Showing posts with label Steps Study. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Steps Study. Show all posts

Sunday, January 29, 2017

Accepting God Into Your Life Sober or Not

I know this is a strange heading I am writing about . However it is true that if we just acept Jesus into our lives , we will all go to heaven. Now some religions such as Mormons do not believe in this simple act, which is fine. I am not teaching religion on this blog, this blog is about saving lives through knowing a spirit greater than your self , named God. God and Jesus are the same. God is not man and Jesus is the spiritual advisory for God. If you are sober you have come to believe in a power greater than yourself, if your in AA, you know this spirit must be God or Jesus. Once you take the simple step and invite Jesus into your life, you will go to heaven. Period.

I don't know about you but when I die I want to go to heaven. I don't know what Hell is but I have a feeling I have visited Hell many times while I was in my addiction. Maybe you have felt this way also. It is enough to convince me that there is a loving God who can take away my sins and forgive me and help me to stay sober if I just ask for this act. Simple as it may sound , we find all the wrong answers to sobriety, maybe we think we can handle one more drink, maybe just one more pill. In some instances this may be true, but rare for us who have been diagnosed as alcoholic, and the AA book is a spiritual book with a chapter for Agnostics , so maybe some relief for those who have a hard time believing in a higher power such as God can come to rest with their alternative solution. I am here to say that God has blessed me with sobriety because I ask for it. I have not had a alcoholic drink in over 7 years which does not mean one thing except that the obsession to drink was taken away from a power greater than myself. That power is known to me as the spirit of God.

I hope who reads this understated the power of God in the steps of AA are not just writings on the wall or in the Big Book, we do have to take action and for go our old ways and develop new ways of living in the world as we are living. Understanding a God can be confusing with all the hate in the world, but I do know i sin every single day, and I ask for forgiveness in the day or evening for my sins. I have had miracles that have come true and spiritual experiences that would blow your mind. Is staying sober worth it? Yes, it is when I have so much going for me and sometimes I take this for granted. I forget God when things are going good and times, and when they are going bad I pray to God to make a wrong decision I have made into a right one to pleasure God.

To be honest I probably pray more now than ever. Maybe that is why when I am weak I do not think about alcohol, when I am strong and happy , I do not think about alcohol. There has to be a power that is informing me in some manner that drinking is not my answer. This is just a small part of living is the drinking. But it is big enough to kill a person who goes out and re-tries drinking . I have lost three people who are my age this month from drinking or drugs. They tried AA and they tried the program, but how much of a relationship did they have with their God? Happy Sunday. Chris Hyer

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Social Sobriety Today in 2016

What exactly is social sobriety? That is a really good question, I would have to say it is meant to mean there are several human beings that believe they can socially drink and end up alcoholic and then there are the standard human being that can socially drink and put down the beer or glass and walk away from this alcoholic beverage.You can still be very social and sober and not have to worry about making a ass out of yourself . This is a good thing , is it not? How many people go to company drinking or cocktail parties and drink way too much, I would put it half of them drink to much. I don't think that is too many people to include, it does not mean they are alcoholic , however if they get pulled over after the party and get a DWI, then they just might have a legal issue or they drink way too much.

Socially speaking in a sober manner can keep you out of a lot of trouble around friends and those at bars. I think most would agree with me that staying socially sober is best for most people. You would not make the mistake of saying words that might hurt a friend and you would think before you act on a situation. It would be like asking a girl to dance out at a nightclub, I would think she would like to smell a good clean breath talking to her than a guy smelling of Whiskey and stumbling around like a fool. I could be wrong but I think I chose a good title for this blog unintentionally.

Now living sober is not the easiest way for most of us, it does get easier as the days and years move forward. I just finished a E Book on sobriety in 2016 , please purchase this and read the information. It is very conclusive on why we drink and places to get help, and places that may work better than treatment at these country club style treatment centers. There is a spiritual side to this E Book as well and why we include God into our program of alcoholics anonymous and why you don't have to include God. It is alll by choice and buying this book is by choice also.

