The AA founders discovered that right ACTION was the key to a Spiritual Experience that could conquer alcoholism. A PROGRAM OF ACTION! Pg 9- "...to suspend his commitment. They had told of a simple religious idea and a practical program of action. That was two months ago and the result was self-evident. It worked!" Pg 17- "We have a way out on which we can absolutely agree, and upon which we can join in brotherly and harmonious action. This is the great news this book carries to those who suffer from alcoholism." Pg 42- “Then they outlined the spiritual answer and program of action which a hundred of them had followed success- fully." Pg 63- "Next we launched out on a course of vigorous action, the first step of which is a personal housecleaning,..." Pg 72- "we have put our finger on the weak items in our personal inventory. Now these are about to be cast out. This requires action on our part..." Pg 76- ...bidding. Amen.” We have then completed Step Seven. Now we need more action, without which we find that “Faith without works is dead.” Let’s look at Steps Eight and Nine. We have a list of all persons we have harmed..." Pg 85- "It is easy to let up on the spiritual program of action and rest on our laurels. We are headed for trouble if we do, for alcohol is a subtle foe." ...But we must go further and that means more action. Pg 87- "As we go through the day we pause, when agitated or doubtful, and ask for the right thought or action." PG 88- It works—it really does. We alcoholics are undisciplined. So we let God disci- pline us in the simple way we have just outlined. But this is not all. There is action and more action. “Faith without works is dead.” The next chapter is en- tirely devoted to Step Twelve." Pg 93- "To be vital, faith must be accompanied by self sacrifice and unselfish, constructive action." Pg 94- "Outline the program of action, explaining how you made a self-appraisal, how you straightened out your past and why you are now endeavoring to be helpful to him. It is important for him to realize that your at- tempt to pass this on to him plays a vital part in your own recovery. Actually, he may be helping you more than you are helping him. Make it plain he is under no obligation to you, that you hope only that he will try to help other alcoholics when he escapes his own difficul- ties. Suggest how important it is that he place the wel- fare of other people ahead of his own." Pg 94- "Tell him you once felt as he does, but you doubt whether you would have made much progress had you not taken action." Pg 98- "When your prospect has made such reparation as he can to his family, and has thoroughly explained to them the new prin- ciples by which he is living, he should proceed to put those principles into action at home. That is, if he is lucky enough to have a home." Pg 142- "After satisfying yourself that your man wants to re- cover and that he will go to any extreme to do so, you may suggest a definite course of action." Pg 157- "The two friends spoke of their spiritual experience and told him about the course of action they carried out."
It works, if we have the proper attitude and work at it! |