Chris R. – AA Speakers – “Turning it over” during tough times in sobriety

I’m deeply convinced along as I continue to do this program, even if it is in my own stumbling way towards the principles I first encountered, I’m going to stay sober here. What’s that power? All I can say is a power greater than myself. Be still and know that I’m God. Next paragraph, this is what I want you to see folks, please, in case any of you think that I was making fun of your issues earlier. I want you to hear what I’m saying. One of the stories in the Big Book has a line, “My story has a happy ending, but not the conventional kind. I had a lot more hell to go through, but what a difference there is going through hell without a power greater than myself than with it.” I listen to what you all have been through and I know everything just didn’t come up rosy cause you got sober. Life’s a pain sometimes, and on a given day can you can just go to heck in a handbasket. That’s why I’m so passionate. That’s why this thing is so important. Anybody can stay sober when life is good, but what do you do when the ill winds turn toward you?

What are you going to do when she leaves, or when you get laid off from the job you have? What do you want to do when things don’t go exactly your way? Lack of power, that is the dilemma. See, I can’t keep it together myself. I need to turn to all things to the Father of Light. Isn’t that what the book says? You can’t do it alone; and the fellowship alone is not going to do it for you. You can sit in these meetings until the cows come home, and nothing’s going to change. That’s why we have this room so evenly divided with people who have had a spiritual experience and people who are just staying sober one day at a time. We’ve got to get to this place where we understand that God’s grace is there for everybody, but there is the price that has got to be paid. We talked about doing a four step this afternoon. Step eleven too, sitting in prayer and meditation.

All of this takes effort. Don’t you all understand that and most of the people won’t take the effort? Then when they don’t, and they relapse just like we see thousands of people from my hospital do, people just look the other way and pretend nothing happened saying, “Well it just wasn’t their time.” Folks, let me paint a clearer picture for you. This is what they call the last house on the block. This is a solution for alcoholism and drug addiction that we know about, and shame on us if we who have the answer are not out there kicking butt and taking names. I remember after working the steps, and having an awakening, I got out of my truck after a Friday night meeting. I got out of my truck, and I tell you something folks, everything had shifted in my life. All the anger and hate that I brought into that meeting initially had gone away; all the fear and the depression too. I was a new person, with a new outlook and lease on life thanks to the recovery program and the twelve steps of AA.

Odomtology’s note: Chris is one of the most passionate and charismatic speakers on the AA circuit. Sometimes his enthusiasm can be misinterpreted, however, he continues to provide inspiration and hope for the countless people he reaches through his talks. Thanks Chris!