Social Sobriety in 2016 is no different than staying sober for one more year, you could look at this as a New Years resolution. I really don't make these New Year resolutions because I think they are foolish, that is my opinion, but for the sake of this blog post I am using this metaphor. Taking the drink idea one day at a time, what does that mean. Simply ,just not drinking for 24 hours than doing all over again, and attending meetings of AA is a must, as if you get to far behind as I have at a point , you lose the grasp as to why you are staying sober, until you hear a newcomer come in and realize that this person could be yourself, then you start attending more meetings, in my case. God Bless and have a great day.

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Why Am I Alive

There is a reason why you are alive today. God planned it this way. Yes, you may have had bad habits and still have them. However, God planned you in the beginning. He has plans for you ever since the day you were conceived. He loves you. He loves me. There is a reason why you are breathing today, it is God's will that we breathe and some do not. He knows when we will die and when we will fail, but is it really a failure to live at times, or are these just lessons. We did not create ourselves, so we do not know how we were created . God created you in his image and Rick Warren , "Purpose Driven Life" is a great example of why we live. Set goals, aim high, break bad habits and live. Live today and be successful.

God loves alcoholics and he planned you to be this way, not you. He did this possibly for you to concieve your purpose in life. Life as a spiritual person who now understands God's powers and strengths in your life. I really believe we are meant to be the way we are. If you  treat others with the same respect that you would like, that is what God would like us to do. God Bless. Christopher

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Sunday and a Beautiful Day to be Sober

I met a woman last night from CL and she was about my age. We hit it off right from the start aqnd began to talk. She asked about my past , and as honest as I am. She inquired, "You would be hard to be in a committed relationship because what if you decided to drink again?" , Well that stumped me and I said you don't. I can only tel you that I will not in all probability go back to how I was or I will be dead. Shocked , as she seemed to be, I told her I had been as low as I could go this time. I lost my life almost this time when I sobered up, and I will never forget this.

Texarkana, Ark. Chris Hyer 2011
How many of you have had this question brought up to you? It was difficult to swallow at first. Would all women thing the same thing? Do I really care? I would have to  say that I could not give her a good answer. I am not on this earth to please a stranger, I am here to stay sober and productive and make a living. If it comes right down to it , I will never marry again and be just fine. I willl have the same questioned asked, I am sure. It's these little things that can really ruin it for me. I try to adhere to the AA program and some people think your some kind of freak or not good enough for them. They are wrong and there are millions of us in relationships al over the world. We are n
ot a glum lot, we are happy individuals, and God driven. They just don't understand this and so be it.

I start a new job on Monday with a Christian company and I look forward to this new position in life. I look ahead and with a future for my life and it involves no drugs or drinking. It involves doing the best for my employer and staying up with AA at the same time. God will be with me through the day and so I do not worry or concern myself with any outcome. I use to get drunk before I started a new job, and the result was so they could get use to the real me back then. I do not need to do this anymore, I can sleep fine at night and wake up early enough to write on my blog and get to work on time. That is my goal and I pray this works out fine. I know it will. I am in recovery for the rest of my life, and it is ok. Accept me for who I am not and who I am. I am very proud of what I do not do anymore and you should be also. Work the steps at home and at work and pray constnatly with God and all things can be accomplished. Chris

Sunday, July 14, 2013

William James and AA: The Beginninge of Billl W's Spiritual Malady

In reading and watching a film about Bill Wilson , AA father and founder. William James , a great Philosopher and Writer from the 1800s to his death in 1910 , had a huge impact on the AA program.  Bill w. goes to explain on his last binge when in an asylum for drinking his last time. He discovered a book by ,"William James",. This book would have a sustained impact on Bill , he found a spiritual connection with God after reading this book and stayed sober from then on.

I dare you to read this book, it is called,"Varieties of Religious Experiences" by William James. He was a man who struck head on with the spiritual malady of living. He is why , possibly AA is what it is. A spiritual program based on the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. His book , is very difficult to read, and the philosophical words and phrases are quite the head on approach that made Bill W. quit drinking.

