October 15

AN HONEST APPRAISAL

“Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.” Romans 12:3

“We should avoid extreme judgments, both of ourselves and of others involved.” Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, page 82

For what it’s worth: While drinking, I played like I was mentally strong and spiritually healthy. What a lie! Truthfully, I felt I was worthless, rightfully destined for hell. This feeling followed me long into Alcoholics Anonymous. I credit God and the people in Alcoholics Anonymous for granting me an honest appraisal of who and what I am. I pray God will use me as His instrument doing the same for others.

God bless you.
Joe W.

October 16

THE ONLY APPROVAL NEEDED

“Some of us sought out sordid places, hoping to find understanding companionship and approval.” Alcoholics Anonymous, page 151

“How on earth can you believe while you are for ever looking for each other's approval and not for the glory that comes from the one God?” John 5:44

For what it is worth: My alcoholic mind was more corrupt then any sordid place I knew. But I tried to hide it to win approval. My efforts failed and I ended up with cockroaches my only companionship. I even tried to win their favor. This need for approval followed me into sobriety in Alcoholics Anonymous, charging me with a constant challenge for correction. I have to watch for attempts to impress others and always check my motives. My Heavenly Father supports my efforts by reminding me I need only His approval. And He has proven He loves me just as I am. Trusting He does is a most precious treasure, and I try to show my gratitude by giving Him the glory for everything I do. After all, He and I both know this once worthless drunk could do nothing without Him.

God bless you.
Joe W.

October 17

THE JOY OF HIS PRESENCE

"When many hundreds of people are able to say that the consciousness of the Presence of God is today the most important fact of their lives, they present a powerful reason why one should have faith." Alcoholics Anonymous, page 51

"You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever." Psalm 16:11

For what it's worth: God wanted no part in my life, and He withheld life's pleasures as punishment for my selfish, drunken ways. Only after many sober years in Alcoholics Anonymous did I come to believe otherwise. First, I awoke to God's Presence in sunrises and sunsets; then in the recovery of others, and, ever so slowly, I came to believe He was present in my recovery; now I enjoy being with Him in my daily life, and I notice He keeps turning up at Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and various other places I go. I even saw Him shopping at Walmart.

God bless you.
Joe W.

October 18

LOOKING AND LISTENING FOR GOD

“But he had found God…” Alcoholics Anonymous, page 158

“I will live among you.” Leviticus 26:11

For what it's worth: Even at my first Alcoholics Anonymous meeting I sensed something powerful. Initially, it was the sharing and the caring attitude of the people. Later I came to realize there was a spiritual nature to their loving behavior. And one day I awoke to find God at AA meetings. He lives there among us at every meeting I have attended since then. Sadly, I cannot be in His presence at a meeting when I waste my time focusing on personalities rather than looking and listening for Him.

God bless you!
Joe W.

October 19

THE TREASURES OF TRUSTING

"You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised." Hebrews 10:36

"We trust infinite God rather than our finite selves." Alcoholics Anonymous, page 68

For what it's worth: Alcoholism annihilated my trust in a loving Supreme Being. After years of despair, cursing God for my woeful, alcoholic existence, I found Alcoholics Anonymous and learned I would need to trust God to stay sober and survive. The wise people there knew I could not do so without asking God to teach me to trust His love. However, I had to insanely and needlessly suffer through a reign of resistance before the agony of an empty soul forced me to beg God's help. Looking back, I see He had already started, carrying me uphill through the horror of my disease and guiding me to Alcoholics Anonymous. Since then, my Heavenly Father has kept me sober through all of life's struggles, and, when severe situations breed skepticism, He reminds me of all the treasures I have found by trusting Him.

God bless you.
Joe W.

