Soberpotamus

Will do! I've read about others doing it this way too. I think it's an interesting way to go about it...

Tommyh

the only thing i struggled with concerning God or Hp in the beginning was my own old ideas I had which interfered with my spiritual progress

once those was removed,the rest was simple and easy

tomsteve

something to remember:
we claim spiritual progress over spiritual perfection.

that plus:
: 12th step:
having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps...


this tells me we don't get the total spiritual aspect of our HP and will never have total understanding. plus:
We realize we know only a little. God will constantly disclose more to you and to us.

but if we do this:
Ask Him in your morning meditation what you can do each day for the man who is still sick.
this will happen:
......great events will come to pass for you and countless others. This is the Great Fact for us.

and my personal favorite:
Abandon yourself to God as you understand God. Admit your faults to Him and to your fellows. Clear away the wreckage of your past. Give freely of what you find and join us. We shall be with you in the Fellowship of the Spirit, and you will surely meet some of us as you trudge the Road of Happy Destiny.

May God bless you and keep you - until then.

tomsteve

definately!!

at one time my higher power was alcohol, but it wasn't a power that could restore me to sanity.

UncleMeat69

Me too. I turned in my "Get you God" and adopted a "Loving God!"

Threshold

The chapter "We Agnostics" is a persons experience and opinions. It's not the 12 steps, nor is it instruction on how to work the 12 steps.

Lots of folks have done the steps and found sobriety without ever reading that chapter. Principles over personalities.

It's a valid expression of his experience and opinion, but those vary, the steps are the steps are the steps.

At first it got my gall. Then some wise people here reminded me not to let stuff that didn't matter distract me from what did matter.

wiscsober

Thanks for OP and all of the posts....it has helped me. Not a whole lot to add...

Important that I keep an open mind and remain willing to believe
My life based on self-will brought me misery.
My third step decision was a leap of faith
My third step decision was to start working the fourth step.

foolsgold66

Interesting discussion. I see it simpler now, 11 years after I first read the BB. I am not an active AA member but have found value from the program regardless.

Substitute whatever definition you can buy without feeling you are feeding yourself a line of BS when you see terms like creator, god, or higher power in AA.

I'm due for a full reading again, it sits here on my desk waiting for me.

I shall see how it goes this time around.

sugarbear1

I came to believe as a result of working through to step 7.....step 3 was a decision to move forward with steps 4, 5, 6 then 7......

then I continued beyond step 7.

dSober

Me too, sort of. I'm not an active meeting goer, although I do go occasionally and stay in touch with some folks I've met there. I feel I am active though by coming here to SR regularly and always keeping AA's principles in mind and heart. Oh yeah, and I refer to the Big Book frequently

Hawks

The evidence of "Creation" to me is simply this.

Life is needed to create Life.

People will say "There is NO proof of God or creation" to which I say, there is NO proof of
A-bio-genesis either.

So the overwhelming evidence that we have "Life is needed to create Life" ... would suggest we came from something, a life form or maybe a life force.

Something created us, at least that is where all the evidence here on earth would point.

The question is WHO ?

That is for any member of AA to decide for himself or herself.

dSober

What evidence? I see my Higher Power as a concept, rather than an entity.

Hawks

Every where you look. If it is "alive" it came from something else "alive"

All animals, all plants.

Life creates life.