There is no such thing as fear!”

Published Plain and Straight Newsletter - October 2007

Right now you may be thinking, “How can he say that? Of course there is fear, I feel it all the time.” Here is what I have learned over the years and the few simple steps I use to overcome all of my fears. Fear in itself is not real. Can you hold it? Can you see it? You can’t even smell it? It can only be felt. It’s an EMOTION. Fear creeps into my conscious mind when I project into the future in a negative way. If I am projecting positively, there is NO fear associated with the same event. Franklin Roosevelt said, “The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself.” Here are the steps that I use to overcome this crippling emotion. Ponder these 3 questions. Take some time with each:
· Am I a negative person?
· Could most of my fears be of my own making?
· Can I create a fear by thinking of the future in a bad way?
Fear, although it does take place in the present moment, can be controlled or eliminated by changing the way I think in that present moment. If you’re willing to change your thinking patterns, you to can eliminate fear from your life forever. In the beginning you will have to practice but over time it becomes automatic. Here is the simple 3-step process that I use to eliminate fear from my life:

1. When I am fearful over some event, I stop, and look at how I am projecting into the future
negatively.

2. I then ground myself in the present moment. I do this by asking the question, “is this real
or am I imagining it? Where is this fear actually taking place?” Fear always takes place in
MY mind and is always imagined. Fear does not take place outside of my own continuous.

3. Finally I must ask, “What positive result could come out of this situation?” and think about
that outcome? I must keep practicing number three, over and over until it becomes my
normal pattern of thinking instead of the old negative reaction.

Here is an example of how I used this method in 2004 when hurricane Charley was bearing down on Tampa Bay: The weather models were showing 20 colored lines with the storms path directly up the mouth of Tampa Bay. Only 1 of the models had the storm turning south. My first reaction was PANIC, then FEAR, and finally after practicing the 1-2-3 above, I transformed the fear into some degree of serenity, and peace. I concentrated on the one line instead of the 20. I refused to buy into the idea Charlie was coming here. I even talked about it with some of my friends and they said I was crazy. Well, we all know what happened. The storm took a sudden change in course, which was not seen by the experts. Punta Gorda was not so lucky. The people suffered greatly but I realized by staying in the present moment and remaining positive all things are possible inside MY world. Most of my friends wasted the entire week fearing what MIGHT happen. I on the other hand because I was thinking differently, had a wonderful week. Did God listen to me instead of the people further south? Of course not, but in my little world, inside my consciousness, there was peace. I wasn’t looking for someone else to suffer, just not me. I can go on and on how this formula has helped me overcome many of my fears. Try it, and when you see this working in your life, like me, you may say; “I do not fear anything, today”.

by John L, Citrus County Florida

God used the Grapevine

God used the Grapevine to bring childhood friends back together.

Submitted to the Grapevine - June 2008

Rosemary was my sister’s best friend and lived in the house across the street. She and her two brothers, Barry and Neil were my friends in early childhood, especially during those tough times. Barry, my best friend, was closer in age to me than Rosemary so I didn’t hang out much with her, especially since she was a girl. We were the tough guys back then.

When I was thirteen, my best friends moved away to Florida, and I lost contact with them. My sister stayed in contact with Rosemary for a few years, but when Rosemary moved a second time they lost contact as well.

Now some 50 years later, Rosemary is living in Virginia and been sober for 20 years. She was reading my story in the November 2007 Grapevine. As she read the story, she was thinking to herself, “I know who this is”. It is the same town, same first name, and the same story about his father dying in a car crash. It must be.

The town I live in now was printed in the article. Rosemary did some research and found my email address. We have been in contact ever since. Turns out we both put down the drink in the same month and year. Coincidence? Don’t think so. God had been working in both our lives for sure.

As a result of the Grapevine printing my story, I am now in contact with my old friends. We may be scattered around the globe but we still email. So thank you God for using the Grapevine to bring me back in contact with my old friends from long ago.

by John L.

My Very Best Meeting

My Very Best Meeting

Submitted to Grapevine - June 2008

At that time I was traveling throughout the US installing editorial software in newspapers. It was just before the year 2000 computer bug and I was upgrading our customers so they would not be affected when it happened. That year I visited 35 different cities and had the privilege of attending at least one AA meeting in each of those cities. There wasn’t time to research a meeting when I arrived into town so I would jump in the rental car, say a little prayer and start to drive. Of course I would increase my chances by heading out on my adventure at 7:30 and looked in church parking lots around the motel. I always found a meeting.

One night I was installing for a paper in Canton Ohio. I was staying in a motel in Akron. I had a chance to drive by Dr. Bob’s house but it was closed. I said my prayer and off I went to find a meeting. Sure enough right down the street was a church with a full parking lot. I found bumper stickers and knew this was a meeting. I never could have imagined just how special this meeting was. I stepped into the church basement and was greeted by this elderly gentleman saying, “welcome to the Akron First Groups 63rd anniversary”. What a privilege. This was the first official AA meeting ever and they were still going strong some 63 years later.

On display was a large glassed case with First Edition Big Books signed by Bill and Bob. There were all sorts of letters and pictures of the founders and the first 100. What a thrill.

This without a doubt was the best meeting I’ve been to in my 22 years attending AA. Thank you Akron First Group.

