hi I'm an addict named Nicole B, from Eugene OR I am new to this forum, and I have some clean time, been through the steps in the NA Step working guide a few times, and I want to explore other formats that other members may have used, I am willing to go to any length at this point in my life for continued recovery from old defects that keep me locked in a holding pattern. I bet someone can relate. Anyone have a suggestion? Sick of being still fearful after all these years! Thank You!
Hello and Welcome to MIP I am an addict named Mike..
Yes just because WE get clean it doesn't mean our shortcomings and character defects disappear.WE are human first and foremost.Being through the STEPS you know that our defects and shortcomings are the things that stand in the way of our usefulness to our Higher Power and others and that these defects etc are traits that are usually distorted by our self-centeredness(definitely keep it on me here) .Our 6 STEP only asks us to 'be entirely ready"reaching that spiritual state where not only aware,more than just tired of them and believe when we Humbly ask they will be removed in our Higher Powers time(and that depends also on what kind of God is in our life as a Higher Power)I can definitely identify and have a couple stickers that have been with me for most of my 66 years..I am making progress though and truly rely on my God and my personal faith beliefs and the knowledge that as I continue to seek God's help,the application of our Solution,the STEPS applied in all areas of my life daily, I find I am able to get closer to "being entirely ready"I do believe my Higher Power knows what needs to go and when and I have faith in that.For me personally to answer your question,I pray daily,all through the day and night.I seek forgiveness and I work to the best of my ability to be of service to God and others.Narcotics Anonymous,guided by my faith beliefs and my Higher Power and seeking to be of maximum service to God and others,helps me ,even when I continually stumble,to get back up,move forward and keep working..Being entirely ready is a life long process and for me,I believe in the end More will definitely be revealed.....Glad you found our little community of recovering addicts ,a day at a time here at MIP...Stick around WE need you.....Thanks for sharing and the help today...
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Our purpose is to remain clean,just for today,and to carry the message of recovery.
Hi and welcome to our recovery forum.
Nice to see that you posted a photo.
IMHO the sixth step is all about willingness. If you are not 'enitirely ready' to have God remove your defects, then there is a reason for that.
What is holding you back?
Our literature cautions us about step 2. Taking step 2 lightly can cause problems down the road.
Have you truly 'come to believe" that a higher power can restore you?
Without a personal relationship with a loving, caring God of our understanding, then turning our will and our lives over to Him/Her and
relying on this power to do for us what we can't do for ourselves is extremely difficult.
This is not NA approved literature, but every day I read something by Emmet Fox. He was a metaphysical minister of the 'new thought' school of spirituality in New York City when Bill W. and the early AA's were formulating the 12 steps. Apparantly they were great admirers of his teachings and were greatly influenced by him.
I love his message. It puts a whole new spin on God that is nothing like the religion I was brought up with.
The message, basically that we create our relaity by what we believe and how we think, and that God is presant everywhere, and He is all loving. This is a simplification of course, but my point is that there is nothing wrong with looking outside of NA to find spiritual guidance. Our literature cautions us not to leave the fellowship " on a cloud of religious zeal", but it never says that we should not pursue our spiritual growth wherever we can.
Thank you so much for your post. It is a powerful message. Even if we are clean for years, our disease still impacts our lives.
I wish you all serenity. Please, keep coming back.
If by formats, you mean books or guides, when I got clean all we had was the NA Basic Text.
I worked the steps using that book and have never found a need to use anything else.
It Works: How and Why goes into the steps and traditions more deeply and provides some useful information.
The NA Step Working Guide has some useful questions.
But in my program I try to keep it simple, so when I work the steps I look to the Basic Text.
Hi Nicole, welcome. Question: "Sick of being still fearful" of what? Change? The unknown? What might be or might happen if ? Can you elaborate?
I'm kind of like Dave except when I got here all we had was The Little White Book. Working the Steps for me is about inside acceptance and change not filling out forms. Facing fears and acting through faith that the results will be as they should according tomy Higher Powers will and time table. And it's a forever process, not a miraculous arrival but a Journey. My character defects don't just vanish, they are a part of me, but they no longer rule me either. I can't honestly say that fears don't still arise 32 years into my Recovery Journey yet seldom do they hold sway any longer.
Hope to hear more from you and Your Journey in Recovery and Life!
My name's Mike, I'm a grateful Recovering Addict Clean another day by the Grace of my Higher Power whom I choose to call God through the Power of NA.
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Work the Steps or Die MF. (My Friend :) Clean One Day At a Time by The Grace of God through The Power of NA
hi I'm an addict named Nicole B, from Eugene OR I am new to this forum, and I have some clean time, been through the steps in the NA Step working guide a few times, and I want to explore other formats that other members may have used, I am willing to go to any length at this point in my life for continued recovery from old defects that keep me locked in a holding pattern. I bet someone can relate. Anyone have a suggestion? Sick of being still fearful after all these years! Thank You!
