11-years sober

 Andy tells his story

 Be filled with joy my brothers and sisters! 

 “He has risen.”

Rise and be awake

Thursday, Sept 2, 2021.

My Milestone of 11 years of being without a drink and staying sober.  My Last drink was my last drunk and it happened on Friday, July 16, 2010.

The longest period of time I ever had without any alcohol was 11  1/2 years. I was 11  1/2 years old when I had my first alcohol and the effect was, I got drunk.

Be humble my brothers and sisters...

Your work will be richly rewarded.

Your loved ones are watching.

Pray

 Jesus said, “With man this is impossible” (Matthew 19:26).  However, He added, “…but with God all things are possible.” He spoke similarly in Luke 1:37, “With God nothing shall be impossible.” There's a truth that occurs often in Scripture: “God is able.” Let’s take a look at some of the remarkable things that, although difficult or impossible to man, are absolutely within God’s unlimited power and capabilities. Come and have your faith built to receive multiple blessings from the God who loves you.

• There is nothing too difficult for Him. With God nothing is impossible. Nothing! Obstacles that seem insurmountable to man are easily overcome by our all-powerful God. Anything is possible for Almighty God.

In sum, the Bible teaches us a simple 3-step pathway to dynamic faith:

1) Hear the Word of God. Study it, read it devotionally and hear it preached and taught.

2) Believe God’s Word. Don’t doubt, don’t waver in trusting our “God who cannot lie” (Titus 1:2).

3) Speak God’s Word in faith into the situation you are facing. And, as Jesus promised, you “shall have whatsoever you say.”

Monday, July 19, 2021

Feel the difference

 “pie in the sky by and by” 

Eternal Life is “steak on your plate"

Andy is sharing on Thursday, Sept 2, 2021

Mon & Thur 5pm ET

"You will live better when you think better"  

Zoom ID 873 749 3614

Password:  grace

My name is Andy

Sober and saved by the grace of God

“If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”

John 15:10-11 ESV

https://bible.com/bible/59/jhn.15.10-11.ESV 

Piper 12 steps BB get rocketed quick / 203-858-3393

Tuesday’s Mark

'But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. For when Herodias’s daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. And the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.” And he vowed to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.” And she went out and said to her mother, “For what should I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.” And she came in immediately with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” And the king was exceedingly sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her. 

Mark 6:21-26

https://my.bible.com/bible/59/MRK.6.21-26

“Jesus said, “How can I describe the Kingdom of God? What story should I use to illustrate it? It is like a mustard seed planted in the ground. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of all garden plants; it grows long branches, and birds can make nests in its shade.” Jesus used many similar stories and illustrations to teach the people as much as they could understand. In fact, in his public ministry he never taught without using parables; but afterward, when he was alone with his disciples, he explained everything to them.”

Mark 4:30-34 NLT

https://bible.com/bible/116/mrk.4.30-34.NLT

“Jesus also taught: “Beware of these teachers of religious law! For they like to parade around in flowing robes and receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces. And how they love the seats of honor in the synagogues and the head table at banquets. Yet they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to be pious by making long prayers in public. Because of this, they will be more severely punished.””

Mark 12:38-40 NLT

https://bible.com/bible/116/mrk.12.40.NLT

'Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.'

Ephesians 5:1-5

https://my.bible.com/bible/116/EPH.5.1-5

Encourage Self-Advocacy 

Students should practice advocating for themselves – approaching teachers to ask for extended time on tests, say, or for permission to record lectures — before the first day of classes. Says Quinn: “Starting in the eighth grade, talk with your son about how his ADHD affects him, socially and academically. Be sure he is aware of his academic strengths and weaknesses.” Quinn suggests that ADHD students know their learning style – visual, auditory, or kinesthetic – and have suitable study techniques to prepare for tests. Students should also have a feel for which courses play to their strengths and which ones will be a problem.

AR = July 15, 2021

John Y. 215-284-8237

Lives in Pennsylvania - His wife got sick and died a couple years ago and had a powerful group a AA praying for him

Hi John, Andy here.

I just wanted to text you because I now have your number.

We can talk later.

Have a great night 

Prayer

July 19, 2021

Cal He would get the G. O. D.

