A Prayer & Some Thoughts - September

[bluidkiti]

September 1


Give Me Strength

God, I ask not for easier tasks.
I ask for stronger aptitudes and greater talents
to meet any tasks which may come my way.

Help me to help others
so that their lives may be made easier and happier.
Strengthen my confidence in my fellow men
in spite of what they may do or say.

Give me strength to live according to the Golden Rule,
enthusiasm to inspire those around me,
sympathy to help lighten the burdens of those who suffer,
and a spirit of joy and gladness to share with others.

~~ Harry Bullis

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Just a Thought

We are living on borrowed time.

We are living today because of A.A. and the grace of God. And what there is left of our lives we owe to A.A. and to God. We should make the best use of our borrowed time and in some small measure pay back for that part of our lives which we wasted before we came into A.A. Our lives from now on are not our own. We hold them in trust for God and A.A. And we must do all we can to forward the great movement that has given us a new lease on life.

So ............

Am I holding my life in trust for A.A.?

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Just a Contemplation

Accepting Reality

Nothing lasts forever. At times I feel sad, angry, resentful and ashamed -- but it passes. In my recovery I have learned to live in "my day" and accept the consequences of that day. I can only deal with life as I experience it. Tomorrow is a new day with new experiences. And some of the experiences are painful. Reality teaches me this. At times I wish I could go through life without pain or rejection but I know that is fantasy. Sobriety does not mean that everything will be perfect -- only better!

Nothing is so bad that I need to drink. Today I know that alcohol increases my pain; it is never a solution. God, who has given me today, will also give me a tomorrow -- and time eases the pain if I work my program. Misfortunes are not worth drinking over. Nothing lasts forever.

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Fear of Success

Although this seems like a paradox, the fear of success is actually a common fear. Many people in recovery suffer from low self-esteem. This means that somewhere in the back of their mind, they don’t think they deserve a better life.

Negative thoughts like these can come from many places. Perhaps you were raised in an invalidating environment or perhaps your depression is a product of alcohol use. Unfortunately, this thought pattern often leads to self-sabotage. People use it as an excuse to relapse.

No matter what you’ve done in the past, you have to remember that you are now free and a new person. Over time, sobriety will help you see things more clearly. You deserve happiness just like anyone else.

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Just a Quote

“I have accepted fear as a part of life – specifically the fear of change… I have gone ahead despite the pounding in the heart that says: turn back.”~ Erica Jong