A PUBLICATION OF THE FLAGLER COUNTY INTERGROUP OF ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS

Beverly Beach Bunnell Daytona North Espanola Flagler Beach Hammock Marineland Palm Coast Painters Hill

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2009 ISSUE

Helpline: 445-HELP (386-445-4357) - E-Mail: aapromises@yahoo.com - Web Access: www.aaflagler.org - P.O. Box 352470, Palm Coast, FL 32135

FFFFirst of all, I want to thank God and Alcoholics Anonymous for the life I have lived since putting down my last drink, 25 years ago. I cannot describe the deep sense of awe and wonder that I feel regarding the blessings and changes that have taken place throughout my journey. May the path continue to unfold before us, and may we always walk this path together! As I reflect on my past, I realize that I have evolved from a frightened, nervous, insecure individual to a peaceful, prayerful, hopeful person. Much of who I am today has to do with the practice of the Eleventh Step of AA. The Eleventh Step doesn’t just say to “pray and meditate.” It says to seek THROUGH prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understand Him. My experience has

been multifaceted as I pray and meditate in various ways. Sometimes I say my old childhood prayers; oftentimes now, I magically compose prayers from the heart. I have learned to pray for other people by name, on a regular basis. (My first sponsor always had a “prayer list.” She set the example). Praying for others is a way for me to give back. I believe that prayer is powerful, and I feel that I am really doing something when I pray for people. As far as praying for myself, I mainly ask for courage to live out God’s plan for me. I must admit, though, sometimes I let Him know my preferences. Still, I feel a willingness to go where He leads me. In AA, I have developed a sincere ambition to serve the good of my Higher Power and fellow man.

When I began attempting to meditate, I would become easily frustrated with my swirling mind. As time went on, I stopped berating myself for having a busy mind – and now it seems that my mind is no longer so busy. I am an energetic, talkative person….who can sit quietly and perfectly still for long periods of time. Being still allows me to listen for the still, small voice of God. Practice, practice, practice! My being quiet is evidence that there ARE miracles in this program! To all of my fellow AA travelers, and especially to all of my personal mentors along the way, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing your experience, strength and hope with me. God Bless Us One and All!

Barbara K.—Jump Start

Eleventh Step Eleventh Step Eleventh Step Eleventh Step –––– ““““Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.”understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.”understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.”understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.”

Being Spiritually Fit is essential to my sobriety everyday. I have

heard it at times in meetings that spirituality is the last thing to

come back in recovery and it will also be the first to go. Unfortu-

nately, without the proper tools, I could lose my spirituality and

not even know it. For me, spirituality is not a book, a meeting, or

talking to my sponsor. I can learn it but it does not mean that I

have it. Therefore, trying to stay Spiritually Fit is critical and I

work at it everyday. I start my day thanking Him and praying for

His guidance. However, I know that I must do the work to stay

sober for the day.

The key for me is honesty in everything I do for the entire day. I

know that always being honest pleases my God, and my goal is to

please Him. When I find myself bending the truth with myself or

another person, I know I am slipping. When my honesty slips, I

become judgmental and self serving. The “poor me’s” will start

creeping in and my ego begins to take control. When this begins,

I do one of two things; 1) I stop what I am doing and ask for His

help and forgiveness or 2) I do nothing and the problems only

worsen as the day goes on. When the latter happens I know it and

do a tenth step and say the appropriate prayers. If I don’t do this,

resentments and problems will go into the next day and I am on a

slippery slope. I am losing my spirituality that keeps my charac-

ter defects in check.

Being spiritually fit has given me a life I never knew existed. I

will work it everyday as I know it will reward me a hundred times

over.

Fred G.

Responsibility Declaration:

“I am responsible. When anyone, anywhere, reaches out for help, I want the hand of AA always to be there.

And for that I am responsible.”

JUMP START SURVIVOR’S GROUP HAPPY WANDERERS BUNNELL GROUP FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND MESSAGE GROUP

