Dear Friends,
January 12,2002 was my 3rd Birthday. Although I couldn’t be with you - - I’m currently at an AA spiritual retreat, and fondly remembered you - - my first spiritual retreat and the place that saved my life.
I have been blessed since leaving you for home in early June, 1999. For over 2 years now, I’ve been an AA volunteer at a local hospital treatment center - - I give a step 1 lead at their weekly meeting for new patients (as you were my 7th treatment, this place was one of my 6 failures - - but I’m trying to help their program.).
My home group (over 45 years old) also asked me to secretary one of their meetings - - a beginner step study. I also have 3 sponsees.
The reason you succeeded, where the others failed - - was you were the only place that suggested I pray, and you even taught me to pray. It is only through the grace of our higher, loving power that we can be saved.
I pass on the prayer tools you taught me to sponsees - - my sponsee brothers - - and others. It doesn’t always take - - for some, their low self image is so poor, they think GOD is irrelevant or doesn’t care about them. But, as taught about the 12th step, it doesn’t matter that we always succeed, but that we tried.
One special blessing of the program is my relationship with my wife. Before returning home from the Oasis, we celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary in California, and although we recognized our marriage was spiritually dead, as suggested in the program we gave it a year. It worked & we have a lovely spiritual relationship - - and will celebrate 28 years this coming May, 2002.
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