Steps 1 2 & 3

WORKING STEPS 1, 2, & 3 | SESSION 1

Both leaders introduce themselves {My name is ______ and I am an alcoholic}. Before we begin, let us have a moment of silence to invite the God of our understanding into our hearts, and ask for an open mind and the willingness to have a new experience. Followed by the serenity prayer…

Within the next few meetings you will learn how to recover from alcoholism by taking the twelve steps as outlined in the Big Book Alcoholics Anonymous. The 12 Step program of AA is a spiritually based plan of action that will remove the compulsion to drink and enable you to live a life that is happy, useful, and whole.

It is our experience that this process works best when the sponsor and candidate attend these sessions together, If you don’t have a sponsor, or you’re sponsor is not here with you, ask someone in attendance to work with you during this process. (don’t go it alone)

(Reader / Leader Says:)

1. Those attending the meeting who have been through the steps and would like to volunteer as a temporary sponsor, please stand.

2. Who ever needs a temporary sponsor please stand.

3. Match Them Up, Men with men – Women with Women

After this first session, sponsors and interim sponsors should call or visit with there candidates frequently to see how he or she is doing and to offer encouragement and assistance with the remaining work – particularly with daily guidance.

We will be quoting the big book as we go through these sessions, We will provide the page numbers, however we will be moving through the material pretty fast, if you can’t keep up please just follow along as best you can. All quotes from the Big Book Will be read by “Co-leader, And I will be reading the format. If you have any questions please hold them for the break.

Lets start this session by turning to the forward in the Big Book on Roman numeral XIII (13)

“ We, of Alcoholics Anonymous, are more than one hundred man and women who have recovered from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body. To show other alcoholics precisely how we have recovered is the main purpose of this book”.

So the big book tells us immediately that it’s purpose is to show alcoholics how to recover from alcoholism. Until this book was written, there was no hope for alcoholics. Now, anyone who is willing and able to follow the directions they have provided can recover.

During this session we will be reading through the Big book and drawing from our own experience to help us answer the following questions 1, Am I an alcoholic? 2, Do I need help from a power greater than myself? 3, Am I willing to to take certain actions to receive that help?

So lets begin our journey with the first step.

STEP 1

“WE ADMITTED WE WERE POWERLESS OVER ALCOHOL – THAT OUR LIVES HAD BECOME UNMANAGEABLE.

Surrender is essential in order to recover from alcoholism. 51 pages of the Big Book are devoted to the first part of the surrender process, which is to admit we have a problem. Its suggested you read through these pages to find your truth with alcohol and the illness of alcoholism. The book begins by describing the physical and mental symptoms of alcoholism. Later the book asks us to acknowledge that we are alcoholics. Before we can do this, we need to know what an alcoholic is. We’ll be using information from The Doctors Opinion, Chapters 1, 2, and 3, also the first page of chapter 4. Lets read from Roman numeral XXVI (26) second paragraph.

“The physician who, at our request, gave us this letter, has been kind enough to enlarge upon his view in another statement witch follows. In this statement he confirms what we who have suffered alcoholic torture must believe that the body of the alcoholic is quite as abnormal as his mind. It did not satisfy us to be told that we could not control our drinking just because we were maladjusted to life, that we were in full flight from reality, or were outright mental defectives. These things were true to some extent, in fact, to a considerable extent with some of us. But we are sure that our bodies were sickened as well. In our belief, any picture of the alcoholic, which leaves out this physical factor, is incomplete. The doctors’ theory that we have an allergy to alcohol interests us. As laymen, our opinion to its soundness may, of course, mean little. But as ex-problem drinkers, we can say that his explanation makes good sense. It explains many things for which we cannot otherwise account.