NOV NOV SEP SEP OCT NOV

Greg W. 6 Connie G. 16 Liz W. 34 Ron D. 18 John F. 1 Lorraine S. 34

Steve C. 3 Jill H. 2 Tom M. 22 Bonnie R. 8 NOV Bob H. 7

Fred M. 2 Wayne P. 2 NOV OCT Don H. 30 Greg W. 6

Yvette M. 1 DEC Tom H. 17 Steve H. 46 Maureen M. 22 Tim D. 3

NOMAD GROUP Tom C. 6 DEC NOV Audrey W. 3 DEC

NOV Ray L. 5 Forrest G. 27 Jean H. 20 John G. 2 Joe K. 1

Jerry K. 18 Michael C. 2 Debra F. 24 Connie G. 16 DEC T G I F

Andy D. 13 MORNING MAGIC HAPPY TO BE HERE Jack W. 12 Pete 4 NOV

Dave R. 11 NOV NOV Dave R. 11 Wayne D. 2 Bob H. 7

Jerry T. 5 Jeffry J. 17 Connie G. 16 DEC BACK TO BASICS Mardel A. 2

LIVING SOBER CAME TO BELIEVE Jack W. 12 Jerry K. 18 AUG DEC

DEC OCT Joyce 8 Glenn C. 2 George I. 3 Peg T. 22

Arnold P. 24 Charlie C. 5

When I came back into the rooms of Alcoholics Anony-mous nine months ago, I was so beaten down that I did-n’t believe there was hope for me to ever have a sober life. After failing so many times, I believed that AA would-n’t work for me, but I had no idea where else to go. I wanted so desperately to get sober. I started attending as many meetings as I could. Some days I went to three or four. I started working steps with a sponsor. I reached out to people in the rooms. The fellowship continued to attract me to the pro-gram. Coffee, bowling, picnics, and many other social events kept me coming back. It was at these social events that I began to see how people in these rooms were really working a program in their lives. They were powers of example. I wanted what they had. I listened to

stories in the meet-ings and

really started to relate. Not just to the horror stories, but also to the hope. I really had it for the first time in my life. I didn’t feel alone anymore. I knew I was an alco-holic and that AA was the solution for me. I saw a Higher Power working in my life and in the lives of oth-ers. I feel as if I can stay sober one day at a time and con-tinue to grow. I want to give away what has so freely been given to me. I believe that my best days in life are ahead of me. None of this would have been possible had it not been for the people in the rooms who kept telling me to keep coming back. No matter what I had done or where I had been, they always welcomed me back into the rooms. They shared their experience, strength, and hope. They helped to believe that even an alcoholic like me could have a new beginning.

Shawna L.

MEETING NEEDING SUPPORTMEETING NEEDING SUPPORTMEETING NEEDING SUPPORTMEETING NEEDING SUPPORT 12 & 12 Step Study Group

Monday at 7:30 PM St. Thomas Episcopal Church

5400 Belle Terre Pkwy. Palm Coast

Tradition Study on first Monday of the Month Step Study on Remaining Mondays

“Part of the effectiveness of any AA group is the development of new members to take over from

older members.”

This year’s Gratitude Dinner was a complete success!

Thank you to all who worked so hard to put together our

annual gratitude dinner. The attendance was

fantastic and the food was plentiful and delicious.

Thanks to Bob and Judy, our speakers, for sharing their

Experience, strength and hope with us in such a special way.

Step Twelve has changed for me over the years. It wasn’t

until lately that I became an active participant in Alcoholic Anonymous. Even though I have been sober for 22 years, I didn’t work the program as Bill W. meant it to be worked. I now sponsor several women and I am an active participant in their recovery. Two of the women are very new and we talk daily and see each other at meetings. When we talk, I can see the physical pain that they release when they’re unburdening the feelings that they have kept buried inside of them. I don’t know what I expected to happen when I came to AA. I came to meetings because I was afraid not to. I never wanted to go back to detox again. I wanted what everyone else had, but didn’t do anything to get it. I was the last one to arrive at a meeting and the first one out. I wouldn’t think about sharing my feelings. A few years ago I had that ”aha” moment and since then, my life has changed. Our part as a member of Alcoholics Anonymous is to carry the message, and detach from the outcome, give the program away, and we stay for another day, share without expectation , and we will receive riches beyond our wildest dreams. This is apparent in the Big Book’s instructions for doing Step Twelve. Here where we read that any effort to “convert” others to the program can easily backfire. The message of recovery needs to be carried with some key points to remember.

1. Talk to people when they are ready. The Twelve Steps are a program of attraction, not promotion. We draw people into the Steps by our own example. When the right time comes, they will ask “How can I get what you’ve got”.

2. Keep it simple. Our message for the alcoholic is simply that I was once like you. Then I had a spiritual awakening as the result of the first eleven steps and I have not gotten drunk since then.

3. Let go of labels when talking to people, we don’t refer to them as alcoholics; we merely tell them our story and let other people decide what rings true for them.

4. Avoid “two-stepping”. This takes place when people fly directly from Step One to Step Twelve. This is putting them at greater risk for relapse. The solution is work all the Steps with equal care and in order.

It is tempting for newcomers who have not yet worked the Steps to get a misguided notion of what the program is about. Some get the impression that is it just a place to avoid the consequences of the Law; others see it as a dumping ground for the day’s problems or a cheap substitute for professional therapy. Instead the steps lift us to a new level of awareness. As we experience a consistent change in our thinking and behavior, we gain a message that’s worthy of sharing. We then become the message.

Grace K– TGIF

Step Twelve Step Twelve Step Twelve Step Twelve ““““Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps, we

tried to carry this message to alcoholics and to practice these principles in all our affairs.”