The Recovery Process as John Sees It

The Recovery Process as John Sees It

Submitted to Oparh.com - August 19, 2008

There are as many ways in overcoming addictions, as there are addicts. There are five stages associated with any recovery method.

STAGE 1 - Willingness:
Without willingness no true recovery can ever take place. Anyone can stop drinking, drugging, overeating, gambling or sex for a week, month or even a year. Without the willingness to stay stopped, some day, some way the need to escape will come and the addiction will provide the path. Until I am willing to let go and let God lead me, I need go no further than here.

STAGE 2 - Letting Go
The secret is pray. I pray with feelings. I accomplish this by first getting quiet. Any method will work. Then I focus inside where my God lives. Then I humbly ask Him for direction. Then let go and think about it no more. I asked God for help and trust in Him do His part.

STAGE 3 - A New Direction:
Now I focus on the new direction. The new path is not in a program, is not in a book or even in a church. The new direction comes from within. I ask myself:
What is it that I really want?
Am I to do the work to feel better?
The concept is, one, I am willing to do the work necessary for change and two that I am the only one that can make change happen. I have, with Gods help, the power to create my own destiny.

STAGE 4 - Finding The Power:
I know that there is a power and that power is God.
One of the exercises I use is staring into a mirror, make eye-to-eye contact, and look deep within. Then ask, “Who is in there?” I can feel the spirit presence inside me. The spirit me has contact with God in a way that I physically do not. Making contact with the spirit ME is so important to lasting recovery from addiction. This is where my recovery actually takes place, on the inside, not the outside. If I want to get and stay clean and sober I needed to uncover just who I really am and what I really want out of this life’s experience.
Once I have made the contact and listened for that still small voice that speaks from within, I not longer practice “condemnation prior to investigation”. I am open to all possibilities and trust that the spirit ME will always seek the right path if I am quiet enough to listen.

STAGE 5 - Just Do It:
The secret in this stage is JUST DO IT. Do it now. What do I have to loose. It is just between God and me anyway. No one will judge, and no one will benefit unless I take that leap of faith and step inside, into my own recovery.

WHAT AM I WAITING FOR?

Published Nature Coast Journal—September 2008

Just another day sober, I think not!

Published Nature Coast Journal—September 2008

Here it is, August and time to be grateful for another year sober. Of course I am grateful all the time but this is a special month.
It seems like only yesterday that I walked into my first meeting three sheets to the wind. Didn’t have the courage without some help. I must have heard something because after the meeting, I went home and got down on my knees, looking at my p-stained mattress and said, “Please God, help me. I can’t stop drinking”. That was the first step and I didn’t know that I was doing it. From that moment to this day I have never looked back wondered, “maybe someday I can drink like the others”. I knew then what I know today and that is, if I ever drink, the old me will come back and finish the job it was trying to do back then. I know in my heart that it will be miserable, not only for me but for all those I love and those who love me.
So what has changed from those first meetings? Today I accept any challenge that life may present, meet it with a positive attitude and a willingness to learn the lessons. For it is not my problems that will get me drunk, it is the way I handle them that is so important. That is why a sponsor, even after all these years, is so important. I cannot rely on my thinking when things get crazy. The old me sleep’s lightly, so the saying goes. I certainly don’t want to wake him after sleeping for 22 years. I imagine he will be pretty miserable and willing to change any bad day I am having into one that I will never forget.
Another saying that I really like is, “when things get tough, the tough get going”. That is when I need to talk with people who know me and formulate a plan of action. It always starts with a little chat with God. I explain my dilemma, and usually how I would like to see Him resolve the issue. Then I get serious and ask Him, right from the bottom of my heart, for help and try to LET IT GO. Don’t always work the first time but I keep going back to the basics and practice, practice, and more practice.
Today my life is just the way it should have been all along. I have a wonderful relationship with my 3 children, 11 wonderful grandchildren who have never seen Papa John drink and am even on speaking terms with my ex-wife. I now can say I do service work, sponsor men, work a complete program and I love who I have become. For this I am given the gift of another day sober. Thank you God.

Is there a God?

Is there a God? Damn right there is!

Submitted to the Grapevine October 08

The year was 1996 and I owned a Recovery Bookstore in Western Massachusetts. The Western Mass Satanic Church had taken up residence right next store to the Journey to Serenity Book Store. The two businesses had completely opposite energy levels. The energy on The Journey’s side was positive; but my business was losing the fight anyway. The rent was six months behind; electric was two months in the red and it was winter and no gas for heat. There wasn’t enough money for an apartment so I slept on an old couch in in the back room. There was only eight dollars in the cash register. I had reached a point of complete defeat. Something had to be done but I couldn’t imagine what.
In that moment of desperation, I got down on my knees and asked God to please take over. I turned the entire problem over to Him and begged for Him to take it. Then I went to sleep.
The following morning the phone in the store rang. To my surprise it was an old friend in New Hampshire who had just purchased a city block in my hometown. He was opening a new restraint and had several vacant store spaces in the building. He wanted to open a recovery store just like mine. Out of my mouth the words came, “why don’t I sell you this business?” To my amazement the reply was, “that would be great, I will be right down.” I hung up the phone and started to shake. It was only eight hours before that I had totally given up and turned the problem over to God and now the problem was solved. It was solved in a way that I could never have guessed. Is there a God? You damn right there is!
My friend was at the door a few hours, gave me more money than I had seen in several years and the ordeal was over.
Thank you God...