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Sick of being sick


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12 Steps for everyone
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Hi, I'm Dan and I'm an alcoholic,


I have a minister friend who once told me that he felt that the rest of the folks in the world who are not in a "12 step" program, are sadly short-changed.


He even gave a sermon one Sunday on the 12 steps.  His way of thinking is that there is NO one among us who should not: "Admit that we are powerless' over most of our lives; "come to believe in a power greater than ourselves"; "become willing to turn our will over to God as we understand Him"......


Oh heck, here's the crux of his delivery:


 



.
We admitted we were powerless over alcohol ... 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)  

2.
Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. 
"... my grace is sufficient for you, for my POWER is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9)  

..for it God Who works in you to will and act according to His good purpose.. (Phil. 2:13)



3.
Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of GOD as we understood Him.
"... If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." (Luke 9:23**)  

4.
Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. 
"Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord." (Lamentations 3:40)  

5.
Admitted to GOD, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. 
"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed." (James 5:16)  

6.
Were entirely ready to have GOD remove all these defects of character. 
"If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land." (Isaiah 1:19)  

7.
Humbly asked Him to remove all our shortcomings.
"Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up." (James 4:10)  

8.
Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all. 
"Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift." (Matthew 5:23, 24**)  

9.
Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. 
Give and it shall be given you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." (Luke 6:38**)  

10.
Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it. 
"For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith GOD has given you." (Romans 12:3)  

11.
Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with GOD as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will, and the power to carry that out. 
"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." (Psalm 19:14)  

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly..." (Col. 3:16)



12.
Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and practice these principles in all our affairs. 
"Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." (Galatians 6:1-2)  


Now, I like Chris am not specifically given to any religion, Christian or otherwise, (in spite of the fact that my Pappy was a Methodist, and later, Lutheran minister!).  Yet, I do believe that every single human on this planet would benifit from the spiritual program that AA has to offer.  (Worthy of note that AA's 12 steps have already been adapted to other self-help programs, like Narcotics, Overeaters, etc.)


Praying for Peace, Love, and Serenity for all of my AA brothers and sisters,


Still an old hippy , and a Dakota-billy ,  Dan  


 



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sanddie


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That is an AWESOME post-- Thank you very much for using the analogy of the 12-steps with scripture. If you don't mind, I'd like to use it as I conclude the autobiography I'm writing on my life and hope to publish someday.

The book I'm writing is about my life as an abused child into an abusive adult relationship, dating and marriage to the point that I discovered how God worked in my life to bring me through. :)

The ending of my book is primarily focused on all of the self-help resources I used to get to where I am today and in finality to analyze how EVERYTHING we find in resources can all be found right there in Scripture really. This would be PERFECT to incorporate into my conclusion.

Take Care!


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Doll


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Ya think "normal" folks could handle all that ?!!


 


AWESOME post, Dan. Thanks so much for sharing it.


"once in a while you can get shown the light..........."


Doll



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* We eventually realize that just as the pains of alcoholism had to come before sobriety, emotional turmoil comes before serenity. *
Sick of being sick


MIP Old Timer

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It's interesting that you should mention turning to God as a result of being abused and becoming abusive yourself.  As I said, I have not been a particularly religious person myself.  However, my wife, who has of late been more interested in the "Christian" message, has been watching a program broadcast daily on the "Inspiration" channel called "Life in the Word".  She's also on the web (www.joycemeyer.org).


Joyce Meyers was also abused as a child, but is now the head of a very successful ministry.  I am not deeply religious, as I mentioned above, and, as such, am not inclined to promote any religion.  I also have felt that most tele-evangelists are charlatans, and outright hoaxes/scam artists.  This woman, on the other hand, I believe to be genuine in her belief, down to earth in her approach, and interesting to listen to (kind of like a common person's, female Billy Graham).  It's unlikely that she or anyone else will ever swing me over to "bible poundin'", but you sound like a person who might find her story interesting, as I have. 



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Sick of being sick


MIP Old Timer

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PS..Thanks Doll.  Love the way you mentioned "normal" folks.  They're the unlucky ones who still think they don't have problems.


As I said to Sanddie, I'm not a "Bible Thumper", in spite of my Dad being a minister.  Didn't say I don't believe in God, though.  We all gotta let Him have the wheel, even when we aren't too drunk to drive! 



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nancyjo59


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Dan, Thanks for the great post. I consider myself pretty much in the same category as you. To put it simply just plain ole "spiritual"


Plan on checking out Joyce's website.


I love your bettle bug volkswagon...I'm an old hippie also.


Take Care


Nancy Jo




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Life is full of ups and downs But the faces of love will ease the pain and suffering from:My Mother
Rick


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Dan


Also a thanks for the great post.


Hippie days--sex , drugs, and rock and roll--been there


drink and drug all day and night  ( IN new York)


wake up ( or come to my senses in canada)


Glad I got all that drug stuff out a long time ago


took a long time even to look at alcohol



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