Spirit of Recovery (Mind Body Spirit.fm )

When we first get into recovery, we learn we need a Higher Power in order to grow and change. Some of us are put off by all the “God talk” that we are encountering, but that’s before we really learn what it means to find a Higher Power of our own understanding. It’s the “of our own understanding” part that is critically important. But once we have found something that works for us (even temporarily) we must learn how to rely on and be guided by this Power. And in doing so, we find we can live with a new confidence. Today we want to share our experience, strength and hope on learning to trust our Higher Power in all things. Connect with Rev. Dan Beckett and Rev Michelle Vargas on Facebook and join the Spirit of Recovery community Leave a review and like and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When we get in recovery, we find a set of spiritual principles that help us get sober and stay sober. But we also hear that we should “practice these principles in all our affairs.” What does it mean--or what does it look like--to apply recovery principles to our lives outside of our particular addiction? We have heard it said, “I got into recovery to get sober, but what I learned is how to live.” Today we want to share our experience, strength, and hope on using spiritual principles to navigate tough times, regardless of what they may be. Find out more about Spirit of Recovery and how you can support them Spirit of Recovery on Facebook Find books from MindBodySpirit.fm podcast hosts in the online store Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many of us in addiction recovery can affirm that we've never let go of anything that didn't have claw marks on it! Even when we were, in essence, clinging to a sinking ship! But we eventually find that when we become willing to try a new way, our lives begin to change. When we can truly “Let Go” and allow a higher power to provide guidance and direction, our lives begin to become amazing. Today we want to share our experience, strength and hope on learning how to let go, trust a Higher Power and build a wonderful new life. Find Rev Dan and Rev Michelle hosts of Spirit of Recovery on Facebook Need help with alcohol? Connect with Alcoholics Anonymous here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When we are in early recovery, the idea of a life of peace and joy seems very far away. The good news is that we can get there! But first we must extricate ourselves from the disarray of an undirected life. We can then learn to trust a Higher Power, thus opening the door to sanity and hope. Today we want to share our experience, strength and hope on moving from disarray to genuine peace and joy by coming to believe in a Higher Power. Support Spirit of Recovery here https://Patreon.com/SpiritOfRecovery Find Spirit of Recovery on Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In honor of Thanksgiving and the upcoming holiday season, we’re here today to talk about the role gratitude has played in our addiction recoveries and in our lives. We want to share our experience, strength and hope on how a thankful mindset has been a game-changer on the road to recovery as well as in life. Please email us and let us know what gratitude has done for you. SpiritOfRecoveryUnity@gmail.com Find Spirit of Recovery on Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The lure of prestige has been the downfall of many on the recovery journey. We can get to feeling so good about ourselves that we fall into that old trap of wanting to be seen as the “number one man or woman” in the eyes of others. How can we remain true to our purpose and avoid the trap of pride? Can we practice humility without feeling humiliated? Today we want to share our experience, strength and hope on staying in integrity on the recovery journey and avoiding the desire to look good doing it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

 The Fifth Tradition tells us that, “Each group has but one primary purpose – to carry its message to the alcoholic/addict who still suffers.” When we first get into recovery, we learn we need to focus on ourselves in order to heal and grow. But, we quickly find that being of service to others is an essential part of our own healing. Today we want to share our experience, strength and hope on balancing self and other in a healthy way as an ongoing part of a successful recovery journey. Find Rev Dan Beckett and Rev Michelle Vargas on Facebook be a part of the Spirit of Recovery community Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nobody else is responsible for our sobriety. We are the ones who direct, live and own our own sober experience. In this sense we are "fully self supporting" just as the 7th Tradition guides our recovery groups to be. But in active addiction we often tried to put our responsibilities onto others. "If work wasn't so stressful, I wouldn't drink so much." Well, excuses like this will never keep us sober, so we learn to be true to our own selves, and to be self supporting in our sobriety. Today we want to share our experience, strength and hope on owning our sobriety, one day at a time. Join Rev Dan Beckett and Rev Michelle Vargas on Facebook for support in your recovery journey Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When we get into addiction recovery, we learn to be mindful of our actions. We hear the phrase, “Do the next right thing,” which sounds like a great idea, but what does that actually mean? How are we supposed to know what the next right thing is anyway? Today we want to share our experience, strength and hope on moving from aimlessness to freedom by doing the “next right thing.” Find Spirit of Recovery on Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When we first get into recovery, we learn we need a Higher Power in order to grow and change. But once we have found something that works for us (even temporarily) we must learn how to rely on and be guided by this Power. And in doing so, we find we can live with a new confidence. Today we want to share our experience, strength and hope in learning to trust our Higher Power in all things. Support Spirit of Recovery on Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"One Day at a Time" is one of the phrases we hear a lot in recovery circles. It means first and foremost that we must focus on the present. We can’t see or predict the future, and we can’t control what happens in the world at large. But we can learn to choose our own actions, right here and now. In fact, our own actions are just about the only thing we can exert influence over! And even though it takes time and practice, we can learn to live in the present moment, to live one day or even one moment at a time. And when we do, life gets so much easier. Today we want to share our experience, strength and hope on living our lives one day at a time. Support Spirit of Recovery Find Spirit of Recovery on Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It takes courage and integrity to walk an addiction recovery path. If we persist, we will come to know ourselves as the spiritual beings we truly are, but first we must trek through the wreckage of our past. In order to move into the Light, we must face our Shadow. Today we want to share our experience, strength and hope on finding a path through the Shadow to the Light. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For many of us, when in early addiction recovery we are not inclined to trust others or other peoples' ideas of how things should be done. But once we make the commitment to clean and sober living, we have an opportunity to learn and trust a recovery process that has worked for many others. We get to decide if it will work for us. Today we want to share our experience, strength and hope on learning to trust the process of recovery on the way to a life that is happy, joyous and free. Find Spirit of Recovery on Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It takes courage and integrity to walk an addiction recovery path. If we persist, we will come to know ourselves as the spiritual beings we truly are, but first we must trek through the wreckage of our past. In order to move into the Light, we must face our Shadow. Today we want to share our experience, strength and hope on finding a path through the Shadow to the Light. Support Spirit of Recovery here Connect with Spirit of Recovery on Facebook for help and support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode is titled, “What Defects of Character?” We are going to talk about the importance of being willing to acknowledge our shortcomings, thinking here of course of Step 6, and our question for you is, “What is one shortcoming or character flaw that you realized you had and what was it like to finally see it and own it?” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When we get into addiction recovery, we learn to be mindful of our actions. We work to see more clearly the things we do, and to make better decisions about our actions. One thing we hear a lot in recovery circles that is essential in this work is the phrase, “Do the next right thing.” Now, this sounds like a great idea, but what does that actually mean? How are we supposed to know what the next right thing is anyway? The short answer is: check in with your Higher Power. But that can be easier said than done, right? Well, today we want to share our experience, strength and hope on moving from aimlessness to freedom by doing the “next right thing.” Be a part of the Spirit of Recovery community on Facebook and connect with Rev. Dan Beckett and Rev. Michelle Vargas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When we get into addiction recovery, we learn to be mindful of our actions. We hear the phrase, “Do the next right thing,” which sounds like a great idea, but what does that actually mean? How are we supposed to know what the next right thing is anyway? Today we want to share our experience, strength and hope on moving from aimlessness to freedom by doing the “next right thing.” Find the Spirit of Recovery team Dan Beckett and Michelle Vargas on Facebook Support Spirit of Recovery on Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In early recovery, the prospect of living a life filled with peace and joy may appear distant and unattainable. However, there is a path to such a life. The journey begins with disentangling ourselves from the chaos of a life without direction by placing our trust in a Higher Power. And in doing so we begin to unlock the gateway to sanity and hope. Today we want to share our experience, strength and hope on creating a life of genuine peace and joy by coming to believe in a Higher Power. Connect with Rev. Dan Beckett and Rev. Michelle Vargas on Facebook be a part of the Spirit of Recovery community Need help with alcohol? Connect with Alcoholics Anonymous Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We were talking recently about the recovery concept of “keeping my side of the street clean” and wanted to explore it here on the podcast. We’ll start by sharing this from the Big Book, p 77-78: “We are there to sweep off our side of the street, realizing that nothing worthwhile can be accomplished until we do so, never trying to tell him what he should do. His faults are not discussed. We stick to our own." And from the Daily Reflection for Sept 7, 2023: “I made amends to my dad soon after I quit drinking. My words fell on deaf ears since I had blamed him for my troubles. Several months later I made amends to my dad again. This time I wrote a letter in which I did not blame him nor mention his faults. It worked, and at last I understood! My side of the street is all that I'm responsible for and — thanks to God and A.A. — it's clean for today.” So let’s talk about keeping our side of the street clean! Find the Spirit of Recovery crew on Facebook Connect with Rev. Dan and Rev. Michelle and get support Support Spirit of Recovery here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In addiction recovery, we learn that we need to make and maintain conscious contact with our Higher Power for guidance, but we don't stop there. We continue on to learn how to be of service to others by carrying the message of recovery to any who seeks it. Today we want to share our experience, strength, and hope on learning to be of service as a natural outcome of spiritual awakening. Find Rev Dan Beckett and Rev Michelle Vargas on Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many of us in addiction recovery can affirm that we've never let go of anything that didn't have claw marks on it! Even when we were, in essence, clinging to a sinking ship! But we eventually find that when we become willing to try a new way, our lives begin to change. When we can truly “Let Go” and allow a higher power to provide guidance and direction, our lives begin to become amazing. Today we want to share our experience, strength and hope on learning how to let go, trust a Higher Power and build a wonderful new life. Support Spirit of Recovery here Join the Spirit of Recovery Facebook community here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did you ever feel like life would be so much better if you could just wipe the slate clean and start over? Well, you can do just that! In fact you can start over any time you decide. Our Higher Power gives us the ability to leave behind that which no longer serves us and move ahead in a new and better way. Today we want to share our experience, strength and hope on energizing your life by starting over, anytime. Need help? Get in touch with Rev. Dan Beckett and Rev Michelle Vargas on Facebook Addiction Resources https://addictionresource.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A SAFETY NET - From the Daily Reflections entry for November 18, 2023. “Occasionally. . . . We are seized with a rebellion so sickening that we simply won't pray. When these things happen we should not think too ill of ourselves. We should simply resume prayer as soon as we can, doing what we know to be good for us.” TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 105 Sometimes I scream, stomp my feet, and turn my back on my Higher Power. Then my disease tells me that I am a failure, and that if I stay angry I'll surely get drunk. In those moments of self-will it's as if I've slipped over a cliff and am hanging by one hand. The above passage is my safety net, in that it urges me to try some new behavior, such as being kind and patient with myself. It assures me that my Higher Power will wait until I am willing once again to risk letting go, to land in the net, and to pray. Connect with Spirit of Recovery on Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many gifts of addiction recovery come to us when we are willing to work for them. Part of that work is facing the wreckage of our past. To do so we must combine right intention with the guidance of a trusted advisor in order to get real results. We must “do the work”—but how do we go about doing this work? Today we want to share our experience, strength and hope on finding our way from complacency to freedom through the willingness to do the work. Find Spirit of Recovery on Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Early on in our recovery journey, the idea of a life of peace and joy might seem impossible. The good news is that we can live such a life! But first we must learn to trust a Higher Power so we can start to move away from the disarray of an undirected life, opening the door to sanity and hope. The program of recovery gives us tools we can take up and use in our daily lives that assist us as we find our way to a Higher Power that works for us. “God as we understand him,” as we read in the Big Book. Today we want to share our experience, strength and hope on coming