Acquire The Fire Ep. 5 The Story

Acquire The Fire Ep. 5 The Story

How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety? This episode of Acquire The Fire centres on that question through the story of Brad Alexander, lead residential counsellor for Vita Nova at True North Recovery in Wasilla. You’ll hear Brad trace his long route from the auto industry and retail into substance use counselling, describing a nagging sense that "there's just something missing" until he realised frontline recovery work was the ministry he’d been searching for.

His focus on an "overall improved quality of life with recovery and sobriety" rather than just stopping substances shapes everything he does. One of the most moving parts of the conversation is Brad’s ritual of washing clients’ feet.

He explains that in ancient times it was "the job of the lowest servant" to clean travellers’ damaged feet, "to prepare them for the rest of their journey." For Brad, that’s what recovery support looks like: "You don’t judge them… you’re there for healing and cleaning and to help someone move along." The host, Ramon Rodriguez, shares how Brad’s care impacted his own recovery, including that foot-washing moment and the personalised story Brad wrote for his graduation.

Those graduation tales later became children’s books featuring "cranky critters" — animal characters whose journeys mirror real people in treatment. A powerful testimony from a parent who recognised her son in one of those stories shows how these books are touching families far beyond the treatment centre. The episode also touches on obedience to a spiritual call, full-circle amends with a former peer, and a deep appreciation for the Mat-Su Valley’s tight-knit recovery scene.

It’s an honest look at how simple acts of service, creativity, and saying "yes" to the work can change lives. If you’re curious about working in recovery or just need a reminder that compassion still shows up in tough places, this one might be worth your time.