Bill w. gos on to say he had a spiritual change in his soul and the urge to drink was taken away after reading this book. I believe it is 1100 pages , and very concise on religions and why we experience outward bodies of a spiritual relationship with our higher power. Here are a few quotes from a site called "Brainy Quotes from this man , William James.

Common sense and a sense of humor are the same thing, moving at different speeds. A sense of humor is just common sense, dancing.





These are only a few that William James writes about and they are powerful messages for our every day sobriety. These words mixed with a desire to stop drinking and get with the steps are indeed a revolution to take yourself on. The path to sobriety is haveing a spiritual relationship with God, our higher power. It is possible to pray for this relief and it will come onto you. I am one of a million persons that has been blessed with a spiritual change that has effected my life in this world. 

God Bless and have a great weekend. Life is good and Life is what you make out of it. Pray for those times when you are unsure what to do with your life, and a answer will come. This is a promise, that "Thy will be done, Not mine" Christopher07/14/2013 

Thursday, June 20, 2013

The Spiritual Malady Inside Alcoholics

The days go by so fast that we have to slow ourselves down. As an alcoholic that is in recovery, I know too much about the ins and outs of a normal day. What is normal? No one can define this except to live life on a daily basis, and abide by all laws. The laws of society and your place in this world must be ideal for one to live. The spiritual malady exists in each and every person on this earth. When one has an addiction, the spiritual malady can go insane inside of a person whom is alcoholic. I will explain this further in this book. We, as a society shun alcoholics that are on the street pushing baskets from one place to another. They are searching for their soul and drinking for these few unfortunates is a way of living. The spiritual malady inside these people is the same as most recovering alcoholics. The difference is controlling this through a spiritual connection to a higher power, or God. This sounds very easy to the normal drinker who m can put down one drink and be finished. There are those of us that cannot do this though. We drink into oblivion and this makes us feel good when doing the action of drinking. The next day our desire to quit comes for only a few moments and then the insanity of the spiritual malady kicks in and makes us take another drink to start the day out. This is a never ending cycle until one gets help from a detoxification system of some sort.
Too many people go to treatment centers, to stop drinking entirely. However, upon leaving a facility as a drug and alcohol treatment center the urge to drink comes about from being away from the confines of a facility. There is big money to be made by treatment centers and they are growing as this story is written. The thousands of dollars for a thirty day treatment center can range from the forty thousand dollar range all the way up to one hundred thousand dollar range. Insurance companies are paying only a small portion of this tab, because the relapse rate is high among first time recovering alcoholics. Why is this so?


Let’s look at the situation, you just were confined to this beautiful treatment center and every day you have meetings all day long, and are surrounded by people that you can relate to on a mental, and physical basis. The recovering alcoholic goes through many psychological changes in treatment centers. They are finding out who they really are, and some are afraid of leaving the confinement of this place. There is controlled non-drinking activities for the patient. People get use to this and realize once they have gone their usual thirty day treatment that they will face reality. There are several who have excellent insurance and will treatment hop. This is the action of going to one treatment center to another in a matter of months, because of the confinement they are relaxed and want to remain sober and this is the only way they can. A community of these people exists and go through thousands of dollars to remain in this active group of alcoholics. This in itself is a sickness, then the insurance money is gone, they are left with being homeless, if not staying sober and pushing a basket full of clothes around the neighborhood, as the old drunk who can’t stay sober. This is a reality in our world. Most human’s frown upon these few unfortunate people that are destined to die if life does not change for them. Can these “bums” change?


