Spiritualityandrecovery: Recent Episodes
James B Boylan
Hi. Welcome to Spirituality and Recovery where we discuss how to apply Spirituality to assist in the recovery from Alcoholism. I am your host, Jim Boylan. This podcast is an extension of our Spirituality and Recovery Zoom meeting every Monday-Friday at 3:00 PM EST Meeting ID 6035280704, PW 399778. Also, our blog and Facebook page can be found at @spiritualityandrecovery. We will be discussing this process weekly and we've some really great guests lined up to share with us. Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired? Join us on any of these platforms and improve your life!
Ed lives in a camping trailer and sometimes a tent on the East Side of Flint, MI
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Dupree lived 4 years homeless on Flint's impoverished, violence-filled East Side. He now is in business with his brother as a promotor for musical acts from Flint. He is also living in a much more peaceful area with his new wife. He returns to the East Side every week to try to put out the word that there is hope.
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Our guest is Pete "Fat Cat" Flanders, a legendary radio personality, concert promoter, and businessman who was in radio in Flint, MI from the 1960s to the 1980s. He also toured with James Brown for a year and was a concert promoter and businessman. He is keeping the music alive with a Music Store in Flint, featuring original releases from the 1940s to today's Rock, R&B, Blues, and Gospel.
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Mayor Neeley shares his experiences, strengths, and hopes for how he can lead the recovery of the City of Flint, MI
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Hopefully, you are utilizing your spirituality every day, all day long. For help with this, we present Spirituality and How To Utilize It Daily
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Those of us who are members of AA, need to go no further than Step 11 to get the answer to this question. It tells us to pray only for knowledge of His will for me and the power to carry it out. When I am attuned to the knowledge of His will for me, the answers to problems seem to come to me from everywhere.
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We have learned that CBA is short for Create, Believe, and Achieve. Here we learn to best utilize it.
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What is love and how can we show it? Here we learn about Spriituality and How To Express Unconditional Love
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Many delay doing their inventory because of fear. Here, we discuss Spirituality and How To Work Your Inventory, Step 4
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i don't think that I ever surrendered to anyone or anything before Surrender to Win was strange to me. Here we learn Spirituality And How To Surrender To Win, Step 3
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Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow is not here yet. Here we learn how to use our Spirituality to Live in This Moment.
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Whether I was in grade school or grad school, my learning consisted of cramming for an exam and them forgetting all I had learned after the test. Here we learn about Spirituality and How To Choose Heart Learning Over Head Learning
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This is a discussion with Mannie, a former gang member, enforcer, formerly heavily involved in the drug trade from Flint, MI
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I always had to be right, even if horribly wrong. I soon discovered that this was only leading me into deeper trouble with the world. Today, i would rather be happy than right, and I am!
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This is the beginning of an entirely new way of life, if we only work it as suggested
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Reverend Stephanie Sorensen of the Flint Life Enrichment Center is a great spokesperson for Spirituality and we are honored to have here with us today.
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The AA Preamble is read before many meetings. Here we learn how to utilize Spirituality and How To Realize Our Primary Purpose... as People Of Prayer And Recovering Alcoholics
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This is the first of our discussions with guests. This week we have Father Jay Gantz, from St. Andrews Church on the notorious East Side of Flint, MI. Father Jay has been deeply involved in the spiritual portion of recovery from alcoholism and addiction.
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In this episode, we discover how to tell if Faith works for us.
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Many times I have asked someone how they were doing and got the response "I'm living the dream." Usually this response is said rather snarkily. Here we learn how to really Live the Dream.
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Many have dread or fear of working the 4th Step. Here we learn how to work our inventory steps without fear.
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Forget about yesterday or tomorrow. We live in the now so if we continue not drinking today, our tomorrows and yesterdays are taken care of.
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We are going to have guests visit with us on many of our upcoming podcasts. They will be able to help us to better understand Spirituality and Recovery
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The study of spirituality leads us into using affirmations to start our day, smooth out a rough stretch, and end our day.
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I have received so many, countless blessings from the AA Program. This is how I repay AA for the blessings that were given to me freely.
