AA Thoughts For Today - January

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AA Thought for the Day

January 26

No Effective Mental Defense

Once more: The alcoholic at certain times has no effective mental
defense against the first drink. Except in a few rare cases, neither
he nor any other human being can provide such a defense.
His defense must come from a Higher Power.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) pp. 60 - 61

Thought to Ponder
I can't. He can. I'll ask Him to.

AA-related 'Alconym'
F R O G = Fully Rely On God.

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

Prayer

"In AA we have found that the actual
good results of prayer are beyond question.
They are matters of knowledge and experience.
All those who have persisted have found
strength not ordinarily their own.
They have found wisdom beyond their
usual capability.
And they have increasingly found a peace of mind
which can stand firm in the face of
difficult circumstances."

Bill W., Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 104
As Bill Sees It, p. 127

Thought to Consider . . .
Trying to pray is praying.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
PUSH
Pray Until Something Happens

*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*

Bottom
From "Total Acceptance":
"The double standard that held me captive as an active alcoholic also filled me with terror and confusion: 'If I don't get a
drink I'm going to die,' competed with 'If I continue drinking it's going to kill me.' Both compulsive thoughts pushed me
ever closer to the bottom. That bottom produced a total acceptance of my alcoholism with no reservations whatsoever
and one that was absolutely essential for my recovery. It was a dilemma unlike anything I had ever faced, but as I found
out later on, a necessary one if I was to succeed in this program."
1990 AAWS, Inc.; Daily Reflections, pg. 13

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"Perhaps for some, 'How It Work' has become a tired, overworked bit of dogma, an opportunity to daydream. But not for
this alcoholic. I get more out of those words with each passing day. The words don't change, but I do."
Paradise, Calif.,October 2003
"How It Work' Works for Me,"
Beginners' Book:
Getting and Staying Sober in AA

~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"Our description of the alcoholic, the chapter to the agnostic, and
our personal adventure before and after make clear three pertinent
ideas:
(a) That we were alcoholic and could not manage our
own lives.
(b) That probably no human power could have relieved
our alcoholism.
(c) That God could and would if He were sought."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, Page 60~

"Those of us who have spent much time in the world of spiritual make-
believe have eventually seen the childishness of it. This dream
world has been replaced by a great sense of purpose, accompanied by a
growing consciousness of the power of God in our lives. We have come
to believe He would like us to keep our heads in the clouds with Him,
but that our feet ought to be firmly planted on earth. That is where
our fellow travelers are, and that is where our work must be done.
These are the realities for us. We have found nothing incompatible
between a powerful spiritual experience and a life of sane and happy
usefulness."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, The Family Afterward, pg. 130~

We perceive that only through utter defeat are we able to take our first steps toward liberation and strength.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 21

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

The more we become willing to depend upon a Higher Power, the more independent we actually are. Therefore, dependence as A.A. practices it is really a means of gaining true independence of the spirit.
At the level of everyday living, it is startling to discover how dependent we really are, and how unconscious of that dependence. Every modern house has electric wiring carrying power and light to its interior. By accepting with delight our dependence upon this marvel of science, we find ourselves personally more independent, more comfortable and secure. Power flows just where it is needed. Silently and surely, electricity, that strange energy so few people understand, meets our simplest daily needs.
Though we readily accept this principle of healthy dependence in many of our temporal affairs, we often fiercely resist the identical principle when asked to apply it as a means of growth in the life of the spirit. Clearly, we shall never know freedom under God until we try to seek His will for us. The choice is ours.

Prayer for the Day: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, oh Lord. Let your Holy Spirit guide me in my prayer and in thought, and grant me the grace to listen and hear your Word. Soften my heart, that I may be directed by your truth, and not the devices of my body and mind. In the name of Christ I ask this, Amen.