"The feeling that the drink problem has disappeared will often come strongly." BB pg 75.
What a wonderful feeling this was, when I left my sponsor after doing my 5th step with him. For the first time I experienced real sobriety. My drinking friends also knew that I was on my way to recovery. I felt free after many years of being in a cage when I was practicing, and even after I came into AA. Simple steps but not easy, a price had to be paid. Once I paid that price, I was free.
I remember that 'feeling' ... but as much as the relief was from doing step 5, finishing step 9 was the icing on the cake for me ... that's when the overall sense of peace and serenity came to stay ... and steps 10, 11, & 12 insure that it won't ever leave ...
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'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
Thanks Gonee and Pappy! Upon completion of Step 5 some of the bricks fell out of the backpack. A few more after Step 7 and the remainder after Step 9. I felt much lighter and had a spring to my step. The Promises started to materialize and my life changed. I'm grateful for that! This was all unveiled in spite of myself. The gifts of The Program and God.
As suggested, I went away for a while (more than an hour), to review the work so far and in so doing I reread the 5th step promises. They matched exactly how I felt , and it was at this precise moment that I became totally convinced that this program would work for me too. I realised that no one was telling me stories, that what the book was saying was exactly true, and I was filled with a resolve to carry on with the rest of the steps as quickly as realisitically possible. My sponsor helped me through the 9th and introduced me to 10, 11 & 12 and the problem was gone!
There is something about the 9th though. It seems to me that there is no safe ground until the 9th is well under way.
This was all unveiled in spite of myself. 
The gifts of The Program and God.