I have had my share of difficulties in my life. Some of my own doing, and some not.
It’s tough to see daylight in the chaos of battle. The smoke doesn’t clear until I stop fighting.
I need to surrender. Not give up, but surrender to the idea that I am my own enemy.
I need to lean on people who care.
I need to lean on God to guide me out of the chaos.
God, please help me to be ok today. Thank You. Amen.
I’m still learning. I haven’t got life all figured out yet.
Experience and observation have been my best teachers.
After a while, I have learned that I don’t need to solve every problem, especially those that are not mine to fix.
Just like parenting a child, sometimes I need to let others figure things out for themselves.
The first time running through a wall is always a little bloody. A few bumps and bruises won’t last forever, but perhaps the lessons will.
I know that approach has worked for me.
God, please help me to be ok today. Thank You. Amen.
I am sad to report the passing of our friend John Flynn. He was a strong member of our Fellowship for 47 years.
I have known John since my early days in recovery. His dedication to helping the still sick and suffering alcoholic is unmatched.
He helped countless alcoholics find their way, including me.
In his final days he told me how grateful he was for his life, that being an alcoholic in recovery had become a blessing and not a curse.
He accepted the inevitable with courage because he knew that acceptance was the answer.
He wasn’t a saint but he was an angel. I will miss him.
Semper Fidelis, John.
May God care for the soul and the memory of John. May he rest in peace forever.
God, please help me to be ok today. Thank You. Amen.
Every time I run into what seems like a dead-end, I feel like I’m being punished.
In the moment, I hate being reminded that when one door closes another one opens.
I have learned that the direction I was heading was not my destiny. God has different plans for me.
So I need to stop looking down at the ground feeling sorry for myself and instead look up to see what’s next.
God is still writing my story. I need to stop trying to steal the pen.
God, please help me to be ok today. Thank You. Amen.
Every day I have a choice – to pick up a drink or not. It’s something that gets easier over time, but it still remains.
One drink will send my addiction into motion.
It’s a life-changing decision which can be made impulsively rather than thoughtfully.
When the thought may arise, I should ask myself if I’m ready to destroy my relationships with others, my livelihood, my self-respect, my future, and my relationship with God.
That is the magnitude of the decision. Everything that I put before my recovery I will lose.
That’s why I do what I do.
God, please help me to be ok today. Thank You. Amen.
I believe what I believe.
Some people have trouble with the idea of “God”. That’s ok with me. I’m not going to tell anyone what to believe.
Some people need tangible evidence in order to believe. Many eventually come to believe once they look for God with an open mind and an open heart.
I see God through His Works – in my life and in the lives of others.
God works in ways beyond my comprehension.
God, please help me to be ok today. Thank You. Amen.
When things are going well for me and life is a little bit calm, it’s easy to gravitate towards self-reliance and put my reliance upon God on the back-burner.
That’s not a good idea.
Eventually circumstances change and difficulties arise. In the chaos it’s hard for me to instantly see God. God doesn’t operate like a “drive-thru”.
The more I seek God, the easier it is to see Him in my life.
God, please help me to be ok today. Thank You. Amen.
Living sober is the most important thing in my life. It is not an accessory. It is essential for me.
“Normal” people may not understand that, but I do. People like me understand that.
Everything good in my life is a gift of my sobriety.
My sobriety is a gift from God. From Him to me. I must treat it that way.
God, please help me to be ok today. Thank You. Amen.
Most people stop using and drinking as a last resort. Our options are limited. Our hope is sparse. We feel like true losers, like societal rejects.
So, those who have succeeded try to help those who are trying to make it. We teach each other. We encourage each other. We lift each other up.
We celebrate the successes of each other. That gives each of us hope that we can change.
Living our primary purpose saves our lives and leads us to God. We light the path for the next person so they may do the same.
Thank God for Alcoholics Anonymous.
Thank God for God.
God, please help me to be ok today. Thank You. Amen.
I no longer look for comfort in substances. They stopped working for me.
Abstinence alone does not bring me comfort. In fact, it exposes my discomfort.
Living with a dependency upon the God of my understanding brings me comfort.
Living within the solution rather than the problem brings me comfort.
God, please help me to be ok today. Thank You. Amen.