A Prayer & Some Thoughts - January
 

January 1


New Year's Prayer

As the dawn breaks on a new year, let us give thanks for all we hold dear: our health, our family and our friends.

Let us release our grudges, our anger and our pains, for these are nothing but binding chains. Let us live each day in the most loving ways, the God-conscious way. Let us serve all who are in need, regardless of race, color or creed.

Let us keep God of our own understanding in our hearts and to chant God's name each day. Let us lead the world from darkness to light, from falsehood to truth and from wrong to right.

Let us remember that we are all one, embracing all, discriminating against none.

May your year be filled with peace, prosperity and love. May God's blessings shower upon you and bestow upon each of you a bright, healthy and peaceful new year.

-~ Rev. Marcy Sheremetta

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Just a Thought

Some of the rewards that have come to us as a result of our new way of living: we have found that we have got rid of any of our fears, resentments, inferiority complexes, negative points of view, self-centeredness, criticism of others, over-sensitiveness, inner conflicts, the habits of procrastination, undisciplined sex, wasting money, boredom, false perfectionism, jealousy, and envy of others. We are glad to be rid of our drinking, and we are also very glad to be rid of these other things. We can now go forward in the new way of life, as shown us by A.A.

So ............

Am I ready to go forward in the new life?

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Just a Contemplation

Giving Up

When someone tells us a riddle, we may give up if we don't know the answer. We give up because we are tired of trying to get it, or because we are eager to find out what it is.

Giving up in other situations may be more difficult. We may need to give up eating something that isn't healthy for us. We may need to give up trying to win an argument. We may need to give up old clothes that we love which no longer fit us. When we don't want to give up, it may be because we have forgotten the knowledge, health, or peace of mind we gain by doing so.

In each case, giving up means growth and going on with our lives. Giving up may mean many different things in different situations, but it does not mean doing nothing. It means doing what seems right for us and giving up the expectation that what happens will be exactly what we want. So I gain by giving up something that is harmful today.

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Faith

To me, this means a belief in a Creator who is all power, justice, and love; a God who intends for me a purpose, a meaning, and a destiny to grow, however little and haltingly, toward His own likeness and image. Before the coming of faith I had lived as an alien in a cosmos that too often seemed both hostile and cruel. In it, there could be no inner security for me.

As Bill Sees It Page 51

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Just a Quote

"It's humbling to start fresh. It takes a lot of courage. But it can be reinvigorating. You just have to put your ego on a shelf & tell it to be quiet." -- Jennifer Ritchie Payette

January 2


Prayer of Uncertainness

Lord,
Please be a place of refuge and a constant presence of love and support for all those experiencing fear, anxiety, and loneliness. Please care for the physical needs of those who are struggling to provide for their families. Bring peace and healing to those who have lost loved ones or are dealing with life-threatening illnesses.

Please help us come to you for hope and guidance during times of uncertainty. We ask for your peace in place of our anxiety.
Amen

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Just a Thought

The way of A.A. is the way of sobriety, fellowship, service, and faith.

Let us take up each one of these things and see if our feet are truly on the way. The first and greatest to us is sobriety. The others are built on sobriety as a foundation. We could not have the others if we did not have sobriety. We all come to A.A. to get sober, and we stay to help others get sober. We are looking for sobriety first, last, and all the time. We cannot build any decent kind of a life unless we stay sober.

So ............

Am I on the A.A. way?

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Just a Contemplation

Self-Trust

Self-trust is the firm reliance on the integrity of yourself. There is a difference between a life that is grounded in self-trust and one that is not. When we look at examples of people who are self-trusting, we find that they have clarity and confidence in their choices. They are interdependent, which includes healthy dependency, not overly dependent or hyper-independent. They speak with authority that comes from a deep place within but are not arrogant. They are good observers and have cultivated the ability to learn from their experiences, both the successes and failures.

Because they can trust themselves to not be punitive when they make mistakes, they can look openly at their experience without fear of self-punishment. If my agenda is to protect myself from external or internal recrimination, I am not going to be able to examine my experience because my primary intention is not to learn but to protect myself.

I will let go of my fears about trusting myself because I have made mistakes in the past. I understand that these fears only serve to impair my judgment today. I will give my past, even my mistakes, validity by accepting and being grateful for it all. I will strive to see what I've gained from my mistakes. I will try to look at all my good decisions too. I will keep a watchful eye for improvement, for overall progress, in my life.

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Uniqueness

I just did not believe that AA would work for me as a black drunk. I genuinely believed I was different until much later, when I had what I now know to be my first spiritual awakening: that I was an alcoholic and I didn't have to drink! I also learned that alcoholism, as an equal opportunity illness, does not discriminate -- is not restricted to race, creed, or geography. At last I was released from the bondage of my uniqueness.

Alcoholics Anonymous Page 450

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Just a Quote

"So many times, when we are being of service to others, we find the answer or solution to our own problems." -- Madisyn Taylor

January 3


Prayer for Those Who Struggle

We pray for those who struggle.
We pray for those who struggle at this time of huge uncertainty;
for political leaders faced with unforeseen challenges, uncharted ways, difficult decisions,

We pray for those who struggle.
We pray for those in situations never before experienced.
We pray for moms and dads who struggle with having children at home all day.
It is difficult to find new activities; it is hard to stay creative.

We pray for those who struggle,
We pray for those whose day is radically different.
We pray for those who must leave their usual workspace,
for those breadwinners who must work at home.

We pray for those who struggle.
We pray for those who have lost their jobs
We pray for those whose financial security has gone,,
who have anxiety around paying rent or providing for family needs .

We pray for those who struggle.
We pray for those who have been affected by the Covid 19 virus.
Those who are sick at home and those who have been hospitalized,
in their suffering, and in their fear.

Lord please remind us that we are not alone.
We thank You for standing with us, as we receive your strength to stand another day.
Amen

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Just a Thought

The A.A. way is the way of sobriety.

A.A. is known everywhere as a method that has been successful with alcoholics. Doctors, psychiatrists, and the clergy have had some success. Some men and women have gotten sober all by themselves. We believe that A.A. is the most successful and happiest way to sobriety. And yet A.A. is, of course, not wholly successful. Some are unable to achieve sobriety and some slip back into alcoholism after they have had some measure of sobriety.

So ............

Am I deeply grateful to have found A.A.?

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Just a Contemplation

Balance

Seek balance.
Balance emotions with reason.
Combine detachment with doing our part.
Balance giving with receiving.
Alternate work with play, business with personal activities.

Balance tending to our spiritual needs with tending to our other needs.
Juggle responsibilities to others with responsibilities to ourselves.
Balance caring about others with caring about ourselves.
Whenever possible, let's be good to others, but be good to ourselves too.
Some of us have to make up for lost time.
I will strive for balance.

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Obsession

We know that while the alcoholic keeps away from drink, as he may do for months or years, he reacts much like other men. We are equally positive that once he takes any alcohol whatever into his system, something happens, both in the bodily and mental sense, which makes it virtually impossible for him to stop. The experience of any alcoholic will abundantly confirm this.

Alcoholics Anonymous Page 22

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Just a Quote

“Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care.” -- Theodore Roosevelt

January 4


On This Day Prayer

Dear God,
On this day I ask You to grant this request.
May I know who I am and what I am, every moment of every day.
May I be a catalyst for light and love, and bring inspiration to those whose eyes I meet.
May I have the strength to stand tall in the face of conflict, and the courage to speak my voice, even when I'm scared.
May I have the humility to follow my heart, and the passion to live my soul's desires.
May I seek to know the highest truth, and dismiss the gravitational pull of my lower self.
May I embrace and love the totality of myself? My darkness as well as my light.
May I be brave enough to hear my heart? To let it soften so that I may gracefully choose faith over fear.
Today is my day to surrender anything that stands between the sacredness of my humanity and my divinity.
May I be drenched in my Holiness and engulfed by Your love.
May all else melt away.
And so it is.

— Debbie Ford

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Just a Thought

The thoughts that come before having a slip are often largely subconscious.

