Thursday, 2/26/09 - STILL HERE!

"STILL HERE!"

I'm still here and still grateful.

Last night I attended a preview showing for a new artist at a local coffee shop. Entrance was $10.00 to attend and it came with hors d'oerves and a glass of wine. I declined the wine glass and was told I could have coffee, tea, water, whatever. A short time later, the artist whose work was being displayed and an Al-Anon program friend of mine asked if I wanted a glass of wine (she forgot I was an alcoholic). I laughed as I said to her, "It would be better and easier to just hand me a gun and I'll shoot myself." This comment was so spontaneous and so immediate I actually surprised myself. I realized again how totally the desire for alcohol was removed from me when I got sober. (Thank God.) I did continue to do my part and kept my eyes on everything there was to look at and not on the wine glasses or bottles around the room.

I'm going to visit my daughter in Tampa this weekend. I'll see her and her boyfriend and I'm sure I'll get a chance to see my son and his fiance. I'm so excited.

I gave some thought to what I wanted to do for a Lenten observance. At church we were given a "Little Black Book" of reflections - a meditation book.

So.....I decided to do the following each day:
Read a list of affirmations aloud.
Read & reflect on the day's "Little Black Book" entry
Read "God Calling"
Read "Daily Reflections" (AA)
Read "Hope for Today" (Al-Anon)
Read "The Language of Letting Go"
Write a journal entry.

I have had several opportunities in the last week to place my hands on people - a knee pain here, a back pain there, a headache here. Every time this happens, I feel I am fulfilling my purpose to use the healing touch I have been given. In each instance, I said to the person, "I do my part and leave the results up to God."

I have a very special place in my heart for the bloggers who visit my site and always appreciate your comments.

Whenever I blog -
I DO MY PART AND
LEAVE THE RESULTS UP TO GOD!

Signing off for now,
Prayer Girl

(Photo credit: Lil Blue Eyes by Teresa Lee)

Monday, 2/23/09 - TOGETHER

"TOGETHER"

TOGETHER
Sitting silently along the bank
Our fingers sift soft sand
Seeps through every slender valley, crevice, turn
Turns round into another notch
We twine our minds - twist, convolute
Sand - slow, gentle wanderings in and out
Turning, rolling through the swirlings of our minds

Together, now flowing into glittering channels deep
Studded with stars, larger stars - rays of sun
Glance off the crystal glistening flow
Moving faster, faster, speeding into the sequined night
Hard torrents cutting back and forth
Into the farthest unknown light
Crystallized together into every trace of time
Prayer Girl

Saturday, 2/21/09 - LET GO AND LET GOD

"LET GO AND LET GOD"

I stumbled my way down many dead end avenues in my quest to escape the pain and confusion I lived with. I was in the depths of denial, the throes of alcoholism and understood nothing of my predicament, but the misery.

I was baptized a second time in a Baptist church in hopes that somehow it would make things better. (I had been baptized as a baby.) When there were altar calls to be prayed over, I would be up there on my knees.

My condition continued to worsen and eventually a nurse where I worked came into my office, shut the door and began to speak to me of alcoholism. She explained my shaking hands and other things about the disease. I immediately placed a wall of steel up between her words and my mind, but the seed was planted.

My general physician was ignorant about alcoholism, treated me with disdain, spoke in a demeaning manner, and made it clear I needed to use will power. This increased my guilt and shame. I had to convince him to prescribe antabuse. That was not the cure, of course, but did help me have some drink-free days near the final end of my drinking.

After an incident when I awoke from a blackout (I didn't know at that time there was such a thing as a blackout.) with a knife in my hand, I ended up at the local hospital after 911 had been called and was finally released with an appointment to meet with my minister for counseling. I met with this loving man for months as I continued drinking.

All these events were orchestrated perfectly by God. I finally ended up inside the doors of Alcoholics Anonymous. That too was a temporary dead end for me UNTIL I totally surrendered.

I had many 'yea buts'.

• Yea but, I can't stay away from this slippery place because my whole family is going.
• Yea but, my husband this and my husband that.....
• Yea but, my children need this, that and the other thing.

THE RESULT? I kept relapsing, drinking again.

Thank God I came to the place where I LET GO of trying to stay sober on my own terms.

When I finally admitted complete defeat, that my interpretation of what I should and shouldn't and could and couldn't do to stay sober didn't work -

I LET GO
AND

I LET GOD

take over and be in charge of my recovery. He worked with me through my sponsor, members of Alcoholics Anonymous, my counselor, and many other people and situations.

