Daily Recovery Readings - 7/3

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Daily Reflections

EXPERIENCE: THE BEST TEACHER

Being still inexperienced and having just made conscious
contact with God, it is not probable that we are going to
be inspired at all times.
ALCOHOLIC ANONYMOUS , p. 87

Some say that experience is the best teacher, but I believe
that experience is the only teacher. I have been able to
learn of God's love for me only by the experience of my
dependence on that love. At first I could not be sure of
His direction in my life, but now I see that if I am to be
bold enough to ask for His guidance, I must act as if He
has provided it. I frequently ask God to help me remember
that He has a path for me.

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Twenty-Four Hours A Day

A.A. Thought For The Day

In the beginning of Alcoholics Anonymous there were only two
persons. Now there are many groups and thousands of members.
True, the surface has only been scratched. There are probably
ten million or more persons in America alone who need our
help. More and more people are making a start in A.A. each
day. In the case of individual members, the beginning has
been accomplished when they admit they are powerless and turn
to a Power greater than themselves, admitting that their
lives have become unmanageable. That Higher Power works for
good in all things and helps us to accomplish much in
individual growth and in the growth of A.A. groups. Am I
doing my part in helping A.A. to grow?

Meditation For The Day

Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness,
for they shall be filled. Only in the fullness of faith can the
heart-sick and faint and weary be satisfied, healed, and rested.
Think of the wonderful spiritual revelations still to be found
by those who are trying to live the spiritual life. Much of life
is spiritually unexplored country. Only to the consecrated and
loving people who walk with God in spirit can these great
spiritual discoveries be revealed. Keep going forward and keep
growing in righteousness.

Prayer For The Day

I pray that I may not be held back by the material things of the
world. I pray that I may let God lead me forward.

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As Bill Sees It

Whose Inventory?, p. 161

We do not relate intimate experiences of another member unless we are sure he would
approve. We find it better, when possible, to stick to our own stories. A man may
criticize or laugh at himself and it will affect others favorably, but criticism or ridicule
aimed at someone else often produces the contrary effect.

<< << << >> >> >>

A continuous look at our assets and liabilities, and a real desire to learn and grow by
this means are necessities for us. We alcoholics have learned this the hard way.
More experienced people, of course, in all times and places have practiced unsparing
self-survey and criticism.

1. Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 125
2. 12 & 12, p. 88

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Keep It Simple

We are only as sick as the secrets we keep.--- Anonymous

It is dangerous for us to keep secrets. Shame builds, and we'll want relief. We may turn to alcohol or other drugs. True relief comes by talking about our secrets, by sharing who we really are with others. Our program helps us live a life based on honesty. Our program helps us battle shame. We don't keep secrets anymore. We start our meetings and share what we tried to keep secret before.
" Hi, my name is____________, and I'm am alcoholic." " Hi my name is_____________, and I'm a drug addict." We keep telling our secret, and the shame gets less and less.
Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, I pray to live an honest life.
Action for the Day: I'll list any secrets I've been keeping. I'll talk with my sponsor about them.

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Alcoholics Anonymous - Fourth Edition

Physician, Heal Thyself

Psychiatrist and surgeon, he had lost his way until he realized that God, not he, was the Great Healer.

As someone in A.A. said to me once upon a time, there is nothing worse than a confused psychiatrist.

p. 303

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Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions

Tradition Three - "The only requirement for A.A. membership is a desire to stop drinking."

A member gives us a vivid glimpse of those days. "At one time," he says, "every A.A. group had many membership rules. Everybody was scared witless that something or somebody would capsize the boat and dump us all back into the drink. Our Foundation office* asked each group to send in its list of `protective' regulations. The total list was a mile long. If all those rules had been in effect everywhere, nobody could have possibly joined A.A. at all, so great was the sum of our anxiety and fear.

pp. 139-140

*In 1954, the name of the Alcoholic Foundation, Inc., was changed to the General Service Board of Alcoholics Anonymous, Inc., and the Foundation office is now the General Service Office.

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Deep within us is a place where we have found God and God has found
us. Once in a great while, we come to this place within us and we
realize it is the goal of our seeking. It feels like home. We may not be
consciously aware of our seeking. We may be living our lives day by
day. The wonder is that while this searching goes on within us, there is
also the One who seeks us out, calling to us, desiring that we find the
home within. It is God who takes the initiative of seeking and places
the desire in our hearts to be found.
--Unknown

The world needs all of our power and love and energy, and each of us
has something to give. The trick is to find it and use it, to find it and
give it away so there will always be more. We can be lights for each
other, and through each other's illumination we will see the way. Each
of us is a seed, a silent promise, and it is always spring.
--Merle Shain

A true winner is one who congratulates the one receiving recognition
in heart felt words.
--unknown

Forgiveness is only one step in the healing process, but a very
important one to learn.
--unknown

Burdening yourself with trivial things only affects one person - YOU.
--unknown

There is no investment you'll ever make which will pay you so well as
the effort to scatter sunshine and good cheer wherever you are.
--unknown

We see God through eyes of faith.
--SweetyZee

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Father Leo's Daily Meditation

CHOICES

"Destiny is not a matter of
chance, it is a matter of choice;
it is not a thing to be achieved."
--William Jennings Bryan

It is so important for us to see that we create our destiny. We create
our futures in the choices we initiate today. During my addiction I was
like a ship without a sail. I drifted through life and was tossed in a
thousand directions. Today I am able to point myself in the direction I
want to go.