It is a question whether or not our subconscious minds ever become entirely free from alcoholic thoughts as long as we live. For instance, some of us dream about being drunk when we are asleep, even after several years of sobriety in A.A. During the period of our drinking days, our subconscious minds have been thoroughly conditioned by our alcoholic way of thinking and it is doubtful if they ever become entirely free of such thoughts during our lifetime. But when our conscious minds are fully conditioned against drinking, we can stay sober and our subconscious minds do not often bother us.

So ............

Am I still conditioning my conscious mind?

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Just a Contemplation

Nurturing

Sometimes, we need nurturing. Sometimes, we need people to support us.
Many of us have been deprived of support and nurturing for so long we may not realize it's something we want and need. Many of us have learned to block or stop ourselves from getting what we want and need.

We may not reach out to have our needs met. We may be in relationships with people who cannot or will not be available to meet our needs. Or we may be in relationships with people who would be happy to respond to a direct request from us.

We may have to let go of our fears enough to experience the intimacy that will occur when we allow someone to love and support us. We may even have to learn, one day at a time, how to be happy and content. Even learn to let others be there for us.

I will try to be open to identifying what I need from people, and I will ask for what I want directly. I will let others be there for me.

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Self-worth

I know that I am not a total loss, even when I think I am. I know that freedom, and usefulness, love, outgoingness and sharing are the important things in life. But even more important, I have to care for myself and achieve a sense of self-worth. So I continue to listen. I am still open to suggestions. I continue on my way. And I am on my way up.

The Best of the Grapevine [Vol. 1], Page. 24

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Just a Quote

“Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today.” -- Thich Nhat Hanh

January 5


Prayer of Renewal

Dear God,
I pray for your encouragement to light my path today.
I humbly ask for a renewal of hope within me.
Forgive me for my times of doubt and for getting caught up in self pity.
I know it is not of you.
Lord, I pray for someone to help today.
Put them before me and help me to make a difference in their life.
I pray about my impatience and anxiety.
Lord, calm me down: steady me.
Please guide every step I take and every decision I must make today.
Watch over me and keep me from harm.
Amen.

-- C.L.Murphy 2015

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Just a Thought

We have slips in A.A.

It has been said these are not slips but premeditated drunks, because we have to think about taking a drink before we actually take one. The thought always comes before the act. It is suggested that people should always get in touch with an A.A. before taking that first drink. The failure to do so makes it probable that they had decided to take the drink anyway. And yet the thoughts that come before taking a drink are often largely subconscious. People usually don't know consciously what made them do it. Therefore, the common practice is to call these things slips.

So ............

Am I on guard against wrong thinking?

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Just a Contemplation

Laughter

Laughing with others is important. Learning to laugh at our own problems, however, is even more important. Since we will continue to live with situations that cause us all types of problems, we may as well learn to laugh at ourselves.

Often with chronic illness, coordination changes. Reaction time may be slower. Sensitivity to cold, heat, or pain may be altered. It’s only logical that we will find ourselves in potentially embarrassing situations because of our bodies.

Often, a hearty laugh at all the strange situations flung our way is just the thing to help us work through what is painful and difficult. Laughter is a gift we give to ourselves. We can carry it with us whenever we go, it will always be ours.

I am headed in the right direction when I can laugh.

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From Loneliness to Solitude

As the sober weeks go by, we can enjoy and treasure the few moments of solitude we are able to find in the rush and hurry of life today. When we cease to fear loneliness and begin to cherish and use our solitude to advantage, we have come a long way. We realize a little solitude is necessary to think and to try to work some of the Steps. In solitude, we take our inventories. In solitude, we admit to ourselves the exact nature of our wrongs. In solitude, our spirits seek that Power greater than we are; in solitude, we seek through prayer and meditation to be aware of God's will for us.

Came to Believe Page 109

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Just a Quote

"In my spiritual program today I am free to reject, consider and have my own opinions in life. I do not simply have to agree with everything that is said, in this way I am discovering my value and self-esteem." -- Leo Booth

January 6


Prayer to Stop Worry

Lord, it’s so easy to fall into worry.
When my fears are reverberating in my mind, help me stop trying to fix everything myself.
Teach me to turn to You in prayer, trust You to be in charge and let Your peace reign over me.
Amen.

~ Francine Rivers

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Just a Thought

Since I've been in A.A., have I made a start toward being more unselfish?

Do I no longer want my own way in everything? When things go wrong and I can't have what I want, do I no longer sulk? Am I trying not to waste money on myself? And does it make me happy to see my family and my home have enough attention from me?

So ............

Am I trying not to be all "get" and no "give"?

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Just a Contemplation

Blame

There are so many occasions when we would like to blame somebody - wife, child, parent, or "the management," for our feelings. When we get frustrated, overworked, or angry, we want somebody else to take responsibility. In truth, each of us has his own path and is responsible for their feelings.

This blaming and not taking responsibility keep a person in the role of victim. When we accept the difficult message that our feelings are ours to deal with and no one else's, self-improvement begins. We begin to walk the difficult but self respecting path of spiritual awakening. We can do something about whatever hurts. Even in that awakening there are no guarantees that who we are will be totally what we want to find. Our only guarantee is that our God is with us to deal with the realities of our lives. I will try to be responsible for what I feel and do.

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Humility

Our AA program is spiritually centered. Most of us have found enough humility to believe in and depend upon God. We have found that humility by facing the fact that alcoholism is a fatal malady over which we are individually powerless.

The Language of the Heart Page 7

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Just a Quote

"We get so much in the habit of wearing a disguise before others that we eventually appear disguised before ourselves." ~ Jim Bishop

January 7


Prayer to Restore

Lord,
Replace the tension within me with relaxation.
Replace the turbulence within me with calm.
Replace the anxiety within me with a quiet confidence.
Replace the fear within me with a strong faith.
Replace the bitterness within me with the sweetness.
Replace the darkness within me with a glowing light.
Replace the coldness within me with gentle warmth.
Amen

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Just a Thought

There is some alcoholic thought, conscious or unconscious that comes before every slip.

As long as we live, we must be on the lookout for such thoughts and guard against them. In fact, our A.A. training is mostly to prepare us, to make us ready to recognize such thoughts at once and to reject them at once. The slip comes when we allow such thoughts to remain in our minds, even before we actually go through the motions of lifting the glass to our lips. The A.A. program is largely one of mental training.

So ............

How well is my mind prepared?

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Just a Contemplation

Faith

What is faith? It is believing in possibilities. It is the ability to carry on with our plans or to be true to our work even though we feel discouraged or tired. It is staying active in relationships even when we receive little in return or when our friends aren't able to respond.

If there were no doubt, there would be no need for faith. Faith is temporarily putting our doubts on the shelf and working toward our goals. Faith is trusting that help and support will be there for us even though they're not in view. It is looking at a map and choosing a new destination, getting on the road to go there, and trusting the marks on the map symbolize a real place that we will find.

I will leave room for my doubts and discouragement, but I will not indulge them. I will choose to go with hope. I will give my energy to the better possibilities.

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Open Mind

To get sober and to stay sober, all you really need is a truly open mind. Just resign from the debating society and quit bothering yourself with such deep questions as whether it was the hen or the egg that came first. Again I say, all you need is the open mind.

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions Page 26

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Just a Quote

“Try to make at least one person happy every day. If you cannot do a kind deed, speak a kind word. If you cannot speak a kind word, think a kind thought. Count up, if you can, the treasure of happiness that you would dispense in a week, in a year, in a lifetime.” -- Lawrence G. Lovaski

~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Note ~~~~~~~~~~~~

Today Is Orthodox Christmas Day

Most Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas Day on January 7 in the Gregorian calendar, in use today. This date works to be December 25 in the Julian calendar, which pre-dates the Gregorian calendar. For many Orthodox Christians, Christmas Day is not about presents, it is a time to heal the soul. It is also a time of peace and unity.

January 8


Prayer for Empathy, Vulnerability and Curiosity

God,
We pray for Empathy – seeking to understand: ideas, people, situations, ourselves, our faith, our hopes, seeking, exploring the why of life, the why of who we are. seeking because we know that only by seeking, do we go beyond ourselves, to where answers reside, answers that we had never considered. And we are enriched, by becoming more whole.

