Dick B. Interviews Rusty W. From
Arizona on Christian Recovery Radio and Covers Rusty’s Years of Experience as
His “Smile God Loves You Media” has Recovered, Become a Christian, and Recorded
so Many Conferences—Including the First Nationwide Alcoholics Anonymous History
Conference
On
Dick B.
© 2013 Anonymous. All rights reserved
Hear Dick and Rusty right now if you wish
You
may listen to Dick B. interview Christian Recovery taper Rusty W. on the March
11, 2013, episode of the “Christian Recovery Radio with Dick B.” show here:
or here:
Episodes of the “Christian Recovery Radio with Dick B.” show are archived at:
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Dick B. Interviews Christian Recovery Taper
Rusty W.
Introduction
Today's guest is
Rusty W. from Arizona. We have known Rusty for quite a few years--mostly as the
expert conference recorder and taper who taped several of our important
conferences. Rusty is a recovered alcoholic, a devoted Christian, and a man
experienced with the many varieties of recovery stories he has encountered. I
remember that he recorded The First Nationwide A.A. History Conference in
Phoenix where Dr. Bob's son (Robert R. Smith—“Smitty), Ray G. (former archivist
at Dr. Bob's Home in Akron), and I set the tone for many A.A. history
conferences that have followed. Rusty's media business is called "Smile
God Loves You Media." He will share with us a little about himself, his
family, his encounters with alcohol, and the types of meetings he has recorded.
He will tell us how he got into the service of recording conferences and
producing tapes, CD’s, and DVD’s. And he
will let us know what he has heard about A.A. history, the A.A. and Al-Anon
Fellowships, and the Christian Recovery Movement. Take it away, Rusty!
Highlights of Rusty’s Points
Rusty got sober in
Alcoholics Anonymous in Arizona on March 3, 1985.
He was born and
raised in Colorado, served in the Navy, and began drinking about age 15. He
married a woman in Virginia, and the two moved about 14 times. She was an
alcoholic. He and she had two children and then were divorced. He married his
present wife Carolyn, and these two have had 21 years together as a married
couple.
His experiences in
entering A.A. are important: (1) He immediately got in with solid A.A. old-timers.
(2) His first sponsor took him out after they met, took him through the first
three steps, and got down on his knees with Rusty and prayed. (3) When Rusty
came into the rooms, there was little talk about “recovered;” But Rusty picked
up on the Big Book foreword which said in effect: “We alcoholics have recovered
and the main purpose of this Big Book is to tell you precisely how we have
recovered.” (4) Rusty’s second sponsor was George C.—who got sober in Chicago.
George was an A.A. delegate there and, after moving to Arizona, became an A.A.
Trustee for the Pacific Region. It was George, his sponsor, who: (a) moved
Rusty forward in his walk with the Lord. (b) would ask Rusty if he had prayed
about any problem that arose, and (c) gave Rusty the green light on getting
into the activity of taping conferences. George also was the manager of the
Intergroup Office for quite some time in Phoenix.
After Rusty had been
taping for some time, he heard the Lord speak to him and say: “You’ll never
know all the people you have touched.” In a sense, he said he felt like Moses
who had wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. Then he went to the Seattle
International Convention in 1990 about the same time that I did. He heard Dr.
Bob’s son “Smitty,” Dr. Bob’s daughter Sue, and AA Archivist Frank Mauser speak
about A.A.’s beginnings. He became greatly interested in A.A.’s roots and dived
into the books—DR. BOB and the Good
Oldtimers and Alcoholics Anonymous
Comes of Age. And he was astounded.
He became interested
in the Dick B. A.A. History books. Anne
Smith’s Journal and The Good Book and
the Big Book are his favorites though he has sold and distributed many of
Dick’s books on A.A. History and the Christian Recovery Movement. He emphasized
that Dick’s books document what is written. There are copious notes. And Rusty
said: “You don’t take Dick’s word. You check out his sources in the notes; and
there is research to prove the points. You don’t simply take his word.”
Rusty has taped and
recorded many A.A. history conferences—big and small. Also women’s conferences,
Christian conferences, Catholic conferences, prayer conferences, and
educational conferences in Las Vegas. Plus many small Christian meetings in his
area, as well as Spanish and Al-Anon, and CA meetings.
Often he has found
that people are not aware of historical facts or are misinformed. After the
conferences, he does not tell them they were wrong; he tells them their
mistakes.
An example of that
situation was very recently encountered in a Utah conference. The speaker asked
Rusty who his “higher power” was. Rusty replied, “Jesus.” And calling on his
resourced knowledge, he referred the questioner to the story in the Third
Edition of Alcoholics Anonymous. A.A.
had removed this story from the 4th edition; but it was finally
restored to view in the book, Experience,
Strength, and Hope.
This important story
is beginning to make the rounds once more. It is about Abby G. and is titled, “He
Thought He Could Drink Like a Gentleman.” It begins on page 210 of the Third
Edition of the Big Book. On pages 216-17, the story details the meeting where
Bill Wilson, Clarence Snyder, and Abby were meeting in Abby’s home. Abby asked
Bill what it was that had produced so many miracles in A.A. There was a famous
copy of the painting of Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. Bill simply
answered Abby by pointing to the painting of Jesus and said: “There it is!”
Rusty and Dick also
discussed Bill Wilson’s remarks in his autobiography “My First 40 Years” where
Bill wrote—after he had made his decision for Jesus Christ at Calvary Mission
and after he had cried out to God for help in Towns Hospital and had his famous
blazing indescribably white light religious experience—his thoughts and
conviction: “Bill, you are a free man. This is the God of the Scriptures.”
For questions and further comments, contact
Dick B. at 808 874 4876 or dickb@dickb.com
Gloria Deo
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