CRA Christians in Recovery (anonymous)

[Bingo]

"Thank you for sharing. The following from the Big Book says a lot about how lives have
been changed...I can certainly attest to that!".............
'Praise God'
......................................................................................................................................................................

In 1939, when the Big Book, was first published, on the title page, it was written:

"WE, OF Alcoholics Anonymous, are more than one hundred men and women who have recovered from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body. To show other alcoholics precisely how we have recovered is the main purpose of this book."

Today, a conservative estimate is that there is well over two million members of AA.

This number does not include the many thousands of recoveries in NA, Al-Anon, Nar-Anon, OA, GA, DA, MA, CA, and nearly 300 other 12 Step Organizations and and Recovery Communities -- that have recovered, or are recovering -- using the same 12 Steps, that were first published by Alcoholics Anonymous, in 1939.
"Recovery takes place as a result of following the directions in the book Alcoholics Anonymous -- which will take the alcoholic through the 12 Steps of Recovery -- and enable them to discover a Power Greater than Their Self -- that can and will do for them -- what they have been powerless and unable to do for themselves -- and to assist them to help other alcoholics to recover (which is a requirement for recovery)." ~Dallas B.


.

 

[calibob]

 

[Bingo]

"And, we believe there is no middle-of-the-road-solution.....
'Praise God'

 

[Magenta]

Thanks for sharing. Now for a change of pace since only 2 of us have shared today Lesson 1 from Celebrate Recovery by Rick Warren and John Baker Lesson 1; principal 1. Realize we I not God. I admit that I am powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and that my life is unmanageable. "Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor."Sermon on the mount

Step 1. We admit We are powerless over our addictions and compulsive behaviors, that our lives had become unmanageable.
"I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out" Romans 7:18

... for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven

What an absolute honor and privilege it is to be used of God, how humbling and pleasing to know we have something of value to offer others, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant. I add the last part remembering a young woman who had asked me for my phone number but never called me, thinking I never had a chance to help her, yet talking to her at meetings and making myself available to her was, or could have been, helpful to her in ways I am unaware of. I know for myself that having phone numbers, even if I don't use them, is helpful, and certainly having people to talk to, even if only for a short time at meetings, is also helpful. In the grand scheme of things, small gestures mean much, and willingness goes a long way We live by example, attraction rather than promotion being one of the 12 traditions, and we cannot force recovery on those we think need it, for it is there for those who want it, and are willing to make the effort to incorporate the spiritual principles offered to improve their lives

 

[Magenta]

"And, we believe there is no middle-of-the-road-solution.....
'Praise God'

Half measures avail us nothing...

 

[Magenta]

Without help it is too much for us. But there is One who has all power-that One is God. May you find Him now!

Half measures availed us nothing. We stood at the turning point. We asked His protection and care with complete abandon.

Here are the steps we took, which are suggested as a program of recovery:

1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol — that our lives had become unmanageable.

2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.

4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.

6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.

7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.

8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.

9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.

11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.

12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

 

[Bingo]

... for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven

What an absolute honor and privilege it is to be used of God, how humbling and pleasing to know we have something of value to offer others, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant. I add the last part remembering a young woman who had asked me for my phone number but never called me, thinking I never had a chance to help her, yet talking to her at meetings and making myself available to her was, or could have been, helpful to her in ways I am unaware of. I know for myself that having phone numbers, even if I don't use them, is helpful, and certainly having people to talk to, even if only for a short time at meetings, is also helpful. In the grand scheme of things, small gestures mean much, and willingness goes a long way We live by example, attraction rather than promotion being one of the 12 traditions, and we cannot force recovery on those we think need it, for it is there for those who want it, and are willing to make the effort to incorporate the spiritual principles offered to improve their lives

"Amen"...........Thank you for sharing!"............Glad to 'see' you!
'Praise God

 

[Bingo]

Without help it is too much for us. But there is One who has all power-that One is God. May you find Him now!

Half measures availed us nothing. We stood at the turning point. We asked His protection and care with complete abandon.

Here are the steps we took, which are suggested as a program of recovery:

1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol — that our lives had become unmanageable.

2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.

4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.

6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.

7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.

8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.

9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.

11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.

12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

 

[Magenta]

"Amen"...........Thank you for sharing!"............Glad to 'see' you!
'Praise God View attachment 197578

Thank you, Bingo, and you are welcome I forgot to mention that that young woman fell off her bicycle on a busy street into traffic, and did not survive, which was why I had wondered if I had helped her in any way, lamenting that perhaps I could have done more before it was too late to do anything at all for her. I just remembered now that her name was Leeanne... Having been in and around recovery rooms for just over thirty years now, I have met a lot of people who have come and gone, some dying in their disease, which always seems such a tragedy. Praise the Lord! For there but by the Grace of God go I.

 

[Bingo]

Thank you, Bingo, and you are welcome I forgot to mention that that young woman fell off her bicycle on a busy street into traffic, and did not survive, which was why I had wondered if I had helped her in any way, lamenting that perhaps I could have done more before it was too late to do anything at all for her. I just remembered now that her name was Leeanne... Having been in and around recovery rooms for just over thirty years now, I have met a lot of people who have come and gone, some dying in their disease, which always seems such a tragedy. Praise the Lord! For there but by the Grace of God go I.