We pray that we would be Vulnerable – open to being influenced to new ideas, new possibilities. Lives enriched with new experiences, horizons, things we thought not possible. Surprise us, our God We know change causes us to be vulnerable; as we become less capable of adapting, changes seem greater as our limits become more apparent, our abilities seem in decline simple things, small changes take on greater magnitude.

Keep ideas, possibilities, dreams, hopes, growing in and around us. So that change is not an inhibitor, but stimulation into new life.
Cause our attitude to change to be invitational, not to create whirlwind in our lives, but measured growth
Keep us Curious about life, exploring and discovering, growing into understanding, more of the mystery of life as we walk with you author of life, and our guide.
As we seek these things for ourselves, we pray that they become realities for those around us.
Use us as channels of understanding, influence, curiosity, to help others grow. We take our part in your creation more fully when we offer ourselves to others and to you. Use us, we pray.

Place people in our path that will cause us to grow and whom we can help grow. The things we desire, we pray for those whom we find difficult to love, as well as those close to us.

Lord, lead us into wholeness, whatever that may be,
Amen

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Just a Thought

If we allow an alcoholic thought to lodge in our minds for any length of time, we are in danger of having a slip.

Therefore we must dispel such thoughts at once, by refusing their admittance and by immediately putting constructive thoughts in their place. Remember that alcohol is poison to you. Remember that it is impossible for you to drink normally. Remember that one drink will lead to others and you will eventually be drunk. Remember what happened to you in the past as a result of your drinking. Think of every reason you have learned in A.A. for not taking that drink. Fill your mind with constructive thoughts.

So ............

Am I keeping my thoughts constructive?

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Just a Contemplation

Beauty

So many people think that beauty is what you do to yourself; what you wear, makeup, clothes, hairstyles or expensive jewelry. Again it is so easy to get caught up in "things". Reality is not about what we wear but who we are.

The beauty that God has created comes from within. The twinkle in the eyes that says "hello". The hug that says "I love you". The gentle embrace and smile that says "I forgive you". The tear that cries "I understand".

When God said to the world, "It is good", Beauty was born. Drugs and crazy relationships only get in the way of us being what we were intended to be: beautiful for God.

I will try to put God's beauty in my actions, words and attitudes.
(From the writings of Leo Booth)

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Change

It never occurred to us that we needed to change ourselves to meet conditions, whatever they were. But in AA we slowly learned that something had to be done about our vengeful resentments, self-pity, and unwarranted pride. . . We learned that if we were seriously disturbed, our first need was to quiet that disturbance, regardless of who or what we thought caused it.

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions Page 47

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Just a Quote

"Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment." -- Benjamin Franklin

January 9


To Serve Prayer

God,
Help us to use the gifts you give us
for the people who need us.
Help us to see their need and, inspired by you,
reach beyond ourselves,
beyond our institutions,
to the very margins and bring all to you, the center.
May all we do be in preparation to serve more fully.
Send your Spirit to keep us aglow with the desire to serve others.

~ Author Unknown

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Just a Thought

In A.A. alcoholics find a way to solve their personality problems.

They do this by recovering three things. First, they recover their personal integrity. They pull themselves together. They get honest with themselves and with other people. They face themselves and their problems honestly, instead of running away. They take a personal inventory of themselves to see where they really stand. Then they face the facts instead of making excuses for themselves.

So ............

Have I recovered my integrity?

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Just a Contemplation

Perfect Relationships

We shouldn't seek perfect relationships in marriage or in other places in our lives. What we seek instead are real and honest connections. Perfection has a picture-book form, but it has no depth and no personality. This means that sometimes we will get upset with others, or they will get upset with us. We need a basic commitment to stay in the relationship dialogue, to continue returning to it as long as both people are willing to work on it. Working through crises is how a relationship grows from simply being an idea to having its unique reality.

We will be frightened by the rough spots. We will wonder if there is something wrong with us or with the other person, or the relationship. We cannot escape such questions. To run from the difficulties cuts off the possibilities for growth. It is a frightening thing to become real, to come into consciousness.

I will pray for courage to remain honest and faithful to real relationships through all crises.

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Joy and Peace

I have had my share of problems, heartaches, and disappointments, because that is life, but also I have known a great deal of joy and a peace that is the handmaiden of an inner freedom. I have a wealth of friends and, with my AA friends, an unusual quality of fellowship. For, to these people, I am truly related. First, through mutual pain and despair, and later through mutual objectives and newfound faith and hope.

Alcoholics Anonymous Page 276

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Just a Quote

“When you pray for anyone you tend to modify your personal attitude toward him.” ~ Norman Vincent Peale

January 10


Prayer to Achieve Goals

God, thank you for waking me up this morning. Thank you Lord for giving me life and strength. Lord I ask for forgiveness of sin, all my mistakes I pray you have mercy. Help me to forgive others too. Draw me closer to you and nothing shall separate me from your love today. God help me to achieve all my goals and let them be in line with your plans. If there is an adjustment you would love me to make, God don’t hesitate to let me know so that I won’t waste my time chasing the wind. Let your will be done.
Amen.

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Just a Thought

The length of time of our sobriety is not as important as its quality.

A person who has been in A.A. for a number of years may not be in as good mental condition as a person who has only been in a few months. It is a great satisfaction to have been an A.A. member for a long time and we often mention it. It may sometimes help the newer members, because they may say to themselves, "If they can do it, I can do it." And yet the older members must realize that as long as they live, they are only one drink away from a drunk.

So ............

What is the quality of my sobriety?

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Just a Contemplation

Self Acceptance

We sometimes find it difficult to accept a compliment. We may feel we don't deserve such attention, and point out reasons why the compliment is untrue. When we act this way, we show a lack of love for ourselves.

God teaches us to love our neighbors as ourselves. Yet, before we can love anyone, we must believe we are worthy of the same love. We can stop hiding behind feelings of unworthiness. There's nothing stopping us but ourselves. Sometimes it takes courage to say thank you when we get a compliment. Let's exercise that courage, and each time we do, we'll find our self-love growing.

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Change

Let us never fear needed change. Certainly we have to discriminate between changes for worse and changes for better. But once a need becomes clearly apparent in an individual, in a group, or in AA as a whole, it has long since been found out that we cannot stand still and look the other way.

As Bill Sees It Page 115

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Just a Quote

“I cannot change what I am unwilling to face.” ~ James Baldwin

January 11


Brick Wall Prayer

Lord, you know my fears and my desires.
Lord, don't let my desires blind me to your will.
If this is not within your plan for me, throw up a Brick Wall.
Give me an obstacle I cannot get past.
Help me follow your will.
Give me peace about whatever is to come.
If my desires falls through, I will know it is your hand.
Amen

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Just a Thought

The way of A.A. is the way of fellowship.

We have read a good deal about fellowship and yet it is such an important part of the A.A. program that it seems we cannot think too much about it. Human beings were not meant to live alone. A hermit's life is not a normal or natural one. We all need to be by ourselves at times, but we cannot really live without the companionship of others. Our natures demand it. Our lives depend largely upon it. The fellowship of A.A. seems to us to be the best in the world.

So ............

Do I fully appreciate what the fellowship of A.A. means to me?

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Just a Contemplation

Asking for Help

One of the most absurd things we do to ourselves is not asking for the help we need from a friend, a family member, our God, or the appropriate resource.

Whether what we need is information, encouragement, a hand, a word, a hug, someone who will listen, or a ride, we can ask. We can ask people for what we need from them. We can ask God for what we need from God. It is self-defeating to not ask for the help we need. We who are eager to help others can learn to allow ourselves to receive help.

I will not be a victim, helplessly waiting to be rescued. I will make my request for help specific, to the point, and I will leave room for the person to choose whether or not to help me. I will not be a martyr any longer by refusing to get the help I deserve in life - the help that makes life simpler.

We don't have to struggle through feelings and problems alone. It's okay to ask for help.

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Vigilance

Now that we're in AA and sober, winning back the esteem of our friends and business associates, we find that we still need to exercise special vigilance. As an insurance against the dangers of big-shot-ism, we can often check ourselves by remembering that we are today sober only by the grace of God and that any success we may be having is far more His success than ours.

