Recovery embraces opposites: we can be strong and gentle, desire solitude yet seek connection, share openly while keeping some things private, or disagree and remain friends. Through self-awareness, we notice how these contrasts influence both ourselves and others. Seeing another’s perspective can shift our thinking when the facts support it. Practicing this approach can ease […]

We are standing on the shore of the Mississippi. Recovery is so much bigger than what is written in the 12 steps or in any book. There are parts of it we can’t put into words, yet they help us see what Recovery can really do in our lives. That thought makes us pause. We

In early Recovery, it’s common to wonder when our mental wellness will return. We may try to predict when sadness, fear, anxiety, depression, or irritation will finally fade. But today’s reflection reminds us to stay focused on working the 12 steps, instead of predicting the timing of our healing. Recovery calls us to live in

Imagine walking with Jesus as He speaks about our future. Another person approaches to join the group, and Tom notices. He asks, “What about him? Will he also follow us on the journey of Recovery?” Jesus doesn’t answer Tom’s question. Instead, He tells him gently, “Be concerned about your own faithfulness. Follow me through the

From time to time, I share updates about my health with you. Lately, I’ve been struggling with long-term constipation. The medical treatments I’ve tried haven’t helped, so I’ve turned to a functional medicine doctor. Right now, I’m in a 30-day treatment program using medicines meant to clear parasites, worms, and bacteria. Two weeks ago, I

Several of us were standing together when we heard Recovery, as if a friend, say to us, “Follow me.” Right away, we remembered something Recovery had told us just a few days earlier at a wedding feast. John, one of us, asked, “Recovery, where are you going?”Recovery answered, “Where I am going, you may not

Some of us enjoy listening to peers in Recovery when they use metaphors. One friend shared that when we are young, we can dress ourselves and go wherever we choose. But as we grow older, others may dress us, and we might need a walker or wheelchair to move from place to place. This can

There is a beautiful sixteenth-century oil painting that continues to offer hope to those of us who carry regret and seek forgiveness from God—our Higher Power. Tears of Saint Peter, painted by El Greco, portrays Peter weeping after denying Jesus three times. His eyes are lifted toward heaven, tears streaming, and his hands folded in

Looking to our peers in Recovery, we pray—not only for them, but also for all who hope to believe that Recovery can live in us through the practice of the Twelve Steps. May we all be one, as we are called to be one. Recovery is alive in us. This grace has been given through

We are watching Chad do a kind thing. By looking at the two of them, it’s clear that Chad isn’t deeply upset about Tom’s dishonesty. For Chad, it wasn’t such a big deal—but he also knows this kind of struggle can happen in Recovery. Chad never doubted Tom’s commitment. Instead, he feels compassion, knowing how