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Continuous study of Spirituality has given me an ongoing life that money can't buy. It can be yours, too, if you let it!
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Spirituality teaches us How To Bust The Myth Of Perfection. When new to the program of AA, I needed this badly. Here is how you can do just this!
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We all have things that we are grateful for. Here we learn the importance of responding to whatever we are graced with.
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How many times have you heard someone tell you or someone else to get on the straight and narrow? Here we learn how to enjoy being not straight or narrow. We were that when in the madness.
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Grief is a natural emotion that follows every significant loss. Frustration is a negative emotion that follows not being able to do something, Here we learn how to deal effectively with both emotions.
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Many of us have tried to stop drinking by ourselves and failed miserably each time. Here we learn how the AA Program works wonders for us alcoholics. We stop, stay stopped, and become sober.
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The words that you choose after saying "I am" may be the most important words you ever utter. This tells you just what you think that you are. Here, we learn how to follow "I am" with positive words leading to a life of Happyness, Joy, and Freedom
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We once had a phrase that is almost unheard of now. Whenever we received a revelation or epiphany, we called it a Come to Jesus moment. Here we learn how to profit from one of these experiences
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Many people think that, just because they have not had a drink lately, they are sober. Sobriety is much more than merely stopping drinking. This is a very necessary 1st Step but the AA Program teaches us how to change our thinking so that we can get and stay sober. Here is how it can be done simply!
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Sick and tired of the memories and thoughts of past wrongs that you may have committed? Wish to not get so anxious when facing something new? Here is how many of us have learned a new way of life where these things no longer are stumbling blocks.
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Don't you wish you had a "do-over" button on your head when the past or future fills your head with misery and anxiety? I have one. It is my AA Program. Here we learn how to use it to clean out yesterday's and tomorrow's mental trash.
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The AA Preamble states that our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety. Here we learn how to do this.
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You may ask what good is Spirituality to me? For one thing, we learn here that it helps us to deepen our faith in a Higher Power.
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In the 2nd Step, we learn that there is a Power that is greater than ourselves and is ready, able, and willing to help us 24/7/365
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The baggage of the past and the apprehensions of the future are too much for us to handle effectively. That is why we learn here how to live in the NOW!
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Have you ever had bad feelings about someone, something, or just a bad vibe? Here is how I changed these into good feelings. Tou can too!
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Everyone is not happy and joyful just because it is Christmas. Here we learn how to enjoy the season, even if carrying a heavy burden.
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It is simple to discover whether Spirituality actually works. Just say the shortened version of the AA 3rd Step by saying "God Help Me." Then ask your Higher Power to demonstrate if it is working or not. Lastly, follow your instincts because this is how God communicates with us. You will then know.
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Using just a few of these spiritual principles can bring joy back into your life
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When you think about it, now is all that we ever have. So, here we learn how to make the best of it.
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I never liked to be told that I had to do anything. Here we learn that, if we are working our program to the best of our ability, we can choose to do or not do anything. The added plus is that we can choose to.
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Hearing is a mechanical process of being aware of sound while listening is paying attention to what someone says in order to hear what is being said, sung, played, etc.
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The Serenity Prayer advises us to change what we can and accept the difference. It also tells us to learn the difference. I can change only me. I can't change any of the rest!
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All Affirmative Prayer is simply praying a d knowing that it is true
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The "Depression Season" runs between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Here we learn how to continue being Happy, Joyous, and Free, even during this time.
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The disease of alcoholism is deadly. The most deadly character defect that an alcoholic has is resentment. Here we learn how forgiveness works to heal this spiritual malady.
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Our most powerful component is our thoughts. That is why we should remember that nothing is impossible. that is, if we use CBA - Conceive, Believe, and Achieve.
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Here we learn how to obtain belief and faith
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Spirituality has taught me that I can have everything that I could ever need if only I ask my Higher Power for it.
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Holidays bring out the very best in some. Unfortunately, because this is Depression time, they can bring out the very worst in people, too.
