MY RECOVERY WORK THIS YEAR IS FOCUSED ON THE PRINCIPLES BEHIND THE 12 STEPS, ASKING KEY QUESTIONS THAT WILL HELP TO LEARN THESE CORE VALUES AND PUT THEM INTO PRACTICE.
STEP 3: Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
PRINCIPLE 3: Spirituality
KEY QUESTION: Am I love-able to God and others?
In the resource I am using for this study (listed below) Dr. Patrick Carnes discusses the common elements most spiritual traditions include. Whether to ourself or others each of these areas require acts of love.
- Sharing Pain: our pain connects us to the pain of others.
- Serving others: go outside normal comfort zone and help another person.
- Joining forces: in times of weakness reach out for help.
- Making a leap: Even through difficulties keep going forward.
The answer to our key question shows up in how we are processing these steps walking out love.
Am I afraid to share my pain with others?
Am I stepping out of my comfortable circle of friends and helping someone new?
Am I too proud to ask for help when I’m feeling weak?
Am I making progress each day, even if it is a baby step?
Over the last year God brought me a new girl friend. Someone with whom I’ve been able to process many of these areas with. I’m good at serving but not the best at reaching out for help when struggling. This is the area I need to work on most.
It always comes back to loving myself as God does!
RESOURCES:
A Gentle Path through the Twelve Principles: Living the Values Behind the Steps by Patrick Carnes **