This time I listened, followed directions, and have been sober since.

Today I know that the solution to all my problems lies in:

LETTING GO
AND
LETTING GOD

Prayer Girl

(Photo credit: Frosty Sun Rise by cambuck1)

Friday, 2/20/09 - EUPHORIC OBSESSION

"EUPHORIC OBSESSION"

I have a very dear friend I would characterize as being in a near constant state of 'euphoric obsession'. This person feels good, great, super, on a 'high' almost all of the time.

This seemingly 'picture perfect' existence is interrupted by periodic crashes with reality. These clashes are typically of the relationship variety when euphoria comes in conflict with the cold, hard reality of others trying to live in a more balanced way.

This person so reminds me of how I was when I first started drinking alcoholically and was in a state of bliss to have finally discovered a solution to my life and especially relationship problems. However, soon enough, my escape into this transcendent state ended in discord with husband, children, co-workers - all of whom weren't as happy about my ever joyful demeanor as I was.

Fast forward in time and I am reminded of my first year in Alcoholics Anonymous. I was never on a pink cloud, but I certainly was out of the alcohol obsession and immersed in a life-saving obsession with recovery through AA and God's new found presence in my life.

This new fixation sometimes brought me in conflict again with others. I was constantly at meetings, packing up and taking my very young daughter with me to meetings or cajoling my son to watch her. My emotions were skyrocketing all over the place - up, down, all around. Thank God I was able to allow this positive obsession to play out its course until I found balance in my life.

This whole discussion brings a paragraph from "Alcoholics Anonymous" (the Big Book) to mind. It is found in the chapter, "The Family Afterward", page 125-126.

"Many alcoholics are enthusiasts. They run to extremes. At the beginning of recovery a man will take as a rule, one of two directions. He may either plunge into a frantic attempt to get on his feet in business, or he may be so enthralled by his new life that he talks or thinks of little else. In either case certain family problems will arise. With these we have had experience galore."

EUPHORIC OBSESSION
Euphoric obsession
Most precious possession
Interrupted, corrupted, waking me
By sudden crashes with reality

Wake up, wake up
Ahead waits a crash-up
No, no, I'm totally fine
Leave me alone this time
Prayer Girl

(Photo credit: Amazing glass circle by Angela7dreams)

Monday 2/16/09 - FOG

"FOG"

For almost a week, we have had fog come in from the Gulf in the late afternoons in town and by about 7 pm inland where I live.

On Friday, I was in town at a meeting. When it was over, it was about 3 pm. And I on my purple cycle, sporting my pink helmet, rode down the main road along the Gulf of Mexico to the gym. As I traveled, I could see haze ahead and then all around me. I said to myself, "Is this smoke? What is it?" There was no smell of smoke. I heard no sirens. I'm not usually so close to the shore that time of day when on rare occasions fog happens to roll in. I could feel very cool jets of moist air in my face and on my arms as I rode. When I got to the gym, I then realized it was fog. It was so exhilarating. Fog is magical, mystical, spiritual, it makes the ordinary - extraordinary. Why? I don't know. It just does.


FOG
Heavenly hush, hallowed silence still
Slowly slipping from the sea
Billowing curling cotton - surely
Unfurling up the shore to me

Surrounding, shrouding, hiding all
In smoke, a haze, a misty gray
Cool, moist fingers in the air
Change the nature of the day

Familiar sights all disappear
In densest dew drops pure
Sounds muffled by a million mists
Move the mind to mystic musing sure

Move me, smooth me, whisper to me
Words of hope and healing tone - then hear
My words returned in deepest love
"I hear you loud and clear!"
Prayer Girl

(Photo credits: Winter fog by Kate Howland, Bagnoregio in the Mist by ycnay)

Saturday, 2/14/09 - "CHERISH"

(Pure joy!)

"CHERISH"

I cherish the joy I see on the face of this little girl.

I cherish the meeting I had with my sponsor this week and that she shares so freely of her wisdom and love. She always knows just what I need to hear.

I cherish the sun streaming through the window that is driving out the fog that surrounded our town last night.

I cherish the next poem that is forming in my spirit - biding its time for expression.

I cherish these calm and quiet moments this morning - alone, freshly awake - composing a blog.

I cherish that my "writer's block" has vanished.

I cherish each and every sponsee God has placed in my life. They are a revelation to me. As I labor with them through their awakening process, I get to see myself more clearly.

