12 Steps of Sponsorship
Freedom lies just beyond the archway, of which the Cornerstone, (our belief in an all powerful and loving Creator) is the number one element. Without this Cornerstone, without this belief, and our surrender to it, and dependence in it, will will surely fail, and die spiritually. No life, run on self will, can hardly be a success. There’s only two doors to pass through; 1) self-dependency: a life run on self will. or, God-Dependency: a life run on God dependency.
Some say that there are NO MUSTS in AA… actually, if you are working the Program outlined within the AA Text Book; there are 96 Musts. I heard someone say at a meeting that they were falling short on working the “Spiritual Aspect” of the program. It was quickly pointed out to them that there is NO SPIRITUAL ASPECT of this program - and that this IS a Spiritual Program of Recovery. The entire Program is Spiritual in Nature. There is no “Aspect” to it. (aspect means portion, perspective, section) We must do this work or we will die, of course , unless, you are NOT an alcoholic of the hopeless variety.
“God please direct my thinking today and keeping it divorced from self-pity, dishonest or self-seeking motives. Father, Please help me to employ my mental faculties, that my thought life might be placed on a higher plane of inspiration and help me pay attention to this vital sixth sense.”
In turning my will and my life over to the care of God (as I understood Him) isn’t always an easy thing to do. I keep taking back control - or did I never fully give it up to begin with?
Do you rely compleyely on self sufficeincy? Or do you have aworking knowledge of the 12 Steps and have you formed a relationship with a Higher Power that works miricals in your life?
“We admitted we were powerless over alcohol…”
The Doctor’s Opinion, xxv-xxxii.
ii
“…that our lives had become unmanageable.”
Chapter 3: More About Alcoholism, 30-43.
Good evening, everybody, this is the usual ________ night’s meeting of the _______ Men’s (and Women’s) Big Book Step Study Group and we will open the meeting in the usual manner with a moment of silence to do with as you wish.
The most important-as well as difficult-trusted servant position in the group. The chairman leads for a month at a time, and chooses the speaker for each meeting.
Living in the solution is the answer to all of your problems. Living in the Soltuion is simply doing the oposite of what you’ve been doing all of your life, living in the problem, suffering, obsessing, agonizing. Your reward for all of that unhealthy living was to have anxiety, anger and depression. Your reward for living in the solution is to have peace of mind, to feel healthy and vibrant, to be spiritually connected and wholly useful.