Turn now to XXVIII (28) where in the first paragraph Dr. Silkworth further describes the alcoholics’ physical reaction to alcohol after it is ingested into the body. It Says

“ We believe, and so suggested a few years ago, that the action of alcohol on these chronic alcoholics is a manifestation of an allergy; that the phenomenon of craving is limited to this class and never occurs in the average temperate drinker. These allergic types can never safely use alcohol in any form at all; and once having formed the habit and found they cant break it, once having lost their self-confidence, their reliance upon things human, their problems pile upon them and become astonishingly difficult to solve.

Notice that Dr. Silkworth referred to our physical reaction to alcohol as an allergy and after one drink the phenomenon of craving develops. At the time the Big Book was written very little was known about why the alcoholic reacts to alcohol differently than other people. Since then, science and the medical community have discovered some things. We’ve learned that the body of the alcoholic is physically different. The liver and the pancreas of a alcoholic processes alcohol at one-third to one-tenth the rate of a non-alcoholic’s pancreas and liver. As alcohol enters the body, it breaks down into various components, one of which is acetate. We know now that acetate triggers the phenomenon of craving. In a normal drinker, the acetate moves through the system quickly and exits. But that doesn’t happen in us, the acetate is not processed out, so by staying in our body, it triggers a craving for a second drink, we have a second drink, putting in us two times as much acetate, and that makes us want a drink twice as much as the normal drinker. So we have another. You can see from that point how we have no control over how much we drink. The craving cycle has begun. Once the acetate accumulates in your body (and that begins to happen with the first drink), you will crave another –IF you’re an alcoholic. How many times did you think it’d be nice to have just one drink to relax, but you had more? Now you see why. And this can never change – if you’re an alcoholic.

Now go to the 4th paragraph on page XXVIII and Dr. Silkworth describes the common drinking cycle of an alcoholic and begins to describe the second factor of the alcoholic illness. We know the first factor is the abnormal reaction of the body; the physical craving. The second factor is the mental obsession. He is going to describe the mental state of the alcoholic before we pick the first drink. He says;

“Men and women drink essentially because they like the effect produced by alcohol. The sensation is so elusive that, while they admit it is injurious, they cannot after a time differentiate the true from the false. To them, their alcoholic life seems the only normal one. They are restless, irritable, and discontented, unless they can again experience the sense of ease and comfort, which comes at once by taking a few drinks. Drinks they see others taking with impunity. After they have succumbed to the desire again, as so many do, and the phenomenon of craving develops, they pass through the well-known stages of a spree, emerging remorseful, with a firm resolution not to drink again. This is repeated over and over, and unless this person can experience an entire psychic change there is very little hope of his recovery.

If our minds didn’t lie to us and tell its okay to drink, we would never trigger the physical allergy, which produces the craving for more and more alcohol. So, we have an abnormal reaction of the body and an obsession of the mind, which dooms us to drink again. Its important to note that the body of an alcoholic can never recover, but the mind can. If alcoholism were solely a physical disease then we could just stop drinking and that would be the solution. But the mental factor is why just quitting is not enough… That’s why Dr. Silkworth says we need an entire physic change. In the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th paragraphs on page xxx. Dr. Silkworth describes 5 different types of alcoholics. 1, the psychopaths or emotionally unstable, who are always making a resolution to quit but never make a decision followed by action. 2, the alcoholic who wont admit he has a problem, 3, the one who believes he can drink safely after a long period of abstinence. 4, the manic-depressive, and of course, 5, the one who seems entirely normal when sober.

We’ll conclude our reading of the Doctor’s Opinion with a summary of what he’s been telling us about the physical reaction alcoholics have to alcohol. Page: XXX

“All these, and many others, have one symptom in common: they cannot start drinking without developing the phenomenon of craving. This phenomenon, as we have suggested, may be the manifestation of an allergy that differentiates these people, and sets them apart as a distinct entity. It has never been, by any treatment with which we are familiar, permanently eradicated. The only relief we have to suggest is entire abstinence.”

This concludes our readings from the Doctor’s Opinion. Due to time restraints we won’t be reading from Bill’s Story, with the exception of the first paragraph on page 8. If you’ve never read Bill’s Story, please do so on your own.