When I entered the rooms of Alcoholics

Anonymous I was desperate, exhausted and

completely void of hope. I was being

eliminated from my family and problems at

work were increasing, all due to my

alcoholism. The previous few months I tried

with all the will power I could muster to curb

my drinking in the hope I might be able

to gain some control and keep

what I did not want to lose. With each

attempt, and ultimate failure, I

felt completely doomed.

Alcoholics Anonymous was the last

stop and I entered the rooms

convinced this program was not

going to be able to help an alcoholic like me.

When I first heard members introduce

themselves as "Grateful Alcoholics" at

meetings I thought, what nonsense! Gratitude

was not something I was familiar with and

the furthest thing from my mind at the onset.

How could these people be grateful? I entered

the rooms late June and it seemed that every

meeting I attended the first week was an

anniversary meeting, which was exactly what

I needed. Listening to the celebrants share

what their life was like before AA and what it

was like now really began to open my eyes to

the results of working a good program. I

picked up a sponsor the next week and did

everything suggested in hopes that AA might

actually work for me too. I attended a

meeting every day and called my

sponsor every evening

at

5:30 to

check in.

Gradually, the daily

and sometimes hourly obsession to drink

was lifted. I was amazed that several weeks

had passed without a drink. I began working

the steps after 90 meetings in 90 days and my

relationship with my sponsor began the grow

as I opened up and shared feelings, fears,

concerns and daily events with him that used

to swim around in my head usually resulting

in a drink. About eight months into the

program my father came for a visit from

Michigan and we had a wonderful week. I felt

comfortable during his visit and shared a little

about my program in AA and he reciprocated

with a little family history regarding

alcoholism. As I drove home from returning

him to the airport in Orlando after his visit, it

suddenly occurred to me that for the first time

in memory we parted ways without me

receiving a lecture from him about my severe

drinking problem. I became overwhelmed

with positive emotion and sobbed

while driving down the highway trying to

hide my overflowing emotions from

passerbys. I had to call my sponsor and share

this with him. When he answered the phone I

could barely speak but managed to choke

out the words "Thank You"! He responded

with, "You're Welcome....who is this?" I

laughed, then shared this experience with him

as I continued my drive home. It was one of

the most wonderful conversations I have ever

experienced. I realized that day Alcoholics

Anonymous was working and the promises

have continued to come true for me with each

spiritual experience. My gratitude has grown

into a daily and sometimes hourly emotion as

I continue to learn and reflect on everything I

have received from Alcoholics Anonymous,

my sponsor and my Higher Power. I too am

now a Grateful Alcoholic!

Darren M. — Happy Wanderers

WE WOULD LOVE TO PUBLISH

YOUR WRITINGS…

PLEASE SUBMIT THEM!

Promises Deadline

All material and Information for the newsletter must be received by the 20th of the even months of

Feb, Apr, Jun, Aug, Oct, Dec. Submit any questions, articles, anniversaries & ideas to:

aapromises@yahoo.com or call Valerie J. at 386-569-1499

Reminder:

Need Literature and Medallions

Contact: Don H. 386-986-3659 or

hoodyfour@aol.com

Service Group Meeting Schedules

Intergroup:

Meets the first Monday of the month at 7:00PM

District 22:

Meets the last Monday of the month at 6:30PM

(except for December)

The meetings are held at the

Florida Hospital Flagler, Classroom C,

in the Lind Educational Center.

R E S O L U T I O N B A

E S U R R E N D E R P L

A O P E N T R A L O O F

D X E P O C H P O W E R

T H A N K S G I V I N G

R Z C A N A O Q E U A L

U L E S T F S A L U T E

D E V O T E S O B E R E

G M O R A L I T Y U R N

E M E R G E P R I D E D

ALOOF LEST PRIDE

CAN LOVE READ

DEVOTE MORALITY RESOLUTION

EMERGE NATURE SAFE

EPOCH OPEN SOBER

GLEEN PEACE SURRENDER

GOSSIP POWER RESOLUTION

HELPLINE CALLS FROM JULY—SEPTEMBER 2009

AA Info— 146 Alanon — 13 Others — 5

AA Help — 2 Alanon Help — 0 Total Calls — 166

HELPLINE REALLY NEEDS VOLUNTEERS TO TAKE SHIFTS

Come and Check Out

A New Meeting

SUNDAY SERENITY

Open Big Book Meeting

7:30 P.M. Sunday

St. Thomas Church

5400 Belle Terre Pkwy. Palm Coast, FL

CORRECTIONS COMMITTEE

NEEDS VOLUNTEERS TO BRING MEETINGS INTO THE JAIL

Contact

William @ 347-323-9410 requirements

Chairperson—2 years sobriety Speaker—6 months