"Life happening, one day at a time. It is never known who may cross our paths...it is with hope,
by our experiences, perhaps of helping another life that is struggling with an addiction. God has
put another life before me...( neighbor of all things ) over four months with this near friend...
shares tears and past issues, but a stubborn one... Magenta, in your quiet time, a prayer would
be welcome.......tears of the heart, only God understands."
"Thank you Magenta, for being you.".......
'Praise God'

 

[Magenta]

"Life happening, one day at a time. It is never known who may cross our paths...it is with hope,
by our experiences, perhaps of helping another life that is struggling with an addiction. God has
put another life before me...( neighbor of all things ) over four months with this near friend...
shares tears and past issues, but a stubborn one... Magenta, in your quiet time, a prayer would
be welcome.......tears of the heart, only God understands."
"Thank you Magenta, for being you.".......
'Praise God'

I will pray for your friend, Bingo, and thank you once again. Stubbornness I am well acquainted with (my own) Biblically we know it as being stiff necked My world was turned upside down when I finally truly came to believe, for I was suddenly faced with having to completely overthrow almost fifty years of misdirection How hungry I suddenly was to know the Truth of the Word of God, and how willing God was to fill that desire. I am still learning Praise the Lord, for He is good, His love endures forever

 

[Bingo]

I will pray for your friend, Bingo, and thank you once again. Stubbornness I am well acquainted with (my own) Biblically we know it as being stiff necked My world was turned upside down when I finally truly came to believe, for I was suddenly faced with having to completely overthrow almost fifty years of misdirection How hungry I suddenly was to know the Truth of the Word of God, and how willing God was to fill that desire. I am still learning Praise the Lord, for He is good, His love endures forever

 

[calibob]

Good morning one and all. A ministry I used to work for always was stay closed from Good Friday till Easter Sunday morning in memory of the mourning for the Lord on the cross. No prayer breakfasts, no bible study's, no church services and no Saturday night concerts. we called it dark Saturday. Sunday was a celebration.

He's alive! Praise the Lord!

 

[calibob]

Recovery should never take a day off though. Through the tears and years I have become very fond of some 12 step materials from different sources like AA, NA, Celebrate Recovery and DRA. A collaborator of mine also has EA, NA, (the basic text) AA (the big book) and I believe CDA (Co-dependents Anon.) And of course most important we have Bibles in several translations. This is in order to have more well rounded materiel's to study from and share with you, which we do. My name is Bob, I'm in recovery for substance abuse and emotional disorders combined my mission is to carry the message to those who still suffer and to proclaim Jesus is the one and only true higher power.
Poster for the day;

 

[blue_ladybug]

Because every thread needs a cat and a laugh:

 

[calibob]

Topic for today; Came to believe. Step 2. We came to believe that we (a) were in chemical and or emotional bondage. (b) no human can release us from said bondage and (c) god can and will if he is sought.

Many of us have not received any good teaching regarding spiritual matters and the teachings we did receive were bad, wrong and or false. We may have envisioned a big mean kid with a magnifying glass just waiting to torment us for any infraction we may commit. Or a false god that loves ceremonies and sacrifices more than he loves us. I too was raised that way too, it's lies all lies.

The God we now believe in is gracious, kind, loving, forgiving and helpful. He really love us in spite of ourselves and our history all we have to do is cooperate and recognize we are not God, he is.

This meeting is open, let's open our minds, our hearts and our mouths. Please testify as you feel called or feel the need. Remember where two or more are gathered in his name he is in the midst of us. The Oxford group (the first recovery group) learned the power of testimony is beneficial to both the speaker and the listener.

 

[calibob]

Because every thread needs a cat and a laugh:

View attachment 197592

Har, har, har. Thank's for sharing crazy cat lady. Crazies are welcome here.

 

[blue_ladybug]

Har, har, har. Thank's for sharing crazy cat lady. Crazies are welcome here.

 

[Bingo]

"The language of AA is the language of self-discovery, of speculation, of wonder. It has a dual reality: While it describes experience, it also creates experience, and allows each member to grow in the search for personal meaning."...........( and...would it not serve well of non-members to really know of life in the now...away from
selfishness and personal self acclaim egotism...but there too, are many unfortunate ones )...
'Praise God'

 

[Magenta]

Over forty years ago, I overdosed multiple times, ending up an equal amount of times in the local hospital's emergency ward, and eventually in the psyche ward of the same hospital, where I stayed for ten days, for I could acknowledge that I had a problem, and yet no real solution was offered to me at any time during my stay in that hospital. In fact, when I decided it was time to go back out into the big bad world and get on with the business of living my life, hospital staff returned the drugs they had confiscated from my person upon admission, and I was "high" again before I made it out of the hospital doors.

We live in such a different world today, where various recovery institutions abound and everyone seemingly knows there are places to go to get help for any particular problem, yet still people are dying in their disease. Do we know and understand the full extent of our problem/s? Possibly not. But the solution is within reach, should we want it, and are willing to take it. I may be powerless over my disease, but I also know I am not responsible for it. What I am responsible for is my recovery.

The Seventh Step doesn’t suggest that we rid ourselves of our shortcomings, but that we ask our Higher Power to rid us of them. Admitting our inability to perfect ourselves, we plead with our Higher Power to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. Today I have so much to be grateful for, and can acknowledge that I have much to learn yet, and I look forward to the lessons, and the growth that continues to come with them, one day at a time Willingness, acceptance, and surrender are key ingredients in every aspect of my life