To summarize the first half of Bill’s Story: Bill W. is the New York stock analyst who is one of our co-founders. His story is a perfect example of an alcoholic. Some people have difficulty identifying with Bill because he was such a low-bottom, hopeless alcoholic. Here, as with the rest of the book, we ask that you look for similarities rather than differences. See where you can identify with Bill as he continues to use alcohol long after it has become a problem. It was suggested to us to try to identify with the way Bill felt, the way Bill thought, and the way Bill drank.

The first 8 pages of Bill’s Story give an example of the alcoholic’s problem. And the last 8 pages of Bill’s Story describe the spiritual solution. The only thing we’re going to read from Bill’s story here is the first full paragraph on page 8 because it describes so well what we alcoholics call our bottom. Bill writes on page 8:

“No words can tell of the loneliness and despair I found in that bitter morass of self-pity. Quicksand stretched around me in all directions. I had met my match. I had been overwhelmed. Alcohol was my master.”

If you have felt like that in the past, then you identify with Bill. If Bill says he’s a real alcoholic then you might be too.

On pages 20 & 21 of Chapter 2, there is a Solution; they describe three types of drinkers:

“The moderate drinker he has little trouble in giving up drinking entirely if he has good reason for it. He can take it or leave it alone.

Then we have a certain type of hard drinker he may have a habit badly enough to gradually impair him physically and mentally. It may cause him to die a few years before his time. If a sufficiently strong reason – ill health, falling in love, change of environment, or the warning of a doctor- becomes operative, this man can also stop or moderate, although he may find it difficult and troublesome and may even need medical attention.

But what about the real alcoholic? – He may start off as a moderate drinker; he may or may not become a continuous hard drinker; but, at some stage in his drinking career he begins to lose all control of his liquor consumption, once he starts to drink.

The book describes the alcoholic as a real Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. It says He is seldom mildly intoxicated and always more or less insanely drunk. While drinking he barely resembles his normal nature, becomes anti social.”

The book tells us though, that our problem is mental as well as physical. The real reason we get started in the first place is because of our mental block in regards to taking the first drink. If our minds didn’t tell us it’s okay, its safe, it will be different this time, I can handle it, I don’t feel down… we would never end up drunk.

Page 24, paragraph 1

“The fact is that most alcoholics, for reasons yet obscure, have lost the power of choice in drink. Our so-called will power becomes practically nonexistent. We are unable, at certain times, to bring into our consciousness with sufficient force the memory of the suffering and humiliation of even a week or a month ago. We are without defense against the first drink.”

Again, if it wasn’t for our minds telling us the lie that we can drink alcohol safely, then we would never end up drunk! We would never pick up the first one. Because of this mental factor, our own minds have become a liability. We who have showed this kind of poor judgment with concern to alcohol are lost.

The bottom of Page 25 tells us the real solution to the alcoholic problem is spiritual and we’re given two alternatives:

“1, Go on to the bitter end, blotting out the consciousness of our intolerable situation as best we could

2) accept spiritual help.”

We hope everyone is clear on the physical and mental aspects of alcoholism? If not, please speak to your sponsor or one of us during the break. Also, a thorough re-reading of Chapters 2 & 3 will help you as well. Chapter 3, “More About Alcoholism, give excellent examples of alcoholic thinking, which comes before a relapse into drinking. Be sure to read over the examples of the man of thirty, the jaywalker, our friend Jim, and of course Fred.

We will wrap up our discussion of the physical and mental aspects of alcoholism by turning to the first page of Chapter 4, We Agnostics – page 44. In the first paragraph, four lines down, the Big Book gives us a statement that can be turned into a question for us to ask ourselves so we can determine if we have the mind and the body of an alcoholic. The book reads:

“If, when you honestly want to, you find you cannot quit entirely, or if when drinking, you have little control over the amount you take, you are probably alcoholic. If that be the case, you may be suffering from an illness which only a spiritual experience will conquer.