to believe in a Higher Power. Join Rev Dan Beckett and Rev Michelle Vargas on Facebook and be a part of the Spirit of Recovery community Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the old song tells us, sometimes we need to hold onto things and sometimes we need to let go. Many of us in addiction recovery have held onto some things way too long! Learning how to rely on a Higher Power for guidance helps us know what to let go of, and when. And what to hold on to and build upon. Today we want to share our experience, strength, and hope on “when to hold ‘em” and “when to fold ‘em” on the path to freedom. Find Dan and Michelle on Facebook and connect with the Spirit of Recovery community Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For many of us, when in early addiction recovery we are not inclined to trust others or other peoples' ideas of how things should be done. But once we make the commitment to clean and sober living, we have an opportunity to learn and trust a recovery process that has worked for many others. We get to decide if it will work for us. Today we want to share our experience, strength, and hope on learning to trust the process of recovery on the way to a life that is happy, joyous and free. Support Spirit of Recovery on Patreon Find Spirit of Recovery on Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For many of us, when in early addiction recovery we are not inclined to trust others or other peoples' ideas of how things should be done. We are often used to OUR way of doing things and can find it difficult to consider a new approach. But, once we make the commitment to clean and sober living, we have an opportunity to learn and trust a recovery process that has worked for many others. We get to decide if it will work for us. (And fortunately, we have a whole community of support to do it in!) Today we want to share our experience, strength and hope on learning to trust the process of recovery on the way to a life that is happy, joyous, and free. Join Rev Dan Beckett and Rev Michelle Vargas on Facebook and be a part of the Spirit of Recovery community Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did you ever feel like life would be so much better if you could just wipe the slate clean and start over? Well, you can do just that! In fact you can start over any time you decide. Our Higher Power gives us the ability to leave behind that which no longer serves us and move ahead in a new and better way. A new beginning! Today we want to share our experience, strength and hope on energizing your life by starting over, anytime. Find Rev Dan Beckett and Rev Michelle Vargas on Facebook Do you need help with alcohol addiction? Alcoholics Anonymous is here SAMSA Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It takes courage and integrity to walk an addiction recovery path. If we persist, we will come to know ourselves as the spiritual beings we truly are. But before we get to that wondrous discovery, we must trek through the wreckage of our past. As we say in the rooms, "If you walked 10 miles into the woods, you gotta walk 10 miles out of the woods." In order to move into the Light, we must face our Shadow. Fortunately we have a program of recovery that works, and we have each other to walk with us along the way. Today we want to share our experience, strength and hope on finding a path through the Shadow to the Light. Join Rev Dan Beckett and Rev Michelle Vargas on Facebook and connect with the Spirit of Recovery community Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When we first get into recovery, we learn we need a Higher Power in order to grow and change. But once we have found something that works for us (even temporarily) we must learn how to rely on and be guided by this Power. And in doing so, we find we can live with a new confidence. Today we want to share our experience, strength and hope in learning to trust our Higher Power in all things. Find Spirit of Recovery on Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From the Daily Reflection for Dec 5, 2023: “He has been granted a gift which amounts to a new state of consciousness and being.” TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 107. Many of us in A.A. puzzle over what is a spiritual awakening. I tended to look for a miracle, something dramatic and earth-shattering. But what usually happens is that a sense of well-being, a feeling of peace. Find Spirit of Recovery on Facebook Need help? Alcoholic's Anonymous is there for you Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gratitude could well be the single most powerful spiritual practice for transforming our consciousness. We can literally take a bad day and "begin again" by bringing to mind that which we are grateful for. And although gratitude is not a magic bullet, it's an integral part of an addiction recovery journey. Today we want to share our experience, strength and hope on the spiritual practice of gratitude. Catch the Gratitude wave! Sign up to see the film for free https://mindbodyspirit.fm/showcase/gratitude/ Support the Spirit of Recovery Crew on Patreon http://Patreon.com/SpiritOfRecovery Find other podcasts on Gratitude here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As we grow through our addiction recovery journey, we often come face to face with old habits that are hard to break! Fortunately, once we are a few steps down the recovery path we become willing to make new choices that support our new--and much better!--way of living. Today we want to share our experience, strength and hope on letting go of old habits and opening the door to a whole new way of being. Like this podcast? Support Spirit of Recovery here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Living the Truth We Know - In a recent Daily Reflection we read, "The spiritual life is not a theory. We have to live it." And from the Big Book: “When new in the program, I couldn't comprehend living the spiritual aspect of the program, but now that I'm sober, I can't comprehend living without it. Spirituality was what I had been seeking. God, as I understand Him, has given me answers to the whys that kept me drinking for twenty years. By living a spiritual life, by asking God for help, I have learned to love, care for and feel compassion for all my fellow men, and to feel joy in a world where, before, I felt only fear.” ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 83. Support Spirit of Recovery here Find Spirit of Recovery on Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From a Daily Reflection reading: “I am learning to let go and let God, to have a mind that is open and a heart that is willing to receive God's grace in all my affairs; in this way I can experience the peace and freedom that come as a result of surrender. It has been proven that an act of surrender, originating in desperation and defeat, can grow into an ongoing act of faith, and that faith means freedom and victory.” Today we want to share our experience, strength and hope about the peace and freedom that results from surrender. Support Spirit of Recovery Connect with Dan and Michelle on Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When I "Let Go and Let God," I think more clearly and wisely. Without having to think about it, I quickly let go of things that cause me immediate pain and discomfort. Because I find it hard to let go of the kind of worrisome thoughts and attitudes that cause me immense anguish, all I need do during those times is allow God, as I understand Him, to release them for me, and then and there, I let go of the thoughts, memories and attitudes that are troubling me. When I receive help from God, as I understand Him, I can live my life one day at a time and handle whatever challenges come my way. Only then can I live a life of victory over alcohol, in comfortable sobriety. Connect with Rev Dan and Rev Michelle on Facebook leave a question or comment Need help? Contact the SAMHSA National Help line Find an AA meeting near you. Get help from Alcoholics Anonymous Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As we grow through our addiction recovery journey, we often come face to face with old habits that are hard to break! Fortunately, once we are a few steps down the recovery path we become willing to make new choices that support our new--and much better!--way of living. Today we want to share our experience, strength and hope on letting go of old habits and opening the door to a whole new way of being. Find Spirit of Recovery of Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

