Recoveries Anonymous

09/16/2026

From RA's daily journal, The Miracles Revealed:
September 16

*Revolutionized our whole attitude toward life, toward our fellows and toward God’s universe*

In the Big Book, on page 50, in the bottom paragraph, it says:

“Here are thousands of men and women, worldly indeed. They flatly declare that since they have come to believe in a Power greater than themselves, to take a certain attitude toward that Power, and to do certain simple things, there has been a revolutionary change in their way of living and thinking.”

Today I realize that, while I did want to stop hurting others, and myself, I didn’t want any drastic changes in the rest of my life. The pain I knew was more comfortable than the pain of the unknown.

I now know that there has been a revolutionary change in me.

Because of Recoveries Anonymous, my belief in a Power greater than myself has given me a new way of living and thinking. This has done far more than simply stopping me from hurting others, or myself.

Working all Twelve Steps within R.A. has given me an effective spiritual experience. I now have an entirely new and healthy attitude toward life, my fellows, and God’s universe.

In the Big Book, on page 25, in the second paragraph, it says:

“The great fact is just this, and nothing less:

That we have had deep and effective spiritual experiences which have revolutionized our whole attitude toward life, toward our fellows and toward God’s universe.”


The Revealed ✨

09/12/2026

RA's Daily Journal: The Miracles Revealed
September 13

*Defense must come from a Higher Power*

In the Big Book, on page 101, in the second paragraph, it says:

“In our belief any scheme of combating alcoholism which proposes to shield the sick man from temptation is doomed to failure. If the alcoholic tries to shield himself he may succeed for a time, but he usually winds up with a bigger explosion than ever.

We have tried these methods. These attempts to do the impossible have always failed.”

Today I realize that it was ridiculous for me to think that I could simply stop hurting others, or myself by avoiding temptation. It was true that I often seemed to succeed for a time. However, after each period of apparent success, I was worse than ever. My “attempts to do the impossible” always failed.

I now know that I am powerless. Therefore, I could not provide a defense against my problems and behaviors. I could not stop myself from harming others, or myself.

In Recoveries Anonymous, I have now learned that no one else, no matter how much they loved me, no matter how hard they tried, could have stopped me from hurting others, or myself.

Because of R.A., I now understand that my “defense must come from a Higher Power,” a Higher Power that I now choose to call God.

In the Big Book, on page 43, in the third paragraph, it says:

“Once more: The alcoholic at certain times has no effective mental defense against the first drink. Except in a few rare cases, neither he nor any other human being can provide such a defense. His defense must come from a Higher Power.”