We will be asking a couple questions to those of you who want to take the first step with us. This first one is to help us determine if we have the mental and physical symptoms of alcoholism.

1, Could you quit drinking entirely, by yourself, even when you really wanted to?

[Motion for a response.]

When you drank, did you eventually lose control over the amount you drank?

[Again, wait for a response.]

Well, (according to the book on page 44) if that be the case, you are probably alcoholic and you may be suffering from an illness which only a spiritual experience will conquer.

On page 64, middle of the bottom paragraph, the Big Book says;

“When the spiritual malady is overcome, we straighten out mentally and physically.”

So, let’s take a look at the second factor involved in the 1st Step – the spiritual malady or as the 1st Step says, …that our lives had become unmanageable.

Let’s turn to page 52, and look in the second paragraph for symptoms of the spiritual malady or as this paragraph describes them as bedevilment’s, which means to be confused. And that’s what we alcoholics suffered from all our lives – a confused and baffled spirit… Let’s turn these statements into questions that we can answer for ourselves. These questions can be answered in the past tense (i.e.: when we were drinking) or in the present tense (i.e.: now, not drinking, suffering from an unmanageable spirit because of untreated alcoholism). As I read them, answer these questions for yourself. To see if you had been or presently may be experiencing these symptoms:

1)We were having trouble with personal relationships (and we include ourselves here). Does that apply?

2) We couldn’t control our emotional natures (ever have up and down days?). Does that apply?

3) We were a prey to (or had bouts of) misery and depression. Does that apply?

4) We couldn’t make a living (or a decent successful life). Does that apply?

5) We had a feeling of uselessness. Does that apply?

6) We were full of fear (ever worry about things?). Does that apply?

7) We were unhappy. Does that apply?

8) We couldn’t seem to be of real help to other people. Does that apply?

So, if several of those apply to you — your life really is unmanageable and chances are you are suffering from a malady which only spiritual experience (or awakening) will conquer.

On page 44 in the second paragraph the book told us that we have only two alternatives:

“1) to be doomed an alcoholic death… or 2) to live on a spiritual basis.”

So, if your choice is to live on a spiritual basis, rest assured that not only is a spiritual awakening possible, it is a guarantee, provided we keep an open mind and take the Steps as described in this book.

We’re going to begin this process of admittance with the 1st Step. On page 30, the Big Book tells us exactly what we have to do to make the admission that we’re real alcoholics. It says,

“We learned that we had to fully concede (admit) to our innermost selves that we were alcoholics. This is the first step in recovery. The delusion that we are like other people, or presently may be, has to be smashed.”

In order to smash the delusion that we’re not alcoholics, we’re going to ask each of you to answer a simple question, “Are you ready to concede (which means admit) to your innermost self you are powerless over alcohol? In other words, “Are you alcoholic? All that is required is a yes or no answer.

If you are not convinced you are an alcoholic or that your life is unmanageable, please let someone know at the break. Your “sponsor, “spiritual adviser, or one of us is willing to spend time with you to discuss your reservations. Maybe you’re not an alcoholic and you’re here by mistake. Whatever the case may be, we’re willing to take the time with you to help you discover your truth.

For those who are ready, let’s take the 1st Step together. Will all those who are taking the Steps with us please stand. This is the final First Step question:

Do you admit to your innermost self that you are an alcoholic?

Please answer one at a time, yes or no and then be seated.

Thank you. Those of you who have answered yes to this question have taken Step One. Congratulations!

Now that we have admitted we are alcoholics, let’s look at what we have to do in order to recover. Just in case we’re not convinced that we need a Power Greater than ourselves, lets read the last paragraph of Chapter 3, More About Alcoholism again. On page 43, last paragraph, the book states:

“Once more: The alcoholic at certain times has no effective mental defense against the first drink. Except in a few cases, neither he nor any other human being can provide such a defense. His defense must come from a Higher Power.”

