Daily Missives

My greatest weakness has brought me to my greatest strength. When it comes to substance abuse, I am weak. Once I start using I cannot stop. I can’t help it. Once I was given a reprieve and a way to live without the substances, I found that I needed to rely upon God. Reliance upon…

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Being sober has become a condition of my happiness – not the other way around. Being happy is not a condition of my sobriety. If it was, then I would drink over every bump in the road. Being sober is certainly a condition of my happiness. My life sucks when I drink. When I decide…

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Often I think I’m doing the best I can. In reality, it’s often an excuse to not do more. There are always opportunities to help someone else. It usually doesn’t require heavy lifting. It usually requires only a little attention. Reaching out to another person to let them know I care may be the difference…

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Happy Thanksgiving! I am grateful for all of the Blessings in my life today. It would take a long time for me to write a “Gratitude List” because of the many Blessings in my life. I’m grateful for the struggles because they make me humble and appreciate what I have. I’m grateful for the people…

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The desire to drink has been lifted from me. That overwhelming obsession has not returned. It’s not a struggle anymore. For me, picking up a drink to solve a problem is like using gasoline to put out a fire. But that’s rational thinking. My alcoholism isn’t an intellectual problem. My alcoholism is a spiritual problem…

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Isolating myself from others keeps me away from God. Connecting with others gets me closer to God. I think that’s a pretty good barometer of where I am spiritually. I can pray all day and never hear God’s message if I don’t avail myself to it. I need to remember that God speaks to me…

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When I finally stopped drinking, I was scared to death. I was afraid that I could not live without alcohol in my life. I was afraid that I would drink again and bring back the misery that came with it. I was afraid because I didn’t know what was going to happen to me. I…

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I don’t know all of the answers. I don’t even know all of the questions. None of us do. But I have discovered that when I ask God for help with any problem, I get the answers. The answers may or may not be what I want. God always answers my prayers. Usually He delivers…

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Many people think that staying clean and sober is a matter of willpower. Those who have been successful at it will say the opposite is true. I need to surrender to my disease. I am powerless over alcohol and drugs. Every time I enter the ring with alcohol or drugs I wind up defeated. I…

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Until I came to believe in a “Power Greater than Ourselves”, my chances of getting sober were slim. God did not shout down from the heavens to me. He did not show His face to me. I needed to find Hope and Faith in order to believe. God shows His Presence to me through others.…

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