Relief from Selfishness My name is Robin, and I am a compulsive overeater. I have been in food recovery for over twenty years, having returned to program after two relapses. The first relapse lasted four months, and the second lasted four years. I have been abstinent almost nine years now by the Grace of God. The Third Step Prayer (Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th ed., p. 63) is one that I … Read More
Fashioned Prayer In 2008, I worked on a prayer based on the Big Book passage that begins, “On awakening . . .” (Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th ed., pp. 86–88). Early in my program, I read this passage every morning for two years, and I wanted a way to incorporate the spirituality of this reading into my daily routine. I fashioned and refashioned the prayer for weeks and then started praying it every … Read More
Invaluable Tool OA’s Strong Abstinence Checklist and Writing Exercise is a small, trifold wallet card. My OA group ordered some and distributed them in an abstinence workshop we conducted last summer. It was a handout for participants to take home. Well, about a month after our workshop, I really examined it, and I now find it an invaluable tool to help me work … Read More
A “Just for Today” Action Plan Usually, I spend part of my quiet time meditating on the Just for Today wallet card. One day this week, I felt kind of “blah” about the day that lay ahead, so I decided to see how I could specifically apply the Just for Today affirmation as an action plan. “Just for today, I can stay home and take down all … Read More
Non-Readers Among Us Even in developed countries, as many as 20 percent of adults may not be literate enough to easily complete a job application. As OA members, we can be more sensitive and helpful to the non-readers among us. Here are some the things we can all do: Be sensitive to the possibility that others cannot read. Adult non-readers walk among us, … Read More
Hot Water, Cooling Attitude One of the telephone meetings I attend uses Seeking the Spiritual Path during its meetings. The readings given at one recent meeting inspired me to continue reading from the book on my own. I keep it handy now since I feel like I need to work on my spiritual condition. Earlier today, I noticed I didn’t have hot water coming … Read More
Big Transformation “Hi, my name is Caroline, and I am a compulsive overeater”—I would not say this when I came into the rooms in 1999. I found OA through another fellowship in which I was recovering and very active. I was fluctuating between 224 and 238 pounds (101–107 kg), so evidence of my addiction was clear to all, but not to me. … Read More
Many Sources of Inspiration When I attended a recent Region Nine assembly, the trustee asked us to write about how OA literature has been useful on our OA journey. “Write a note to a fictitious OA member explaining how you found OA, which piece of OA-approved literature helped you work all Twelve Steps of OA, what piece of OA literature is your favorite and … Read More
Literature Sets the Stage I have been a member of Overeaters Anonymous for thirty-one years, and I have been receiving Lifeline magazine for as long as I can remember. I love our OA literature and make reading For Today and Voices of Recovery part of my daily morning routine, along with writing in my journal and practicing prayer and meditation. In addition, each morning, I … Read More
Affirming Words Is it just me? The cover of the January 2020 Lifeline is so affirming. The words I so need to live by and live with are spread all over. I have heard so many say, “It’s just words” or “It’s just a slogan,” which, to me, is very sad. Those words and slogans are signposts and my way of life. They … Read More