 As the old song tells us, you got to "know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em." For those of us on a recovery journey, we have learned that sometimes we need to hold onto things and sometimes we need to let things go. Fortunately for us in addiction recovery, we make a spiritual practice of taking personal inventory as a way of life. We discern what to hold on to and what to let go of. If we find we are wrong about something, we let it go, we promptly admit it. If we persevere in this practice, we find a meaningful purpose in life. Today we want to share our experience, strength and hope on “when to hold ‘em” and “when to fold ‘em” on the path to purposeful living. Find Rev Dan Beckett and Rev Michelle Vargas on Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many gifts of addiction recovery come to us when we are willing to work for them. We often hear those who have been around for a while saying things like, “It works if you work it.” And part of that work is facing the wreckage of our past. To do so we must combine right intention with the guidance of a trusted advisor in order to get real results. We must “do the work”—but how do we go about doing this work? How do we know what to do? Or when? How do we know if we are avoiding the work that will lead us to freedom, but don’t realize it? Today we want to share our experience, strength and hope on finding our way from complacency to freedom through the willingness to do the work. Join Rev Dan Beckett and Rev Michelle Vargas on Facebook and become part of the Spirit of Recovery community Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From the Daily Reflection on October 17: A Daily Tune Up - “Every day is a day when we must carry the vision of God's will into all of our activities.” ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 85 How do I maintain my spiritual condition? For me it's quite simple: on a daily basis I ask my Higher Power to grant me the gift of sobriety for that day! I have talked to many alcoholics who have gone back to drinking and I always ask them: "Did you pray for sobriety the day you took your first drink?" Not one of them said yes. As I practice Step Ten and try to keep my house in order on a daily basis, I have the knowledge that if I ask for a daily reprieve, it will be granted. So let’s talk about step 11, about maintaining our spiritual condition, and about staying in touch and in tune with our Higher Power each and every day. Connect with the Spirit of Recovery community on Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nobody has ever stopped drinking or drugging if they didn’t want to. The motivation and commitment to get clean and sober is essential for success. Even though those of us walking a recovery path know that this alone is not enough, we also know it is foundational for living a life of freedom. Today we want to share our experience, strength and hope on finding and sustaining the motivation and commitment to sober living Join the Spirit of Recovery community on Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From the Daily Reflection - September 20 - “See to it that your relationship with Him is right, and great events will come to pass for you and countless others. This is the Great Fact for us.” (ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 164) Having a right relationship with God seemed to be an impossible order. My chaotic past had left me filled with guilt and remorse and I wondered how this "God business" could work. A.A. told me that I must turn my will and my life over to the care of God, as I understand Him. With nowhere else to turn, I went down on my knees and cried, "God, I can't do this. Please help me!" It was when I admitted my powerlessness that a glimmer of light began to touch my soul, and then a willingness emerged to let God control my life. With Him as my guide, great events began to happen, and I found the beginning of sobriety.” Connect with the Spirit of Recovery community on Facebook Links for help if you need it- Alcoholics Anonymous Narcotics Anonymous Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One thing we need in order to grow in our recovery is to walk our path with principled honesty. This can be more challenging than it sounds at first! But if we are willing to show up and do the work, we can drop the heavy load we have been carrying and enjoy a lightness of being that will transform our lives. Today we want to share our experience, strength, and hope on lightening the load through the power and practice of truth with integrity. Connect with Spirit of Recovery on Facebook Support the Spirit of Recovery podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It has been said that nobody can do our inner work for us, but we cannot do it alone. This is one of the paradoxes of addiction recovery! We need the company of others on the recovery path in order to truly thrive. This can be challenging to many who are new to addiction recovery because we can be used to doing things “our way”! After all, our was was the best way, right? Well maybe... But if we are willing to become “one of the bunch,” we will discover the group to be a profound healing influence. Today we want to share our experience, strength and hope on finding a path to freedom and peace through the power of community. Become a part of the Spirit of Recovery podcast community on Facebook connect with Rev. Dan Beckett and Rev. Michelle Vargas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When we answer the call to assist another alcoholic or addict on their recovery path, we do so with generosity and gratitude. We do not pay our sponsors or expect payment from our sponsees. Recovery must be free from commerce if we are to be successful. Yes, there may be medical professionals involved in our recovery at first, and we certainly "render unto Caesar" as appropriate at that time. But we do not buy or sell recovery. We give freely and receive freely in gratitude. Today we want to share our experience, strength and hope on giving and receiving freely, and the joys that accompany it. Where Spirit and Recovery meet! Connect with Rev Dan Beckett and Rev Michelle Vargas on Facebook for help and support on your recovery journey Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Drawing from the Daily Reflection on anonymity, “We are sure that humility, expressed by anonymity, is the greatest safeguard that Alcoholics Anonymous can ever have.” And from the 12 and 12, p. 187, “Since there are no rules in A.A. I place myself where I want to be, and so I choose anonymity. I want my God to use me, humbly, as one of His tools in this program. Sacrifice is the art of giving of myself freely, allowing humility to replace my ego. With sobriety, I suppress that urge to cry out to the world, "I am a member of A.A." and I experience inner joy and peace. I let people see the changes in me and hope they will ask what happened to me. I place the principles of spirituality ahead of judging, fault-finding, and criticism. I want love and caring in my group, so I can grow. So let’s talk about anonymity! Support Spirit of Recovery here Connect with Dan and Michelle and the Spirit of Recovery community on Facebook here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many