I do not believe that this attitude takes anything away from the power
of God because He gave me freedom in the first place! He created me
to be free and to have the gift of decision-making. He is not a dictator
God, and I am not a puppet on a string. He loves me enough to allow
me to learn from my mistakes and take personal pride in my
achievements. Addiction made me powerless. Sobriety puts me in
touch with my God-given power.

I am forever grateful and thankful for my involvement in my own life.
I pray today that I might live responsibly a day at a time.

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"Jesus said to him, If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."
Matthew 19:21

"We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of
childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves,
who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait
eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in
this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who
hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet
have, we wait for it patiently."
Romans 8:22-25

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full
armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's
schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against
the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark
world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."
Ephesians 6:10-12

"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like
a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm
in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the
world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings."
I Peter 5:8-9

"You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because
the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world."
I John 4:4

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Daily Inspiration


Stay close to God because He is the solution to all problems. Lord, I will live in Your presence, protected by You and Your peace will be mine.

Our lives should be productive and useful and we should always make a difference because we are alive. Lord, You have brought me to this new day. Work with me so that I will have a successful day with many accomplishments whether they are great or small.

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You are reading from the book Today's Gift.
You are here for a purpose. There is not a duplicate of you in the whole wide world; there never has been, there never will be. You were brought here now to fill a certain need. Take time to think that over. --Lou Austin
No other person is exactly like you or me. No one can do exactly what we can, or touch another person in exactly the way we can. Out of all the people who could have been created, we were chosen to be a part of this time and place.
We are needed to fulfill a plan, in our families as well as in our relationships. Knowing we have unique abilities, we will spend less time feeling jealous of what others can do.
Through our dreams and yearnings, God shows us who we can be. It is up to us to have the courage to follow that dream with action.
What unique gift can I offer the world today?


You are reading from the book Touchstones.
Vitality shows not only in the ability to persist but also in the ability to start over. --F. Scott Fitzgerald
Sitting in a stalled car on the railroad tracks with a train approaching, one needs to let go and start over. A man who persists in that situation will die. Many situations require fierce persistence, but in others we need to start over. Early in recovery, most of us haven't had a good way of knowing the difference. Perhaps with every challenge we tried harder and held on tighter. Our codependent relationships and our addictions had been our escapes.
Often we long for some clear directions from God to tell us, "Now is the time to let go," or "Now is the time to persist." That is not how we hear from our Higher Power. We can practice being less automatic in rising to every challenge. We can learn to see the wisdom and vitality in starting over. Certainly our recovery is a good example. Gradually we develop our contact with our Higher Power to help discern the difference. As we do, we develop more options for leading healthier lives.
Today, I will not automatically persist with a challenge. I will notice when I have an opportunity to let go.


You are reading from the book Each Day a New Beginning.
No one can build (her) security upon the nobleness of another person. --Willa Cather
Where do we look for our security? Do we look to our husbands or our lovers? Do we look to a parent or our children? Perhaps we seek our security in our jobs. But none of these avenues brings lasting contentment, as we've each probably discovered, just as pills, alcohol, or maybe food failed to give us lasting security.
Security of the spirit is with us from our birth. It's just that we haven't tapped into the source. Perhaps we don't even know the source, but it's been with us always, awaiting our realization of it.
No step do we ever take alone. Each breath we take is in partnership with the eternal source of strength and security within us. We have the choice to accept this partnership any time. And this guarantee of security in all things at all times is the gift of freedom.
Our desire for security is God-given. The security we desire is also given by God to us. We are secure today and every day.
Each step I take is in concert with my higher power. I need experience nothing alone. I can breathe in and tap the plentiful source of strength awaiting me, now.


You are reading from the book The Language of Letting Go.
Directness
So much of our communication can reflect our need to control. We say what we think others want to hear. We try to keep others from getting angry, feeling afraid, going away, or disliking us. But our need to control traps us into feeling like victims and martyrs.
Freedom is just a few words away. Those words are our truths. We can say what we need to say. We can gently, but assertively, speak our mind.
Let go of your need to control. We do not need to be judgmental, tactless, blaming, or cruel when we speak our truths. Neither do we need to hide our light. Let go, and freely be who you are.
Today, I will be honest with others, and myself knowing that if I don't, my truth will come out some other way.


