Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. Michael from Hope Central. Just know i am here for a listening ear, invite you to meetings on zoom, sponsor and chat.
This Christmas i encourage you to check out this topic I did on a zoom meeting today:
"Nothing Quite Like an A.A. Christmas"
Holiday Issue 1967 out of the "BOX 4-5-9
NEWS AND NOTES FROM THE GENERAL SERVICE OFFICE OF A. A. NEWSLETTER"
What are you experiencing this Christmas?
have you saw the gifts God has given you?
How will you prepare to 12th step if needed?
Whatever holidays may have meant
to us in drinking days, a real A.A.
holiday is unforgettable for most of
us whether it is New Year’s Day,
Hanukkah, Thanksgiving, or Christmas.
"There’s nothing quite like an A.A. Christmas," one member writes, "Maybe not the first Christmas you are in A.A., but certainly the first Christmas A.A. is in you.
"A magic fills the air for everyone, but in an A.A.’s life it’s very special, as his heart and life are filled with so many gifts. The gift of being loved, and of loving;
of being understood, and of understanding; of being wanted, and of wanting;
of being given to, and of
giving.
"Money cannot buy
these priceless gifts. An
A.A. has love, friendship,
an opportunity to contrib-
ute and add to the world,
a feeling of belonging,
and a desire to grow in
A. A. so he will not have
to reach for the first drink.
"As we look at Christ-
mas lights we can look at all the enlightenment the 12 Steps
have brought to us; of how we are now ’part of’ a worldwide fellowship and are beginning to sense unity with- in through our 12 Traditions.
"We need never be alone again,
need never reach for a drink at least today. "As we look at beautiful Christmas wreaths we can think, too, of the cir-cle of unending love and friendship
surrounding A.A.’s triangle of Recov-ery, Unity, and Service.
"We think quietly and gratefully of Bill and Dr. Bob and the other early A.A.’s of the A.A.’s around the world now of the Loners and our seagoing Internationalists say, ’Merry
Christmas to all, regardless of relig-ious belief.’
"Yes, Christmas is a special 24
hours for A.A.’s. The phone rings and it is a 12th-Step calla call for help. What greater gift can anyone have than the opportunity to give life to
another suffering alcoholic as it has been given to us?
"In A.A. we call this service, and
surely it is among the most precious gifts that we in A.A. share with one another.
"Every service that A.A. gives to
alcoholics has come about as the re-suit of a demonstrated need and is based on experience. The Steps were
written from the pooled experience of 100 recovered alcoholics and given freely to any of us who wants to fol-
low them to recovery.
The Traditions, too, were evolved from the actual ex-
perience and activity of early A.A. ’s and given freely to us as guidelines to growth, and to unity to ’at-one-ness’ with each other and the rest of the world.
"The aim of all A.A. service of
all A.A. giving is identical with
A.A.’s primary purpose to give A.A. to all who want it."
Thank you, dear friend,
for that lovely and thought-
ful A.A. letter. And thanks, too, for all the other holiday messages we always are showered with here at G.S.O. Our Christmas prayer for all
of you is Bill’s favorite, that of Saint Francis:
"Lord, make me an in-strument of thy peace; Where there is hatred, let me sow love; Where there is doubt, faith; Where
there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; and
where there is sadness, joy.
"0 Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console; to be understood, as to understand; to be loved, as to love; for it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life."
"Lois and I join in sending to A.A.’s worldwide our
warmest affection at this Christmastime.
You will agree that we of A.A. are just about the
most fortunate people on the globe today. By God’s
Grace we have received an unexampled opportunity
to live, to serve, and to love.
At this season, and in the New
Year to come, may joys overflow and our gratitude be boundless. May the Spirit of the Prince of Peace be a-mong us always.”-Bill
Step 3 out of 12/12 book pg 5 of contents:
"Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him."
Step Three is like opening of a locked door. How shall we let God into our lives? Willingness is the key. Dependence as a means to independence. Dangers of self-sufficiency.
Turning our will over to Higher Power. Misuse of will-power.
Sustained and personal exertion necessary to conform to God's will."
That’s the topic, take out of it whatever is on your mind, how you are and or have battled cravings and emotional sobriety before or will, this year?
Think on that and if youd like please, reach out by text or me. We will never be able to be sober alone, achieve this 12 steps alone! We do this together and know I need you more than you know!
Email me if you need to chat