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It's a tough world that we live in. Here is how I make it through the days Happy, Joyous, and Free
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When I came into AA, I had no religious background and didn't want to get it. I was then introduced to Spirituality by my sponsors and discovered that Religion is just one component of Spirituality. Religion is man-made and Spirituality is direction from our Higher Power.
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When I entered the amazing program of AA, I didn't even know how to pray. Or, even, what prayer really was. Here we will learn more about what prayer really is.
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If I am given something that I appreciate, I feel that the glass is only half full until I express my gratitude to the donor.
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We are getting into the holiday season. It is not easy for everyone to eagerly await this season. This is also the time of year when depression is at its highest. Here we learn how to ease some of these pressures.
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Life just keeps on coming at us. Hence, we all need a boost sometimes. Here is the best way that I know of for getting this boost
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Step 1 from the amazing program of Alcoholics Anonymous through Step 3 are not just for beginners. It is a good idea for us all to return and reflect occasionally. This is a sure way to stay focused on the most important part of our lives - Staying sober!
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Counting our blessings is the surest way to obtain even more to be grateful for.
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When we first get sober, it seems like the problems in our lives only increase. No, it is just that we are dealing with them with the emotional level that we were on when we first began drinking alcoholically. Here we show how to combine AA and everyday life!
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Anger can lead to resentment. For me, resentments led to drinking. Here we learn how to change our anger to gratitude for all that we have.
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We discovered that the easier, softer way is to work our Program 24/7/365.
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Many of us when in the madness, and many other than addicts and/or alcoholics, feel forever victimized. You can end it RIGHT NOW if you CHOOSE to!
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Alcoholics Anonymous is a recovery program that has 12 Steps to Recovery. The first 3 Steps are the entry portion to good, quality recovery and sobriety.
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When I discovered gratitude, I quickly became happy, joyous, and free. This just seemed to follow feeling and expressing gratitude.
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Life can be so much simpler now that we have these amazing tools provided by AA
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By using the 3rd Step, we can change our lemons into lemonade
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Life is NOT complicated. We make it so!
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Significant Loss is not limited to the death of a close person. It can also be the loss of an emotional crutch such as alcohol or drugs. Here we learn how to deal with these losses.
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We are receiving Divine Inspiration every day from many, many sources. Our problem is usually that we are not aware of the significance of what we see or hear until much time has passed. Here we learn how using our inborn Spirituality makes us more receptive.
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Since we stopped drinking, we sometimes think that we have more problems now that we have stopped drinking than we had when still drinking. WRONG! We always had problems but, when drinking, we numbed them with alcohol.
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Newcomers to the AA Program are usually hesitant about looking too deeply into their own pasts. This could be for one or more of many reasons. Usually, it is because of fear. Then they attend an AA meeting and an "old-timer" will boggle them with their own fears "justifying" the fear for the newcomer. Here we learn how to take fear out of the equation completely.
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We were all born Spiritual Beings, living in a Spiritual Universe, that is Governed by Spiritual Law. As divine beings, we are one with all that exists. The problems with some are that God also gave us free will. We then can choose whether to do good or evil. The choice is ours!
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Did you ever meet someone and quickly get the feeling that this was a really high-energy, positive person? Or that this was someone to beware of because "something just doesn't feel right?" The Law of Vibration is at work here, big time.
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Many of us have wanted what we saw was possible from AA and were and are willing to go to any lengths to get it. By using the Spiritual knowledge that we get here, our lives just keep on getting better.
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It is very simple to have a balanced Spiritual life even with all the pressures of life coming at us. Contrary to popular thinking, we do not have to be 'pious' all the time. Just work our program 24/7/365 TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY and it will surely happen.
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Everyone has times when they are a little down. Here we learn how to feel better quickly.
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Been in the Program for a while now and the squirrely thinking returns? Here is just what to do when it does return.
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Continuing growth in AA is not always easy but is extremely simple. Just say the shortened version of the 3rd Step, "God, help me," and move on. It really works!
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How would you like to learn how to really enjoy your life? It is very simple. Just listen here and apply a few simple measures and you, too, can enjoy your life to the fullest!