Yes, that is the good part, can you change him? No, there is no way a person can change anybody that is sick spiritually, and most will end up dead or in mental institutions. The worst case scenario is this person ends up in jail, and confined for life of prison. They can be lawyers, doctors and your everyday person that just cannot handle drinking. There is hope and that hope lies in the principles in AA. Yes, may of men and women have lost everything materialistic and even part of their pride? Their spiritual malady is dead and they are physically and internally sick. They can survive if given a hand of help, and driven to a place where hope still exists. AA in itself has helped people sober up in spare rooms set aside for those whom cannot afford treatment, and have the necessary tools to aid a victim of alcoholism and gain his pride back for twenty four hours, then a spiritual program outlined in the Big Book of AA can be shown to the newcomer and a new person can emerge as if a child is reborn. Many of us have been this direction and thank God for programs that cost no money, and offered by such agencies, like the Salvation Army and others. These agencies care about the alcoholic that has lost everything including their personal lives. One can become a new and active member in his community, if strong and willing to follow a few steps on a daily, or hourly basis. The spiritual malady can be re-shaped to accept this new way of living.


There is hope and even recovery if this person will dedicate his life to a higher power, or God as he understands him. You must have a spiritual revelation in your heart and head and want what AA has to offer. This is the only way to stay sober. Many of us have tried to drink only a few beers, or mix drinks where they are not as strong, and ended up flat on the street passed out again. We get up and try again, and again. Sometimes there is no hope for those who keep falling because they get involved in illegal activities and are helpless. There are many more of us that have been beaten up enough and give into the twelve steps of AA and live normal lives, as do our neighbors, and become respected, born again humans. We love, and are loved by our fellow friends and help others to quit drinking with our experiences, strength, and hopes.  
There is a re-birth of character through following the outline in AA and one can laugh for once in his or her life and lead an employed, enjoyable life, with the understanding that one drink will lead to another embedded into their head they will never forget where they are and where they came from. That is what AA is all about, fellowship and helping the alcoholic deal with living life on life’s terms. It’s a new way of living and you will be thrilled of how you are perceived from others who may have known you during the bad times and respect your new self as a person who has beat the disease of alcoholism. Though, do not fool yourself, you are one drink away from disaster. This has to be remembered and never forgotten or you will relapse and it could be your last one.


Wednesday, June 5, 2013

AA Step Study, Just Walk Out

I was in a AA step study room last night and I was fed up with the speaker. He had said things that I do not believe in, and I stayed  for 45 minutes and left. Granted, this may have been rude, but the way the meeting ws going , I thought this guy was out of place. I have a right to make decisions , even when it comes to AA groups and you do also.

There is no reason to sit in a room if it does you no good. I will go back to this group again, but I refuse to listen to crap. You have the right to leave and have the right to not believe in what is being said in certain AA meetings. If it offends you, walk out. That is your God given right to do.

AA was made to help people who cannot recover and those who are recovered. It is a two way street, and with that said , there are some whom only have one hour of sobriety and those with many years. Just because they have years on you does not make it right for them to shove it down your throat. I felt this way last night during a step meeting. This fellow wanted to hear only from the people he knew and had worked step 7 . Well , you can work step seven all the time and not even consciously know it. It does not mean you  do not have a grasp of this step. It matters not how many years or months or even days you have. Steps are written to keep you sober, and if you have worked all the steps in a week , then fine. It is possible, everything in life is possible. You just keep working the steps a lifetime. Especially one. The first step to know that your life has become unmanageable and stop that first drink. We all so this step one everyday, then the new guys come in and start it their first day, hopefully.

There are quite a few that would dis agree with me, and a few that would agree with me. I don't give a damn. I did not consciously work these
steps for three years, but I have done them. I do not have to prove it to anyone but myself. A sponsor is a person whom should help you deal with this issue. Not a sponsor that thinks you should spend a year on step four. Find another sponsor if this is the case , unless you need a year to make amends, I would think we make amends daily to everyone whom we have hurt and dearly love from the beginning of our sobriety. I could be wrong on other people in the program.

Be sure you are with the right sponsor, have three. Go to different meetings when you don't like one. They are all different and should carry the same message, Our spiritual foundation is God and he makes all this possible. There is no right way to work this program, there is a way that AA would like you to think there is. I should say there are people with so much sobriety , that what worked for them is fine, what works for you is even better. Be yourself and make your own decisions, Yes you need to work these steps. In what order, I say what an order....Just take it easy on yourself and move on to another group if you feel like separation or that the God word is not being used enough. 

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