Be strong and of good courage; be not frightened, neither be dismayed....
--Joshua 1:9

It has been said when we are at the end of our rope, we can do one of three things: let go, tie a knot and hang on, or splice the rope and begin again. Whenever we feel there's nowhere to go but down and nobody to turn to, that's when we can start all over again. If we can learn to look beyond the end of something, we'll always see an exciting, fresh beginning.

At the end of every storm is calm. At the end of every argument is silence. At the end of one relationship there is another. Although life is composed of many endings, there are just as many new beginnings. "Life goes on" is even assured by the passage of time - at the end of each minute there's another.

Nights may have many endings, but they will also have just as many beginnings. Just as the sun will set, so the moon will rise and the stars will appear. Just as the day's activities will end, so the evening's activities will begin. And when those activities are over, there will be new experiences the next day.

I can be unafraid of endings because I know they are only the first half of beginnings.
 
You are reading from the book:





Night Light by Amy E. Dean

 Of all the negative emotions, resentment diminishes us the most. It brings unwarranted anger toward those who have something we want, and self-pity for ourselves. It drains us of the energy we need to change our lives and work toward goals. Resentment keeps us in a rigid judgment of who "should" and who "should not" achieve success; all "should" attitudes are pointless, breeding discontent and wasting time. Above all, resentment is ugly to see and even uglier to feel. When I'm resentful, I feel hatred toward others and myself.


Today, I ask for the humility to accept my limitations, without resenting others who have exceeded
them. I ask for the courage to pursue my own goals, not comparing myself to others.


You are reading from the book:


 Help for Helpers by
Anonymous

The Junkie can never start to cure himself until he recognizes his true condition.
-- Malcolm X

Now we know what the problem is. Now we can do something about it. The truth of our problem is, we can't handle alcohol or other drugs. They handle us. They control us. The Steps ask us to face the truth. And the truth sets us free. What a wonderful gift! We feared the truth, but now it's our friend. It's a relief. Facing the truth means we're honest. And honesty is our best friend in recovery. It's like a cozy fire on a winter's night. Honesty is how we get well. It's also what will keep us well. Do I truly believe I can't use alcohol or other drugs?

Prayer for the Day

Higher Power, help me see my illness for what it is. It's my enemy. Help me see that honesty is my best friend.

Action for the Day

Today, I'll take fifteen minutes to think about what my true condition was when I was drinking and drugging. And I'll think about what my true condition is now.

You are reading from the book:

Keep It Simple by Anonymous

The important thing is not to stop questioning.
--Albert Einstein

 We used to think we knew it all. We had
grandiose ideas about ourselves. We stopped asking hard questions that could cause our fragile world of make believe and deviousness to come crashing down. We protected our addiction by fleeing from the questions that could have started us on the road to recovery. 

One day the questions flooded in unchecked. Why am I out of control? How come I can't look my beloved in the eye? Why don't I have time for my friends? Why do I get irritated with my children? Why do I feel so bad about myself, so filled with shame? Why can't I cope? Why is my life unmanageable?

 Unmanageable? When we feel this question deeply, then we are already on the road to recovery, for we know we can't continue to go it alone. The question suggests an answer; we need others, a different system of support, a program of recovery, a Higher Power, serenity, love. 

This is what we really wanted and needed, and this is what we find in our Twelve Step program. 

Learning to be honest means continuing to ask questions about ourselves and our situation
in the world.



 


You are reading from the book:

Answers in the Heart by Anonymous

A house is no home unless it contains food and fire for the mind as well as for the body.
-- Margaret Fuller

No matter how full our social and professional lives are we all need a base, a place where we are at home. Whether it's a studio apartment furnished from secondhand stores and garage sales or a luxurious country retreat, one of our basic human urges is the need to make a home. And our spiritual fulfillment asks that our home nourish us.

Look around: in our choices for our home we reveal what nourishes and inspires us. Perhaps we opt for the comfortable and well-used: old books, chairs that speak more to the back and bottom than to the eye. Perhaps we are restless and change the way our homes look frequently. We all use our homes to express our desires.

Are we neglecting "food and fire for the mind"? Sometimes we misinterpret inertia as comfort. Are we giving our minds a wholesome environment?

Fuel for my spirit is never wholly consumed. Today, I will look to my supply.
 
You are reading from the book:

The Promise of a New Day by Karen Casey and Martha Vanceburg