THOUGHT FOR THE DAY 8/04/09

Recovery is no place for the faint of heart! Facing life on life's terms without the use of drugs isn't always easy. Recovery requires more than hard work; it requires a liberal dose of courage.

What is courage, anyway? A quick look at a dictionary will tell us. We have courage when we face and deal with anything that we think of as difficult, dangerous, or painful, rather than withdrawing from it.

Courage means being brave; having a purpose; having spirit. So what is courage, really? Courage is an attitude, one of perseverance.

That's what an addict in recovery really needs - perseverance. We make that commitment to stick with our sobriety, to avoid using, no matter what happens. A courageous addict is one who doesn't use, one day at a time, no matter what.

And what gives us courage? A relationship with a Higher Power gives us the strength and the courage to stay clean. We know that, so long as we are in our God's care, we will have the power we need to face life on its own terms.

So for today and every day, ask God to give you that courage and perserverance that you need to get through another day sober and thank Him for the days gone by that you have already stayed that way.

RuthAnn