Monday, May 30, 2011

"celebrate recovery" or recovery and then celebrate: the difference

Shall we "celebrate recovery" or shall we recover and then celebrate. Recovering from alcoholism and drug addiction is hard work--not an occasion for celebrating, but a challenge to turn one's life of misery and despair to a life pledged to the service and glory of God and His Son Jesus Christ. "By his stripes we were healed." Wholenesss, healing, fellowship, and witnessing mean decision, discipline, and determination to seek God's help diligently and believe He cares and rewards. Dick B.

Reverend Samuel M. Shoemaker, Jr., who spoke to AAs at two of their International Conventions (St. Louis and Long Beach), and who was dubbed a cofounder of A.A. by Bill Wilson addressed the question of what a "spiritual awakening" amounted to.

Shoemaker said it involved four elements: Conversion, Prayer, Fellowship, and Witness.

These all involve work and a process, and that is what early AAs set out to do with the help of Almighty God, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Bible.

Dick B. dickb.com

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