"Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity." BRB p. 130

Our parents had been our gods. This is normal for children because parents are their primary support system.

As adults, many of us had not progressed past this stage of growth, no matter how far away we moved. We had believed everything they said for so long that we continued to internalize their negativity and messages without even being around them. Their voices were inside us.

Concerning religious beliefs, some of our families had no tolerance for anything except their religious belief system. Others of us may have been told that only weakminded people believe in a Higher Power.

In recovery, when many of us seek to identify a Higher Power, we may be confused by these intolerant and abusive viewpoints. To find clarity, we give ourselves permission to step away from those old ideas, even about what the word God means. Many of us may start by seeing our ACA family as the "something greater than ourselves." This is the beginning of our search for spiritual freedom. It may seem foreign at first, because this wouldn't have been allowed in our families.

But we're on a journey. We try things out and see what works for us. We notice we have an inner compass, and we start to follow it fearlessly.

On this day I know there is a power greater than me. I honor the fact that my concept of a Higher Power may continue to change as I grow.