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions Page 92

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Just a Quote

"Politeness and consideration for others is like investing pennies and getting dollars back."~ Thomas Sowell

January 12

Ability to Speak Up Prayer

Lord, I feel held back by my timidity and fear of what others think of me. In times when I should speak up, I remain silent. Help me to have confidence in You and to be bold in saying what needs to be said. I ask that I have the courage to not let others talk over me. Please ease my fear that others will dislike me because of my words. Give me the wisdom to speak truthfully and sensitively. You are my source of boldness and strength. Amen.

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Just a Thought

We did not realize what real fellowship could be.

A drinking fellowship has a fatal fault. It is not based on a firm foundation. Most of it is on the surface. It is based mostly on the desire to use your companions for your own pleasure, and using others is a false foundation. Drinking fellowship has been praised in song and story. The "cup that cheers" has become famous as a means of companionship. But we realize that the higher centers of our brains are dulled by alcohol and such fellowship cannot be on the highest plane. It is at best only a substitute.

So ............

Do I see my drinking fellowship in its proper light?

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Just a Contemplation

Empowerment

You can think. You can make good decisions. You can make choices that are right for you. Yes, we all make mistakes from time to time. But we are not mistakes. We can make a new decision that takes new information into account. We can change our mind from time to time. That's our right too. We don't have to be intellectuals to make good choices.

Other people can think too. And that means we no longer have to feel responsible for other people's decisions. That also means we are responsible for our choices. We can reach out to others for feedback. We can ask for information. We can take opinions into account. But it is our task to make our own decisions.

I will treasure the gift of my mind. I will do my own thinking, make my own choices, and value my opinions. I will be open to what others think, but I will take responsibility for myself. I will ask for and trust that the Divine Wisdom is guiding me.

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Fear of Rejection

Almost without exception, my AA friends admitted that they had struggled with the same feelings. Some claimed that their fear of rejection stemmed from a lack of self-worth; some of the men laid the difficulty to feelings of inadequacy stimulated by years of drinking. It was also asserted that we couldn't stand the responsibility of being loved and so sought rejection in subtle ways. About the only thing that everyone agreed upon completely was that this problem, like our drinking problem, had a spiritual solution.

The Best of the Grapevine [Vol. 1] Page 16

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Just a Quote

“Most fears of rejection rest on the desire for approval from other people. Don't base your self-esteem on their opinions.” ~ Harvey Mackay

January 13


Not Judging Others Prayer

Lord, I have come to You for help. I am struggling with judging others.
Teach me how to pray for others when I realize they are struggling instead of judging them.
Help me to have a heart that shows compassion and mercy to people who hurting.
I pray You would bless those whom I have judged and that Your grace would be real to them.
Amen

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Just a Thought

Some Doctors think of the A.A. fellowship as group therapy.

This is a very narrow conception of the depth of the A.A. fellowship. Looking at it purely as a means of acquiring and holding sobriety, it is right as far as it goes. But it doesn't go far enough. Group therapy is directed toward the help that the individual receives from it. It is essentially selfish. It is using the companionship of other alcoholics only in order to stay sober ourselves. But this is only the beginning of real A.A. fellowship.

So ............

Do I deeply feel the true A.A. fellowship?

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Just a Contemplation

Trouble

We naturally wish to avoid pain and difficulty, but life experience and a measure of reflection show us that most of what comes our way is beyond our control. When we use trouble as our teacher, we develop the art of living. We are taking a spiritual approach, using our God as our guide. We can choose today to use our difficulties for our learning and growth.

We might ask, "What can I learn from this experience about myself as a man? How can I use this to strengthen myself for the future?" Serenity develops, not by eliminating life's difficulties, but by having a reliable relationship with our Higher Power in the midst of it all. I will try and use whatever comes my way as an opportunity for growth.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From Misery

It may seem incredible that these men are to become happy, respected, and useful once more. How can they rise out of such misery, bad repute and hopelessness? The practical answer is that since these things have happened among us, they can happen with you. Should you wish them above all else, and be willing to make use of our experience, we are sure they will come.

Alcoholics Anonymous Page 153

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Just a Quote

"Repetition of the same thought or physical action develops into a habit which, repeated frequently enough, becomes an automatic reflex." ~ Norman Vincent Peale

January 14


Prayer Encouraging Friends

Dear Lord,
I pray for my friends right now. I pray that you will help them with the struggles they are going through in this season. For you know exactly what they need in this moment. Draw near to them and let them feel your presence. Open their eyes, ears, and hearts to you. Help them have the discernment to hear your voice as you lead them in their next steps. Speak to them as they read your word and bring verses of encouragement and comfort to their attention. I pray that you will calm any fear or anxiety they may be feeling. Replace it with confidence. I pray that your guidance will be clear to them from this day forward. Amen.

~ Carrie Lowrance

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Just a Thought

This sober world is a pleasant place for an alcoholic to live in.

Once you've gotten out of your alcoholic fog, you find that the world looks good. You find real friends in A.A. You get a job. You feel good in the morning. You eat a good breakfast and you do a good day's work at home or outside. And your family loves you and welcomes you because you're sober.

So ............

Am I convinced that this sober world is a pleasant place for an alcoholic to live in?

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Just a Contemplation

God's Will

Each day, ask God what God wants us to do today; then ask God to help. A simple request, but so profound and far reaching it can take us anywhere we need to go.

Listen: all that we want, all that we need, all the answers, all the help, all the good, all the love, all the healing, all the wisdom, all the fulfillment of desire is embodied in this simple request. We need say no more than Thank You.

This Plan that has been made for us is not one of deprivation. It is one of fullness, joy, and abundance. Walk into it. See for yourself.

I will ask God to show me what God wants me to do for this day, and then ask for help to do that. I will trust that is sufficient to take me into light and joy.

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Sharing

In spite of the great increase in the size and the span of this Fellowship, at its core it remains simple and personal. Each day, somewhere in the world, recovery begins when one alcoholic talks with another alcoholic, sharing experience, strength, and hope.

Alcoholics Anonymous Page xxii

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Just a Quote

"Love consists in sharing what one has and what one is with those one loves. Love ought to show itself in deeds more than in words." ~ Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556)

January 15


Prayer for Good Humor

Grant me, O Lord, good digestion, and also something to digest.
Grant me a healthy body, and the necessary good humor to maintain it.
Grant me a simple soul that knows to treasure all that is good
and that doesn’t frighten easily at the sight of evil,
but rather finds the means to put things back in their place.
Give me a soul that knows not boredom, grumblings, sighs and laments,
nor excess of stress, because of that obstructing thing called “I.”
Grant me, O Lord, a sense of good humor.
Allow me the grace to be able to take a joke to discover in life a bit of joy,
and to be able to share it with others.

~St. Thomas More

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Just a Thought

The A.A. fellowship.

It is partly group therapy. It is partly a spiritual fellowship. But it is even more. It is based on a common illness, a common failure, and a common problem. It goes deep down into our personal lives and our personal needs. It requires a full opening up to each other of our inmost thoughts and most secret problems. All barriers between us are swept aside. They have to be. Then we try to help each other get well. The A.A. fellowship is based on a sincere desire to help each other get well. The A.A. fellowship is based on a sincere desire to help the other person. In A.A. we can be sure of sympathy, understanding and real help. These things make the A.A. fellowship the best that we know.

So ............

Do I fully appreciate the depth of the A.A. fellowship?

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Just a Contemplation

Detachment

Learning to detach for many is very demanding and difficult. Detachment means being filled with closeness and love toward someone, yet knowing we cannot fix or protect that person. It means we can be in emotional contact but don't have to react to someone else's issues. We respond from our own center with what is fitting for us. Being detached means we allow others to be in the hands of God because we cannot live their lives for them. Detachment gives us an inner calm, an acceptance of our limits, and the freedom to live our own lives with integrity.

Detachment is a skill in living, and like other skills, we can practice it. Gradually, it becomes a natural response. True detachment takes root and grows within us over a period of time, as we practice it.

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Setback(Evidence of a Miracle)

Now I see how monumental my self-deception was. During that first thirteen years, my sobriety was not of the high quality it seemed to be. During the two years that followed, I actually convinced myself that it was a privilege to be able to drink. When I returned to A.A., its precepts seemed entirely new to me, particularly the meaning of the First Step, the 'atom bomb of the program.' Instead of taking the Steps and forgetting them, this time I began living them daily, finding new meaning in each one.