of us in addiction recovery can affirm that we've never let go of anything that didn't have claw marks on it! Even when we were, in essence, clinging to a sinking ship! But we eventually find that we become willing to try a new way, our lives begin to change. When we can truly “Let Go” and allow a higher power to provide guidance and direction, our lives begin to become amazing. Today we want to share our experience, strength and hope on learning how to let go, trust a Higher Power and build a wonderful new life. Join Rev Dan Beckett and Rev Michelle Vargas on Facebook and connect with the Spirit of Recovery community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many gifts of addiction recovery come to us when we are willing to work for them. Part of that work is facing the wreckage of our past. To do so we must combine right intention with the guidance of a trusted advisor in order to get real results. We must “do the work”—but how do we go about doing this work? Today we want to share our experience, strength and hope on finding our way from complacency to freedom through the willingness to do the work. Support the Spirit of Recovery crew on Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Someone who knew what he was talking about once remarked that pain was the touchstone of all spiritual progress. How heartily we A.A.'s can agree with him. . . .” Twelve steps and twelve traditions, pp. 93-94 When on the roller coaster of emotional turmoil, I remember that growth is often painful. My evolution in the A.A. program has taught me that I must experience the inner change, however painful, that eventually guides me from selfishness to selflessness. If I am to have serenity, I must STEP my way past emotional turmoil and its subsequent hangover, and be grateful for continuing spiritual progress. Connect with Rev. Dan Beckett and Rev. Michelle Vargas on Facebook leave a message or comment Have a problem with alcohol? Find an AA chapter near you - Alcoholics Anonymous Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At any point on our recovery journey we have the option to begin again. We can call, “time out” and get a “do over!” Go back to basics! Our Higher Power gives us the ability to leave behind that which no longer serves us and move ahead with a clean slate. And as we do, it can be helpful to refocus ourselves on recovery Step 1. It’s been said Step 1 is the only step we need to get 100% right. What does that mean for us today? And how can a new beginning support us on our journey? Join Rev. Dan and Rev. Michelle as they share their experience, strength and hope on energizing your life with a fresh start. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As we grow through our addiction recovery journey, we often come face to face with old habits that are hard to break! And we’re guessing you have had that same experience, most if not all of us have! But fortunately, once we are a few steps down the recovery path we become willing to make new choices that support our new--and much better!--way of living. As we do the work of walking a recovery path, we begin to let go of that which no longer serves us, and take up new ways of being that bring hope and light into our lives. In this episode, we share our experience, strength and hope on letting go of old habits and opening the door to a whole new way of being. Join the Spirit of Recovery community on Facebook and connect with Rev Dan Beckett and Rev Michelle Vargas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One thing we need in order to grow in our recovery is to walk our path with principled honesty. This can be more challenging than it sounds at first! But if we are willing to show up and do the work, we can drop the heavy load we have been carrying and enjoy a lightness of being that will transform our lives. Today we want to share our experience, strength and hope on lightening the load through the power and practice of truth with integrity. Find Spirit of Recovery on Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Addiction can show up in many guises. As we discover that we are one with constructive, creative spiritual power, addictions fall away and we begin to heal at the level of soul. More and more, we experience ourselves as people of worth and value with the ability to fulfill our deepest aspirations. Special guest Ester Nicholson, author, Agape International-licensed spiritual therapist, motivational speaker, inspirational recording artist, and recovering person with 25 years of sobriety, shares how she discovers the power of her true self. Ester is the author of Soul Recovery: 12 Keys to Healing Addiction … and 12 Steps for the Rest of Us—A Path to Wholeness, Serenity, and Success. Read more about Ester’s work at www.esternicholson.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There’s more to recovery than staying sober and clean or free of obsession with another person. The 12 steps of recovery are a wisdom path to spiritual living. Special guest Rev. Dr. Jane Galloway is a person in long-term recovery, an ordained minister, and a highly successful stage and screen actor. Her book The Gateways: The Wisdom of 12-Step Spirituality presents the 12 steps squarely in the context of 21st-century spirituality with breadth, skill, sensitivity, and practical actions. These ideas help readers of any faith (or of none) experience profound spiritual awakening. Rev. Dr. Galloway shares her perspective on a new way of working the 12 steps that incorporates the full spectrum of spiritual practices available to us today.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if human self-centeredness is not “bad” but rather an earlier stage of development? What if humans are now evolving into our next stage—oneness, the ability to live Divine Love? Can the12 Steps, traditionally associated with addiction recovery, be used by anyone as an evolutionary path to love? Join me and my guest Barry Vennard, Unity minister and author of Stepping Through the Narrow Gate: Personal Transformation Through Evolutionary Spirituality as we discuss the possibilities. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Compassion for ourselves and others paves the way for authentic fulfillment. Compassion invites us to reach into our depths and call into action powerful values. It leads us to actions we might never have considered. Multi award-winning independent singer-songwriters, wisdom teachers and compassionate spiritual guides Jan Garrett and J.D. Martin share with us through their music and in conversation what it takes to live from our souls. Learn more about them at www.garrett-martin.com.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What makes a new year new? Our action to bring something new to it. Join host Anna Shouse and special guest Chris Shea, author and addiction counselor, as they discuss looking outside of ourselves with the willingness to see with fresh eyes.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Advances in neurobiology, psychology, medicine and even electronics—through the creation of social media—offer new approaches to recovery. Do these spell the end of 12-Step programs? My guest this week, Dr. Dan Frigo, dean of Hazelden Graduate School of Addiction Studies, discusses how new methods integrated with the 12-Step model create the possibility of higher quality long-term sobriety, and how counselors are trained for the 21st century. Visit www.hazelden.org/web/public/education.page to learn more about Dr. Frigo.