Kelly with Cancer Joey’s’ sistered

July 15, 2021

Drew

Julie

Suzanne’s Son’s military buddy showing a poor example

 Bee’s neighbor’s 14 year old daughter went missing

Jill’s daughter Hanna (News)

Kristin 40-years old she is not saved 4-year old son (Absent) Needs God

7-13-21

Megan 

Claude 

Julie’s Mom

Julie’s out patient recovery

Cal with boundaries = Mary Ann’s friend

7-13-21 Prayer list

Carly heart attach

Megan New liver 

New Grandson for John & Suzan

New baby girl for the family in Canada

Son’s girlfriend died age 45 from a Brain tumor

1

I’m am recovered and a sinner saved by God’s Grace.

Redeemed

Restored

Recovered

Refurbished

I am Born again I know the Messiah

• Here it is… my milestone of 

11 years of being without a drink and staying sober.  My Last drink was my last drunk and it happened on Friday, July 16, 2010.

The longest period of time I ever had without any alcohol was 11  1/2 years. I was 11  1/2 years old.

I had my first drink and got way drunk…  at 75 lbs & I almost died.

• Never fit in… 
• They put me on An ADD drug called Riddling at age 8 for about 2-weeks. It wasn’t called ADD back then it was LOTW = Looking Out The Window
• I always thought of my 3-older sisters as big bad babysitters. as time went on, they didn’t want to be around me much. I didn’t understand that. I was clueless to how teenagers are.
• We would walk to school together and they would ditch me on the way there. later I would ride my bike.
• I learn differently (ADD) or not. Nobody understands me.
• I learned to swim before learned to walk. Always physically gifted - very coordinated. Tree-fort swimming pool unicycle riding, juggling, skate boarding I learned to ice-skate before I learned to roller skate. surfing skying, sprinting and pole vaulting Racing around in my Mustang.
• & later the physical aspects of Roofing rooftop views to die for
• My first responsibilities. early in life I had animals starting with a puppy that bit the mail man, a rooster then a hamster a rabbit by age 7 I got 2-ducks Gertrude and Gladis. They attracted 2 more for a total of 4 ducks for 7-years. 
• I felt different or like I was just watching everybody else and not participating.
• first drunk age 11.5
• At age 13 I had a 13oz can of Coors beer in the high altitude of Sierra Nevada Mt Range while camping with my Dad yep, got drunk on one beer. - COORS 

• At age 14 right around my birthday some of my friends invited me over and we were all going to walked to the collage campus for the annual Poly Royal.  Matt’s mean older brother was a big collage kid had a keg of worm beer from the party the night before and we drank some before we went - I was drunk
• At age 14 I turned the duck pen into a Pigeon Coop with 22 pigeons a In a separate part of the yard we had  2-Geese, Thanksgiving and Christmas. 
• Took over my sisters job as a janitor at my dad’s office an Architect with 4 draft’s men in an office right accost from the court house building. On Saturdays while nobody was there I would smoke pot looking at the courthouse through the windows and sweep the floors and clean the toilets and water the plants. 20 bucks each week for about an hour and I could stretch it our for 4 or more.

Reconcile to God - Part 2

Part 2 of Andy’s story

• At age 16 - That’s about the time when the divorce hit.
• Father was court-ordered out of the house. He was living about 13 blocks away with my mother’s best friend who also had four kids.
• At 17 my dad lived in an apartment in Avila Beach and I would go out there for the weekend and he would leave and go be with his girlfriend.
• It was a front to say that he was with his son for the weekend and tell the courts to prove that he was a good dad… and all the while he was with her.

• it was all a blur with moments of self sabotage.
• on my 17th birthday April 1979 A surprise party for me was at Avila Beach at my dad’s apartment = I got a chain unicycle and rode it around for all the guests = they loved it. All my friends that I didn’t know - the track team came to be in on the surprise. it was weird and uncomfortable - I had no real close friends because I didn’t want people to know how messed up my life was and how messed up my family was.  Everybody liked me enough to bring gifts and be friendly but I was not there emotionally.
• I was alone in a crowd.
• In my senior year My uncle Mike moved in for a year. He is 10-years younger than my mom.
• I guess He could not stay sober.
• Right after my 18th birthday in 1980
• I moved in to my dad’s place.
• I moved in with my dad for 2 months and really it was a place all to my self. He was not there much and when he was it was tense and uncomfortable.
• Also at age 18, I became the Vice Vice president of Talosa Group Architects.
• for about 6-months I had My own business cards and everything. I was making $637.50 every 2-weeks. Later it turns out that that money was His pay check divided between my sister and myself. We really were getting his salary, wink wink.
• My dad had become unemployed because of my mom’s attorney  getting the court receiver to control my dad’s business and so My Dad said “you want it you got it…” and laid off everybody and stop working = Out of business. When you are unemployed you can’t pay alimony.
• I did not want to stay home and be there or anywhere else
• 2-weeks after High school graduation in June 1980, we set out for Australia. Him and me we escaped and went down under.
• Full-time Collage classes 14 credits, On the track team in collage Pole vault - Work as a bus boy 40-hrs per week 2:30 til 11 pm 5-days per week and a part time gig at the Taco Bell as a casher for 4-hours per day from 10 am til 2 pm.
• 21 found Jesus and he transformed me.
• got married
• had 2 kids
• self destruction self destruction
• got arrested
• moved away and took the family
• More destruction 
• when to jail
• Prayer