Lets dispel a myth that is quite often heard in the meeting rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous. Many well-intentioned people make the statement. When I feel like drinking, I remember where I came from, I think the drink through and I keep my memory green. Well, that’s good advise provided I have a mental defense against drinking alcohol. The paragraph we just read tells us that at certain times we don t have a mental defense against the first drink. That implies that sometimes I might have a mental defense. So, sometimes I might be able to think the drink through; sometimes I might be able to keep my memory green. BUT, the scary thing is, sometimes I wont. The real scary thing is, I don t know when that sometime will be. And if I knew when I was going to have the mental defense, then I wouldn’t be truly powerless of alcohol, would I?

So, what this paragraph is telling us is that in order for me not to drink alcohol, I must have a Power Greater than myself and that Power will provide my defense and keep me safe and protected from alcohol guaranteed of course, provided I take certain steps.

So, since we have admitted that were powerless and we have a need to find a Power, lets proceed to the 2nd Step, which is:

STEP 2

“CAME TO BELIEVE THAT A POWER GREATER THAN OURSELVES COULD RESTORE US TO SANITY.”

Chapter 4, we Agnostics give us a lot of information and direction for us to take Step 2. Be sure to read this chapter in its entirety in addition to the other chapters we have covered.

To give us a basis for taking the Second Step were going to cover four main points:

1) Do you believe or are you even willing to believe that there is a Power that will solve your problem?

2) Do you have a conception of that Power which makes sense to you and works for you?

3) Is that Power, which the book quite often refers to God, everything if not, is He nothing? At this point, we will have to make a choice.

4) Where are we going to find this Power?

Page 46, starting with the 3rd line in the 1st paragraph the text says:

“We found that as soon as we were able to lay aside prejudice and express even a willingness to believe in a Power greater than ourselves, we commenced to get results, even though it was impossible for any of us to fully define or comprehend that Power, which is God.

On pages 46 & 47 the book gives us certain requirements if we are to take the 2nd Step. In a nutshell, they are:

-We have to lay aside prejudice

– We have to express a willingness to believe

– We have to come up with our own conception of God

– We have to admit the possible existence of that Power

– We have to honestly seek that Power

So, if we’we have met these requirements, lets look at the question on page 47, -second paragraph:

“We 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. It has been repeatedly proved among us that upon this simple cornerstone a wonderfully effective spiritual structure can be built.”

The big book says we need to have a spiritual experience in order to recover from our malady. They define it on page 567 in the back of the book appendix 2

“Spiritual Experience,

The term spiritual experience and spiritual awakening are used many times in this book, which, upon careful reading, shows that the personality change sufficient to bring about recovery from alcoholism has manifested itself among us in many different forms.

Yet it is true that our first printing gave many readers the impression that these personality changes, or religious experiences, must be in the nature of a sudden and spectacular upheaval. Happily for everyone this conclusion is erroneous.

In the first few chapters a number of revolutionary changes are described. Though it was not our intention to create such an impression, many alcoholics nevertheless concluded that in order to recover they must acquire an immediate and overwhelming God-consciousness followed at once by a vast change in feeling and outlook.

Among our rapidly growing membership of thousands of alcoholics such transformations, though frequent, are by no means the rule. Most of our experiences are what the psychologist William James calls the educational variety because they develop slowly over a period of time. Quite often friends of the newcomer are aware of the difference long before he is himself. He finally realizes he has undergone a profound alteration in his reaction to life; that such a change could hardly have been brought about by him-self alone. What 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 there own conception of a power greater than them selves.

Most of us think this awareness of a power greater than our-selves is the essence of a spiritual experience. Our more religious members call it God-conscience.

Most emphatically we wish to say that any alcoholic capable of honestly facing his problems in the light of our experience can recover, provided he does not close his mind to all spiritual concepts. He can only be defeated by an attitude of intolerance or belligerent denial.