Came to Believe Page 96

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Just a Quote

"How many of us are killing ourselves with our own greed? In spite of all that we take in, we remain empty. Excessive consumption depresses our spirits even before it destroys our bodies." ~ Cristina

January 16

Prayer for Releasing the Past

Lord, my past is trying to consume my present. I am constantly reminded of it. It replays in my mind daily, like a broken record.

All the hurt, all the pain and all the suffering: I release it! Every grudge, the uneasy thoughts and all the negativity, I rebuke it!

All the fear, all the doubt and lack of faith, I curse it out! Every chain that binds me to my past shall be broken and I am set free.
Amen!

-- Cheryce Rampersad

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Just a Thought



The way of A.A. is the way of service.


Without that, it would not work. We have been "on the wagon" and hated it. We have taken the pledge and waited for the time to be up with impatience. We have tried in all manner of ways to help ourselves. But not until we begin to help other people do we get full relief. It is an axiom that the A.A. program has to be given away in order to be kept. A river flows into the Dead Sea and stops. A river flows into a clear pool and flows out again. We get and then we give. If we do not give, we do not keep.


So ............


Have I given up all ideas of holding A.A. for myself alone?

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Just a Contemplation

Interaction with Others

Sharing coffee with a friend or playing a game of golf with him provides a little relaxation, a little fun, and a chance to catch up on each other's lives. Such things are the meetings of life. These are relationships with other lives based on sharing time with one another.

Meetings - this sharing of time - can be with the full range of our existence. A tree, a lake, a mountain, the stars meet with us in solitude and enlarge our lives. Meeting is more than driving by. We meet a neighbor, a person walking down the sidewalk, a driver in the next car. Each meeting inspires different responses in us. With some, we may be open and receiving; with others, fearful; and yet with others, we want to exploit and use. If all life is meeting, perhaps I do not wish to meet in the way I have been. The way I meet others changes me. Maybe I am missing something. I can have more life by making more contact.

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Desire

Each day that I try to have a desire to be sober and to remember to keep an open heart, love and help flow into me. These bounties are unlimited in A.A. if we are fortunate enough to have the desire.

Came to Believe page 51

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Just a Quote

“The man who makes no mistakes does not usually make anything.” – Edward John Phelps

January 17


Prayer to Let Go of Pride

Dear Lord,

I want to believe I am not a prideful person…but the truth is I still wrestle with pride. Please help me to let go of pride. I pray for a humble heart. I pray I would not see myself as better than anyone. I pray I would not hinder others from helping just so I can receive praise for doing it all myself. I pray I would not let pride motivate me to argue with others. Instead I pray humility would lead me. I pray love would be my motivation not pride.
Amen

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Just a Thought

Service to others makes the world a good place.

Civilization would cease if all of us were always and only for ourselves. We alcoholics have a wonderful opportunity to contribute to the well-being of the world. We have a common problem. We find a common answer. We are uniquely equipped to help others with the same problem. What a wonderful world it would be if everybody took his own greatest problem and found the answer to it and spent the rest of his life helping others with the same problem in his spare time. Soon we would have the right kind of a world.

So ............

Do I appreciate my unique opportunity to be of service?

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Just a Contemplation

Feelings

It's okay to have and feel our feelings - all of them. Many of us needed to shut down the emotional part of ourselves to survive certain situations. We shut down the part of us that feels anger, sadness, fear, joy, and love. We may have turned off our sexual or sensual feelings too. Many of us lived in systems with people who refused to tolerate our emotions. We were shamed or reprimanded for expressing feelings, usually by people who were taught to repress their own.

It is okay now for us to acknowledge and accept our emotions. We don't need to allow our emotions to control us; neither do we need to allow our emotions to control us; neither do we need to rigidly repress our feelings. Our emotional center is a valuable part of us. It's connected to our physical well being, our thinking, and our spirituality. Our feelings are also connected to that great gift, instinct. They enable us to give and receive love.

We are neither weak nor deficient for indulging in our feelings. It means we're becoming healthy and whole. I will allow myself to recognize and accept whatever feelings pass through me. Without shame, I will tune in to the emotional part of myself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pride

Some see pride as just a minor issue. I see pride, and resistance to change, as the deadliest character flaw every alcoholic deals with on a daily basis. The only answer I've ever found in dealing with such a high level of denial, is written about in the Big Book, and can be found in action at just about any AA meeting in the world.

From: The AA Grapevine, April 2014

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Just a Quote

"A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you. " ~ C.S. Lewis

January 18


When This is Over
(A Prayer)

When this is over,
may we never again take for granted
a handshake with a stranger
conversations with neighbors
a crowded theater
Friday night out
a routine checkup
the school rush each morning
coffee with a friend
the stadium roaring
each deep breath
a boring Tuesday
life itself.

When this ends,
may we find that we have become
more like the people we wanted to be,
we were called to be,
we hoped to be.
And may we stay that way – better for each other because of the worst.

~ Laura Kelly Fanucci

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Just a Thought

The way of A.A. is the way of faith.

We don't get the full benefit of the program until we surrender our lives to some Power greater than ourselves and trust that Power to give us the strength we need. There is no better way for us. We can get sober without it. We can stay sober for some time without it. But if we are going to truly live, we must take the way of faith in God. That is the path for us. We must follow it.

So ............

Have I taken the way of faith?

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Just a Contemplation

What Counts

It's not what we do for a job that counts, it's how we do it. It's not what our chores at home might be, it's how we do them. And it's not what grades we get in school, but rather how hard we try. Doing our best, whether it's making a bed, writing a report, or listening to a friend tell us about an experience gives us a good feeling about ourselves.

Each of us is special to one another. And we are special to this very moment. Because what is past can't be repeated, let's remember to enjoy every moment as it comes. Let's pay close attention to each person, each activity that we encounter today. It's not what we do today, but how we do it that counts.

Can I do each thing well today, even the small things?

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Fellowship

I have a wealth of friends and, with my AA friends, an unusual quality of fellowship. For, to these people, I am truly related. First, through mutual pain and despair, and later through mutual objectives and newfound faith and hope. And, as the years go by, working together, sharing our experiences with one another, and also sharing a mutual trust, understanding, and love -- without strings, without obligation -- we acquire relationships that are unique and priceless.

Alcoholics Anonymous Page 276

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Just a Quote

"No matter what you have done to this moment, you get 24 brand-new hours to spend every single day." ~ Brian Tracy

January 19


Prayer When Confused

Lord, I desire to be clear-minded in a time when deceit and deception floods into my minds from so many quarters, and so I pray that you endow me with your wisdom, so that I may not be tossed about by the many winds of challenges and troubles of the world that can cause confusion, and distort the truth.
Amen

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Just a Thought

The way of faith is, of course, not confined to A.A. It is for everybody who really wants to live.

But many people can go through life without much of it. Many are doing so, to their own sorrow. The world is full of lack of faith. Many people have lost confidence in any meaning in the universe. Many are wondering if it has any meaning at all. Many are at loose ends. Life has no goal for many. They are strangers in the land. They are not at home. But for us in A.A., the way of faith is the way of life. We have proved by our past lives that we could not live without it.

So ............

Do I think I could live happily without faith?

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Just a Contemplation

Volunteering

The most precious time we will ever have we give away by doing volunteer chores to help others get more out of life. There is no material wage for this kind of work, but a host of emotional rewards.

What great humility this can bring to us, who live in a world where selfish people often insist on credit for all their deeds - often things they had nothing to do with.

All we need do is think of all we have received without deserving it or asking for it. By taking part in the giving end of life, we find the true wealth of our own generosity.

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Fear

For all its usual destructiveness, we have found that fear can be the starting point for better things. Fear can be a stepping-stone to prudence and to a decent respect for others. It can point the path to justice, as well as to hate. And the more we have respect and justice, the more we shall begin to find the love which can suffer much, and yet be freely given. So fear need not always be destructive, because the lessons of its consequences can lead us to positive values.
~ Bill W.