 Gift of Awareness 

the Gift that we get when we can see ourselves acting negatively.

A second grader?  I’m thinking a 2-year old.

We have to go through it so we can get to it.

Emotional development develops when we are emotional

It feels painful to when we grow = god prunes us

I can Soften my heart when I ask myself WHY DO I CARE SO MUCH?

A good routine…

upon our awakening … Consider our plans

Ask God direct my thinking divorced of self-pity

My actions affect others.

Ken B told us on Monday, July 12, 2021

Yep = Cured of Alcoholism seven time in the basic text.

from page 1 to Page 191 in the pages of the Big Book

Page 191 

WE CAN TRULY SAY GREATER IS HE WHO IS IN ME THAN HE WHO IS IN THE WORLD.

To enter his Father's Kingdom, I must be born of the Spirit of the Most High from above (John 3: 1-8)

I give thanks for "Full Truth, True Light, Full Grace, Agape Love and Full Deliverance. I give thanks to the Most High God for sending His only Begotten Son, Emmanuel Yeshua into the world to save and redeem us that through him we might have eternal life.

In English = Jesus the Christ

• The world is full of ideas and beliefs that are held for Truth.
• For thousand of years conventional belief was that the earth was flat.
• Is the earth a sphere or is it flat? Many were tortured and killed by the power that be and later that same power or society come to embrace that branded heresy as truth.

ACCORDING TO THE GOSPEL OF JOHN  HE KEPT THEM SAFE BY THE POWER OF HIS NAME. 

Galatians 5: 22-25

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

23 gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

24 Now those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also behave in accordance with the Spirit. 

There is HOPE and there is Light in the darkest of places.

2

'Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. '

II Corinthians 5:17 NKJV

https://my.bible.com/bible/114/2CO.5.17

'This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!'

2 Corinthians 5:17 NLV

https://my.bible.com/bible/116/2CO.5.17

• Many people reject Christianity based not on the facts, but on the behavior of Christians!
• Does the fact that believers struggle to consistently live out their worldview indicate that Christianity is untrue?
• Does Christian hypocrisy falsify Christianity altogether? 

3

You will keep getting what you’ve always got. - If you keep doing what you’ve always done.

• If you are sober today because of whatever you are doing is working then do the same thing tomorrow.

I think the word cure means, knowing yourself enough to see where the pain is and knowing how to do proper first aid. 

Call out to God..(reach out to people) Seek out his presence. Read his word. He sent a text… read it!

We hear in the rooms  of AA about people being sober for a long time and then something happens and they “go out”having to start over because of a slip.

• 1 Stop going to meetings.
• 2 Never finish all 12-steps.
• 3 Failing to connect to the Messiah “the all knowing creator of the universe” - The one with all power = God

When I work with others, I tell them right up front that the 12-steps helped me to connect with The One with all power. I took on the commitment to stay committed through all 12

4

After you take the 12 steps, God will keep you sober because you will be healed.

An old-timer called the Bible the “Manufacturer’s Handbook.” He said that the God who made us knows what we need in order to function, and loves us with the involvement that an inventor has in his creation. 

Body mind and soul

Earth, Fire and Water

Gravity, Light and The Wind

The Father, Son and the Holly Spirit

Alway know that a scar is a memory and a scab is still healing

Wounds or painful scars or not

Don’t be afraid to show your scars.

God moves through people for people. 

• A scar is different than a scab. A scare may be visible and it is finished healing. More of a memory and the pain is all gone.  Nobody ever has to treat a scar.
• Alway know that a scar is a memory and a scab is still healing.
• Wounds or painful scars or not
• Don’t be afraid to show your scars.
• God moves through people for people.