We find that no one need have difficulty with the spirituality of the program. Willingness, honesty, and open mindedness are the essentials of recovery. But these are indispensable.”

Lets see who is ready to proceed and take the first part of Step 2. Will the people who have completed Step One and are willing to take Step 2 please stand up

Do you now believe, or are you even willing to believe, that there is a Power greater than yourself?

Please answer one at a time, yes or no, and then be seated.

Thank you. Now we can move forward.

If we don t have a conception of God that makes sense to us, this chapter gives us some good ideas. The following are some of the words and descriptions the old-timers used to describe God:

– Power greater than ourselves (page 45, 1)

– All Powerful (page 49, 0)

– Guiding (page 49, 0)

– Creative Intelligence (page 46, 2 / page 49, 0)

– Spirit of the Universe (page 46, 2)

– the Realm of Spirit (page 46, 2)

– Supreme Being<

– Power

– Great Reality (page 55, 3)

– The Presence of Infinite Power and Love (page 56)

– Maker (page 57, 1)

– And of course, God

Keep in mind; these are only examples of terms found in this Chapter to describe God. Feel free to use these or any other conception you have provided it makes sense to you. Remember; use your own conception, however limited it may be. The important thing is that its your conception.

Now that we 1) believe or are willing to believe and 2) we have our own conception of God, we have to consider the proposition that many people call the Second Step Choice. Its on page 53 in the second paragraph:

“When we became alcoholics, crushed by a self-imposed crises we could not postpone or evade, we had to fearlessly face the proposition that either God is everything or else He is nothing. God either is or He is not. What was our choice to be?

Lets take a moment to consider both sides of the coin. If we believe what our book says and we believe the experience of thousands of recovered alcoholics that have gone before us, we can easily answer this question in the affirmative. But, let’s consider for a second that we choose God to be nothing in our lives and that he is not a part of us. Where do we go from here? Well, if that were the case, we wont be able to go much further. And if were really, truly POWERLESS, we need God now, more than ever.

So, are we all ready to proceed?

The last thing we need to look at in the Second Step is where do we find God. Well, we find our answer on page 55 when it says in the second paragraph:

“Actually we were fooling ourselves, for deep down in every man, woman, and child, is the fundamental idea of God. It may be obscured [means hidden or blocked] by calamity, by pomp, by worship of other things, but in some form or other it is there. For faith in a Power greater than ourselves, and miraculous demonstrations of that power in human lives, are facts as old as man himself.

So, now we know where to find God – deep down within ourselves,

At the end of the chapter, they tell a story of a man who had been relieved of his drink obsession and restored to sanity by the Loving hand of God. The book says on page 57, first paragraph:

“What is this but a miracle of healing? Yet its elements are simple. Circumstances made him willing to believe. He humbly offered himself to his Maker then he knew.”

He took Steps 1, 2, & 3.

To this man, the revelation was sudden. Some of us grow into it more slowly. As in a spiritual awakening in Appendix II But He has come to all who have honestly sought Him.

When we drew near to Him He disclosed Himself to us!

We have completed the first two Steps in the Program of Recovery. In order for God to disclose Himself to us, we have to draw near to him. That means we have to move forward to Step 3.

STEP 3

“MADE A DECISION TO TURN OUR WILL AND OUR LIVES OVER TO THE CARE OF GOD AS WE UNDERSTOOD HIM.”

Lets clarify a couple words that confuse many people us in the Third Step.

First, the word decision implies that action will follow. We’re all familiar, I’m sure, with the story of the three frogs on a log… one frog decides to jump off.. How many frogs are left on the log? … Three. The one frog only decided to jump. He didn’t take any action.

Secondly, lets look at the words; our will and our lives. What is our will, and what are our lives? Well, my will is my thinking and my life is no more than an accumulation of my actions.

Lets reread the step using these new words.

Were going to decide to turn our thoughts and our actions over to God, as we understand Him.

