Announcements:

*We are so blessed to have 2 open study-buddy groups. If we don’t support them, they’re going to die. And we always need a buddy for accountability. (So an open group is great backup in the event we lose our personal buddy.)

One is on Thursdays @ 9:30a EST with an Al-Anon focus.

The second is Sundays from 11a-12n EST.

Both are on the same conference number & pin#.

712/432-0800 pin 587213#

*Next week Thursday Jun 5, 2014, Stephanie will be on the phone until 9:20am to receive Step Three commitments.

Commitments will not be taped. They will just be heard by other group members on line.

If you can’t be on live then, call or text ( 617/ 774-7916 ) or email Stephanie ( stephaniew324@gmail.com)

for a private 15 minute appointment. She will receive your Step Three commitment then.

Today’s reading:

Big Book p. 60 beginning paragraph 2 “Our description of the alcoholic, the chapter to the agnostic, and our personal adventures before and after make clear three pertinent ideas” … until end of paragraph 3: “Being convinced, we were at Step Three, which is that we decided to turn our will and our life over to God as we understood him. Just what do we mean by that, and and just what do we do?”

Look up: convinced, care.

Q1) Are you convinced you are ready to take Step Three?

Q2) (a) When I say ‘yes’ (to something asked of me), have I looked at it?

(b) Have I looked at all the ramifications of saying ‘yes’?

(c) Am I any less of a recovered person if I say ‘no’ to doing a (any of the) service (positions)?

(d) Why would I be any less?

(e) Why wouldn’t I?

Q3) Are you convinced that you are an alcoholic (using ‘alcoholic’ as a broad term)?

*Write down: Move a muscle, change a thought.

Moving a muscle changes our thinking.

THINK: I am powerless over my thinking. Therefore, I must have a Higher Power in the equation to change a thought.

I have to ask God to help me move a muscle.

Then I will be able to change my thought (i.e. of going to my addiction or another destructive behavior).

We have a nanosecond to change a thought, IF we are willing to trust and rely on a Higher Power.

Some tools of muscle movement are: getting on a phone meeting, calling your buddy, calling someone from the Thursday group.

We have to be able to give up the idea that me/ I/ self is powerful enough to change an idea we are having.

*Write down: Actions speak louder than (our) thoughts/ decisions.

Step Three has 2 components:

(a) the commitment

(b) the integrity of following through on our commitment(s)

That’s why Stephanie is so big on Action Plans

(strategies) – as the tool to following through.

Without an action, following through on a commitment FALLS through. AND commitments without actions are self-abuse, according to Stephanie.

Step Three necessitates making the decision to have (the) integrity to follow through on commitments; Step Three necessitates being ready to do the work.