The Language of the Heart, April 2014

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Just a Quote

"What goes around comes around. I will look for the opportunities to be kind and feel the results." ~ Karen Casey

January 20


Smile Prayer

Dear God,

I know that every day may not be good, but there is good in every day. Make this one the best day yet. Let my eyes be open to the natural beauty in the commonplace things I see. May my heart feel love for everyone I meet. Encourage my heart to embrace each and every person I see with a genuine smile. Show me the way to living well. Thank You for the guidance and grace You have in store for me today.
Amen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

As I look back over my drinking career, have I learned that you take out of life what you put into it?

When I put drinking into my life, did I take out a lot of bad things? Hospitals with the D.T.'s? Jails for drunken driving? Loss of job? Loss of home and family?

So ............

When I put drinking into my life, was almost everything I took out bad?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Relationships & Responsibility

The process of untangling the relationships between ourselves and our parents - as well as with our children - is a long term process. Each of us came into the world helpless. As sons & daughters, we had no choice about relying on our parents. We reached adulthood with a mixture of gratitude, guilt, and resentment. The same is true of our children. Those of us who are parents began with an obligation to our children. We may now feel a mixture of commitment, fulfillment, and guilt.

No parent can teach a child everything he or she will need. We all do what we can to continue to learn and grow. We have lifelong commitments to each other - within reason. We are all trying to make our way as best we can. We each need to advance our own well-being and not destroy our lives for the sake of a parent or a child.

I will try to be responsible for myself; so that I can be more responsible to others.

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Alcoholism

Alcoholism is deadly, ugly, and tough. It is also cunning, baffling, and powerful. It wants me to consider perfection attainable. . . It wants me to try to fix myself with the right therapist or the right religion. . . It wants me to forget that it is a snake in the brain, hoping to catch my eye, watching, waiting. The gritty pain of alcoholism is the traction of recovery. I cannot afford to sell off the principles for an easier, softer way.

The Best of the Grapevine [Vol. 3], page 165

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Just a Quote

"Don't allow anger, bitterness, and other character defects to affect your family, friends, and fellowship. It is all too easy to lash out at ones close to you who will 'understand' your hostility and give you room because you are in recovery. Treat them as you would a newcomer for they deserve as much." ~ John D.

January 21


Prayer to Accept Change

Lord,
I don’t like change. I like newness, excitement and adventure; but, when it’s all said and done, I love to come home to the predictable and manageable—to my favorite chair and comfortable routines. So I need fresh grace to accept change, because there’s so much change going on everywhere I look.

Lord, I ask that your wisdom direct me to my guest for change. Help me to feel confident in the direction and make your will recognizable. Help me to have no doubt or confusion on the path I am choosing.
Amend

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Just a Thought

The identification that one alcoholic has with another is mysterious, spiritual--almost incomprehensible.

But it is there. I "feel" it. Today I feel that I can help people and that they can help me. It is a new and exciting feeling for me to care for someone; to care what they are feeling, hoping for, praying for; to know their sadness, joy, horror, sorrow, grief; to want to share those feelings so that someone can have relief. I never knew how to do this--or how to try. I never even cared.

So ............

The Fellowship of A.A., and God, are teaching me how to care about others.

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Just a Contemplation

Accepting Change

The winds of change blow through our life, sometimes gently, sometimes like a tropical storm. Yes, we have resting places - time to adjust to another level of living, time to get our balance, time to enjoy the rewards. We have time to catch our breath. But change is inevitable, and desirable.

Sometimes, when the winds of change begin to rustle, we are not certain the change is for the better. We may call it stress or a temporary condition, certain well to be restored to normal. Sometimes, we resist. We tuck our head down and buck the wind, hoping that things will quickly calm down, get back to the way things were. Is it possible we're being prepared for a new normal?

Change will sweep through our life, as needed, to take us where we're going. We can trust that our Higher Power has a plan in mind, even when we don't know where the changes are leading. We can trust that the change-taking place is good. The wind will take us where we need to go.

I will trust in God, to let go of my resistance to change. Help me be open to the process. Help me believe that the place I'll be dropped off will be better than the place where I was picked up. Help me surrender, trust, and accept, even if I don't understand.

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Freedom Through Acceptance

We admitted we couldn't lick alcohol with our own remaining resources, and so we accepted the further fact that dependence upon a Higher Power (if only our A.A. group) could do this hitherto impossible job. The moment we were able to accept these facts fully, our release from the alcohol compulsion had begun.

For most of us, this pair of acceptances had required a lot of exertion to achieve. Our whole treasured a lot of exertion to achieve. Our whole treasured philosophy of self-sufficiency had to be cast aside. This had not been done with sheer will power; it came instead as the result of developing the willingness to accept these new facts of living. We neither ran nor fought. But accept we did. And then we began to be free.

From the Grapevine March 1962

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Just a Quote

“Today I will let my Higher Power handle my worry so I can be free, I choose to be alive in this moment and not blocked by the conversations that go on over and over in my head. I will stop trying to figure everything out and will trust that I will get the right answers at the right time. “ ~ Ruth Fishel

January 22


Obsession Prayer

Lord,
You have all the power to set me free from these chains of thoughts that obsess my mind.
I pray that this bondage which steals away my happiness and peace of mind be shattered right now.
Let Your power remove these evil thoughts and establish peace in my heart.
I commit my thoughts into Your mighty hands.
I thank You for relieving me from this obsession.
Amen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

Our faith should control the whole of our life.

We alcoholics were living a divided life. We had to find a way to make it whole. When we were drinking, our lives were made up of a lot of scattered and unrelated pieces. We must pick up our lives and put them together again. We do it by recovering faith in a Divine Principle in the universe, which holds us together and holds the whole universe together and gives it meaning and purpose. We surrender our disorganized lives to that Power, we get into harmony with the Divine Spirit, and our lives are made whole again.

So ............

Is my life whole again?

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Just a Contemplation

Expectations of Others

It is our job to identify our needs, and then determine a balanced way of getting those needs met. It is unreasonable to expect anyone to be able or willing to meet our every request. We are responsible for asking for what we want and need. It's the other person's responsibility to freely choose whether or not to respond to our request.

There's a difference between asking and demanding. We want love that is freely given. It is unreasonable and unhealthy to expect one person to be the source for meeting all our needs. Ultimately, we will become angry and resentful, maybe even punishing, toward that person for not supporting us as we expected. If a person cannot or will not be there for us, then we need to take responsibility for ourselves in that relationship.

The issue of expectations goes back to knowing that we are responsible for identifying our needs, believing they deserve to get met, and discover an appropriate, satisfactory way to do that in our life.

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Growth

Growth and understanding came slowly, but they came steadily. And finally, I could feel gratitude for my sobriety -- for the saving grace of God. Now I feel totally free, because I know the truth about myself. . . I know that spiritual growth is a great, wide, beautiful thing and that I have only stepped up to the open door.

Came To Believe Page 94

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Just a Quote

"How simple it is to see that we can only be happy now, and there will never be a time when it is not now." ~ Gerald Jampolsky

January 23


The Tolerance Prayer

Lord, give me tolerance towards those whose thoughts and ways conflict with mine. For though I would, I cannot always know what constitutes the Absolute Truth. The other person may be right, while I may be all wrong, yet unaware.

Lord, make my motives right, for only this can ease my conscience when I sometimes err.

Lord, give me tolerance, for who am I to stand in judgment on another person's mistakes? No one knows better than my inward self how many little blunders I have and can make.

Life is full of stones that somehow trip us, and meaning not, we stumble now and then.

Lord, give me tolerance, for only you are rightly fit to judge my fellow travelers.
Amen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

As we look back over our drinking careers, we must realize that our lives were a mess because we were a mess inside.

The trouble was in us, not in life itself. Life itself was good enough, but we were looking at it the wrong way. We were looking at life through the bottom of a whiskey glass, and it was distorted. We could not see all the beauty and goodness and purpose in the world because our vision was blurred. We were in a house with one-way glass in the windows. People could see us but we could not look out and see them and see what life meant to them and should mean to us. We were blind then, but now we can see.

So ............