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When we take action in our lives, powerful and positive changes begin to happen. In fact, action is essential to addiction recovery and spiritual growth. In Scripture, we read, "Faith without works is dead," and many of us have experienced apathy and detachment when we don't move our feet on the recovery path. Join Rev. Dan and Rev. Michelle as they share their experience, strength, and hope on learning how to take effective action and building a vibrant life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When we take action in our lives, powerful and positive changes begin to happen. In fact, action is essential to addiction recovery and spiritual growth. In Scripture we read, “Faith without works is dead,” and many of us have experienced apathy and detachment when we don’t “move our feet” on the recovery path. Join Rev. Dan and Rev. Michelle as they share their experience, strength, and hope on learning how to take effective action and building a vibrant life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Addiction is a disease—not a disgrace. Current research strongly suggests that sexual or “love” addiction not only exists, but in fact manifests in the brain and in behavior in very similar ways to other recognized forms of addiction like alcoholism. Special guest Bridget Wilson, founder of Solutions Auckland, specializes in treating people with sex and love addiction. She shares what this addiction is and how one can recover. Bridget studied at the prestigious Hazelden Graduate School of Addiction Studies in Minnesota and is registered with the New Zealand Addiction Practitioners' Association. She is the author of the novel Addicted to Love, an inside, thought-provoking look at sex and love addiction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A quotation of Henry David Thoreau is often paraphrased as "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams." Many of us begin the recovery journey feeling stuck and limited. And sometimes even after years of clean and sober time, we can find ourselves feeling aimless. Rev. Lonnie and Rev. Dan share practical ways you can rekindle your dreams and advance confidently toward making them realities! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams!" This sounds like great advice though many of us begin the recovery journey feeling quite the opposite: stuck and limited. Sometimes even after years of being clean and sober, we can find ourselves feeling aimless. Join Rev. Dan and Rev. Michelle as they share their experience, strength, and hope on practical ways you can find your true purpose in life and advance confidently toward making it a reality! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams!” This sounds like great advice though many of us begin the recovery journey feeling quite the opposite: stuck and limited. Sometimes even after years of being clean and sober, we can find ourselves feeling aimless. Join Rev. Dan and Rev. Michelle as they share their experience, strength, and hope on practical ways you can find your true purpose in life and advance confidently toward making it a reality! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most people who have suffered from the disease of addiction will describe their experience of life as “standing on the outside looking in.” The spiritual principle of Unity changes us—we rise above our selfishness and come together for the good of the whole. Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share about the journey from separation to community and the power of the group! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Angels come in many forms—as deep intuition, as caring people, and sometimes as welcome yet unexpected visitors! Being receptive to our higher power’s love and guidance in whatever form it comes is a rich gift of recovery. Special Guest Billye Jones is an author, a licensed Unity teacher, and a family member with more than 40 years' experience living a program of family recovery. She shares from her deep experience with angels in all forms. She is the author of The Essence of Loving and Angel Power, Angel Love, and coauthor of Women Pioneers in 12 Step Recovery. From her rich immersion in spiritual writing, study, living, and service, and the fulfillment that is possible for families, Billye brings inspiration and hope. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sometimes when we enter a new situation or engage a new group, we are not quite sure how we fit in. Sometimes we offer suggestions before we know what is going on. At other times, we may think, If they would just do it my way, it would be okay. Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share how to be a valued member of a group without alienating others. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every one of us has a spiritual purpose. Willingness to fulfill it dissolves that old feeling of uselessness and self-pity. All that we learned in the midst of addictive disease prepares us, in recovery, to give from spiritual depth and meaning. Special guest Marilyn Davis shares her story of finding her purpose and where it has led her. She is a recovery curriculum author who advocates for and writes to the addicted population. Marilyn opened and ran an award-winning women’s recovery home for 21 years. She created the TIERS process, focusing on empowerment through healthy choices and constructive relationships. Marilyn recently celebrated 27 years of abstinence-based recovery. Her book Finding North: A Woman's Journey From Addict 2 Advocate will be published in 2016. Marilyn blogs at fromaddict2advocate.blogspot.com and twodropsofinkat.wordpress.com, which was named one of the 100 best sites for writers in 2016. Learn more about TIERS at tiersrecovery.net. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most recovering addicts can attest to the effects of the racing mind. Once we get clean and sober, it seems our brain is attacking us with millions of disquieting and uncomfortable thoughts. How do we get control? Join Rev. Lonnie Vanderslice and Rev. Dan Beckett as they share what worked for them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do you talk with a beloved older family member when it is becoming obvious that addiction is an issue? This dilemma is becoming more and more common. Aging body metabolism, availability of prescription medications, and use of illegal drugs all add up to a huge increase in addiction in adults over 50. Guest Brenda Iliff, executive director of Hazelden Naples, shares what makes older adults vulnerable to addiction, what types of recovery approaches are most helpful, and how families can support recovery. With a background in gerontology, chemical dependency, and counseling, Brenda has more than 20 years as an active treatment professional and presents nationally on the impact of addiction on older adults. Learn more about Brenda’s work at www.Hazelden.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The fifth tradition of AA tells us, “Each group has but one primary purpose—to carry its message to the alcoholic (addict) who still suffers.” When we first get into recovery, we learn we need to focus on ourselves in order to heal and grow. However, we quickly find that being of service to others is an essential part of our own healing. Join Rev. Dan and Rev. Michelle as they share their experience, strength, and hope in balancing self and others in a healthy way as an ongoing part of a successful recovery journey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can we ever know ourselves completely? Probably not. Yet living recovery means we are continually willing to discover the goodness that lies within us. And that we are willing to acknowledge, thank, and release old ways that once protected us, but now block us. Prayer and meditation are the foundations of self-discovery. Special guest Richard C., a person in long-term recovery since 1974, shares how he uses these and other recovery practices to continually expand self-awareness and his ability to make a contribution to life. Richard is a Unity student and teacher of tai chi and chi qong, blogger, and spiritual retreat leader. Read his blog at http://istheremorethanthesteps.blogspot.com/. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you into something else is the greatest accomplishment,” wrote Ralph Waldo Emerson. It takes great courage to take a stand with yourself—quieting old voices that would tell you that who you are is just not enough. Special guest Brent Uzell, licensed Unity teacher and spiritual leader, shares how authentic spirituality gives us the strength to live from our center. He discusses how shame can short-circuit that process. Brent tells how we can engage in healing shame by recognizing it and developing skills to create a nourishing relationship with ourselves and other people. Brent has been active in spiritual leadership for many years, has studied, lived, and taught the value of self-love, and creates bridges across faith and cultural differences. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our life’s divine purpose becomes our daily reality as we let go of addiction and embrace our deep identity. The journey is arduous, yet help is all along the way. Special guest LaBet Pritchard, a person in long-term recovery and a mind-body fitness instructor, developed a yoga and 12-step program she teaches at recovery centers and retreats in western North Carolina. Her experience with mindfulness practice, humor as the best medicine, a spiritual "12 After 12" program, and a passionate belief in miracles make for a serendipitous synchronicity in her life. LaBet shares how she lives her journey to becoming who she always envisioned she would be.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Special guest Rev. Barry Vennard, who has 41 years in recovery, was propelled into that personal transformation by the catalyst of challenging life circumstances. Since that time he has authored a guide (Stepping Through the Narrow Gate) to lead others into making the most of the challenges of life. Join us as he shares his personal spiritual journey and transformative evolution. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Recovery is all about finding and expressing your talents, love, and creativity—being of service by being you. Guest Gracie Vandiver shares how she does just that. In addition to conversation, we’ll hear music from Gracie’s Trail of Light CD. Gracie is a songwriter, singer, founder of Sunlight of the Spirit Music, host of SoberCafe Podcast, and winner of a New Thought Music Posi Award and two Entertainment Industries Council PRISM awards for supporting recovery through media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As we move ahead on our recovery journey, we learn many new ways to balance our lives. Just as each of us needs to learn balance, so must our recovery groups find balance. Each group can do as it sees fit, but it also has a duty to the recovery community in general. Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they talk about balancing the individual with the group, the good of each one, and the good of the people. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Has your trust ever been shattered? Have you ever felt betrayed by an authority figure? Many of us in recovery will say yes to those questions. But do we want to spend the rest of our lives in distrust and fear? No, we do not! So, then, how do we regain trust if we have lost confidence in another? Join Revs. and Dan as they share the path to regaining trust in our higher power and in others around us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The founding of Alcoholics Anonymous touches everyone—whether familiar with the disease of addiction or not. The experience of the cofounders and their wives speaks to the universal experience of human suffering and the spiritual growth that comes from finding a way through. The play Bill W. and Dr. Bob, cowritten by Steve Bergman and Janet Surrey, touches audiences with its message that people can indeed change their destiny. Special guest Steve Bergman shares what has happened since Bill W. and Dr. Bob debuted off Broadway in 2007. It is currently on an international bilingual—English and Spanish—tour. Steve Bergman is a novelist, essayist, playwright, and activist. A graduate of Harvard College and Medical School, and Oxford as a Rhodes scholar, he was on the Harvard faculty for 35 years. A world-renowned speaker, Steve Bergman is known for his humor and gift for inspiring audiences. Learn more about the play and about Steve Bergman at billwanddrbob.com and samuelshem.com.       Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In active addiction many of us put ourselves first in unhealthy ways, often seeing our needs as more important than the needs of others. While self-care is important, we often went too far. In recovery we learn that we are equal with all people, no better and no worse. We learn to balance our needs with the needs of others in a healthy way. Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share how to cocreate a life of harmony with others using the spiritual strategy of boundaries. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Current research shows that our brain has a lot to do with how we experience our spirituality. No wonder active addiction, a disease of brain chemistry, makes it nearly impossible to feel connected to Spirit and spiritual values. Ongoing brain healing is a big part of recovery. Unity minister Steve Maynard, author of the weekly Transformative Living Center e-series, "Your Evolving Brain," offers a surprisingly positive perspective. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guest Bob Dicken shares how he builds trust and connections between treatment professionals, recovering people and the world of religion and spirituality. When these three communities come together in their common spiritual bond, recovering people receive powerful support. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Members of the LGBTQ Community face unique challenges in recovery. Societal attitudes have for too long burdened this community with isolation, shame, and confusion. LGBTQ people are claiming the right to supportive, understanding resources that build the foundation for long-term recovery. Special guest Lisa Hinson, LCDC, shares why addressing issues such as self-esteem, healthy sexuality, sober relationships, coming out in recovery, high-risk factors of using, and spirituality—is essential. Lisa is a Certified ARISE Interventionist and Certified Offender Educator with more than 15 years’ experience in the substance abuse and mental health fields. She is Immediate Past President of the Texas Association of Addiction Professionals and is currently a Clinical Representative for Starlite Recovery Center. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We can live lives of peace, comfort, and joy, although that may seem far off when we are in early recovery. We must first extricate ourselves from the confusion, disarray, and insanity of an undirected life. Learn to trust a Presence and Power that brings sanity and hope. Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan to learn how to move from disarray to genuine peace, comfort, and joy in your life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When we are in early recovery, the idea of a life of peace and joy seems very far away. The good news is that we can get there! But first we must extricate ourselves from the disarray of an undirected life. We can then learn to trust a higher power, thus opening the door to sanity and hope. Join Rev. Dan and Rev. Michelle as they share their experience, strength, and hope on moving from disarray to genuine peace and joy through coming to believe in a higher power. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did you ever feel like life would be so much better if you could just have a do-over? You can and you can start over at any time. Our higher power gives us the ability to leave behind that which no longer serves us and move ahead with a clean slate. Join Rev. Dan and Rev. Michelle as they share their experience, strength, and hope on energizing your life with a fresh start. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The question “Can we talk?” strikes fear into the hearts of many a person. In active addiction, it usually meant someone was displeased with us. Arguments, emotional upsets, and bad behavior often followed. In recovery, we learn to use spiritual principles to engage in healthy dialogue. Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share their experience, strength, and hope in learning how to connect in meaningful ways.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In addiction recovery, we learn that we need to make “conscious contact” with a higher power, but we don’t stop there. We continue to learn how to be of service to others by carrying the message of recovery to any who seek it. Join Rev. Dan and Rev. Michelle as they share their experience, strength, and hope on learning to be of service as a natural outcome of spiritual awakening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In addiction recovery, we learn that we need to make “conscious contact” with a higher power, but we don’t stop there. We continue and learn how to be of service to others by carrying the message of recovery to any who seek it. Join Rev. Dan and Rev. Michelle as they share their experience, strength, and hope on learning to be of service as a natural outcome of spiritual awakening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When we were in active addiction we had a singleness of purpose in our lives: feeding our addiction. But now that we are in recovery, we have a different focus and purpose: helping others. Yes, we work to maintain our own sobriety, but bigger than that is our desire to carry the message to those who still suffer. Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share how to stay on purpose and the value of service to others. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our commitment to life-affirming fulfillment of our God-given calling is the real gift of recovery. We carry the message of recovery by living in wholeness ourselves. That requires us to pursue the truth of our lives wherever it may take us. Special guest Rev. Lonnie Vanderslice, M.Div., a person in long-term recovery, is the founder of Unity of Spirit, cofounder and executive director of The Sewing Labs, providing job skills to women who have been marginalized and blocked from the work force, and coowner of the mission based business Weave Gotcha Covered! Lonnie shares how fully living her own recovery has propelled her into carrying the message in a variety of ways. Lonnie will become the new Spirit of Recovery host starting March 6.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Music inspires, bringing hope to the healing heart. Special guest singer/songwriter Sonia Lee’s passion is singing for people in recovery. Herself a person in long-term recovery, she carries the positive message of strength and faith she has found on the sometimes rocky path of her personal journey. Sonia shares her music and recovery experiences with audiences at treatment centers, conferences, spiritual retreats, churches, festivals, and intimate house concerts. She also gives interactive music therapy workshops for recovering people. Sonia tells how and why she carries the recovery message with music. Learn more about Sonia’s music and work at www.sonialee.net. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The founding of Alcoholics Anonymous touches everyone—whether familiar with the disease of addiction or not. The experience of the cofounders and their wives speaks to the universal experience of human suffering and the spiritual growth that comes from finding a way through. My special guest, playwright and psychologist Janet Surrey, shares why she and her husband Samuel Shem wrote the powerful play Bill W. and Dr. Bob, and how it touches audiences around the globe with its message that people can indeed change their destiny. Learn about this nonprofit off-Broadway play presented by Hazelden Foundation—with all proceeds donated to fund youth recovery and education efforts—at www.billwanddrbob.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It has been said that if we change our thoughts, we change our lives. And if we direct our thoughts with integrity, our lives come together beautifully. We can move from negativity to hope and joy by making just such a shift. Join Rev. Dan and Rev. Michelle as they share their experience, strength, and hope on learning how the power of our thoughts can lead us to hope and a new experience of joy in our lives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It has been said that if we change our thoughts, we change our lives. And if we direct our thoughts with integrity, our lives come together beautifully. We can move from negativity to hope and joy by making just such a shift. Join Rev. Dan and Rev. Michelle as they share their experience, strength, and hope on learning how the power of our thoughts can lead us to hope and a new experience of joy in our lives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When we first get clean and sober, it is not unusual to feel like the whole world has been turned upside down. It can feel like chaos has taken over our lives! Fortunately, if we are willing to do the work, the recovery journey includes the gift of balance and peace. Join Rev. Dan and Rev. Michelle as they share their experience, strength, and hope on moving from chaos to peace using the power of order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When we first get clean and sober, it is not unusual to feel like the whole world has been turned upside down. It can feel like chaos has taken over our lives! Fortunately, if we are willing to do the work, the recovery journey includes the gift of balance and peace. Join Rev. Dan and Rev. Michelle as they share their experience, strength, and hope on moving from chaos to peace using the power of order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Recovery means change—and not just the initial change of letting go of a substance or behavior. Recovery means change as a way of life as we continually choose to live from integrity and wholeness, shedding old ideas in the process. Special guest Marilyn Davis is a recovery curriculum author who advocates for and writes to the addicted population. She opened and ran an award-winning women’s recovery home for 21 years. Marilyn created the TIERS process, focusing on empowerment through healthy choices and constructive relationships. She recently celebrated 27 years of abstinence-based recovery. Marilyn’s book Finding North: A Woman's Journey From Addict to Advocate will be published in 2016.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Even in long-term recovery, life can throw us curveballs. How can we use our spiritual recovery tools to face life with faith in joy? Special guest Ray Nelson, Unity minister and person in long-term recovery, was diagnosed in 2014 with end-stage kidney disease. While living with a chronic disease can be difficult, he has found that a full, happy, and joy-filled life is all about making choices.  Ray shares how he chooses to see his condition as a gift—an opportunity to live life to the fullest—and as a way to help others do the same. A 2011 graduate of Unity Institute® and Seminary and an ordained Unity minister, Rev. Ray is the senior minister at Unity of Louisville, Kentucky. He is a member of the National Speakers Association and has spoken at Unity churches and to community groups throughout the Midwest and Great Lakes' regions. Ray is an alternate member of the Great Lakes Unity Regional Board and on the Board of Directors for the House of Ruth, a social service agency serving HIV/AIDS homeless men and woman in Louisville, Kentucky. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices