MAR 30, 18 .. STEP THREE

Step 3 : Made a decision turn our will and our life over to the care of God as we understood Him.

When I got to Step Three, my sponsor said to me : 

What does Step Three say?

I replied .. "We turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him."

He snapped back .. "It doesn't say that at all. How can you turn your will and your life over to the care of God?"

He then went on to say .. "Go to page 59 of the Big Book and read to me Step 3."

I did so stating .. "Made a decison .."

"STOP RIGHT THERE!" he said.

"We make a decision to do something. We decide to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him."

"And exactly how do we make that decision?" 

"Go to page 63 of the Big Book and read the Third Step Prayer."

"God, I offer myself to Thee -- to build with me and to do with me as Thou wilt. Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do Thy will. Take away my difficulties, that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of Thy Power, Thy Love, and Thy Way of life. May I do Thy will always!"

Say the Third Step Prayer daily. Say it often daily. Keep saying it. Keep reaffirming your decision, through the Third Step Prayer, that God is in charge of your life.

Now back to my High School Latin class in the fall of 1950.

Sitting next to me on my left was a fellow student who was wearing eye glasses.  Fooling around, as I tended to do in class, I reached over across his face with my right hand and I took off his eye glasses and put them on.

Oh My Gosh! I Can See The Blackboard! Oh My Gosh! I Can See The Leaves On The Trees Outside The Window!

You see? I did not know that I could not see normally. I did not know that I had a problem.

That was Step 1. 

Step 2 was realizing that I could not solve my vision problems and that I needed a Power Greater Than Myself to do so.

Step 3, I decided to find an eye doctor to help me.

Three birds are on a fence. Two birds 'decide' to fly away. How many birds remain on the fence? All three. A decision is only a decision. You must take an action based upon your decision.

Next month Step 4.