Lets begin the reading of Step 3 on page 60 after the a, b, c:

Being convinced, we were at Step Three, which is that we decided to turn our will [our thinking] and our life [our actions] over to God as we understood Him. Just what do we mean by that, and just what do we do?

Well, there are more requirements to be met. Basically, the book tells us the requirements of the Third Step are:

1) I have to be convinced that my life, run on my own self-will, can hardly be a success.

2) I have to quit trying to run my life on my own self-will. I have to quit playing God.

3) I have to let God be God and let Him run my life. He knows better than I do.

Page 62 bottom paragraph:

“This is the how and the why of it. First of all, we had to quit playing God. It didn’t work. Next, we decided that hereafter in this drama of life, God was going to be our Director. He is the Principal; we are His agents. He is the Father, and we are His children. Most Good ideas are simple, and this concept was the keystone of the new and triumphant arch through which we passed to freedom.

This means:

– We have to quit playing God.

– We decide God is going to direct us.

– We decide to let God be the Boss and were his employees.

– We decide that God is the Father and were his kids.

All those willing to turn there will and there lives over to the care of there higher power please raise your hand.

Great!

As the result of just making this decision, the book tells us we will receive several promises. They are listed in the first paragraph of page 63:

“When we sincerely took such a position, all sorts of remarkable things followed. We had a new Employer. Being all-powerful, He provided what we needed, if we kept close to Him and performed His work well. Established on such a footing we became less and less interested in ourselves, our little plans and designs. More and more we became interested in seeing what we could contribute to life. As we felt new power flow in, as we enjoyed peace of mind, as we discovered we could face life successfully, as we became conscious of His presence, we began to lose our fear of today, tomorrow or the hereafter. We were reborn.”

Lets affirm the decision we just made by reading the Third Step Prayer that’s in the next paragraph. We will read the entire prayer first, then we will say the prayer together as a group.

“We were now at Step Three. Many of us said to our Maker, as we understood Him: & God, I offer myself to Thee, to build with me and to do with me as Thou wilt. Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do Thy will. Take away my difficulties, that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of Thy Power, Thy Love, and Thy Way of life. May I do Thy will always! We thought well before taking this step making sure we were ready; that we could at last abandon ourselves utterly to Him.”

Will all those who have taken the first two steps and are ready to turn they’re thinking and actions over to Gods care please stand again and join hands.

Lets pray the Third Step Prayer together:

God, I offer myself to Thee, to build with me and to do with me as Thou wilt. Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do Thy will. Take away my difficulties, that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of Thy Power, Thy Love, and Thy Way of life. May I do Thy will always!

Thank you. Please be seated. Congratulations on taking the first three steps.

The book tells us bottom of page 63

“This was only a beginning, though if honestly and humbly made, an effect, sometimes a very great one, was felt at once.”

“Next we launched out on a course of vigorous action, the first step of which is a personal housecleaning, which many of us had never attempted. Though 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.”

That ends our first session. In Session 2 we will learn how to do the 4th Step inventory and we will begin it here. It’s not as difficult as some of the things you may have heard shared in meetings. Our experience is, we can have fun with inventory and learn to laugh at ourselves and see the truth about how we were running our own lives providing we take inventory the “Big Book way. We’ll also cover the directions for Step 5 and we’ll prepare to complete these two Steps before we meet again. Please review what we’we have covered during this session and begin practicing daily quite time as prescribed on page 86-88. Please make an attempt to talk to sponsors everyday; a great topics are guidance received during quite time, 1st. 2nd, 3rd step Suggested to reading 3rd step prayer everyday; Big book up to page 88.

We will close this session with the Lords Prayer.

LORDS PRAYER

“Our father, who art in heaven

hallowed be Thy name.

Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done

on earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread

and forgive us our trespasses

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

Lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For Thine is the kingdom, the power, and the

glory forever and ever, Amen.”

Steps 4 & 5