Category: Daily Missives

When I ask an addict or alcoholic who has relapsed why they “picked up” again, their reply goes something like “I stopped doing the things that got me clean and sober”.

A better question to ask is “Why did you get clean and sober in the first place?”.

I got sober because I had lost my soul and I wanted to die. I was suffering inside and no substance could ease my pain.

Although a distant memory, I think about it every day.

I’m here only by the Grace of God. I must never forget that.

God, please help me to be ok today. Thank You. Amen.

I don’t like to be judged by others, so I try to not judge others myself.

I hope that I’m not judged by my shortcomings and failures but instead by the positive things I have done.

I hope that the manner in which I have traveled this journey counts for something.

I have tried to do the best I could with what I’ve got. I think we all do.

I know God sees it.

God, please help me to be ok today. Thank You. Amen.

God has a lot on His Plate, but He manages very well.

He is carrying each of us, every second of every day. His Power is astounding. His Grace is beyond measure.

With His proven track record compared to my own proven track record, I am a fool to not turn my life over to His Care.

God, please help me to be ok today. Thank You. Amen.

Worrying doesn’t change anything. It’s just an exercise to allow my fears to drive my behavior.

Things that are out of my hands are just that – out of my hands.

I must turn my fears over to God and trust that everything will be ok if I surrender to His Will.

Then I need to do the next right thing.

It’s easier said than done. It requires faith and patience.

God, please help me to be ok today. Thank You. Amen.

Most people who manage to get clean and sober don’t get it on their first attempt.

That doesn’t mean that they are weak. It’s more an example of the power of the substances and how powerless we are over them.

Once the weight of the addiction is lifted, we see that a Power greater than ourselves has been carrying us all along.

The transformation from active addicts and alcoholics to clean and sober people is nothing short of miraculous.

Thank God for God.

God, please help me to be ok today. Thank You. Amen.

When I get the feeling of fear but I cannot specifically identify the cause, I call it being “squirrelly”.

It’s an uncomfortable feeling that is not new to me. It can come at any time, but it’s usually seasonal.

It often comes when I fail to keep my focus on this moment.

I used to withdraw and isolate when I feel like that. I don’t do that anymore.

This is the time when I need to quiet my thoughts and lean on God.

God’s got me. He always does.

God, please help me to be ok today. Thank You. Amen.

I can’t “undo” the past. What’s done is done.

Whatever I have done or failed to do cannot be changed. It has all brought me to today.

Each day I must try to move further away from the person I used to be.

Each day I must try to move closer to the person God wants me to be.

God, please help me to be ok today. Thank You. Amen.

When my “spiritual center” is off, my thoughts tend to wander into dark places.

This can happen after being sober for any period of time. Outside distractions can interfere with my connection with God.

My old ways of thinking return.

My old ways of feeling return.

Then I’m headed to my old ways of being.

I need to remember that the only reason I’m still alive is the Grace of God. My primary purpose is to serve Him and not myself.

God, please help me to be ok today. Thank You. Amen.

At some point I must look in the mirror and tell myself that I’m not defined by what happens to me.

I’m defined by how I get up off the mat.

Life delivers gut-punches sometimes. It takes courage to move forward.

Knowing that God is in my corner helps me to carry on.

God, please help me to be ok today. Thank You. Amen.

I talk to strangers. Always have. When I was very young I was told not to. I never listened very well.

Some strangers are worth talking to while others, not so much.

I have found that God puts unlikely people into my path for a purpose. I never know who that is going to be.

There is always the chance that one of us is the angel that the other needs at that moment.

It’s funny how God works in each of our lives.

God, please help me to be ok today. Thank You. Amen.