Posts by: Rick W.

Evidence Journal

Evidence Journal

Evidence Journal: Training Your Eyes to See God at Work Bill W. wrote in Concept Nine’s essay, “Leadership in A.A. – Ever a Vital Need” that a good idea can come from anywhere. The key to allowing that to be true in ones life is when we can sit back and listen, truly listen to …

The Recovery of Paradise

The Recovery of Paradise

There is something in us that knows we were made for more. Not more excitement. Not more drama. Not more chaos. More peace. More alignment. More wholeness. In A.A., we talk about being “restored to sanity.” We talk about living “in the sunlight of the Spirit.” We talk about “conscious contact with God.” If you ...

NEW BOOK: “The Prep Steps”

NEW BOOK: “The Prep Steps”

On this cold and wintery day here in Texas, I wanted to share a new book I just finished titled, “The Prep Steps – Setting Up Action in A.A.” I will be publishing it and making it available here on this site in the LIBRARY section early this week, but I wanted to share a …

I Should Be Dead

I Should Be Dead

Tonight at my home group, the chair chose to read from page 161 of the Big Book to remind us all that we have much to be grateful for. He closed his share before opening it up by saying, “I should be dead.”  I was really glad he did because I’ve seen so much apathy …

Faith Without Works

Faith Without Works

I was in a meeting this week with my sponsor, my grand sponsor, my sponsor brothers, and one of my sponsees. We were reading and sharing on Step 10. We read “It is a spiritual axiom that every time we are disturbed, no matter what the cause, there is something wrong with us.” – 12 …

Are They Sick or Am I Intolerant?

Are They Sick or Am I Intolerant?

There’s a line in the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, on pages 66–67, that has changed my life. It’s tucked in the middle of the chapter How It Works where the writers stop telling us what alcoholism is and start telling us what to do about it. “This was our course,” it says, pointing to …

Yes! The Promises are Conditional

Yes! The Promises are Conditional

Tonight at my home group, the chair read the 9th Step Promises and shared what her experience was with them. She mentioned that she went two years with them hanging on the wall of her home group at the time and she never really saw them. She shared it wasn't until she was two years sober ...

To Whom Much Is Given

To Whom Much Is Given

Last night at my home group, the chair did an amazing job of connecting Step 3 to Step 12 and chaired a beautiful discussion about how once we turn our will and lives over to the care of God as we understand God that the natural next step is to give it away.  Once we …

Our 7th Tradition – Where Money and Spirituality DO Mix

Our 7th Tradition – Where Money and Spirituality DO Mix

“Every A.A. group ought to be fully self‑supporting, declining outside contributions.” — Short Form, Tradition Seven Alcoholics Anonymous thrives when we carry our message through our own efforts—time, energy, and yes, financial contributions—to support our groups. This is more than sound policy; it’s the practical expression of God working through us. As the long form of Tradition Seven …