The Miracles Revealed ✨

09/11/2026

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09/09/2026

An R.A. member shares:
The first Hidden Promise
“Love and tolerance of others is your code.”
(RA's Multilith Big Book pg 38, 2nd to last paragraph; last sentence ()4th Ed pg 84)
~~~~
For a long time in my , I viewed the first Hidden Promise directive that “love and tolerance of others is your code” through a narrow lens. It was a sentence I’ve seen and heard a million times and I never soaked in its true meaning; solely seeing tolerance simply as the ability to patiently put up with the world around me.
However, recent life experiences have brought about a profound phase of spiritual growth, opening my eyes to a much deeper, solution-based meaning of this phrase and what the program pioneers actually intended. I have come to realize that the Cambridge English Dictionary defines tolerate as "to accept behavior and beliefs that are different from your own, although you might not agree with or approve of them."
When I apply this definition through God’s will rather than my own selfishness, it transforms completely from a passive act of "enduring" others into a powerful, positive way of living. True tolerance is a loving, active stance of acceptance—an extension of the Golden Rule where I extend the same grace to my neighbor that I hope to receive myself. By focusing on this spiritual solution, I am learning to see all people through God's eyes, embracing this code as a daily path to peace, connection, and true freedom in recovery.
It, as quoted from RA’s Statement of Purpose, is a way “to practice the spiritual principles of our program in all my affairs.” This shifts “tolerance” from having a cold connotation, instead, into God’s will that protects me from my own judgements, resentments, and anger. I can cease fighting the world. I now accept people exactly as they are. I no longer hurt them nor myself, and can remain spiritually fit. I can be useful to help others in carrying RA’s message of hope, sanity, and recovery.

09/08/2026

Another R.A. member shares:

"The day before I was due to go back to Chicago, a Wednesday and Dr. Bob’s afternoon off, he had me down to the office and we spent three or four hours formally going through the Six-Step program as it was at that time.”
(RA's Multilith ,PS page 291)

How did the pioneers work with others? This program pioneer's story, "He Sold Himself Short", shows the way that R.A. has recognized from the beginning.
The value it has had for me is that I can see the path to is not as long and tedious as I was told elsewhere. The first excuse I encountered in another program was that the steps were really demanding and going through them would take weeks, months or even years. I even had to search out anyone who could take me through Step Four in that group and it was four years before I did it.

So, if doing all of the Steps produced a permanent recovery, when would I ever see that? All those years of waiting to recover when recovery was there waiting for me! This short story blew the old idea - it takes years - out of the water.
If the pioneers of program could go through the program quickly and recover, so could I.

I did. And I did - recover! By God's grace through this Twelve Step recovery program.

09/05/2026

One R.A. member shares:

“If you are convinced, you are now at Step Three, which is that you make a decision to turn your will and your life over to God as you understand Him. Just what do we mean by that, and just what do we do?” (R.A.'s Multilith Big Book page 27, paragraph 3)

More than 40 years ago, my sponsor told me that he took the first three Steps backwards. In summary, he could turn his will over to God (Step Three) only if he believed that God could and would restore him to sanity (Step Two); and he could only admit he was powerless (Step One) after he saw that God could restore him to sanity.

The presentation of the Twelve Steps, and the chapter titled, "We Anostics" addresses non-believers and non-trusters; and opens the door to anyone of any faith or no faith.

My sponsor came to believe and so can you.

09/03/2026

Another R.A. member shares:

"But we aren't a glum lot. If newcomers could see no joy or fun in our existence, they wouldn't want it. We absolutely insist on enjoying life…So we think cheerfulness and laughter make for usefulness." Big Book, page 132

I am such an R.A. oldtimer that my first sponsor was Harris L. ,a founder of our program. And a sense of humor was part of his sponsoring me more than 40 years ago. Once, I called him in the middle of the day, not the usual time for a call. But in R.A., we always try to be there for one another, as I was recently reminded by another oldtimer. Well, this time, those many years ago, when I asked if Harris if he was busy, he said, "I'm getting plastered." Shocked that he had been drinking (so I thought), he said, "It's like this, the plaster on the ceiling is falling on me."

09/01/2026

An R.A. member shares:

"I spend a great deal of time passing on what I learned to others who want and need it badly." RA's Multilith , page 6, Personal Stories, The Doctor's Nightmare

Forty-three years ago, my bottom hit me, I didn't hit it. Drowning in the mire of self-destructive behavior and knowing I had no sense of sanity, I could see my life fading away into meaningless nothingness. In a last ditch effort, I dragged myself to a meeting of an anonymous group I was familiar with, and I sat in the last chair in the last row.

This gem was the best thing that happened to me. I found it on a chair with a legal pad and pen. I copied it, enthusiastically. The words, "recovered, relieved, sanity" jumped out at me. It sounded so awesome after so many years of hearing it could never happen. Then the next thing was the speaker who said he recovered. He said if I hadn't done all Twelve Steps, and if I hadn't recovered, recovery was there for me when I did the whole 12. He put that paper in the four corners of the room. I picked it up, found those words and the instructions for how to recover in the Big Book, followed them, and recovered.

08/30/2026

An R.A. Member shares:

“Your Heavenly Father will never let you down!”
(Multilith , PS6)

Next stop: Chinatown

A friend and I were playing tourist in San Francisco. We’d been on our feet for about a half hour, and were determined to make Chinatown our next stop. My friend wanted to walk, but agreed to my suggestion that we take public transportation. Another 7 or 8 minutes got us to the bus stop, where we waited for another 5 minutes. Suddenly a tram appeared, and I assumed it was the tram google maps had called CA 1, so we got onboard. My friend said “This isn’t the bus or light rail. This is the trolley and it costs $9.00. And it doesn’t go to Chinatown. The next stop is way out of where we want to go, probably Sutter”. “Sorry,” I told her, “So let’s get off.” She hesitated, and said, “Too late,” although we sat another couple of minutes. I apologized again, feeling regret that what I thought was my mistake had disappointed her and would probably cost us money. The driver rang the bell, the trolley lurched forward, and the conductor announced, “Next stop: Chinatown!”

Chinatown - exactly where we wanted to go! A free ride on the San Francisco trolley, and another demonstration of God’s power, God’s love, and God’s way of life. I thanked Him for working things out better than anything I could have planned. As Dr. Bob wrote at the end of his story, “Your Heavenly Father will never let you down!”

08/28/2026