• A scab hurts and can get infected. It can become worse before it heals. 
• A nurse would tell you to…
• Keep it clean and dry. Check for pain or soreness around the area. Don’t use it. If it turns Red get it checked.
• A slip Stay sober…
• If you don’t, you might become
• Tore-up from the floor up.
• Need a check-up from the neck up.

Sound failure?

Clean and dry = get plenty of rest and take it easy for a while. Don’t do anything too stressful. 

REHAB?

Reminds me if what I heard in those early meetings when I was not too sure about anything.

A train wreck is a terrible thing not because of the front engine. it first runs into you alright and it hurts but because of all the remaining cars that follow, you get pretty beat up. Quite the pile-up.

Have you ever been derailed?

The affect is severe and lasting.

How do you clean up the wrekadge? 

The 12-steps help put all the cars back on track. But the wreckage is still visible and sometimes it still hurts.

We can at least get rolling again.

Get a Move-on Half measures availed us nothing.

Move forward with no more remorse. Stop picking at the soreness. Do the right next thing.

We need to look a the past but WE don’t want to shut the door on it.

It is gone and we don’t have to back up anymore.

I have never been in a Bar. I never thought My truck could become The Bar. - Joey said it and I head that. And It happened to me

Love with that special ingredient = The kind of Love where you can tell somebody the truth.

God is not limited

I wanted to be honest

I wanted to be willing

Do I want to be right or do I want to be happy

The only requirement for AA membership is an honest desire to stop drinking = page Roman numeral 14 = XIV

Stay Hush Hush about hurts habits and hangups

therefor any man be in Christ all things have become new old things are gone

Colossians 3:1-2 

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things. 

Hebrews 10:24-25 

Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. 

2 Corinthians 5:16-17

'Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. '

II Corinthians 5:16-17

https://my.bible.com/bible/114/2CO.5.16-17

• - -

In chapter one of the Big Book, titled "Bill's Story," Bill stated that Ebby told him:

" . . . 'I've got religion.'" ["Alcoholics Anonymous," 4th ed., p. 9. (Emphasis added)]

As my dad (pen name: "Dick B.", JD,CDAAC) has said, the phrase Ebby used in talking with Bill--i.e., "I've got religion"--was used commonly by those in "A First Century Christian Fellowship" (later called "the Oxford Group") to express that a person had made a "personal surrender" (i.e., that they had accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and believed that God had raised Jesus from the dead; cf. Rom 10:9-10).

According to Mel B., Ebby had made his personal surrender at Calvary Mission, located at 346 East Twenty-Third Street in Manhattan, on November 1, 1934, shortly before he visited Bill at 182 Clinton Street in Brooklyn, New York.

"Ebby's surrender date was given as November 1, 1934, about a month before he called on Bill."

[Source: Mel B., "Ebby: The Man Who Sponsored Bill W." (Center City, Minn.: Hazelden, 1998), p. 65.]

Bill also wrote that Ebby ". . . told how two men [who were involved with "A First Century Christian Fellowship" (later also called "the Oxford Group")] . . . had told [Ebby] of a simple religious idea and a practical program of action." ["Alcoholics Anonymous," 4th ed., p. 9. Emphasis added.]

Bill continued:

"He [Ebby] had come to pass his experience along to me--if I cared to have it. I was shocked, but interested. Certainly I was interested. I had to be, for I was hopeless." ["Alcoholics Anonymous," 4th ed., pp. 9-10. Emphasis added.]

Bill then reported:

". . . [M]y friend sat before me, and . . . made the point-blank declaration that God had done for him what he could not do for himself. His human will had failed. Doctors had pronounced him incurable. Society was about to lock him up. Like myself, he had admitted complete defeat. Then he had, in effect, been raised from the dead, suddenly taken from the scrap heap to a level of life better than the best he had ever known!" ["Alcoholics Anonymous," 4th ed., p. 11. Emphasis added]

Bill continued:

"It began to look as though religious people were right after all." ["Alcoholics Anonymous," 4th ed., p. 11. Emphasis added.]

After Ebby's first visit, Bill said that he and his wife Lois ". . . talked late. At times I felt rather excited and both of us began to use a word we had forgotten. That word was 'hope.'"

• - - 

5

I needed to learn how to stop being me and be the one God created me to be instead.

Pg 63 = As we felt new power flow in,

In the basic text they are showing us precisely what they did to Recover from a hopeless state of mind and body.

What you won't see them show us in the basic text is:

God of your own understanding, such as a group of people or _____ (fill in the blank).

90 meetings in 90 days.

Put the plug in the jug.

Just don't drink and keep coming back.

Use your lifeline before you drink.

Remember your last drunk.

Think through the drink.

Fake it till you make it.

Never get hungry, angry, lonely or tired. = HALT

Change your playmates and play grounds.

Hang out with the winners.

Meeting makers make it.

Anything on ism's.

Anything on stinking thinking.

Learning to love yourself.

A step a year.

It's a selfish program.

Etc.

Orders from headquarters

'And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.

And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’(Got that? shall love your self first) There is no other commandment greater than these.”'

Mark 12:30-31

https://my.bible.com/bible/114/MRK.12.30-31

 The darkness cannot exist in the light - I can prove it too. - Go into a dark room and turn on a light. Where did the darkness go?

the great reality 

page 11 = It began to look as though religious people were right after all.

and the middle of Page 55 = He was as much a fact as we were. We found the Great Reality deep down within us.

www.SearchScriptures.com

James 5:20

I want to be like the moon… If I reflect the light from the Son so people will see me, day or night.

Sun on the moon

Son in the man

Let your light shine

The moon is lit up in the darkness by the sun

Man is lit up in the darkness by the Son

Stealing from God is organized around the acronym CRIMES, which highlights the intellectual CRIMES atheists are making.  “CRIMES” stands for Causality, Reason, Information, Morality, Evil and Science.  Those are aspects of reality that atheists often say disprove God, when, in fact, those things wouldn’t exist without God.   

― Dr. Frank Turek ―

Philippians 4:8 

Romans 1:28 

Matthew 7:7-11 

Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it shall be opened. Or what man is there among you, when his son shall ask him for a loaf, will give him a stone? Or if he shall ask for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father who is in Heaven give what is good to those who ask Him! 

Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

1 Corinthians 10:12-13 

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=1%20Corinthians%2010:12-13&version=NKJV

Abuse of the spirit

God says “I am the creator and you are the created”

Ruth O'Neill

One of AA's original 100

Ruth Mangan O'Neill died at age 97 on 4/22/2012

https://www.justloveaudio.com/resources/12_Steps_Recovery/Step_10_11/Ruth_ONs_Prayer.pdf

She had 64 years of sobriety Ruth O’N. got sober on 4/14/48. 

Within a few months, at a meeting in Brooklyn NY, she was given a business card by another AA member.  On one side of the card was the Four Absolutes of the Oxford Group (Absolute Honesty, Absolute Unselfishness, Absolute Love, and Absolute Purity) and on the other side of the card was the following prayer.

She still recites it daily and shares it when she speaks (as she did this past Saturday, April 14, 2012).

in AA, It has come to be know as “Ruth’s Prayer”:

 

Thank You, dear God, for another day,

The chance to live in a decent way,

To feel again the joy of living

and happiness that comes from giving.

Thank You for friends who can understand

and the peace that flows from Your loving hand.

Help me to wake with the morning sun,

With the prayer today, “Thy will be done.”

For with Your help I will find the way.

Thank You again, dear God, for AA.

Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount

 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+5-7&version=ESV 

By Dick B.

(The Parts Dr. Bob Considered “Absolutely Essential”)

AAs Roofs in the Bible Part 1

https://www.recoveredalcoholics.net/AAHistory/histlnks.htm

…at (this link) the end of the second to the last page, you will find this...

Then you will know what it means to give of yourself that others may survive and rediscover life. You will learn the full meaning of “Love thy neighbor as thyself” (p. 153). 

He that doeth the will of my Father. There are several key verses in the sermon on the mount which may have caused Bob and Bill to say that the sermon contained A.A.’s underlying philosophy. They are the Lord’s Prayer itself (Matthew 6:9-13), the so-called Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12), and the phrase “Thy will be done” (Matthew 6:10). However, the bottom line–the major thinking--in terms of what A.A. seems to have borrowed from the Sermon on the Mount, can be found in Matthew 7:21: Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Bill Wilson made the major point in the Big Book and in his other writings that the key to success in A.A. was doing the will of the Father—the Father Who is the subject of the Lord's Prayer, and the God upon whom early AAs depended. Wilson wrote:

Subject: Don't die... Yet

More about more

https://bigbooksponsorship.org/sitemap/

…And you can even find Chris Ramer’s talk

https://bigbooksponsorship.org/speakers-addiction-alcoholism-12-step-recovery/part-1-chris-raymer-aa-big-book-ca-speaker-talks-carrying-message-addict-suffers/

The Slogan Slapper

https://bigbooksponsorship.org/_content/uploads/2020/10/the-slogan-slapper.mp4?_=1

From pg. 4 of the legacy guide -

The Big Book had not eliminated the hostility over fellowship with non- alcoholic religious people. And Clarence H. Snyder, though new in the program and loyal to Dr. Bob as his sponsor, insisted on starting a new group in Cleveland, Ohio. The group was to include alcoholics and family members only. Though Akronites objected, Cleveland adherents persisted.

Cleveland AAs began wholeheartedly (This was AA’s 3rd group) embracing the Big Book and the Twelve Steps. Clarence Snyder became the leading promoter of hands-on alcoholic meetings. He publicized A.A. He personally chased newcomers out of their alcoholic holes. He placed advertisements for A.A. using his own name. He was largely responsible for the growth of Cleveland A.A. from one group to thirty in a year. And this was acknowledged to be the fastest-growing A.A. area in existence.

Newcomers, attracted by A.A. success, publicity, and aggressive activities poured into the society. They and their spouses were given Bible emphasis, the Oxford Group’s “Four Absolutes,” baseball teams, newsletters, real growth vitality, and the Big Book and Twelve Steps. In fact, as numbers grew, it became impossible for individual sponsors to take individual newcomers through the Steps. So, classes began. Groups were taken through the Steps in a day or so. And the result was a documented 93% success rate in Cleveland.

Don’t die Yet!

The real problem is that the members of Alcoholics Anonymous, who were here when the "clients" began coming to our Fellowship did not help the "clients" understand that our Program had been firmly established since April 1939, and that the guidelines for the preservation and growth of our Fellowship were adopted in 1950. They weren't told that they must get rid of their new "old ideas" and start practicing the Twelve Step Program of Alcoholics Anonymous as it was given to us. They weren't informed that until they had taken the Steps and recovered, they had nothing to say that needed to be heard except by their sponsor. But that didn't happen. To the contrary, the old-timers failed in their responsibility to the newcomer to remind them of a vital truth, "Rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path. Those who do not recover are people who cannot or will not completely give themselves to this simple program."

"Rarely have we seen a person fail" to "Seldom do we see a person recover."

We have permitted untreated alcoholics and non-alcoholics to sit in our meetings and lay out their problems, ideas and opinions. We have gone from, "Rarely have we seen a person fail" to "Seldom do we see a person recover." So there we have it. We have had 30 years of unbelievable success by following the directions in the Big Book. We have had 30 years of disappointing failure by wanting to hear from everyone. We now have something to compare.

We now know what the problem is and we now know what the solution is.

Unfortunately, we have not been prompt to correct the faults and mistakes, which have been created by what would appear to be large doses of apathy and complacency. The problem we are trying to live with is needlessly killing alcoholics. The Solution? The Power greater than ourselves, that we find through our Twelve Steps, promises recovery for those who are willing to follow the clear cut directions found in the Big Book.

Cliff B., Dallas, TX

Obadiah Gibbous

A servant of Yahweh more than half but less than fully illuminated

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Obadiah servant of Yahweh

gibbons

a. Characterized by convexity; protuberant: a gibbous seashell.

b. More than half but less than fully illuminated from the point of view of an observer. Used of phases of the moon or the planets.

A servant of Yahweh more than half but less than fully illuminated

If all you did was ask Jesus to forgive your sins so you wouldn’t perish in hell, you are missing out on eternal life.

Jesus defined eternal life for us in John 17:3. That verse says,

“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”

John 3:36 says, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”

https://www.awmi.net/reading/teaching-articles/eternal_life/

Everlasting life is a present-tense possession. It’s not something that begins when we get to heaven. 

There are a number of scriptures that speak of everlasting life as something we possess in this life (John 4:14; 5:24; 6:27; 6:40, 47).

So, the question remains, “What is everlasting life?” 

This is very important. John 3:16 says this is the reason that Jesus came.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

I believe that the son of God was born from a virgin, lived a perfect life.

He was brutally crucified, died and rose again walked and spoke to the witnesses then ascended up to heaven.

The Holy Spirit came to be our comforter and now lives inside me (and you) for sanctification until we reach Glory.

Amen