Share It Shared Struggle When I received my April 2018 Lifeline magazine and opened it at random, I read the beautiful poem New Life Blooming. It struck me so much that I decided to bring it to my OA meeting that afternoon. I read it to the other members, and as we shared our thoughts about it, all of us realized we experienced some of … Read More
Recovery Working the Program Trust and Enjoy At a meeting today, a member shared that another OA member with many problems had committed suicide. That share prompted others to share about the importance of working the program, doing what works, trusting that process, and walking in action, no matter how we feel. This week has been a challenge, but it’s amazing how God works in my life … Read More
Service Tools & Concepts Give It Some G-A-S When I came into OA in 1983, I was taught early on about the G-A-S that makes the program run: Gratitude, Abstinence, and Service. I started my service by giving rides to meetings, arranging for my two daughters to babysit so young mothers could get to meetings, and making at least three phone calls every day. I set up the … Read More
Share It Principle Placement I am a Lifeline subscriber and can’t imagine ever not being one. Everything about the magazine is wonderful. The talent and work put into its production is such a service. I still have my old OA Brown Book and the OA Twelve and Twelve I purchased in 1991. A few years ago, in my Twelve and Twelve, I wrote in by hand each … Read More
Tools & Concepts A Potent and Positive Influence After I’d been in OA about two months, stayed abstinent for more than thirty days, and finished my first three Steps, my meeting had a step-up ceremony. During it, my sponsor declared me ready to sponsor and gave me a sponsorship guide manual she’d assembled. “Sponsoring is a way of living Step Twelve,” she said. I thought, “Why do I … Read More
Share It sharing Doing Service Anyway I so appreciated reading the Service and Recovery story in the March 2018 issue of Lifeline (“Speaker Go-Getter”). It reminded me of everything I have learned in Overeaters Anonymous about remaining abstinent: by reaching out to others, we create the framework for our own recovery. When I was very new, the secretary of a Saturday meeting asked me to lead the meeting … Read More
Recovery Working the Program Service Before, Service Now Service came to me before abstinence. I attended and participated in OA meetings, which is a form of service, before the compulsion to overeat was lifted from me. Relief from obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors involves an ongoing learning with others in recovery that is guided by a Higher Power. Today, I am recovered from what seemed to be a … Read More
Meetings Tools & Concepts Talking Points At our meetings, before the meeting is opened up for sharing, someone always reads the statement on cross talk from the Suggested Meeting Format, so that members are aware of guidelines for sharing. Recently the leader of our meeting slipped: instead of asking for a volunteer to read the statement about cross talk, she asked, “Who would like to read … Read More
Diversity Newcomers Looking Forward I spent the past three years mostly unhappy. I lost both my parents, my second marriage failed, and my children had issues with the separation. I avoided any intimate relationships and, in spite of three years of therapy, still didn’t have a firm idea about why. I also hit my all-time-high weight of 285 pounds (129 kg). I was bingeing … Read More
Diversity Newcomers The Path of Totality In August last year, parts of the United States witnessed a full solar eclipse. There was roughly a 70-mile-wide (113 km) “path of totality,” and the lucky individuals along this path got to experience an awesome phenomenon. At first, I didn’t understand the hype, but my daughter lives near Nashville, which was in the path of totality, so she invited … Read More