I cherish that it is Valentine's Day, I have awakened to an empty house, that I found a candy Valentine at my computer left by my wonderful husband - filled with Turtles - that I dearly love.

I cherish my plan for today - ride a bicycle for exercise, go to my women's noon AA meeting where I will meet a sponsee and two girls she is helping, go to 3:00 Mass, head out to the County Fair for our annual dose of County Fair Food and Fun.

I cherish my kitty cat - Bert. He is loving the sun on the porch so much that he does not even want to come in. (He sleeps out there at nights.) We have a morning ritual. I let him in, he eats. But right now, the door is open and he is just rolling on his back and talking and talking (kitty speak) to the sun rays on his little kitty body.

I cherish Mr. Steveroni more than words can express - my hero, my Valentine.

I cherish our children.

I cherish my AA and Al-Anon programs, meetings, and wonderful fellow recovering friends.

I cherish my new blog friends. I cherish your honesty, your commitment, and your support.

I cherish each person God leads me to at the hospital each Monday.

I cherish my spiritual life, my spiritual eyes that allow me to see beyond the ordinary things of this life and touch (if only ever so briefly) the beauty and love of God.

I cherish the belief, faith, and trust in answered prayers that God has so generously given me.

Prayer Girl

(Photo credit: Snow in South Bend by Amy Hart Baker)

Thursday, 2/12/09 - "CEASED FIGHTING"

(The way it was!)

"CEASED FIGHTING"

"And we have ceased fighting anything or anyone-even alcohol."
From Alcoholics Anonymous (the Big Book), Chapter 6, Into Action, p. 84)

I fought the drink and I lost every single time. I fought in my spirit and in my mind that constant obsession to "again experience the sense of ease and comfort which comes at once by taking a few drinks..." (BB, The Doctor's Opinion, p.xxvi) and lost over and over. And every time I lost the battle with that obsessive thought, I would take a drink and set in motion that totally overpowering compulsion to drink more and more.

I was also in constant turmoil with everyone around me. I fought for the right to drink. Let no one tell me I was drinking, drinking too much, or should stop. NO WAY! I would rather fight than have to do what was for me the impossible - stop drinking.

AND THEN - it was in the TOTAL SURRENDER I found upon awakening from my last drunk, that I ceased fighting alcohol completely and turned my drinking over to God. When I ceased fighting, the war just ended - for me, it was just like that. That didn't mean it was an easy road. I had to rebuild all that had been destroyed during the war with alcohol. God led me down each path I needed to travel to build a new world for myself, on the inside as well as on the outside. He changed my insides with the twelve steps and led me to new outside circumstances.

It was through the twelve steps that I was able to cease fighting everyone around me. I learned to take my focus off everyone else's faults and focus on my own. I had plenty of them. I learned to live a sober life. I learned to do what was good for me, but not at someone else's expense.

Today, I am first and foremost at peace within my mind and spirit and that allows me to be at peace with my disease. I don't fight it. I just leave it in God's hands and do my part - one day at a time - every single day.

I am also at peace with other people. I have ceased fighting them and I get along with most people. The few I don't mix well with - I just don't mix with them!

There is such power in surrender - one of the many wonderful paradoxes of our program.

Prayer Girl

(Photo credit: Here Kitt, Kitty - Darla Rupert)

Wednesday, 2/11/09 - "TONGUES"

"TONGUES"

TONGUES
Move your lips - your throat
Try to see and hear
What the ears can't catch
And the mind can't snare

Ma lamar son ne
Car toum ma dis
Shalir me nom
Car man da lire

Sweep soaring shaft
Star shimmering soft
Sweet sounds silent
Star span - solar

On the waves of sound
Lift upward bound
The ears rise up to starward sound

Burst out to space
Amongst the stars
The nebulae enswirls along
Prayer Girl


(Photo Credit: NASA, ESA, Hubble Heritage Team, (STScl / AURA))

Tuesday, 2/10/09 - "A SERENDIPITOUS VISIT"

"A SERENDIPITOUS VISIT"

Today was hospital visiting day. There are two towers in our hospital, a north and a south one. The north tower is a little more challenging, containing the ER, ICU (intensive care unit), SICU (surgical intensive care unit), CVRU (cardio vascular recovery unit), PCU (progressive care unit), as well as regular patient rooms. The south tower is primarily rehabilitation, neuro-science, behavioral health, and general patient rooms.