It is exciting to know that the more I listen to the chattering that goes on in my mind, the quicker I can identify the blocks to my positive and creative energy. Today I release all negativity so that I can be fully alive in the moment. --Ruth Fishel

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Quiet Time

"Many of us have found that setting aside quiet time for ourselves is helpful in making conscious contact with our Higher Power."
Basic Text, p.92

Most of us pay lip-service to the value of conscious contact with a Higher Power. Yet how many of us consistently take time to improve that conscious contact? If we've not already established a regular regimen of prayer and meditation, today is the day to start one.
A "quiet time" need not be long. Many of us find that twenty to thirty minutes is enough time to quiet ourselves, focus our attention with a spiritual reading, share our thoughts and concerns in prayer, and take a few moments to listen for an answer in meditation. Our "quiet time" need not be lengthy to be effective, provided it is consistent. Twenty minutes taken once a month to pray will probably do little but frustrate us with the poor quality of our conscious contact. Twenty minutes taken regularly each day, however, renews and reinforces an already lively contact with our Higher Power.

In the hustle and bustle of the recovering addict's day, many of us end up going from morning to night without taking time out to improve our conscious contact with the God we've come to understand. However, if we set aside a particular time of the day, every day, as "quiet time," we can be sure that our conscious contact will improve.

Just for today: I will set aside a few moments, once I finish reading today's entry, to pray and meditate. This will be the beginning of a new pattern for my recovery.
pg. 193

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Wisdom for Today
As I got further into my recovery and had made my first trip through the steps, I found that I had amassed a significant amount of knowledge about recovery and what worked and what didn't. But I still had more lessons to learn. I had been chairing meetings and giving leads for quite awhile. I began to feel important in the program. This self-importance was made up of arrogance and pride. I began to feel like my opinion was more important than others. I began to make assumptions about what others needed from me. I began to get all wrapped up in the limelight of success. These attitudes began to get in the way of what was really important, and fortunately my sponsor could see me when I could not see myself.
One night after a meeting where I had taken a dominant role, my sponsor asked me to go for a walk. This request was unusual, but I agreed. We walked for quite a ways, and my sponsor was quiet the whole time. I began to get annoyed and wondered why he had asked me to walk with him. Finally, I couldn't stand his silence anymore and blurted out, "What is this all about?" He turned to me and gave me a look that stopped me in my tracks. "Do you know that AA will get along just fine without you?" he said. I couldn't believe what I was hearing, but I knew my sponsor well enough to know he was up to something. He went on to point out my self-important attitudes. He explained that my pride was actually hurting the group, as I was not allowing newer members the opportunity to grow because I was hogging the limelight. I didn't like what I heard that night, but I knew my sponsor was right. Months later he told me that his sponsor had given him the same speech. Do I know that the program is more essential than one individual?
Mediations for the Heart
Humility in the program is so very important. We all have things to offer, but I had to learn that I did not need to be the only one offering wisdom to others. I still had wisdom to learn. Wisdom is something that is grown over time and through experience. In this situation I still had more growing to do. Today I hope that I never stop growing and that I always remain open to learning from others. Humility however is not something that is grown. It is a gift that is given to us by the Spirit. This gift along with all the other gifts and promises of the program provide us not only with gratitude, but also a sense of humility. It is in recognizing this gift that we also recognize that we are not God. We recognize that the gift comes from the Spirit and that through this gift of humility, we can fully accept ourselves for who and what we are. It is in this sense of humility that we realize that we are His children, and we find His peace. Do I let anything get in the way of accepting the gift of humility?
Petitions to my Higher Power
God,
Help me to check my arrogance, pride and self-importance each day. Let me not place roadblocks in the way of accepting Your gift of a humble heart. Let me share my experience, strength and hope with others in equal proportion to my willingness to learn from others' experience, strength and hope. Guide me in my steps along the path of recovery today, for You alone know where I am to be this day.
Amen.

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You are reading from the book Food for Thought.

Rest in God

Fatigue is one of our worst enemies. Sometimes it is our own unnecessary busyness and over ambition which wears us out, and sometimes the cause of our fatigue seems unavoidable. Depression and weariness go hand in hand.

It was our habit to reach for something to eat when we were tired. We may still crave refined sugar and carbohydrates as a quick boost when our energy lags. Instead of these substances, which we know will let us down, we need to turn to our Higher Power for rest and refreshment.

Even better than waiting until we are fatigued to ask for help is the habit of resting continuously in God. We may then carry on our activities knowing that we are upheld by His power, and we will avoid the exhaustion of trying to accomplish everything by our own efforts.

May I remember to rest in You.