Mess it Up Show 421 - Shebang

Mess it Up Show 421 - Shebang

What makes a recovery story truly inspiring? Mess It Up Show 421, titled “Shebang”, brings long-time listener Devin from Arizona into the spotlight to share how his “big mess” has become a message of hope. Hosted by the ever-chatty Bowtie Guy, Paul, the show keeps its usual relaxed, slightly chaotic style – dodgy phone signal, janky audio and all – which fits their motto of taking messes and turning them into messages.

This episode speaks especially to people dealing with addiction, childhood trauma, faith questions, or anyone supporting loved ones through recovery. Devin talks about surviving severe abuse as a baby, growing up without his biological mum, and being adopted by the woman who had been his mum’s drug counsellor. She introduced him to church and faith, but as he openly admits, saying a prayer at 13 didn’t mean he knew how to live it out.

His drinking spiralled in the military after a painful divorce, with leaders finding him passed out when he should have been at formation. After leaving the army, heavy substance use continued in the sales world. Rock bottom came at 4 a.m., in tears, phoning his mum and agreeing to rehab: “Whatever it takes.” Two years in a Christian recovery programme, The Refuge, helped him get clean, re-focus on what he believes God wanted for his life, and build new habits.

Devin shares practical tools too, like spotting the “switch” that triggers relapse and choosing to “run the opposite direction” – often by lying on the floor in a dark room with worship music on until the cravings pass.

Now married with a young son, Devin talks about breaking generational addiction by staying sober himself: “Kids don’t do what you say, they do what you do.” If you’re craving honesty, faith, and a bit of humour in the middle of the chaos, this might be the whole shebang you need today.