God Either Is Or He Isn’t

At some point in our recovery we all will come face to face with the truth about God. Who He is, His will for us and if we are going to answer His call to a personal relationship.
according to the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous its main purpose is to show the alcoholic precisely how to recover.
How did we recovery? According to the Big Book we recovered by the power of a loving God, the Creator, Father of Lights, our Heavenly Father, the God of the Preachers.

Now we can all disagree with the Big Book, but it says what it says.
I believe when living the program of AA we follow the instruction in the Big Book. At some point that would suggest that we come to a personal walk and relationship with Christ. Not a Christ of religion and law but a Christ of relationship and love.

If Jesus was good enough for the founders and the hundreds of early members then He’s good enough for me!

This doesn’t mean people can follow other gods, idols, even self. I just don’t see the Big Book speaking about those. Remember, when Ebby T was suggesting that Bill try his own conception of God he was speaking out of frustration.

Differnt Higher Powers?

At a convention some years ago I was asked this question:

How do you feel about people in 12 Step fellowships with different Higher Powers than yourself?

Simple, it’s their choice and their right within the program to believe as they will. God is a gentleman, and never forces Himself on anybody. As a follower of Christ, and a man wishing to do His will, then I must not force my belief system on anyone either.

The Personal relationship I have with Jesus Christ is available to all who seek him, but an individual has to seek for himself without being Bible thumped. I have a very strong conviction about my Higher Power. Folks know that, because if a person doesn’t believe that his/her Higher Power is the Higher Power then how do they trust that Higher Power as their Higher Power. If they don’t believe that without reservation, then they best get another Higher Power. But one must remember that many folks are still searching and they should never be judged or shamed. Some folks when they first come in to recovery use their group as their Higher Power. It’s not that the folks in the group are a power greater than themselves, but that collectively the bond that is formed between a group of people that have the same focus and desire can be so powerful that it can change and save lives. If I don’t believe that my Home Group is the best Home Group I could belong to, then I had better find another Home Group. -But newcomers are searching that out as well.

It’s all a process of progress. Something we certainly didn’t have when we were out running on self will run riot. WOW, that was a mouth full. It’s not my place to judge peoples choices. The Apostle Paul in the New Testament says…

“…you should not dis-associate yourself with the world or judge those who don’t believe and act like we do. In that case you would have to leave this world, but you should judge yourselves and make yourselves accountable to one another.”

1 Cor. 5:9-11

We should never judge or shame someone for having a different faith than we do. We hold to our convictions without apology, but we give others the same tolerance and respect we would expect from them. In this way the truth of the Lord will shine bright, He will do His work as we step out of the way. Trust God and Love People should forever be our focus.

Wishing God’s Perfect Serenity for You!
~The Monty’man

There Are No Normies?

That’s right. There are no normies, or are there?

Everyone has something that wants to take them down. It could be shopping addiction, an eating disorder, gossip, and a host of other things.

I once knew a lady that bit her fingernails till they bled. It was a terrible compulsion, but it controlled her. She was indeed powerless over it.

I would venture to say that there is no person on the face of the earth that doesn’t struggle with some sort of compulsive behaviour regardless how minor.

I guess if normies do exist we are all normies in one way or another.

I myself have no idea what that poor women who bites her fingers is going through. I don’t know what’s it like to survive cancer. In fact I have never even had a broken bone in my body, knock on wood. So it might be said that I am a normie in those areas.

So are their normies or aren’t there?  Well if I want to keep it simple, who cares right? If they do exist lets stop putting them in a category that makes us better than them. it’s really petty.

Also don’t forget to check out my new post on our You Tube page. http://youtube.com/montymeyer

Serenity for You!

~The Monty’man

Shut Up & Sit Down?

OK, here is the deal. No matter who you are or where you have come from, harsh, rude and obnoxious words do not encourage, nor do they contribute to anyones recovery.

For those who have been told to “Shut Up and Sit Down” when you first came into the 12 Step rooms, may I simply say that those who spoke such nonsense to you were probably well-meaning.

I do not believe for a moment that attending 90 meetings in 90 days is going to keep you sober, however it does give you adequate time to find out if 12 Step recovery is for you.

When, not if, but when someone offends remember that our rooms are filled with arrogant, self-centered and selfish people. I know, because I have been one of those characters and in fact can revert to that type of behaviour if I do not grow in my spiritual condition through the daily application of the 12 Steps.

There are not to many folks in the recovery fellowships that want to harm you. In fact I would venture to say that 99.9% have your best interest at heart. So if you have been rubbed the wrong way, remember it’s better to be rubbed in the fellowship than rubbed out of life.

For those of you who speak such nonsense to the new-comer, well I know where you can find a good deal on duct tape.

Serenity for you!

~The Monty’man

Don’t Play Doctor

With the on-slot of prescription drug companies, the opinions both liberal and conservative about their place in a persons life who is recovering from narcotic addiction or alcoholism one must remember that we are not doctors and should never advise anyone in recovery what only a medical doctor is qualified to advise.

Yes there are those in the medical profession that know much less than we would prefer on the topic of mental illness and addiction, but for the most part I don’t think as members of our 12 Step fellowships that we are the ones who should be diagnosing each other.

Many fine people in recovery must take prescribed medication in order to live productive lives. There are those too that are taking medication they may not need. In fact it may be causing more damage that good. But we are not the ones who should be advising them.

I have seen several friends in recovery relapse and even die because they followed the advice of a well meaning 12 Step member and stopped taking their medication for a mental illness.

Please, do not take it upon yourself to become someone’s doctor or psychiatrist. Leave that to the professionals.

If you are truly concerned that a friend is being misdiagnosed then suggest your friend get a second or third opinion. Please do not play doctor. You could be killing someone.

Serenity for You!

~The Monty’man