The material presented
here is not Al-Anon Conference Approved Literature. It is a method
to exchange
information, ideas, feelings, problems and solutions on a personal
level.
Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
Great Recovery Group meeting last night that I attended. I loved it because there was so little discussion about our A's and our dealing with our A's. Just more focus on how we connect with our Higher Power.
There were a lot of great shares.
One of the ones I liked was an analogy someone used. She compared turning over a problem to her Higher Power with turning the ignition on her car. She doesn't have a clue how the heck turning a key in her ignition suddenly starts up her car. But it works! So she views it the same as turning her will and life over to the care of her Higher Power in the same way. She just turns her problems over to her Higher Power. Doesn't have a clue HOW her Higher Power helps things, but her HP does!
I just loved that analogy. I've heard something similar before used in a slightly different context, but I think it still holds very true.
Anyhow. I loved the discussion last night and thought I'd bring it here.
Anyone care to share their thoughts, methods, theories, whatever on step three? How does it work for you? What are your challenges with step three?
My challenge is just remembering my HP is always, always there. If I can remember my HP is always there, then it's a lot easier to remember to turn things over to my HP.
I got another great idea from another member last night about just putting up the Serenity Prayer all over her house, in her car, at her desk... everywhere.
A short version of the first three steps: I can't, God can, and I'll let him. Step 3 starts with "Made a decision" that implies action. A decision must be made we can't just "fall" into it. We make this decision when we are ready. Some are ready sooner than others. What decision are we making? "to turn our will and and life over to a power greater than ourselves." That can be scary for a control freak like me. Once that decision is made their is a great sense of relief. when I take the control back the anxiety comes baack and the relief is gone, that's when I know I haven't turned it over. It's often necessary for me to ask my HP to help me turn things over, I can't even do that on my own.
Turning our life daily over to HP can be as easy as Help! or as complicated as you want to make it. I prefer to ask for help with my day and say if it doesn't go well, I know HP and I can deal iwth it. It also helps me to know that I'm turning my will and my life over to the "care" of God. God cares for me in ways that are unimagiable to me, so I trust that. God is smiling at me and my attempts I'm sure, but He is here and I trust that.
Aloha thanks for the share and the metaphor of the car ignition. I know what makes the thing work but haven't got the voltage (power) to do it all by myself. LOL. This is the best decision I have ever made along with the commitment to work this program as the part of my life.
I've always known that higher power can and will work all things together for my good- so getting in the way or not listening when he directs my path, is my greatest problem. I have seen wonderous things when I stay focused on my HP rather than problems/ self / others etc. Answers to prayers sent up almost without thought, taken care of so immediately. Some answers didn't seem so immediate yet he ALWAYS takes care of me.
There are so many important things about this step- thanks aloha for starting this topic.
AS I UNDERSTAND HIM is a really important thing for me. Coming from a born-again fundamentalist family (full to the brim of dry drunks) I was told throughout my teenage years that I was going to hell and possessed by the Devil. This is hard for any teen to hear and/or understand but especially one who has been affected by someones drinking/the family disease of alcoholism. I really cannot deal with "judeo-christian speak", typical christian prayers, etc. it just brings up a ton of memories of manipulation for me.
In al-anon, I get to choose my understanding of god/HP and I am so grateful for this because if I could not, I never would have gotten myself into recovery. If this were a bible-banging religious thing, I would not have made it through one single meeting. In al-anon my spiritual beliefs are treated with respect and accepted. What a relief, 'cause there are fewer and fewer places in this world where any form of religious tolerance exists anymore. As I see it- acceptance is love. I can even stop using the word love (its over used, abused and over rated) completely and replace it with accept/acceptance.
MADE A DECISION is also all about personal freedom and choices. I get to choose, I get to make the decision. I keep the focus on me and what I feel I need to do, when I feel the time is right. To know this, I turn to HP, no one else. Its totally between me and him. This is also a lot about trust which is one of my greatest shortcomings. I am really beginning to move into a place of trust for the FIRST TIME IN MY ENTIRE LIFE (I am 44). I can honestly say that I do trust my HP and because of that, I am also learning to trust myself. HP first, me next, others after that. Thanks for this topic, thanks for reading and writing about it. Hugs, J.
I think for me that I had to really embrace my life was unmanageable before I would even entertain turning it over at all. I had to surrender too. I was not willing to do that before. I wanted life on my terms rather than on life's terms.
