Inside Look
We want to find exactly how, when, and where our natural desires have warped us. We wish to look squarely at the unhappiness this has caused others and ourselves. By discovering what our emotional deformities are, we can move toward their correction twelve steps and twelve traditions.

Today I am no longer a slave to alcohol, yet in so many ways enslavement still threatens–my self, my desires, even my dreams. Yet without dreams I cannot exist; without dreams there is nothing to keep me moving forward. I must look inside myself, to free myself. I must call upon God‘s power to face the person I‘ve feared the most, the true me, the person God created me to be. Unless I can or until I do, I will always be running, and never be truly free. I ask God daily to show me such a freedom!

Twenty–Four Hours A Day
A.A. Thought For The Day
Second, alcoholics recover their faith in a Power greater than themselves. They admit that they‘re helpless by themselves and they call on that Higher Power for help. They surrender their lives to God, as they understand Him. They put their drink problem in God‘s hands and leave it there. They recover their faith in a Higher Power that can help them. Have I recovered my faith?

Meditation For The Day
You must make a stand for God. Believers in God are considered by some as peculiar people. You must even be willing to be deemed a fool for the sake of your faith. You must be ready to stand aside and let the fashions and customs of the world go by, when God‘s purposes are thereby forwarded. Be known by the marks that distinguish a believer in God. These are honesty, purity, unselfishness, love, gratitude, and humility.

Prayer For The Day
I pray that I may be ready to profess my belief in God before others. I pray that I may not be turned aside by the scepticism and cynicism of unbelievers.

As Bill Sees It Anger–Personal and Group Enemy, “As the book ‘Alcoholics Anonymous‘ puts it, ‘Resentment is the Number One offender.‘ It is a primary cause of relapses into drinking. How well we of A.A. know that for us ‘To drink is eventually to go mad or die.‘

“Much the same penalty overhangs every A.A. group. Given enough anger, both unity and purpose are lost. Given still more righteous‘ indignation, the group can disintegrate; it can actually die. This is why we avoid controversy. This is why we prescribe no punishments for any misbehaviour, no matter how grievous. Indeed, no alcoholic can be deprived of his membership for any reason whatever.

“Punishment never heals. Only love can heal.” Letter, 1966

Walk in Dry Places
Keep it Simple, BUT not simple–minded Working the Steps. Dr. Bob Smith left little in the way of written material for AA‘s future. His phrase “Keep it Simple,” however, is now a guiding slogan in the program. What did he really have in mind with this final piece of advice?

We can take it as certain that Dr. Bob…. A highly intelligent man… was not saying that we shouldn‘t use our heads for real thinking and study. One of the blessings of sobriety, in fact, should be the ability to think clearly and effectively. It would be a mistake to believe that one must renounce a brainpower and education in order to stay sober.

The real aim of “keeping it simple” should be to stay mindful of the principles and essentials that are key to everybody else. Even the most difficult subject can usually be mattered by processes of simplification. The deepest book, for example, is still composed of only twenty–six letters.

We can “Keep it Simple” by building or lives around the principles of the Twelve Step program. When we discover new ideas, they‘ll reinforce and expand what we‘ve already learned. In this way, we should always be learning and growing… which is beautiful simple, but certainly not simple–minded.

I‘ll be grateful today for the ability to think and to understand complicated subjects. With a strong foundation in the bedrock principles of AA, I can use my mind in constructive and progressive ways.

Keep It Simple
It‘s a simple formula: Do your best and somebody might like it.–Dorothy Baker

Our program is a selfish program. It tells us to let go of what others think. We‘re staying sober for ourselves, not for anyone else. Our body and our spirit are at stack. And we know what we need to do to stay sober.

If we fell shaky about going to a party, we don‘t go–no matter who gets upset.
If our job makes it hard to stay sober, we get a different one–no mater who it upsets. It‘s simple we must take good care of ourselves before we can be good to others. In doing this, we learn how to be a friend, a good parent, a good spouse. we have to care for ourselves to have good relationships. Do I believe it okay to be selfish when it comes to my program?

Prayer for the Day : Higher Power, help me do what is best for my recovery, no matter what others think.

Action for the Day: I will remind myself that staying sober is simple. I don‘t use chemicals. And I work the program.

I came to this program to save my butt and found out it was attached to my soul.–Anonymous Just beyond the night, another day is breaking, bringing hope to all.–D. Hockaday Newness opens eyes Be in love, at peace with all Travel to know joy–Tara “Change is simply a combination of growing up and gaining knowledge.”–Jill ThomasGod, help me stay alert to the lessons of today.–Melody Beattie “If you‘re not feeling God‘s Presence, who moved?” God exists everywhere. Whenever we feel abandoned by God, remember, it is we who have moved. God is always fully present to us when we remember to open our hearts to that Presence.–Mary Manin Morrissey Father Leo‘s Daily Meditation Lies.

“It takes a wise man to handle a lie; a fool had better remain honest.”–Norman Douglas

As a drinking alcoholic I was telling so many lies to cover the lies I had previously told that I got lost in a maze of untruth! Most of the lies were stupid, irrelevant and harmless – but they were all aimed at building up my ego. Making me look good. Telling people I had more. My memory could not keep up with my tongue and I became guilty, ashamed and embarrassed.

Today I need to remember that there is nothing any lie can give me that I need; there is nothing in the world of fabrication that I need; have what I need.

Today I have a relationship with a God and Friend that I can understand and be vulnerable with; I don‘t need to be perfect to be loved.Help me to seek the good life in those things that are good.

Daily Inspiration
There is no good enough reason to ever feel we are a failure. No matter how hard we fall, God is there to restore our spirit and forgive our past. Lord, help me to understand that it is this moment that counts, not the last one and with each new moment, I have a new beginning.

They are wise who depend on God. Lord, Your perfect law revives my soul. Keeping Your law makes me rich.