Share It Outside Issues A concern arose as I was reading the April 2017 issue. The article in “What Works for Me” and the “Send Us Your Stories!” bo…
Newcomers Even Before When I first joined OA and wasn’t getting abstinent, I came across “Pray Then Act” (Lifeline, March 2015, p. 16), a story ab…
Higher Power Perseverance, Even When When I got into program, I weighed about 240 pounds (109 kg), well over my target weight of 190 pounds (86 kg). I was bingei…
Higher Power Courage to Change When I pray the Serenity Prayer, I ask for serenity, acceptance, courage, and wisdom. The first word in that prayer is “God.…
How OA Changed My Life Reel Comedy “Come on in! We’ve been waiting for you!” That’s what I heard as I walked through the doors of an OA meeting in 2015. Two la…
Writing Dog Talk My dogs’ unconditional love is so helpful when I can’t love myself. Dogs don’t judge my weight, my income, or my status in l…
Relationships Feeling Present We buried Bibs today. He was almost 20 years old. Bibs helped me with my OA program in death and in life. Alive, he opened m…
Working the Program Wiener Dog Wisdom I have a wonderful dachshund named Macy. Dachshunds are smart and stubborn dogs whose long bodies make them prone to back pr…
Keep Coming Back Turtle Tale I knew early on that Opie and I had a lot in common. They say, “If you spot it, you got it,” and when HP brought this rescue…
Relationships Creatures Teachers I am surrounded by many furry and non-furry “children” on my little ranch. My world revolves around them, and all have taugh…
How OA Changed My Life Recovery True Freedom When a fellow OA member suggested I reflect on what true freedom looks like for me, I discovered I could probably write a book. Before OA, I truly felt I already had it in the form of a solid career, … Read More
Higher Power Spirituality Stepping-Stones, Nuggets, and Gems Spirituality is the solution to our problem of powerlessness, and we find this solution in the Twelve Step program of recovery. I’ve experienced three stepping-stones in this process: Amen, Amends, Am… Read More
The Road Narrows My twenty-ninth birthday in OA is approaching, and it is cause for renewed reflection about my program. I spoke to my sponsor a week ago and mentioned to her that I was thinking of not taking a candle this year. Other OA members on their birthdays pitch about life changes: weddings, kids, jobs, financial gain, or acquisition of cars. I … Read More
Share It: Powerful Shares, Joyful Reading, Pages and Prayers Powerful Shares I wanted to share how sad I am to hear about the discontinuation of Lifeline. It has literally been a lifeline to me. I am one of the ones who answered your 2018 subscription appeal, and I recently renewed my subscription and will cherish every last issue. Thank you for the articles about “The Joys of Retreats and … Read More
Recovery Beyond Measure In a few days, I will celebrate thirty-eight years of recovery in OA. Today my goal is health, sanity, and wellness, not a size 8. Physically, my body has been a normal size for many years. G-d has removed the compulsion for what I call “the hard stuff”—the stuff you see at the grocery checkout counter. I have reached a … Read More