The heaviest burden I have ever carried was living as a hopeless drunk. Every day the burden got heavier, no matter what I tried to do about it.
It wasn’t until I was shown a way to turn that burden over to God have I been freed.
God has been doing for me what I could not do for myself.
The misery still awaits me if I ever forget that.
God, please help me to be ok today. Thank You. Amen.
I used to think that I was “terminally unique” – that no one understood how I felt and thus I kept my pain to myself and would have to figure things out for myself.
I am not so unique. When I met people with a similar affliction who had found a common solution, I realized that I am not alone.
They had been praying for me before they ever met me.
Now I am part of that continuum, praying for the sick and suffering alcoholic in hopes that somehow we can help end their suffering.
Each of us is in God’s Hands.
God, please help me to be ok today. Thank You. Amen.
If I had been a normal drinker, I imagine that my life would be so different.
I would not have tortured myself every day with guilt, shame, and remorse.
I would not have lived with constant, unfounded fear.
I would not have tried to escape from the reality of my life by drinking.
I would not have destroyed my soul.
If I was a normal drinker I might never have been able to experience the suffering and redemption which has brought me to see God’s Purpose in my life.
I am grateful for my life – exactly as it is.
God, please help me to be ok today. Thank You. Amen.
I know I’m getting better when I can stop being too self-involved and try to help others instead.
I’m not going to solve anyone’s problems, but maybe by showing them my path I can help them get through their difficulties.
We are not passing through this life single-file. Everyone needs a hand-up along the way.
God, please help me to be ok today. Thank You. Amen.
“Relapse” in recovery is not a requirement for getting and staying sober.
I have been told that those who pick up drinking or using drugs again have either forgotten how much they suffered or they have not suffered enough.
As a recovering alcoholic, relapse is a horrifying prospect which remains very real for me. I hope I have suffered enough and never forget that.
I need to remember that my recovery is a “daily reprieve”. My connection with the God of my understanding is essential to my recovery.
God, please care for the sick and suffering alcoholic. Please help them to find their way.
God, please help me to be ok today. Thank You. Amen.
My perspective dictates whether I have a good day or a bad day. How I look at things determines what I think, how I feel, and how I act.
If I look for the good, I see the good.
If I look for the bad, I see the bad.
If I’m happy with what I have and not unhappy with what I don’t have, I remain grateful.
If I think that everyone is doing the best they can with what they’ve got, it’s easier for me to be compassionate.
I need to remember that life is supposed to be hard, not miserable.
God, please help me to be ok today. Thank You. Amen.
The obstacles I encounter along my life’s journey are meant to serve a purpose, but their meaning and value often are not understood until later on.
The obstacles are not intended solely to cause me pain and suffering.
This life is not a punishment. It is a gift.
Sometimes the hardships cause me to change course completely.
Sometimes they are intended to help me learn lessons that will save me further down the road.
Sometimes they cause me to help fellow travelers.
Sometimes they cause me to help myself.
God knows the meaning. In time, so will I.
God, please help me to be ok today. Thank You. Amen.
I can’t usually tell how someone is feeling just by looking at them.
When my soul is in pain I am silent and I avoid people. I recall a certain feeling of loneliness when I’m hurting.
I also recall the feeling of relief when someone reaches out with concern.
Showing compassion towards others does not go unnoticed and is never forgotten.
God, please help me to be ok today. Thank You. Amen.
I have heard it said that people change because of one of two motivators – inspiration or desperation.
For me, I am desperate to never go back to the way I was living. I never want to feel that way again.
Also, after seeing the change in others, I am inspired to try to live my life as they do – to try to find peace and serenity in my soul.
There is a chance for me if I never give up on myself.
God, please help me to be ok today. Thank You. Amen.
When I was early in recovery, I was thinking “So, I stopped drinking – now what?”
Stopping drinking, and then allowing myself to be led through a spiritual transformation changed me.
After all this time, I have come to realize that my life in recovery does have a purpose. I am starting to see it. I am trying to give hope to those who do not.
It’s only by the Grace of God that I’m still here. I must remember that.
God, please help me to be ok today. Thank You. Amen.