Can I now look at life as it really is?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Coping With Stress

Inevitably, there are times of stress in our lives. Sometimes, the stress is outside or around us, our circumstances are stressful. But sometimes, the stress is within. When the stress is external and internal, we experience our most difficult times.

Our friends and groups can help us feel more balanced and peaceful in spite of our stressful conditions. Affirming that the events taking place are a temporarily uncomfortable part of a good, solid plan can help. We can assure ourselves that we will get through. We won't be destroyed. We won't crumple or go under.

Our most important focus during times of stress is taking care of ourselves. We are better able to cope with the most irregular circumstances; we are better able to be there for others, if we're caring for ourselves. We can ask ourselves regularly: What do we need to do to take care of ourselves? What might help us feel better or more comfortable? Self-care may not come as easily during times of stress. Self-neglect may feel more comfortable. But taking care of us always works.

I will try to remember that there is no situation that can't be benefited by taking care of myself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

New Beginning

I knew I had to have a new beginning, and this beginning had to be here. I had to let go of the past and forget the future. As long as I held on to the past with one hand and grabbed at the future with the other hand I had nothing to hold on to today with. So I had to begin here, now.

Came To Believe Page 46

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Just a Quote

"Tolerance implies no lack of commitment to one's own beliefs. Rather it condemns the oppression or persecution of others. " ~ John F. Kennedy

January 24


Release Anger, Resentment and Bitterness Prayer

God,
You know I am troubled by thoughts and feelings of anger, resentment and bitterness. You also know why. And You know how deep the hurt goes and how long I have lived with it. But I don’t want to live with it any longer. I don’t want to be an angry, resentful and bitter person. With Your help, I release my anger into Your hands. I surrender my resentment. I let go of my bitterness. Help me to keep letting go and release these toxic emotions as often as they try to return.
Amen


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

We have definitely left that dream world behind.

It was only a sham. It was a world of our making and it was not the real world. We are sorry for the past, yes, but we learned a lot from it. We can put it down to experience, valuable experience, as we see it now, because it has given us the knowledge necessary to face the world as it really is. We had to become alcoholics in order to find the A.A. program. We would not have got it any other way. In a way, it was worth it.

So ............

Do I look at my past as valuable experience?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Time Alone

We all need some time alone.
It's a good idea to set aside a few minutes every day to be alone with ourselves. This goes for every member of the family, and it's important that we allow others some time for themselves. This is a very special time that is all our own. It's a time to relax and refresh ourselves.

If we want to have healthy, fulfilling relationships with each other, we all need time to ourselves every day. Without being "real people"--truly ourselves - how can we be full members of our family?

When I am alone, I can talk with my God.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To Be Fair-Minded

Too often, I think, we have depreciated and even derided projects of our friends in the field of alcoholism just because we do not always see eye to eye with them. We should very seriously ask ourselves how many alcoholics have gone on drinking simply because we have failed to cooperate in good spirit with these many agencies--whether they be good, bad, or indifferent. No alcoholic should go mad or die merely because he did not come straight to A.A. at the beginning. Our first objective will be the development of self-restraint. This carries a top-priority rating. When we speak or act hastily or rashly, the ability to be fair-minded and tolerant evaporates on the spot.

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions Page 91

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Just a Quote

"An ounce of action is worth a ton of theory." ~ Friedrich Engels

January 25


Just for Today Prayer

May today there be peace within you.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities
that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received,
and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be content knowing that you are a child of God.
Let His presence settle into your bones,
and allow your soul the freedom to sing,
dance, and to bask in the sun.
It is there for each and every one of you.
Amen

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Just a Thought

We have been given a new life just because we happened to become alcoholics.

We certainly don't deserve the new life that has been given us. There is little in our past to warrant the life we have now. Many people live good lives from their youth on, not getting into serious trouble, being well adjusted to life, and yet they have not found all that we drunks have found. We had the good fortune to find Alcoholics Anonymous and with it a new life. We are among the lucky few in the world who have learned a new way to live.

So ............

Am I deeply grateful for the new life that I have learned in A.A.?

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Just a Contemplation

God's Name

It doesn't matter what name we use. No one name is ever fully adequate, and each of us has our own private way of trying to understand that which we can't ever understand fully. We give God names, which attempt to express what God means to us personally, what God does for us as individuals, and how we see ourselves in relation to God.

Could it also be true that other people can't be labeled and put into one box? Doing so limits them to one particular way of being understood, and it limits the ways we can get to know them. If we are all made in God's image, then we all deserve the freedom to be seen differently by different people.

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Self-restraint

Nothing pays off like restraint of tongue and pen. We must avoid quick-tempered criticism and furious power-driven argument. The same goes for silent scorn. These are emotional booby traps baited with pride and vengefulness. We can neither think nor act to good purpose until the habit of self-restraint has become automatic.

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions Page 91

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Just a Quote

“Just be honest with yourself. That opens the door.” ~ Vernon Howard

January 26


Prayer For Family & Friends

Dear God, thank you for the gift of family and friends.
Holding them in my heart is one of the most precious things I can never get tired of.
Bless everyone, for they deserve all goodness You have given to me.
If I may do something wrong today, please forgive me.
Amen

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Just a Thought

I am glad to be a part of A.A., of that great fellowship that has spread all over the world.

I am only one of the many A.A.s, but I am one. I am grateful to be living at this time, when I can help A.A. to grow, when it needs me to put my shoulder to the wheel and help keep the movement going. I am glad to be able to be useful, to have a reason for living, a purpose in life. I want to lose my life in this great cause and so find it again.

So ............

Am I grateful to be an A.A.?

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Just a Contemplation

Growth

Just as when we were children and grew out of favorite toys and clothes, we sometimes grow out of things as adults - people, jobs, and homes. This can be confusing. We may wonder why someone or something that was so special and important to us last year doesn't fit the same way in our life today. We may wonder why our feelings have changed.

When we were children, we may have tried to fit an outgrown article of clothing on to our body. Now, as adults, we may go through a time of trying to force fit attitudes that we have outgrown. We may need to do this to give ourselves time to realize the truth. What worked last year, what was so important and special to us in times past, doesn't work anymore because we've changed. We've grown.

We can accept this as a valid and important part of recovery. We can let ourselves go through experimentation and grief as we struggle to make something fit, trying to figure out if indeed it no longer fits, and why. We can explore our feelings and thoughts around what has happened.

Then, we can put last year's toys away and make room for the new.

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Unity

For thousands of alcoholics yet to come, AA does have an answer. But there is one condition. We must, at all costs, preserve our essential unity; it must be made unbreakably secure. Without permanent unity there can be little lasting recovery for anyone.

The Language of the Heart Page 70

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Just a Quote

“Nothing in the universe can stop you from letting go and starting over.” ~ Guy Finley

January 27


Prayer to Start Today

Lord, thank you for this day.
I ask that You would guide my path today and, more specifically, my thoughts, words and actions.
Please be with me throughout the day and help me navigate whatever comes my way.
Most importantly, help me to reflect and live out my life in a way that reflects our will, not mine.
Amen

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Just a Thought

I need the A.A. principles for the development of the buried life within me, that good life, which I had misplaced, but which I found again in this fellowship.

This life within me is developing slowly but surely, with many setbacks, many mistakes, many failures, but still developing. As long as I stick close to A.A., my life will go on developing, and I cannot yet know what it will be, but I know that it will be good. That's all I want to know. It will be good.

So ............

Am I thanking God for A.A.?

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Just a Contemplation

Courage

We pray for the courage to change the things we can. Making changes requires the courage to start out on a new, unknown course. Courage does not mean the elimination of fear. Courage means acting in spite of the fact that we are afraid.

It takes courage to learn to affirm one's rights as an individual, especially if the old way was to say yes to all demands and requests, reasonable and unreasonable. It takes courage to face the truth instead of continuing to live with comfortable illusions.

Sometimes courage comes when we are pressed to a wall of failure. There is nothing to do but turn around and step out in a new direction, even though we are afraid. The courage born of desperation can produce remarkable results.

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Convinced

Practicing AA's Steps means the adoption of attitudes and actions that almost no alcoholic who is still drinking can dream of taking. The average alcoholic, self-centered in the extreme, doesn't care for this prospect -- unless he has to do these things in order to stay alive himself.