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If you have a troubled life and wish to improve it or a great life and wish to keep it, just turn it over to your Higher Power and trust your gut or feelings. Here you learn how to do this!
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"There's no time like the present!" This saying has been around for a long time. In reality, the present is all that there really is. The past is gone and the future is not here yet. So, the only time that we can live is NOW!
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Spirituality is the foundation of the AA Program. Here you will learn how to apply your inborn Spirituality to your recovery program
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There are two types of people in the world, Uppers, and Downers. Uppers are positive and surrounded by other similar positive people. Downers are negative and surrounded by other negative people. Which do you choose to be?
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The most powerful part of our makeup is our thoughts. Here we will learn how to use them to make us better, not keep us down!
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Many of us came into the AA Program thinking that no one cared about us at all. When starting to work the Program, the one that is most important to care is yourself. Getting sober or clean for someone else rarely works, so we must do it for ourselves. When you do, you will be amazed at how many others genuinely care about you.
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What words do you think of after saying "I Am?" The answer may be the most important choice you will ever make because it tells you what you really think of yourself.
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We can never talk about gratitude too much. Here we learn how to be grateful, even when times are difficult.
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This is a very simple program for very complicated folks. Here is how to uncomplicate your lives and attain peace and serenity.
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Surrender was not part of my vocabulary when I came into AA. Then, when I got to Step 3, I discovered that, when I turned my will and my life over to the care of my God, things went well. When I loved the feelings that followed this, I learned that this was just another way of saying Surrender. I was willing to continue doing this because things improved drastically when I did.
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It is really simple to know the difference between God's will and my will, once you learn this easy method.
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Absolutely nothing is more powerful than our thoughts. EVERYTHING begins with a thought.
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The ONLY thing that I can change is me. I must either accept or get out of the way of all else.
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I always bristled whenever someone told me that I had to do anything. Now, just simply changing "Gots to" to "Gets to" has worked miracles in my quest for peace and serenity and I get so much more done.
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I had no background in religion or spirituality when coming into the AA Program. I was disappointed in what I had seen with organized religion. I didn't have a clue how to use spirituality in my life. Thought it would take all of the fun out of living. Here you will see how wrong I was.
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I was raised to never give in or surrender to anyone or anything. I carried this into adult life. In AA, the 3rd Step advises us to turn our will and our life over to God. I did and am reaping the emotional rewards. I never felt this strong and aware, before.
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After doing the 4th Step we sometimes feel that we left some parts of our life out of it that make us wonder if we should have put them in. Then this may digress to wondering how we can ever do this program right. If this is you, STOP RIGHT THERE! Step 10 to the rescue!
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Do there seem to be more problems in life after sobering up than when in the madness? If so, what next?
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What we put into our lives we get back EXACTLY as we put it in.
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We are only as sick as our secrets and, after taking the 4th and 5th Steps, we soon get to the 10th Step. This is a daily cleansing of our minds that makes us become and be happy, joyous, and free.
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The only way to become an old drunk is to not drink and don't die
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Spirituality is something that we live 24/7/365 and this makes us Happy, Joyous, and Free
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How much control do I have in this world?
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How to be Happy, Joyous, and Free
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Turning it over to God
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AA is a Spiritual Program, not a Religious Program.
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We discuss how Spirituality is the foundation of Recovery. Today we discuss How to be Happy, Joyous, and Free.
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Addiction to Alcohol and/or drugs can affect anybody. If it is you that suffers from addiction, there is a way out that can and will leave you Happy, Joyous, and Free. In this series of podcasts, we explain how Spirituality is the foundation of recovery programs. All you must do is ask for help and then get out of the way of the helper. My helper is my Higher Power, who I choose to call God. He is working through the program of AA.
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It seems like sobriety means more to me every day that I am blessed to experience it. It has been 45 years of sobriety with things just getting better by the day. I just wonder what the next 45 years have in store. Bless you, all!
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When we have too many thoughts running through our minds at once, it is very uncomfortable, to say the least. Here are some ideas to bring more peace and serenity to our minds.
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There are no coincidences in our lives and things do not happen "by luck!" In this episode, we discover what does control our life's events and happenings.
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