[Pernell Johnson]

Danny; One of the most important things I heard was that I had to get rid of my reservations about using, that I had to make a total surrender. I was around here for a long time (five or six years) before I did that. It was the fact that I had to do it for myself. I think those are the two strongest, most important things I got, aside from the basics that every body hears in meetings and reads in the Basic Text. It's really losing your reservations and not trying to do it for somebody else or to please somebody else. One more thing is that I'm not a bad person. I had to be told that a whole lot, because I came in with a lot of guilt, and that was the cycle that kept me using. The fact that this is a new life is such a message.

Don; My sponsor taught me about love. About getting involved in service. We've talked and done inventories ever since. He taught me it was about cleaning up our stuff and changing the way we've been. God has created a miracle,so, "Don't mess up the miracle." He helped me to discern what's valid from invalid. He gave me direction other than "share with the group" when someone's not around to share with. I tell my sponsees, "Your hand doesn't need to be up at every meeting unless you have a problem." Now I know how to work a program.