Mar 09 The Light - Transitions Daily Alcohol Recovery Readings Podcast

Welcome to the Transitions Daily Podcast. Transitions Daily is an online recovery group that

offers a daily distribution of popular recovery resources accompanied by a secret Facebook

group for discussion. We hope you enjoy today's readings.

This is Transitions Daily from March 9th, read by Kurt L. from Albuquerque, New Mexico,

USA. A.A. Thoughts for the Day. The Light. To what extent I was personally responsible

for my drinking? I don't know. Yet I'm not wanting to take complete refuge in the idea

that I was a sick man only. In early years, I certainly had some degree of free will.

That free will I use badly. To the great misery of my mother and countless others. I am deeply

ashamed. As one who knows me a little, you may have heard how ten years ago a friend,

himself a liberated alcoholic, came to me, bearing the light which finally led me out

of the Toils. There will come a day like that for you and yours. I'm so confident.

Bill W. Letter to the Mother of an alcoholic. December. Language of the Heart.

Page 102. Thoughts to consider. It's impossible for me to love God and hate myself.

Acronyms. Ism. I. Self. Me. Just for today. Substitute from Stay Sober on Love.

The things I thought I needed for so many years no longer seem important. Now that I have

become aware of the spiritual resources God has given me. With these, I don't need alcohol

to function. What a joy to stay sober on love instead of fear. Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Came to believe. Page 35. Daily reflections. 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. Page 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 the answer to this question, I became aware of the wisdom with which it

was written that this is a two-part step. I could see many times where I should have died

or at least been injured during my previous style of living and it never happened. Someone

or something was looking out for me. I chose to believe my life has always been in God's

care. He alone controls the number of days I will be granted until physical death. The

matter of will, self-will, or God's will is the more difficult part of the step for

me. It is only when I have experienced enough emotional pain through failed attempts to

fix myself that I become willing to surrender to God's will for my life. Surrender is like

the calm after the storm. When my will is in line with God's will for me, there is peace

within. As Bill sees it, renew your effort. Though I know how hurt and sorry you must be

after this slip, please do not worry about a temporary loss of your inner peace. As calmly

as you can, just renew your effort on the AA program, especially those parts of it which

have to do with meditation and self-analysis. Could I also suggest that you look at excessive

guilt for what it is? Nothing but a sort of reverse pride. A decent regret for what has happened

is fine. But guilt? No. Indeed, the slip could well have been brought about by unreasonable

feelings who guilt because of other moral failures, so-called. Surely you ought to look

into this possibility. Even here you should not blame yourself for failure. You can be penalized

only for refusing to try for better things.

Letter 1958 Big Book Quote We feel that elimination of our drinking

is but a beginning. A much more important demonstration of our principles lies before

us in our respective homes, occupations, and affairs. Alcoholics anonymous? There is a solution.

Page 19 24 hours a day. AA thought for the day. If we had absolute faith in the power

of God to keep us from drinking, and if we turned our drink problem entirely over to God

without reservations, we wouldn't have to do anything more about it. We'd be free from

drinking once and for all. But since our faith is apt to be weak, we have to strengthen

and build up this faith. We do this in several ways. One way is by going to meetings and listening

to others tell how they have found all the strength they need to overcome drink. Is my faith

being strengthened by this personal witness of other alcoholics? Meditation for the day.

It is the quality of my life that determines its value. In order to judge the value of

a person's life, we must set up a standard. The most valuable life is one of honesty, purity,

unselfishness, and love. All people's lives ought to be judged by this standard in determining

their value to the world. By this standard, most of the so-called heroes of history were

not great men. What shall it profit a man if he gained the whole world if he lose it his

own soul? Prayer for the day. I pray that I may be honest,

pure, unselfish, and loving. I pray that I may make the quality of my life good by these

standards. Hazelvin Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, Minnesota 55012. This is Kurt. I'm

an alcoholic. We hope you enjoy today's readings. You can also receive Transitions Daily via

email and discuss today's readings in our secret Facebook group. So for more information,

go to dailyaemails.com today.

Other than the 24 hours a day reading, unless otherwise specified, all quotes copyright

alcoholics anonymous World Services Inc. 1952 through 2001.