What does recovery mean exactly? There are a lot of different definitions, but I like to think of recovery as a form of attack. It is going after all those elements which keep us from being comfortable with sobriety. This is obviously a never-ending process, but encouraging because if we are truly attacking those issues, we will see growth. My very favorite passage from the AA Big Book is: "Do not be discouraged. No one among us has been able to maintain anything like perfect adherence to these principles. We are not saints. The point is, that we are willing to grow along spiritual lines. The principles we have set down are guides to progress. We claim spiritual progress rather than spiritual perfection."
The great thing about a blog is that we can go on this journey together. You are not alone!I know this sounds strange, but I love being a recovering addict. For one thing, I get to experience a genuine sense of connectedness with other addicts. We have a lot of "aha" moments together because our thinking is so similar to one another.
The other aspect I love about being in recovery is that I have so much to be grateful to God for in my life. I was just reading the Bible this morning about Jesus encounter with "the sinful woman." Jesus says to the judgmental Pharisee, "Therefore I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven--for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little." Luke 7:47 When I begin to comprehend all that I have been forgiven of it absolutely boggles my mind. I do not deserve to have the marriage I have or the wonderful children I do or even a valid drivers license! Jesus has saved me from hell on earth--that's what I had before Christ and even greater, he has saved me from eternal hell too. But he doesn't stop there. He wants to heal us and make us whole people again - awesome! And then, on top of that, give us heaven! For those of us who have experienced the depths of hell on earth through all the negative consequences we experienced in addiction, in recovery we can experience an even greater appreciation for genuine love, joy, and peace. God Bless-Wendy
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