As Bill Sees It Page 118

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Just a Quote

"Pray not for lighter burdens but for stronger backs." ~ Theodore Roosevelt

January 28


Unconditional Love Prayer

Lord,
I have to thank You for looking beyond my faults and for loving me unconditionally.
Forgive me when I fail to love others in the same way.
Give me eyes to see the needs of the difficult people in my life, and show me how to meet those needs in a way that pleases You.
Amen

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Just a Thought

A.A. may be human in its organization, but it is divine in its purpose.

The purpose is to point me toward God and the good life. My feet have been set upon the right path. I feel it in the depths of my being. I am going in the right direction. The future can be safely left to God. Whatever the future holds, it cannot be too much for me to bear. I have the Divine Power with me to carry me through everything that may happen.

So ............

Am I pointed toward God and the good life?

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Just a Contemplation

Panic

If panic strikes, we do not have to allow it to control our behaviors. Behaviors controlled by panic tend to be self-defeating. No matter what the situation or circumstance, panic is usually not a good foundation. No matter what the situation or circumstance, we usually have at least a moment to breathe deeply and restore our serenity and peace.

The healthy way of life we are seeking, is built on a foundation of peace and quiet confidence - in ourselves, in our God. Do not panic. That takes us away from the path. Relax. Breathe deeply. Let peace flow through our body and mind. From this base, our Source shall supply the necessary resources.

I will treat panic as a separate issue that needs immediate attention. I will refuse to allow panicky thoughts and feelings to motivate me. Instead, I will let peace and trust motivate my feelings, thoughts, and behaviors.

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Arrogance

I am a firm believer in both guidance and prayer. But I am fully aware, and humble enough, I hope, to see there may be nothing infallible about my guidance. The minute I figure I have got a perfectly clear pipeline to God, I have become egotistical enough to get into real trouble. Nobody can cause more needless grief than a power-driver who thinks he has got it straight from God.

As Bill Sees It Page 38

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Just a Quote

"When you face your fear, most of the time you will discover that it was not really such a big threat after all." ~ Les Brown

January 29


Guidance Prayer

God,
You know my weakness and failings, and that without Your help I can accomplish nothing for the good of souls, my own and others’. Grant me, therefore, the help of Your grace. Grant it according to my particular needs this day. Enable me to see the task You will set before me in the daily routine of my life, and help me work hard at my appointed tasks. Teach me to bear patiently all the trials of suffering or failure that may come to me today.
Amen

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Just a Thought

Seeing the privileges that the A.A. movement has given me ............

I shall share in the responsibilities, taking it upon myself to carry my fair share of the load, not grudgingly but joyfully. I am deeply grateful for the privileges I enjoy because of my membership in this great movement. They put an obligation upon me, which I will not shirk. I will gladly carry my fair share of the burdens. Because of the joy of doing them, they will no longer be burdens, but opportunities.

So ............

Will I accept every opportunity gladly?

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Just a Contemplation

Working Compulsively

Compulsive working is an attempt to escape reality. Working compulsively includes the fear that what we do will not be good enough. It is when we are unsure of our self worth that we have to continually prove how much we can accomplish. Compulsive work is also a way to avoid meaningful relationships with family and friends. If we fear intimacy and exposure, we sometimes try to hide behind a facade of busyness.

If we allow God our will and our lives, we work according to His direction. We have the faith that what we do will be acceptable and enough. Believing that God cares for us, we do not rely only on our own abilities. Working for a Higher Power means that we work with serenity and confidence, knowing that He directs and sustains our efforts.

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Appreciation

It is strictly my opinion, based on my experience, that one becomes richer in spirit as one grows in spirit. The more I accept God, the more He gives me. As I become more appreciative of the benefits received, I try harder to show my appreciation. My capacity to be content with life as it is has greatly increased. Therefore, as time goes on, I become more able to be at peace with my fellowman, with God, and within myself.

Came To Believe Page 87

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Just a Few Quotes

"To walk safely through the maze of human life, one needs the light of wisdom and the guidance of virtue." ~ Gautama Buddha

"The most difficult thing I have ever had to do is follow the guidance I prayed for." ~ Albert Schweitzer

January 30


Prayer for Hope

Lord send me hope. There are times when I feel helpless and weak. I want a better future and life but I can’t see it. I need love and kindness.

The sky is at its darkest just before the light. I pray that this is true, for all seems dark. I need your light, Lord, in every way.

I pray to be filled with your light from head to toe. To bask in your glory. To know that all is right in the world, as you have planned, and as you want it to be. Amen

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Just a Thought

To the extent that I fail in my responsibilities, A.A. fails. To the extent that I succeed, A.A. succeeds.

Every failure of mine will set back A.A. work to that extent. Every success of mine will put A.A. ahead to that extent. I shall not wait to be drafted for service to others, but I shall volunteer. I shall accept every opportunity to work for A.A. as a challenge, and I shall do my best to accept every challenge and perform my task as best I can.

So ............

Will I accept every challenge gladly?

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Just a Contemplation

Honesty

Lying can be like sailing choppy waters. The more we lie, the higher the waves get, and the harder the sailing. When we lie, we feel we've failed ourselves and others. We have to work hard to cover up our lies, and the fear of someone finding out is always with us.

If we ask God for courage to tell the truth, we can be like the sailboat on a clear and calm day. We can enjoy the small waves and the light warm breeze we've given ourselves. Honesty is a good habit, and is easy. With a little faith in our own worth, we can choose the calm waters' honesty and apply our creativity to new, growth-oriented activities instead of covering up old mistakes.

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Inspiration

From "Alcoholics Anonymous Number Three": I thought, I think I have the answer. Bill was very, very grateful that he had been released from this terrible thing and he had given God the credit for having done it, and he's so grateful about it he wants to tell other people about it. That sentence, 'The Lord has been so wonderful to me, curing me of this terrible disease, that I just want to keep telling people about it,' has been a sort of a golden text for the A.A. program and for me.

Alcoholics Anonymous Page 191

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Just a Quote

“No matter the storm... When you're with God there's always a rainbow waiting. Remember, God answers knee-mail!” ~ Anonymous A.A.

January 31

Prayer from Distress


God,
In the comfort of your love, I lay before you the memories that haunt me, the anxieties that perplex me, the despair that frightens me, and my frustration at my inability to think clearly. Help me to discover your forgiveness in my memories and know your peace in my distress. Lord, touch me and fill me with your light and your hope.
Amen

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Just a Thought

The A.A. program is one of faith.

Because we find that we must have faith in a Power greater than ourselves if we are going to get sober. We're helpless before alcohol, but when we turn our drink problem over to God and have faith that He can give us all the strength we need, then we have the drink problem licked. Faith in that Divine Principle in the universe which we call God is the essential part of the A.A. program.

So ............

Is faith still strong in me?

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Just a Contemplation

Fear of Failure

It is often the fear of failure, which prevents us from attempting what we really want to do. Our past failures can undermine our confidence in our present abilities. For this reason, we need to let go of the past and be willing to try something new. For many of us, belief in a Higher Power is a new commitment. The fear that we will be disappointed sometimes blocks us from the wholehearted trust that such a commitment entails.

The fear of failure is best dealt with by living one day at a time. We can risk a small failure today; it is the large failure in the future that terrifies us. By taking a small step today, toward working on an important project, we build the confidence that we can eventually succeed.

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Word of Mouth

In my view, there isn't the slightest objection to groups who wish to remain strictly anonymous, or to people who think they would not like their membership in A.A. known at all. That is their business, and this is a very natural reaction. 'However, most people find that anonymity to this degree is not necessary, or even desirable. Once one is fairly sober, and sure of this, there seems no reason for failing to talk about A.A. membership in the right places. This has a tendency to bring in other people. Word of mouth is one of our most important communications. 'So we should criticize neither the people who wish to remain silent, nor even the people who wish to talk too much about belonging to A.A., provided they do not do so at the public level and thus compromise our whole Society.

Bill W., In Letter, 1962 (Grapevine)

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Just a Quote

"When we are feeling creatively blocked, it is usually our own fear that is creating that block." ~ Madelyn Taylor