SEP 28, 23 .. CHAPTER FIVE IN THE BIG BOOK

The above "Sobriety Chip" was given to me by the weekly 2pm afternoon meeting of The Laughlin Group, located in Laughlin, Nevada.

Chapter 5 in the A.A. Big Book

There is no question of the importance of the Big Book. Written by William G. "Bill" Wilson, it is the cornerstone of our personal recovery from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body. 

I believe that the reading of the first three pages of Chapter 5 in meetings began in Los Angles, California. Over the years reading these pages has become quite popular. My experience is that possibly 80% of meetings I have attended read these pages.

We all talk about, and many meetings read, The Promises in the Big Book. The Promises of Step 9, on pages 83 and 84 of the Big Book are what we mean.

I have actually had people ask me : "What does it mean when we say that we will be amazed before we are halfway through."

It means this : "We will be amazed before we are halfway through making our 9th step amends." The 9th step promises don't just happen because you are attending A.A. Meetings. They begin to happen when you begin actually making your 9th step amends.

THE PROMISES AT THE BEGINNING OF CHAPTER 5 OF THE BIG BOOK pages 58 - 60.

1. Rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path.

2. There are those, too, who suffer from grave emotional and mental disorders, but many of  them do recover if they have the capacity to be honest.

3. But there is One who has all power -- that One is God.

4. Step 2 - Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

5. Step 12 - Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps..

6. God could and would if He were sought.

Some very important words in Chapter 5.

If you have decided you want what we have and are willing to go to any length to get it -- then you are ready to take certain steps.

What do we have that a newcomer would want? First, get a plug in the jug and STOP drinking alcohol. Once we get some measure of sobriety (or at least we have stopped drinking alcohol) this changes. What we really have is a design for living!

To get this design for living, we work the 12 steps of A.A.

These words of wisdom are valuable : 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.

It works IF you work it!

Wishing you all a happy, joyous, today! 

It works IF you work it!