Twelve Steps: One Journey: A Guide to Recovery

By Bobbie Godwin

When I first entered Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), I started hearing the stories of people. Regardless of culture, racial origin, economic stature, or sex, all of the stories reflected the journeys alcoholics took to arrive at AA’s doorstep. It was in hearing the journeys of others that I began to get well. My alcoholism was not stronger than my humanity. Thank God!

In the years of working in the treatment of addictions, I have learned that the journeys of alcoholics and drug addicts are very similar. The primary difference is drug of choice. Addiction is the disease. That is why both AA and NA (Narcotics Anonymous) and the many twelve-step groups that have been birthed from the original all use the basic twelve steps, substituting different words for the powerless concept.

What a powerful gift Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith have given the world! We need our separate groups and communities, but we come together in the twelve steps. For this reason, I have shared my understanding of the twelve steps to alcoholics, cocaine addicts, pill addicts, gamblers, food addicts, and sex addicts, to name a few. The formula to recovery is the twelve steps. Although I present this book mainly in the language of Alcoholics Anonymous, it is intended to be used for any person in recovery from the disease of addiction. Also, I have written this book from my Christian faith and experience. However, the core principle of AA is a belief in a Higher Power as you understand the meaning of that term, which is all inclusive. Alcoholics Anonymous is not aligned to any particular sect, denomination, religion, organization, etc.

I grew up with a storyteller. My father was more entertaining than any of the television personalities. I have remembered the joy of listening to his stories and retained the messages long after the life of his words. The stories in this book were heard in meetings, sermons, retreats, or simply told by a friend, and are stories that touched me personally in my recovery and have sustained me through the years, helping me work anew the twelve-step program. I offer this book as a tool to help in the use of the twelve steps. The book is my personal interpretation of the steps. It is my hope that it will benefit you in your personal journey of recovery.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Nov 26, 2019
• ISBN: 9781728335094

Bobbie Godwin

Bobbie Godwin has been working in the field of alcohol and drug abuse treatment for the past 27 years. She has conducted weekly twelve-step study groups since 1986 and has also led recovery retreats and workshops. She is credentialed as a drug and alcohol counselor by the state of South Carolina and holds national credentials from the National Association of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Counselors as a Master Addictions Counselor. She has a master’s degree in counseling from Webster University and is licensed by the state of South Carolina as a professional counselor and addictions counselor. Ms. Godwin has been an active public speaker to increase community awareness of the disease of addiction, presenting to public agencies, local law enforcement, schools, and colleges in her area. She has worked in both outpatient and inpatient addiction treatment centers and was employed in two South Carolina Circuit Drug Court programs through the district attorney’s office as Treatment Director/Case Manager of the programs. She celebrates 34 years in personal recovery from alcoholism.

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© 2019 Bobbie Godwin. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse  11/25/2019

ISBN: 978-1-7283-3510-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-7283-3509-4 (e)

This book is a revised edition of Parables of the Twelve Steps published in 2003.

IBSN: 1-4033-2751-3 (sc)

IBSN: 1-4033-2750-5 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2019918152

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Scripture quotations marked RSV are taken from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, 1971 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

CONTENTS

About The Book

Dedication

Acknowledgments

From The Author

Chapter 1     Acceptance

Chapter 2     Recognizing The Eternal

Chapter 3     Trust

Chapter 4     Rigorous Honesty

Chapter 5     Spiritual Freedom

Chapter 6     Wholeness

Chapter 7     Shortcomings

Chapter 8     Reconciliation

Chapter 9     Kairos Time (God’s Time)

Chapter 10   Integrity

Chapter 11   Conscious Contact

Chapter 12   Love And Support

Prologue*

Credits And References

The Twelve Steps Of Alcoholics Anonymous

About The Author

ABOUT THE BOOK

When I first entered Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), I started hearing the stories of people. Regardless of culture, racial origin, economic stature, or sex, all of the stories reflected the journeys alcoholics took to arrive at AA’s doorstep. It was in hearing the journeys of others that I began to get well. My alcoholism was not stronger than my humanity. Thank God!

In the years of working in the treatment of addictions, I have learned that the journeys of alcoholics and drug addicts are very similar. The primary difference is drug of choice. Addiction is the disease. That is why both AA and NA (Narcotics Anonymous) and the many twelve-step groups that have been birthed from the original all use the basic twelve steps, substituting different words for the powerless concept.

What a powerful gift Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith have given the world! We need our separate groups and communities, but we come together in the twelve steps. For this reason, I have shared my understanding of the twelve steps to alcoholics, cocaine addicts, pill addicts, gamblers, food addicts, and sex addicts, to name a few. The formula to recovery is the twelve steps. Although I present this book mainly in the language of Alcoholics Anonymous, it is intended to be used for any person in recovery from the disease of addiction. Also, I have written this book from my Christian faith and experience. However, the core principle of AA is a belief in a Higher Power as you understand the meaning of that term, which is all inclusive. Alcoholics Anonymous is not aligned to any particular sect, denomination, religion, organization, etc.

I grew up with a storyteller. My father was more entertaining than any of the television personalities. I have remembered the joy of listening to his stories and retained the messages long after the life of his words. The stories in this book were heard in meetings, sermons, retreats, or simply told by a friend, and are stories that touched me personally in my recovery and have sustained me through the years, helping me work anew the twelve-step program. I offer this book as a tool to help in the use of the twelve steps. The book is my personal interpretation of the steps. It is my hope that it will benefit you in your personal journey of recovery.

DEDICATION

Dedicated to the loving memory of Joan Van Orman and Enid Koop, who were for me Bill W. and Dr. Bob. Their lives exemplified the twelve steps and gave honor to all those privileged to know them. And in appreciation to all my fellow ducks in the Greenville pond.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to thank my family, Patty, Will, and Jonathan, for their help and patience and without whom I would not have been able to complete this book. They taught me new things about using a computer and were able to lovingly tolerate my impatience and ignorance. They were always a source of inspiration.

Also, I am very grateful to Patty Barnes and Kay McNabb who reviewed the revised edition in 2019 and offered objective input. What a task and gift of friendship. Thank you so much!

FROM THE AUTHOR

Recently I had an experience while on vacation that proved to be exciting, dangerous, and a great lesson learned about river kayaking and recovery as well.

I set out alone to kayak on the French Broad River. I have kayaked many times but never alone. I had my life jacket and, with confidence in my swimming ability, fastened it loosely to allow me more freedom of movement. The rapids were not severe and I had checked with the locals beforehand as I have had limited experience with rapids. It was a beautiful June Carolina day.

I went through the first set of rapids okay. When I saw the second set of rapids ahead, I determined they were worse and since they were mostly to the river’s right, I made the decision to avoid them. I started paddling