When I first began volunteering, I was assigned the north tower twice. Since then I have been assigned the south tower each Monday. The gentleman who normally is assigned the north tower had not come last Monday and it was not known if he would come today, so I was assigned the north tower.

It was the last of 16 visits I made today and the last 25 minutes of the 4 hour shift. I walked into a room where there was a gentleman who was clearly the patient and a woman who was his wife. I identified myself and within the first few minutes I understood that he was dealing with critical health problems and his wife's parents were very ill as well.

This couple was not from our town, but from New York State. They had been visiting her parents trying to help with their care when the husband suffered a recurrence of his severe illness.

As we talked, I slowly began to notice just a few certain familiar words, phrases, and ideas interspersed in their conversation with me. For example, they stated they had both been raised with religious backgrounds, but were today spiritual rather than religious. The wife said several times that she had to pray to God for strength every day and if she forgets, she sure knows it. Later, he spoke about dealing with life just for the day.

After about 15 minutes, these familiar words finally came to full fruit in my conscious mind and out of my mouth came the words, "Are either of you or both of you familiar with someone by the name of Bill W.?" They both smiled, their faces lit up, and he said, "This kind of thing always happens when we most need it." Both were long time members of our beloved fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous.

I was able then to be supportive and encouraging in the way that only one alcoholic can be for another alcoholic. I told them about meetings in the area.

She discussed serious relationship issues between herself and her mother. She was concerned that these difficulties had caused enough stress to have been in part responsible for her husband's current hospitalization. We were able to pray together, all three of us, for healing of body and of relationships.

IMHO this visit was orchestrated by our God who brings us to sobriety and carries us through all manner of difficulty.

Thank you God for this serendipitous visit.

Prayer Girl

(Photo Credit: pembrokeshire-ga)

Monday, 2/9/09 - "STAR WORDS"

"STAR WORDS"

This came off my coffee cup from Starbucks yesterday. On it was written something a Starbucks customer from New York City, Anne Morriss, said and it made it's way onto one of their cups - as a "The Way I see It".

"The Way I see It #76"
"The irony of commitment is that it's deeply liberating - in work, in play, in love. The act frees you from the tyranny of your internal critic, from the fear that likes to dress itself up and parade around as rational hesitation. To commit is to remove your head as the barrier to your life."

I just added (for myself) "...the irony of commitment (to the 12 steps) is that....". Wonder if she's one of us?
It doesn't matter.
Her thoughts spoke to me in a big way.
I pass them on.

Prayer Girl

(Photo Credit: Innocence by Jason Mac)

Sunday, 2/8/09 - "THE OLD DAYS"

"THE OLD DAYS"

I took a little trip down memory lane today at my noon women's meeting.

During the meeting, someone shared "When God closes a door, He opens a window." I remember hearing this years ago as "When God closes one door, He always opens another." Then someone else shared in the same vein, "When God closes a door, He opens a window, but it sure is Hell in the hallway."

My thought was, "When God closes a door, He opens a Universe."

There were more than a few long-timers in the room today who shared a lot of the simple and very effective thoughts I heard as a newcomer. It is always great to be reminded of the "olden days", bring those ideas forward into the present, refresh them in my own mind, and get them into the heads of the newcomer. Some of these I still hear often enough, some rarely, and some not at all.

Here are a few of my favorites:

• Don't drink and go to meetings.

• If your life is unmanageable, maybe you need a new manager.

• Newcomer: I don't understand the 1st step, What' it about? Answer: Shut up and get in the car, we're going to a meeting.

• There are only two times you should go to a meeting 1. When you want to go to one and 2. When you don't want to go.

• Where my mind goes, my feet will follow so watch out where your mind goes.

• Religion is for people scared of going to Hell! Spirituality is for people who have been there!

• The problem with life is it's so daily.

• Everything will be O.K., will work out in the end, and if it's not O.K., then it's not at the end.

• You can't afford the luxury of a negative thought.

• People can't give what they don't have.

• I am powerless over alcohol no matter who is drinking.

• Even if your a-- is falling off, pick it up and carry it to a meeting.

• God is the answer. What's the question?

• I am a spiritual being having a human experience.

Prayer Girl

Saturday, 2/7/09 - "SOUL AS DUST"

"SOUL AS DUST"

SOUL AS DUST
My soul is dry, it's dust, deserted
Like bones pulverized by pestle, mortar
Sifting, shifting, slowly drifting
Out the pores - the doors of who I am

Wasting away - fading fast
Vibrancy of youth laid flat
What has happened?
What disease destroys?

