Throughout my entire spiritual journey through the Twelve Steps, no Step guaranteed me freedom from the obsession to eat compulsively as much as the Twelfth Step did. Every Step I took brought me closer to my Higher Power, but I never felt true peace of mind until I began taking other compulsive eaters through the Steps. As the Big Book …

I recently heard in a meeting, “I don’t want to be just a survivor, I want to be a thriver.” I thought that was a great way to look at recovery, so I, too, want to be a thriver. I am so, so grateful for how the program works in my life and the lives of people I love. I am grateful that …

Love and service. These are, I sense, one and the same. Love, without service, is illusory. Service, without love, is cold. True service always works both ways. I cannot give service without receiving it. I cannot receive service without giving it. Love and service are a circuit that connects two or more people. The love and service flow between and …

In the Big Book it advises, “Ask Him in your morning meditation what you can do each day for the man who is still sick” (Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th ed., p. 164). My ego tells me I need to do something spectacular, like curing cancer, so everyone can see wonderful me. But since I don’t have the time to cure cancer, …

When I walked into my first intergroup meeting in 2003, my presence increased the size of the entire intergroup by 33 percent. Only three members in the entire area fellowship were attempting to serve all of the meetings and a few hundred OA members! Only three! They traveled up to 40 miles (64 km) one way to attend intergroup meetings. …

When it comes to service and footwork for OA, I rarely say no when I’m asked to do a job, unless I have a good reason. I have started meetings, held meetings in my home, provided childcare, and been the literature person, secretary, treasurer, intergroup rep, WSBC delegate, and contact person. I’ve gone to the intergroup office for needed materials, …

I put my hand in yours, . . . At a retreat years ago in Melbourne, Australia, participants began with a trust walk. (A trust walk is where half the group closes its eyes and the other half leads them around.) Then, the roles were reversed so the other group could lead around the room. But one OA member attending …

Actions speak louder than words. When someone in recovery leads by example, then there is little room for debate. There are many ways to act and lead in OA, and I’ve found working my program makes it easier. For example, when I have a question but no clue how to begin the search for an answer, I first admit to …

In The Twelve Concepts of OA Service under Concept Twelve, it reads: “The spiritual foundation for OA service ensures that . . . b) sufficient operating funds, plus an ample reserve, shall be OA’s prudent financial principle” (p. 13). I see a connection between that and a result of my having worked Step Nine and making financial amends, which is that …

I’ve found it useful to think about the groups of people I associate with and consider what I’ve done lately to be of service to them. Family, religious groups, Twelve Step groups, neighbors, friends, and volunteer site workers are some of the categories of people in this inventory. A recent look at my activities showed that I wasn’t doing much …