Unable to stay sober for many years, Jean shares a powerful story that includes multiple relapses, and a final surrender of self-will to the program of Alcoholics Anonymous. Surrendering Self-Will Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him. TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 34 No matter how much one wishes to try, exactly how can one turn his own will and his own life over to the care of whatever God he thinks there is? In my search for t...

Rich speaks with authority about his experience with the service structure of A.A and also shares about the important ways even those with little time can get into service by helping to carry the message at meetings. During this interview Rich mentions SEPIA, which is the Southeastern Pennsylvania Intergroup Association of AA. There are approximately 757 Inter-Groups or Central Offices registered with A.A.’s General Service Office; 514 are located in the United States and Canada. If you're in...

Tony identifies as an atheist. His deep knowledge of the faith traditions and love for the program of recovery makes for an incredible discussion of today’s reflection… his is truly no ordinary success story. NO ORDINARY SUCCESS STORY A.A. is no success story in the ordinary sense of the word. It is a story of suffering transmuted, under grace, into spiritual progress. AS BILL SEES IT, p. 35 Upon entering A.A. I listened to others talk about the reality of their drinking: loneliness, t...

Joe found the program but didn't get a sponsor. He thought he had it all figured out until he realized the only true victory is through surrender. He decided to take some suggestions like getting a sponsor, working the steps and today, he's lives a happy, joyous and free life. RESCUED BY SURRENDERING Characteristic of the so-called typical alcoholic is a narcissistic egocentric core, dominated by feelings of omnipotence, intent on maintaining at all costs its inner integrity. . . . Inwardly ...

Yuchen was born and raised in China and immigrated to the United States when she was fourteen. She remembers having trouble with the language and feeling very different from her classmates. She solved the challenges of being different using drugs and alcohol and this only served to create more problems. At the age of nineteen, she ended up having to enter the psychiatric unit of a hospital where she first felt the realization that she needed to get sober. Today, she has a wonderful, full life...

Ceci joins us today to share on the concept of the group, the program and the fellowship coming before our own personal desires. She also shares a beautiful poem by Mary Oliver entitled "Praying"... It doesn't have to be the blue iris, it could be weeds in a vacant lot, or a few small stones; just pay attention, then patch a few words together and don't try to make them elaborate, this isn't a contest but the doorway into thanks, and a silence in which another voice may speak. OUR COMMON WELF...

Matthew joins me today to share his experience on the concept of Rigorous Honesty. Like so many of us, he's got experience being dishonest and shares he shares his experience and what he's learned from recovery about becoming honest with himself and with others. A powerful message of how getting sober can help us live esteemable lives. RIGOROUS HONESTY Who wishes to be rigorously honest and tolerant? Who wants to confess his faults to another and make restitution for harm done? Who car...

Lee returns with her good friend and a fellow in recovery, Jessica C. Jess got sober relatively young in life and shares her experience around that and around how the program has impacted her relationships with her family and everyone around her. She's got a great story and a great attitude. Jess is definitely not glum... she's learned how to have fun in sobriety. HAVING FUN YET? . . . we aren't a glum lot. If newcomers could see no joy or fun in our existence, they wouldn't want it. W...

Rick C. is a fixture in the Philadelphia recovery community. He helps so many people which is why today's reflection is so perfect. Today is Rick's sober anniversary and I want to wish him congratulations. He's helped me immensely in my recovery. I should mention that Rick keeps it real and uses language that may not be appropriate for younger audiences... and I love him for that. SERVING MY BROTHER The member talks to the newcomer not in a spirit of power but in a spirit of humility a...

Douglas K. from Philadelphia joins us for January 16 - Hitting Bottom. Douglas had a moment of clarity at one point in the latter stages of his drinking wherein it became clear to him that everything that mattered to him in his life had to come after drinking. This is when he hit bottom and knew he needed help. HITTING BOTTOM Why all this insistence that every A.A. must hit bottom first? The answer is that few people will sincerely try to practice the A.A. program unless they have hit ...