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AA Thought for the Day

August 13

Dependence on God
When World War II broke out, this spiritual principle had its first major test.
A.A.'s entered the services and were scattered all over the world.
Would they be able to take discipline, stand up under fire, and endure the monotony and misery of war?
Would the kind of dependence they had learned in A.A. carry them through?
Well, it did. They had even fewer alcoholic lapses or emotional binges than A.A.'s safe at home did.
- 12 Steps & 12 Traditions, p. 38

Thought to Ponder
The will of God will never take me where the grace of God will not protect me.

AA-related 'Alconym'
F A I T H = Facing All, Intuitively Trusting Him.

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

Reprieve
"It is easy to let up on the spiritual program of action
and rest on our laurels.
We are headed for trouble if we do, for alcohol is a subtle foe.
We are not cured of alcoholism.
What we really have is a daily reprieve
contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition.
Every day is a day when we must carry
the vision of God's will into all of our activities."
1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 85

Thought to Consider . . .
This is a program of limitless expansion.
The gate is wide but the road is narrow.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
P R O G R A M = People Relying On God Relay A Message

*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*

Not for Nothing
From: "Empty on the Inside"
When I was two weeks sober, a man's nine-year-old daughter was killed by a drunk driver, and three days later he was at a meeting saying he had to believe it wasn't for nothing. That maybe one alcoholic would get sober because of it. As I left that day, I found myself wondering what would have happened if that had been my kids, or me? What would they remember about me? A feeling came over me (I know now it was gratitude), and I realized that I could call my children right then and tell them I loved them. That I could show up when I said I would. That my word could be worth something to them. That even though I might always just be "mom who comes over on the weekends," I could be a good weekend mom. I had a chance to move forward with them, forging a relationship built on a foundation of God and Alcoholics Anonymous, rather than always trying to make up for the past. One year later I was able to share with that man that maybe it hadn't been for nothing, because my life changed that day.
2001, AAWS, Inc., Alcoholics Anonymous, page 520

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"If we fail to 'repair,' we can only impair."
June 1945
"On the Eighth Step,"
Step By Step

*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"Everybody knows that those in bad health, and those who seldom play,
do not laugh much. So let each family play together or separately as
much as their circumstances warrant. We are sure God wants us to be
happy, joyous, and free."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, The Family Afterward, pg. 132~

“Follow the dictates of a Higher Power and you will presently live in a new and wonderful world, no matter what your present circumstances!”
Alcoholics Anonymous p. 100

“Having reduced us to a state of absolute helplessness, you now declare that none but a Higher Power can remove our obsession.”
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 25

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

While drinking, we were certain that our intelligence, backed by will power, could rightly control our inner lives and guarantee us success in the world around us. This brave philosophy, wherein each man played God, sounded good in the speaking, but it still had to meet the acid test: How well did it actually work? One good look in the mirror was answer enough.
My spiritual awakening was electrically sudden and absolutely convincing. At once I became a part - if only a tiny part - of a cosmos that was ruled by justice and love in the person of God. No matter what had been the consequences of my own willfulness and ignorance, or those of my fellow travelers on earth, this was still the truth. Such was the new and positive assurance, and this has never left me.

Prayer for the Day: God, Help me to see myself as I truly am. I know I won't always like what I see, so give me the courage to keep going. Grant me understanding, as I need to figure out why I feel the way I do sometimes God, please fill my heart with compassion. I need forgiveness, but I also need to forgive, and that just doesn’t come easily to me. Please Lord, fill my heart with love. Let me love as You do, so that I may get better and serve You. God, I want to do this right and I need your help today. Amen.