Time has had its way with
Stolen minutes of the mind
Theft of bouncing merry step
Banished beauty of the blush

Away to a remotest spot
To spin, then stop, to sort, to spare
Further loss, need for repair
Haste! Halt! Help! Hush! Hope!

Prayer Girl

Friday, 2/6/09 - TRIBUTE TO "A-RONI"

(Mr. a-roni-a-roni)

(Bolognaroni)

(Macaroni)

A TRIBUTE TO "A-RONI"

My taste buds take off their hats to:

Macaroni

Cannelloni

Rigatoni

Pepperoni

and even

Baloney

But "I" take off my hat to pay tribute to my Mr. a-roni.

To his church family he is:

Mr. Violin-a-roni bringing music to uplift the spirit.

Mr. Greet-a-roni to give a warm smile and warmer words.

To his AA family he is:

Mr. Welcom-a-roni holding out his hand to newcomers, old-timers and all between.

Mr. Truth-a-roni who tells it like it is NMW (no matter what).

Mr. Experience-a-roni who shares his 34 years of experience freely.

To his blog family he is:

Mr. Steveroni.

Mr. Humor-roni.

Mr. Advice-a-roni who gives the best and most honest advice he can.

Mr. Personal-a-roni who gets 'up close and personal' with encouragement and support.

Mr. Blog-a-roni who loves and immerses himself in the blog world.

Mr. Inspiration-a-roni who is on fire with ideas.

And all kinds of other "a-ronis" as assigned by his fellow bloggers.

To his wife he is:

Mr. Heart of my Heart-a-roni.

Mr. Love of my Life-a-roni.

Mr. Soul Mate-a-roni.

Mr. Irreplaceable-a-roni

To his God he is:

Mr. Use-me-roni any time.

Mr. Channel-a-roni of God's peace and love.

HATS OFF TO THE "A-RONI"

Prayer Girl

Thursday, 2/5/09 - "LIVING IN A FANTASY WORLD"

(Living in a fantasy world wherever I could find one!)

"LIVING IN A FANTASY WORLD"

Dear Readers,

"The real test of a man is not how well he plays the role he has invented for himself, but how well he plays the role that destiny assigned to him." - Jan Patocka

When I was young, I lived in many fantasy worlds that filled me with joy, happiness, excitement, filled up the places inside me that were empty and frightening.

I had two girlfriends who were sisters - Jane, my age, and Peggy, the younger sister. The three of us spent countless days, hours, and minutes living in worlds that were other than reality. I really don't know how common this is. Perhaps it is very normal for young children, but I took it to the extreme and carried this practice into my adult life. At that point, it failed me entirely.

We would play records of musicals and dance, sing, and act them out. This was one of our most favorite pastimes. We repeated it over and over in their living room. I loved being in their home. There was something about it that lured me to it.

We also created "other" homes wherever we could find them, and lived out nonexistent lives of imaginary people. We had houses in trees, in abandoned houses (very dangerous now that I look back on it), in garages behind other peoples houses, anywhere we could find one. There was actually (believe it or not) an abandoned mansion called Blair Mansion in Silver Spring, Maryland. That was the bonanza of a fantasy land. It was a true mansion with huge grounds including arbors and gazebos. It was multi-storied with many rooms, many still containing dishes, old letters, odds and ends. These made for fabulous inventions in our young minds.

These sisters lived in a very large home. The girls' bedroom had a huge walk in closet that actually had a window in it. This made for an absolutely perfect alternate reality setting.

I was and wasn't a "Tom Girl". I could play cowboy and cowgirl with the best of the little boys in the neighborhood. I had my cowgirl outfit, bike with saddlebags and pretend rifle attached. At the same time, I had an entire "other life" going on under the dressing table in my bedroom. The dressing table had an area underneath it that was hidden from view by curtain material that could be opened by pulling back two movable arms of wood. When opened, there was a doll's home of my creation underneath. There was a doll bed, other furniture and a life teeming with activity beneath that piece of furniture in the privacy of my room.

I played these invented roles constantly and well. But the fact that when I moved from childhood into adulthood and did not leave them behind caused me much pain and confusion. I had no grasp whatsoever on "reality". I believe that these fantasy lives helped me cope with a world of emotions and thoughts that were too painful to acknowledge.

As an adult, with college life, the work world, marriage, and children, these worlds of illusion lost their ability to work for me and I was left with the realness of life that was far too painful. I just could not function.