October 20

DECISIONS, DECISIONS, DECISIONS

“Here we ask God for inspiration, an intuitive thought or a decision.” Alcoholics Anonymous, page 86

“How impossible it is for us to understand God’s decisions and his ways!” Romans 11:33

For what it's worth: Decisions made during my drinking years had treacherous, long-term consequences; of course, because God was not involved; and I am still paying for some of my obstinacy. Now, thanks to my degree from the School of Stubborn Bullheadedness and sobriety in Alcoholics Anonymous, God is always involved. I ask my Heavenly Father daily for inspiration and guidance anytime I need to make a major decision, even with some simple decisions. I try to settle back and go with Him in the direction of His will. If I am uneasy about it, I do not hesitate to go back to Him and seek clarification. Often He just tells me to trust Him.

God bless you!
Joe W.

October 21

THE GREAT FACT

“This is the Great Fact for us.” Alcoholics Anonymous, page 164

“I will walk among you; I will be your God, and you will be my people.” Leviticus 26:11-12

For what it's worth: God was nowhere for me when I was drinking, not because He was nowhere, but because my will blocked His presence. Now that I am sober in Alcoholics Anonymous, God is everywhere for me. It did not happen all of a sudden; it took years of gradually growing conscious of His presence. Now all I need is the slightest willingness to have Him near, and there He is with open arms. Perhaps the best place for me to find my Heavenly Father is at AA meetings. As soon as I look or listen for Him, He is there. For me, the Great Fact is that God walks among us drunks. He is our God and we are His people. I have to believe this because of all the times I have seen God present and at work in our meetings, not just inside our rooms, but outside when we share with another suffering alcoholic.

God bless you!
Joe W.

October 22

GRATEFUL ENOUGH?

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:2

"To get over drinking will require a transformation of thought and attitude." Alcoholics Anonymous, page 143

For what it's worth: Alcoholism diminished me to a drunken mess of insanity and insecurity. In my alcoholic mold I was self-centered, worthless, and hurtful, and convinced I would only get worse. God saw my despair and pulled me out of the darkness into a place of light and peace, Alcoholics Anonymous. There amazing things occurred: I found hope, sobriety, and Twelve Steps to sanity and security; I discovered a loving Higher Power; people were there to guide me to a new life; and, I was totally transformed from a no-good, self-absorbed drunk to a decent, caring human being. There are still times when this is hard to believe, and I am overwhelmed with gratitude to a bunch of drunks who accepted me as the mess I was and introduced me to a Heavenly Father who loves me unconditionally. Am I grateful enough? Does it show in my thoughts, actions, and attitude?

God bless you.
Joe W.

October 23

A NEW THEME

“The joy of living is the theme of A.A.'s Twelfth Step, and action is its key word.” 12&12 p.10

“From there he went all over Galilee. He used synagogues for meeting places and taught people the truth of God. God's kingdom was his theme.” Matthew 4:23

For what it's worth: The theme of my past drinking existence was self-satisfaction. That focus was rapidly leading to a lonely, alcoholic death. Instead, and without even realizing that a miracle was occurring at the time, I was rescued by a merciful Higher Power and directed to Alcoholics Anonymous. It was there I was given a completely new and sober way of life; one day at a time I was living - not just existing; and, each day was a day in my life - not my death. It was significant that Alcoholics Anonymous insisted I had to change my focus from self and develop a new theme if I were to maintain this miracle. Fortunately, sobriety and action on the Twelve Steps gradually caused deep change in my soul that birthed a new theme for my new life. Although I am still so poor at it, I find that “the joy of living” increases as I study and learn “the truth of God” and try my best each day to do His will.

God bless you!
Joe W.

October 24

CALM THE STORMS

“He replied, ‘You of little faith, why are you so afraid?’ Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.” Matthew 8:26

“…Faith did for us what we could not do for ourselves.” Alcoholics Anonymous, page 70

For what it’s worth: Any faith I had was shallow and easily lost to alcoholism. No wonder fear dominated my years of drinking. I did not realize this until, by the grace of God, I was sober, living the Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. Still, for too many years, my faith proved weak when the wind and waves of life threatened. I cannot count the times my Heavenly Father has said to me: “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?”. I have begged His help with this at least a thousand times, or so it seems. He has not let me down. Today, not always, but often, trusting my Heavenly Father’s love, I remain calm when storms erupt.

