Daily Recovery Blog
Friday May 29, 2026
"We must live with people to know their problems and live with
God to 'help' solve them." - Patty M.
SPIRITUAL KINDERGARTENI learned that the founders of the 12 steps used the words “God
as we understand him” to allow any addict to join; even the
agnostic and atheist. I was not an agnostic or an atheist, but I
didn’t practice any particular religion either. I really liked
the fellowship because it was spiritual not religious. That took
a lot of pressure off of me. I felt hypocritical trying to choose
any particular religion. Since I was allowed to choose my own
higher power, I researched some, and found a belief system in
Animism. I was able to relate to the spiritual ideas involved
with this practice. It was simple and a perfect starting point
for me. I did not feel worthy of love when I began coming to
meetings. I felt weak and damaged. I was full of guilt. This is
not what I displayed to others, but this was how I felt inside. I
remember hearing a member share, “if you put a tuxedo on a
garbage can, all you have is a dressed up garbage can”. That was
me. I spent many sleepless nights hoping things would get better.
I finally decided I needed prayer. It made me feel better and
gave me hope. It did not matter to me at this time whether God
existed or not. My need for God far outweighed that. I was in a
spiritual kindergarten learning a new way to live.
"If you board the wrong train, it is no use running along the
corridor in the other direction." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Thursday May 28, 2026
"If God made anything better than this, He kept it for himself!"
- Joel W.
NEVER UNDERESTIMATE GODMany things in life just take time. In time I got a job. I got an
apartment. I bought a car. It was one foot in front of the other.
Food, shelter and transportation; these were things outside of
myself that just took some time and effort to get back in my
life. I actually had bills showing up in my name. I was even
starting to make plans about my future. The year was 1985, and I
was still on a suspended prison sentence. It was not house
arrest, so I was still able to go out and work. I was just very
closely supervised. My commitment to staying clean had to
strengthen. A world convention was being held in London that
year. It would be the first time outside of the United States . I
had become more involved in my recovery, and I told myself and
others that I was planning on going to it. Most of them laughed.
“You are on a suspended prison sentence.” “You have no passport.”
“You can barely pay your bills!” I don’t know why, but I felt
certain that I was going to be there. The events that took place
in the next few months were nothing short of miraculous. My
probation officer took my request seriously, because she saw how
much recovery had helped me. She petitioned the judge that had
sentenced me and requested permission for me to go to London . I
went to the state department and was granted a passport. My job
had a credit union, so I applied for a credit card. A month
before the convention, the credit card was granted. Amazingly
there was an airline offering a special rate air fare at the
time. I spent 3 weeks in Europe, attended a world convention, did
an H&I meeting at a methadone clinic, and was asked to share my
story at a meeting in Scotland . I learned to never underestimate
God.
"If God would concede me His omnipotence for 24 hours, you would
see how many changes I would make in the world. But if He gave me
His wisdom too, I would leave things as they are." - J.M.L.
Monsabre
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