I know that I would not be where I am today, without having a Higher Power in my life. The A.A. program of recovery tells me that abstinence alone is not enough. Basic changes in my behavior, and attitude, are also needed, if I am to remain sober. Coming to believe in a Higher Power happened to me slowly, over time, but today it is a strong faith I have in this Power, and I work to stay in touch with the God of my understanding. I choose to believe in a Higher Power because it gives me strength, serenity, and courage to go forth in my life.
I am blessed with purpose and direction in my life, I am blessed with friends and family who love me, I am blessed with service commitments and dedication to others, I am blessed to have both peace and serenity in my life – which replaces all the turmoil and discontentment of days gone by. I am touched by God in so many ways; I have enough today – enough love, enough strength, enough money to live on, enough faith to remain true to my Higher Power, and enough wisdom to know that I must work to remain open to new ideas, new changes, and new ways of living that I might then be of service to others and to my Higher Power, God.
HarryS
Feb 28, 2015 @ 02:25:02
When I came into recovery they advised me to take what I needed and leave the rest.
With that in mind I offer this link.
. 🙂
http://www.bibleuniverse.com/study-tools/hymn-of-the-day
3 D
Feb 28, 2015 @ 05:40:53
Thursday i had visited the ole sponsee who’s lost the power to do anything about his addiction. I offered my help and told him I’d give him a ride to a detox center where he can stay for a few days with supervision.I told him the state would pay for it and the creditors wouldn’t be coming for him after he’s out. He gave me the run around and said he wanted to wait. When and if i go back I will have a friend with me. Maybe I already broke the rules of 12 stepping( never go alone) but I didn’t know he’d be drunk already and dependent on alcohol. I’m praying for guidance and asking for your prayers in this matter as well. Good to read ya all n thanks for the links. God bless!
3 D
Feb 28, 2015 @ 06:11:00
I love that word you used the other day Harry ( obfuscate).
3 D
Feb 28, 2015 @ 06:12:32
It reminds me of quote from my psychiatrist, ” Language was created to deceive”
Albert A
Feb 28, 2015 @ 06:12:59
Praying to God daily, he supports me with my sobriety and spirituality. Most importantly he supports me to remove or lessen my defects of character. I can only remain sober if I work to change and improve all me: my attitude, my feelings, my trust, my fear and my hope. Yesterday, at my church’s soup fest, a homeless lady came to get out of the cold and hopefully get a free hot meal. She did. My friends welcomed her and she did not have to eat alone. God was present in the parish hall. Here was an example of God being present to help the needy. Being of service to others is God’s will.
JT
Feb 28, 2015 @ 07:21:20
Getting ready to lead a meeting at noon. It’s been a while, but I think I can do it. A bit nervous, but a pretty forgiving crowd in AA! I talked to my sponsor and, since I’m new to the meeting, he said just share what happened and what I’m doing NOW to stay sober…and try to keep it to 10 minutes!
Tom S
Feb 28, 2015 @ 10:08:20
We’re all on this Path, together.
Plenty of room for a new trudge buddy, and we stay close enough to each other so if anybody starts to wander off we can let ’em know we are always here if they want a hand.
So we come out of self-centredness into awareness, out of fear into forgiveness, out of resistance into acceptance. From darkness into light.
One happy fella’ here.
Grateful for the Gift
Jacques
Feb 28, 2015 @ 13:34:01
So that we don’t have blood on our hands:
Don McIntire of Burbank CA was given access to the AA membership surveys from 1968 through 1996. His article showed that 81% of first timers attending AA meetings drop out in the first 30 days and at the end of 90 days, 90% of them have left AA. At the end of the first year, only 5% remained in AA. A Cochrane Review of eight trials found that none unequivocally supported the efficacy of AA. Based on meta-analysis, the Handbook of Alcoholism Treatment Approaches ranks AA as the 38th most effective treatment for alcoholism out of a list of 48 treatments
The Vaillant study is probably the single best piece of evidence on 12-step treatment. It had several components, including a long-term longitudinal study of a group of “100 alcohol-dependent men and women followed for eight years after being admitted to a clinic for detoxification” (Vaillant, 1995, p. 2). (This clinic was the Cambridge and Somerville Program for Alcohol Rehabilitation, CASPAR, a 12-step inpatient/outpatient program, for which Dr. Vaillant worked as a psychiatric consultant.) Vaillant compared the outcomes of these 100 patients with those of alcoholic members of two comparison groups, subjects of two long-term longitudinal studies begun by other Harvard researchers: a group of 456 “Core City” Boston men, who had been followed since they were school boys; and a group of 204 former Harvard students, who had been followed since their college days. Vaillant also compared the outcomes of the 100 CASPAR patients with those of treated alcoholics in other studies, and with the outcomes shown in studies of untreated alcoholics. Vaillant’s results were that the 12-step hospital treatment he helped to provide was utterly ineffective, as judged in comparison with studies of untreated alcoholics. As Vaillant remarked, “Not only had we failed to alter the natural history of alcoholism, but our death rate of three percent a year was appalling” (Vaillant, 1995, p. 352). He continued, “our results were no better than the natural history of the disorder.” (i.e., no treatment)
JT
Feb 28, 2015 @ 14:31:38
For me, AA was 100% effective!
this24now
Feb 28, 2015 @ 14:32:56
Me as well JT….well…after some feeble attempts without a Higher Power! !
Tom S
Mar 01, 2015 @ 09:54:40
Not too awfully surprised at the reported results.
I would strongly suspect that the “samples” for the longitudinal studies, based on broad demographics, were not comprised of men and women who “wanted what we have, so did what we did”.
This simple program, freely available, which has helped literally millions around the globe, does just that. When they are ready, as they are ready. It readily admits there may be well other approaches to alcoholism as well.
Given the intrinsic nature of AA it is not a prescriptive, societal solution.
However, rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path.
I am not saying it is the only way, I just know it has worked for me.
And I have no ” blood on my hands” from being in AA.