ENTER - CENTER STAGE - ALCOHOL

Alcohol allowed me to escape in a more adult way. No more dolls, no more forts hidden under gigantic pine trees, and no more living a life of plays, T.V. shows or musicals. I had outgrown these childish ways, but was left with an adult life that I had no idea how to manage. Alcohol made it all go away. I didn't care, it masked the pain and confusion (for a while).

BUT THEN - it nearly destroyed me.

It seems that God had actually assigned me a role that was real and not make-believe. He reached down before I could completely annihilate myself, plucked me up out of my alcoholism, set me on the path of the 12 steps, and has gently moved me into the destiny He has assigned me.

What is my assigned role? I can only describe parts of it that have been revealed to me.

So far, I know that my role (God's will for me) is to:

Stay sober, help other alcoholics, and practice the principles of the program in all my affairs.

Be open and ready to freely give of the healing touch God has so lovingly given me.

Write poems, blog, express myself by the written word no matter how I may judge them myself and wish to stick my thoughts into a hidden recess of my desk.

Share my experience, strength, and hope with others.

THANK GOD I HAVE FOUND A REALITY THAT IS FAR MORE SATISFYING THAN ALL MY FANTASY LIVES.

Sincerely,
Prayer Girl

(Photo credit: Water & Ice By Triphammer)

Wednesday, 2/4/09 - "YOU"

"YOU"

You -

Touch of light, something close
Shot past and grazed my life
I felt the breeze strafe by
Apart yet near beside

Wound - wide - opened
Tumbled in the light
The air around was charged
Electric elusive flight

Healed a scar quite tight and taut
Trapped in a glint of sun
Sealed a waft of wind
To shine and soar within

Prayer Girl

(Photo credit: Interstellar Overdrive - Space Dot Com - Image of the Day)

Tuesday, 2/3/09 - "GOD IN SKIN"

"GOD IN SKIN"

There are many times when God directs me through His gentle and sometimes more vigorous pushing or nudging in my mind and spirit.

He also speaks to me in the sound of the whispering wind or lap of the surf against the shore.

I feel His presence in the breeze blowing through my hair and across my body.

I smell His nearness in the fragrance of the gardenia bush and wild honeysuckle.

I see Him in the glorious sunrise and the blazing sunset.

But very often I NEED "GOD IN SKIN". It is skin that holds the pen that writes the words of comfort or instruction that brings peace and knowledge. It was Bill W's skin that grasped the instrument and penned the Big Book - "Alcoholics Anonymous" with the instructions for alcoholics to save their lives.

It is skin that touches the keyboard and produces the blogs we write, read, and comment on in support of each other.

It is skin that grasps the paintbrush, crayon, pencil or knife to paint or sculpt a work of art.

It is skin that holds a violin to play a beautiful Bach or Handel composition.

It is skin that holds a hand or is placed on a worried or fevered brow and delivers that healing power of touch.

We are "God in skin" for each other.

Thank God we cooperate.

(Photo credit: Daddy and Me by Ashley St. Germain)

Monday, 2/2/09 - "DEAR GOD"

"DEAR GOD"

Dear God, This prayer is being offered for all those who find themselves in difficult circumstances.

There are those in deep despair - depression dogging their every endeavor, pulling them down to depths to which they never dreamed of descending and finding they are unable to prevent the descent.

There are those also who are in that "darkest before the dawn" place in their minds - in confusing mental torment like a ping pong bouncing back and forth between opposite thoughts and feelings - good/bad, love/hate, anger/forgiveness, hopeless/hopeful.

There are those feeling "less than", inadequate, isolated, cut off from the sunlight of Your spirit. You know that I and my fellow recovering friends have been in all these places - "Been there, done that." You know that from time to time the ghosts of these places try to come back to haunt the house of the soul and mind.

For all of us I pray.
Dear God, reach your hand out and lift us up. Hold us in the palm of your hand as we move through any dark times. Give us hope, trust, faith, and patience to live one day at a time until we return to that place where we once again find ourselves in the warmth of Your spirit.

Place your hands, that source of all power, around those who find themselves weak, powerless. Guide us with the 12 steps you lovingly gave us to lead the way. May we reach out and be "God in skin" to each other. Remind us always that it is only by giving away what You have so freely given us, that we will keep and multiply those blessings.

Thank you God for all Your blessings and for answered prayers,
Prayer Girl

(Photo credit: Praying Hands by Debe Maxwell)