God bless you.
Joe W.

October 25

“COME AND SEE”

“Take away my difficulties, that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of Thy Power, Thy Love, and Thy Way of life.” Alcoholics Anonymous, page 63

"Come and see." John 1:39

For what it's worth: Before sobriety in Alcoholics Anonymous, my only witness was to the devastation of the disease of alcoholism. Thanks to our Twelve Steps and the amazing grace of God, however, today I can testify to the Power in recovery in Alcoholics Anonymous. I believed I was to die a miserable, lonely drunk, but I was called to “come and see” what wonders awaited a worthless, no good sot like me in Alcoholics Anonymous. What I found was indeed miraculous - a way where there had been no way to a new and joyful life. Now, even on my weakest day, if I do not pick up that first drink, I have the honor of being a witness to my Heavenly Father’s generous and merciful love.

God bless you!
Joe W.

October 26

CONFIDENCE

“We've been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we're not demoralized; we're not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we've been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn't left our side; we've been thrown down, but we haven't broken.” 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 (The Message)

“As we persist, a brand-new kind of confidence is born, and the sense of relief at finally facing ourselves is indescribable.” Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, page 50

For what it’s worth: Alcohol generously provided false confidence to mask my fears. Blessedly, sobriety in Alcoholics Anonymous and the Fourth Step helped me recognize this reality, and all of the Twelve Steps supported me in facing my fears and insecurities. As I grew spiritually in Alcoholics Anonymous, I survived numerous life threatening experiences without alcohol. These successful struggles built confidence, not in myself, but in my Heavenly Father. He has repeatedly proven His love, and therein is my confidence.

God bless you.
Joe W.

October 27

A FULL SOUL

"The man who comes to me will never be hungry and the man who believes in me will never again be thirsty." John 6:35

"Now we need more action, without which we find that 'Faith without works is dead.'" Alcoholics Anonymous, page 76

For what it's worth: My faith was dead. Alcoholism killed it. Left on my own, I would have died with a body full of alcohol and an empty soul. Thanks to the merciful goodness of my Creator, despite my prideful resistance, instead of death I found life in a place called Alcoholics Anonymous. It was there I was taught the importance of action and introduced to a loving Heavenly Father. When my faith is weak and I feel spiritually exhausted, I go to my Father for my soul's food and drink. Doing so now for many sober years, my body is empty of alcohol and my soul is filled with hope and trust.

God bless you.
Joe W.

October 28

INSPIRATION

"How did you become so inspired?"

Job 26:4

"We find that our thinking will, as time passes,

be more and more on the plane of inspiration."

Alcoholics Anonymous, page 87

For what it's worth: Nothing inspired me when my being was deadened by alcohol. Fortunately, that changed as I became sober in Alcoholics Anonymous. The example of members encouraged me to begin living by the Twelve Steps and to become interested in serving others. I am especially grateful their sharing motivated me to seek a closer contact with my Heavenly Father because He knows when I am weak from traveling through a spiritually dry desert. It is then He always places people in my life to inspire me to rise up and march on, trudging the Road of Happy Destiny.

God bless you.
Joe W.

October 29

PRACTICE PATIENCE AND PRAYER

"Love and tolerance of others is our code." Alcoholics Anonymous, page 84

"Pray for the happiness of those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you." Luke 6:28

For what it's worth: Hate and revenge were my code during my drinking years. That attitude needed serious adjustment for me to stay sober in Alcoholics Anonymous. When my sponsor first suggested I pray daily for two weeks for someone I resented, I told him I would pray that they get all they deserved. He straightened me out, and I tried his suggestion his way. It worked! God continues to use people and the principles of Alcoholics Anonymous to teach me love and tolerance. He is patient with me and simply asks that I do the same with others. When I do, I experience joy and peace of mind. When I do not, remorse and apprehension rule. So, my Heavenly Father and I keep practicing together. And I keep praying.

God bless you.
Joe W.