Legacy of Recovery

Our Original Six Step Program

Our Original Six Step Program

In the pioneering period of Alcoholics Anonymous (before the publication of the Big Book), the Founders developed a program of recovery consisting of Six Steps. The Twelve Steps as we know them today were written especially for the Big Book, as discussed in Bill W.’s official A.A. biography (Pass It On, Page 196-197): [While writing …

Our 3-Part Illness

Our 3-Part Illness

When I put down the bottle, I made a deliberate choice to address Part 1 (the physical) of my 3-part illness . Then, you and others started teaching me how to make deliberate choices on the mental and spiritual part (Parts 2 & 3) of my illness. “In this statement he [Dr. Silkworth] confirms what …

ZOOM Fatigue

ZOOM Fatigue

Ok, let’s just all agree – this IS a thing.  Whether it be fatigue from only being able to attend your home group on ZOOM,  a District or Area meeting on ZOOM, a family meeting, a work meeting…. whatever – we’ve all just become overwhelmed with the amount of meetings we are attending virtually.  And …

Surrender Through the Steps

Surrender Through the Steps

Hello family… A few nights ago I was sitting in a book study with my sponsor and sponsor brothers – and my sponsor, Chris D., said something I’d heard before but loved hearing again…. “Each of our 12 Steps is designed to have us surrender something.” Now, I’ve heard that said before and have heard …

Recovered vs. Cured

Recovered vs. Cured

As I’ve shared before, I’m  part of a morning text conversation with about 15 men in the Fellowship, and this morning, one of the men shared this: “Good morning y’all ☀️ Reading in How It Works this morning this sentence struck me, “He provided what we needed, if we kept close to Him and performed …

Growing in Understanding and Effectiveness

Growing in Understanding and Effectiveness

I was sitting in a speaker meeting a few nights ago and heard the speaker say this phrase (the title of this post).  I’ve heard it a million times and know that it’s where Step Ten starts in the chapter “Into Action” in the Big Book.  When I got home that night, I opened my …

CHANGE? No, Thank You!

CHANGE? No, Thank You!

It’s a well-known fact that alcoholics, generally, are resistant to change. If your experience is anything like mine, when a new idea is presented to you, and IF it’s a drastic departure from what you’ve become comfortable with or are used to… as it says in our literature, “rebellion dogs our every step.” Why is …

Do Words Matter?

Do Words Matter?

A friend of mine in the Fellowship who loves our literature often says, “Thank God they wrote it down.” Truer words could not have been spoken. I continue to be grateful that A.A. co-founders (and others) wrote down their experience of our action-based program in the beginning days of Alcoholics Anonymous. In 1942, our co-founder …