AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 9, 2025  Strength Out of WeaknessWe heard story after story of how humility had brought strength out of weakness. In every case, pain had been the price of admission into a new life. But this admission price had purchased more than we expected. It brought a measure of humility, which we soon discovered to be a healer of pain. We began to fear pain less, and desire humility more than ever.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Seven) p. 75  Thought to Pond ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 8, 2025  Developed Still MoreWhen we developed still more, we discovered the best possible source of emotional stability to be God Himself. We found that dependence upon His perfect justice, forgiveness, and love was healthy, and that it would work where nothing else would.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Twelve) p. 116  Thought to Ponder . . .No God, no peace — know God, know peace.  AA-related 'Alconym'F A I T H  =   For All I Trust ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 7, 2025  Tradition Eight"Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever nonprofessional, but our service centers may employ special workers." Every time we have tried to professionalize our Twelfth Step, the result has been exactly the same: Our single purpose has been defeated. Alcoholics simply will not listen to a paid twelfth-stepper. Almost from the beginning, we have been positive that face-to-face work with the alcoholic who suffers could be based only ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 6, 2025  WillingWe needed to ask ourselves but one short question. "Do I now believe, or am I even willing to believe, that there is a Power greater than myself?" As soon as a man can say that he does believe, or is willing to believe, we emphatically assure him that he is on his way.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (We Agnostics) p. 47  Thought to Ponder . . .Faith dares the soul to go beyond what the eyes can see.  AA-related 'Alconym'A B C  = &nb ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 5, 2025  MerrimentSo we think cheerfulness and laughter make for usefulness. Outsiders are sometimes shocked when we burst into merriment over a seemingly tragic experience out of the past. But why shouldn’t we laugh? We have recovered, and have been given the power to help others.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (The Family Afterward) p. 132  Thought to Ponder . . .Take time to laugh, it is the music of the soul.  AA-related 'Alconym'H O P E  =   Happy ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 4, 2025  Under No ConditionUnder no condition do we criticize such a person or argue. Simply we tell him that we will never get over drinking until we have done our utmost to straighten out the past. We are there to sweep off our side of the street, realizing that nothing worth while can be accomplished until we do so, never trying to tell him what he should do. His faults are not discussed. We stick to our own.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Into Action) pp. 77 - 78 &nbs ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 3, 2025  Step FiveTime after time newcomers have tried to keep to themselves certain facts about their lives. Trying to avoid this humbling experience, they have turned to easier methods. Almost invariably they got drunk. Having persevered with the rest of the program, they wondered why they fell. We think the reason is that they never completed their housecleaning. They took inventory all right, but hung on to some of the worst items in stock.- Alcoholics Anonymou ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 2, 2025  Entire ConfidenceStrangely enough, wives, parents and intimate friends usually find us even more unapproachable than do the psychiatrist and the doctor.But the ex-problem drinker who has found this solution, who is properly armed with facts about himself, can generally win the entire confidence of another alcoholic in a few hours. Until such an understanding is reached, little or nothing can be accomplished.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (There Is A Solution) p. ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 1, 2025  Tradition Three“The only requirement for A.A. membership is a desire to stop drinking.” Why did A.A. finally drop all its membership regulations? . . . The answer, now seen in Tradition Three, was simplicity itself. At last experience taught us that to take away any alcoholic's full chance was sometimes to pronounce his death sentence, and often to condemn him to endless misery. Who dared to be judge, jury, and executioner of his own sick brother? As group ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 31, 2025  Causes and ConditionsThough our decision was a vital and crucial step, it could have little permanent effect unless at once followed by a strenuous effort to face, and to be rid of, the things in ourselves which had been blocking us. Our liquor was but a symptom. So we had to get down to causes and conditions.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) p. 64  Thought to Ponder . . .We need to uncover in order to recover.  AA-related 'Alconym'A C T &n ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy AA-Alive.net)March 30, 2025~ Scroll Down for Share ~  A Genuine RelianceAs long as we placed self-reliance first, a genuine reliance upon a Higher Power was out of the question. That basic ingredient of all humility, a desire to seek and do God's will, was missing.- - Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Seven) p. 72  Thought to PonderReliance on God enables me to match calamity with serenity.  AA-related 'Alconym'F R O G  =  Fully Rely On God.  A Member ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 29, 2025  A Vital PartIt is important for him to realize that your attempt to pass this on to him plays a vital part in your own recovery. Actually, he may be helping you more than you are helping him. Make it plain he is under no obligation to you, that you hope only that he will try to help other alcoholics when he escapes his own difficulties.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Working With Others) p. 94  Thought to Ponder . . .We must give it away to keep it.  A ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 28, 2025  A Power GreaterWhat often takes place in a few months could seldom have been accomplished by years of self-discipline. With few exceptions our members find that they have tapped an unsuspected inner resource which they presently identify with their own conception of a Power greater than themselves.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Appendix II; Spiritual Experience) pp. 567 - 568  Thought to Ponder . . .In order to change the way I feel, I need to change the w ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 27, 2025  God and Another Human BeingHence it was most evident that a solitary self-appraisal, and the admission of our defects based upon that alone, wouldn't be nearly enough. We'd have to have outside help if we were surely to know and admit the truth about ourselves—the help of God and another human being.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Five) p. 59  Thought to Ponder . . .Refusing to ask for help when you need it is refusing someone the chance ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 26, 2025  Quality of WillingnessBut now it appears that there are certain things which only the individual can do. All by himself, and in the light of his own circumstances, he needs to develop the quality of willingness. When he acquires willingness, he is the only one who can make the decision to exert himself. Trying to do this is an act of his own will. All of the Twelve Steps require sustained and personal exertion to conform to their principles and so, we tru ...Continue Reading