Sponsoring

Filling in the blank in step one: Could be alcohol/drugs, people, places and things, gambling, sex, food addiction, gaming, online activity, etc. For step twelve: Could be alcoholic/drug addict, others, etc.

1.We admit powerlessness over ____ and that our life has become unmanageable.

2. Came to believe that a power greater than ourseloves could restore us to sanity.

3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of a power greater than ourselves.

4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

5. Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.

6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.

7. Humbly asked him to remove our shortcomings.

8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.

9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.

11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understood him, praying only for his will for us and the power to carry that out.

12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to ________ and to practice these principles in all of our affairs.

From a sponsor of 46 years:

Some say it's a cult, those people are crazy, I'm not that bad. I'm no damn _____. It never helped me. There are too many God words, there would be more people here if there weren't so many God words.

It is a 'WE' program. The we's make it. Meeting makers, make it. The slogans are life savers some say. Easy to remember when the addiction starts to take over.

Going to 90 meetings in 90 days, wasn't about learning as much as it was about finding my people. I don't trust women. I don't have many friends. Time to find your people. 90 in 90 is one way to do that.

You are not the only one with your story. I found my people. Those women stuck by me in early sobriety. I knew they weren't going to run off with my husband. I could trust them with my life.

Getting to know other women is how we recover.

They were there 45 years ago and then 33 years later when I was in the hospital with cancer. They helped me through a tough time there. They know me better than anyone else in this world, including my husband, children, and the close friends I see today.

1. Admitting powerlessness. I could recognize this once I quit. Quit drinking, taking drugs, quit spinning around my husband and addicted family members. This isn't easy, and having others going through similar things really helps.

They know what you are dealing with without even talking about it. They get you. It isn't always easy to recognize unmanageability when you have lived in it for so long. It is someone else's fault, bad luck, cops are out to get me.

Even when you haven't dealt with the law or lost everything, there are those who relate too. "I was miserable. I didn't get in trouble because I stayed at home and drank, and didn't drink with others. But I knew there was a problem. I didn't have others to blame."

Admitting and stopping you begin to notice things changing. No one is out to get you. You may have things to clean up, but you don't have to do it alone. Others have gone through it too. They may know the best resources. The best attorneys for example.

Admitting is the first step, and sometimes even after admitting, it isn't enough to stop.

Now, you just say, "I drink because I'm an alcoholic."

Step one is the most important step.

~~~~

Author's Note: As a sponsor my job is to work the steps with others. Whether newcomer or others interested in working with me. As a sponsor I keep what I have by giving it away! I am blessed and get to be happy, joyous and free! I tell my story, love, and prayer for those I sponsor.

In working the steps they get the miracles that happen, right along with me. I continue to be involved in service at the level of the district where I attend meetings and my committee is public information. This post is one method of service.