I recently attended an OA workshop in my area, and the format had a writing exercise on the Step 9 promises from the AA Big Book on pages 83-84. The workshop leader asked an attendee to read these promises aloud to the group, then asked everyone in the room to really listen to the words of the reading. After the reading, he invited us to write on the words or phrases that spoke to us about the promises.
What jumped out to me in the reading were 2 sections – “We will intuitively know how to handle situations that used to baffle us.” The second is “God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.”
These are coming through in my life, especially more so lately. I seem to be able to discern what to do and say in certain situations that arise in my life with family members or friends. I do not try to jump in and “fix” so quickly like I used to. That is where the second quote comes in. I remember to “Let go and let God,” knowing that my HP (God) will help me deal with whatever I need help with. These are some of the many messages that our OA 12-Step program has taught me. I get everything I need to live a good life without falling into the compulsion of using food to cope with “situations that used to baffle” me. This is why I am still in OA after almost 50 years. I will always have “situations that used to baffle” me, as long as I am on this earth. I am never finished growing and learning. And I am grateful that I was given this wonderful, life-giving program to follow.
Thank you God, and thank you OA!
– Evelyn S.