 – Why we keep going to meetings when others drift away25:01 – The deeper the bottom, the more likely the commitment29:15 – Why the second meeting can be harder than the firstNeed help? Find your local AA or Celebrate Recovery group. Or email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠.

We don’t drink anymore but that doesn’t mean we’re done being alcoholics. You don’t cross a finish line and get a diploma in sobriety. This road keeps going, and the work never stops. We share the moments that blindsided us, the guardrails we had to build, and the hard truth that staying sober isn’t the endgame. Becoming someone worth being... that’s the work.00:00 – Four ducks and a goose teach a lesson on teamwork and sobriety01:34 – The first time each of us said “I’m an alcoholic”05:23 – The surprises that come with actually working the steps07:17 – How pain can be purposeful in recovery09:41 – Why sobriety eventually becomes less of the focus14:03 – A close call that put new guardrails in place31:38 – Choosing selfishness to protect your recoveryNeed help? Find your local AA or Celebrate Recovery group. Or email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠.

Turns Out: A Sobriety Podcast isn’t a lecture, a book report on the Big Book, or some influencer’s rebrand of recovery. It’s a few people in a room talking honestly about what it takes to stay sober. We laugh, we break, we tell the truth about selfishness, fear, faith, and the fight to keep going. Whether you’re a week sober, ten years sober, or just circling the drain, you’ll find real stories and real hope here. Because it turns out the road keeps going, and the only way to walk it... is together.