The Cup of Joe Show

Recovery isn’t for people who want it, or even need it, but for people who DO it.

After growing up in the chaos of Chicago—surrounded by addiction, abuse, and heartbreak—Steven C. learned to “cradle the quiet moments.” His father’s suicide when he was just ten years old left a wound that alcohol seemed to fill… at least for a while. By the time he joined the Navy at 17, self-destruction had become second nature.

For years, Steven ...

You don’t know how sick you are until you start getting better.

Robin G., sober since June 17th, 2004, shares her powerful testament to survival, healing, and grace.

Robin grew up surrounded by instability, mental illness, and alcoholism. She spent her early years hiding secrets, full of fear, and living in fantasy. The moment she first drank, she felt like she could finally breathe. What followed was a long descent into addiction...

I took a drink, the drink took a drink, then the drink took the man.

When Scott T. looks in the mirror, he sees a man transformed, but the reflection wasn’t always so clear. Growing up south of Boston in the 1960s, he was raised in the chaos of alcoholism and violence. By thirteen, he was already in handcuffs, defiant and angry at the world. The pain of his childhood turned into a spring of rage and fear that alcohol temporarily e...

God wasn’t my last resort. He became my first option.

In this raw and redemptive episode of The Cup of Joe Show, Joey E. shares the remarkable story of how he went from chaos and addiction to peace and purpose. Growing up in Forrest City, Arkansas, with parents in active addiction, Joey and his identical twin brother learned early how to survive in instability. With no structure and a deep sense of inferiority, Joey sought escape t...

He used to see God as a bush-league pinch hitter… now he sees Him as a force to be served.

Klaus V. has lived many lives — from UCLA scholar to the “King of Geographics,” chasing peace across the country only to find it within himself. Growing up between the Gulf Coast of Texas and Middle Tennessee, Klaus’s early life was filled with chaos, rejection, and isolation. When his mother left him at a children’s home at 15, his first dri...

He tried to drink himself to death. Instead, he found a reason to live.

For years, Troy D. lived by one rule: go all in or go home. Whether it was money, success, or alcohol, moderation didn’t exist. He made his first million by 27—and lost it the same year. His life swung between abundance and rock bottom, driven by a need for control and approval that started long before the first drink.

Growing up in a small Illinois town, Troy ...

You don’t have to go up to see God. God is always here.

“You tell me to eat lima beans; I’m going to eat lima beans.” That line from Jerry Maguire became Oliver C.’s mantra for recovery and a simple truth about willingness, surrender, and faith.

Born to Taiwanese immigrants and raised in South Jersey, Oliver grew up speaking Mandarin at home and struggling to fit in. His father drank heavily and owned restaurants, and alcohol was ...

Gratitude doesn’t just change your attitude; it can change your entire life.

Today’s Thanksgiving episode is a special one. We’re slowing down, taking a breath, and leaning into a theme that runs right through the heart of recovery: gratitude. Not the once-a-year, surface-level kind, but the gritty, honest, hard-won gratitude that shows up in the chaos, the rebuilding, the small victories, and the quiet moments when we realize just...

In a moment of clarity he heard a voice say, ‘You are not meant to be this unhappy,’ and everything changed.

In this heartfelt and deeply human episode of The Cup of Joe Show, Ian H. shares his powerful journey from fear and self-sabotage to faith and service. Growing up in Chicago, Ian says he “came into the world cockeyed” — anxious, full of self-doubt, and terrified of being blamed for things he didn’t do. When he discovered alc...

We can’t think our way into different living; we have to live our way into different thinking.

In this powerful and deeply honest episode of The Cup of Joe Show, Dennis P. shares a journey that began in the shadows of shame and ended in the light of freedom. Growing up in Chicago under the rule of a strict father, Dennis learned early to mask his pain behind humor, sports, and achievement. But even with trophies on the shelf, he sa...

He lost his marriage, his health, his home — but what he found in recovery was life itself.

In this episode of The Cup of Joe Show, we sit down with Chris B., who found freedom in recovery on July 25, 2023, and whose story reminds us that it’s never too late to start over.

Chris grew up in Georgia as the youngest of four, chasing success while quietly battling a growing dependence on alcohol. A University of Georgia grad and intern...

HALLOWEEN SPECIAL EPISODE

She thought she was just writing a paper for class—what she found was a new way to live.

What does it take to move from despair to 35 years of freedom? In this unforgettable episode of The Cup of Joe Show, Linda K. shares her powerful journey of transformation, resilience, and faith.

Growing up in Columbus, Ohio, in the 50s and 60s, Linda lived a double life—straight-A student on the outside, binge drinker...

He thought he could control his drinking… until it controlled everything he loved.

What happens when the illusion of control shatters? In this gripping episode of The Cup of Joe Show, Pete M. shares his raw journey from teenage drinking to a life nearly destroyed by alcohol, pride, and resentment. From the Army to a pharmaceutical career on the road, Pete’s drinking spiraled into broken relationships, lost jobs, and devastating lon...

He told his son, 'You’re an addict.' His son fired back, 'You’re an alcoholic.' That moment changed everything.

In this raw and moving episode of The Cup of Joe Show, Richard L. opens up about a life shaped by alcohol, depression, and profound loss. Sober since January 5, 2014, Richard shares how his drinking escalated from college fraternity parties to a career built around never being far from a bottle. Multiple marriages collaps...

Her days don’t feel like light years anymore—that’s the gift of recovery.

On this episode of The Cup of Joe Show we hear recovery from a family perspective few people know firsthand. Mia C., sober since May 31, 2024, was raised by her loving grandfather while both parents battled addiction. She learned to hide in plain sight—living a “quadruple life” that changed depending on who was watching. Alcohol felt like ease and comfort unt...

She wrote a letter to the man who murdered her mother—and forgave him.

On this episode of The Cup of Joe Show, Shanna C. shares a story that is both heartbreaking and redemptive. Growing up in a family marked by divorce and instability, she struggled with self-image, loneliness, and what she now calls a deep spiritual malady long before her first drink. Alcohol became her escape, and soon her life revolved around drinking, men, and...

His life is proof: you’re never too far gone to be brought back

Buck D. has been sober since January 15, 2009, but his journey began in chaos. Growing up in Arkansas, his father—a brilliant but violent WWII bomber pilot—brought trauma and alcoholism into the home. After his parents’ divorce, 8-year-old Buck and his brother ended up homeless in Kansas before being returned to their mother and grandparents.

As a teen, Buck spiraled i...

He loved getting high more than he loved his family—until he gave his life to Christ and everything changed.

On this episode of The Cup of Joe Show, John C. takes us inside a life that spiraled from childhood chaos in Chicago to years spent in jails, prisons, and meth labs. By the time he was facing 20 years in prison, John had lost nearly everything—his health, his family, and his will to live.

But in a faith-based rehab program, ...

No matter how deep the pain, recovery can transform it into purpose.

On this moving episode of The Cup of Joe Show, Megan G. shares a story of heartbreak, resilience, and spiritual awakening. An only child whose father left and later died by suicide, Megan spent her life trying to fill what she calls “the gaping hole in my soul.” Horses gave her purpose for a time, but alcohol quickly became her escape.

Drinking escalated into blac...