30 years is a BFD!!! Congratulations. I am struggling right now. I've been physically sober since 8/15/1999. I went to a meeting last night for the first time in several months. Not a lot of people, however I was asked to chair the meeting. I really wanted to say NO, but my sponsee was sitting right by me. So I sat in the chair and got of cup of coffee and some pie and told the truth. I am angry, resentful, and in so much grief. In sept my cousins 14 month old granddaughter was murdered by her daycare provider. I will not go into detail about how I feel towards this POS woman, but it is bad. On November 19, 2021 one of my best friends had a stroke and died. I am heart broken. I've been crying for months now. Baby E was the 4th relative I lost in 2021. My emotional sobriety is in the shitter right now, and I know it, and I don't care and am unwilling to do anything about it. Pure ego sobriety right now. It will have to do. Just venting. Thanks for the space.
I love this. Congratulations on your 30 years! What a big deal! I’m grateful for these posts. They come just in time. I can easily forget sometimes how hard it is to stay sober and what a miracle it is. I needed this reminder today. At 1 yr and 4 months sober, I aspire to get to the double digits one day, “one day at a time”. Thank you for staying the course and lighting the way for the rest of us!
Dearest Nadia, I posted this on your FB page as well (big social media day for granny): Congratulations on your 30th anniversary—this is a BFD indeed. What a trip it's been, from semi-competitive one-liners at Sunlight to ministering to the vast community you've created—may your light continue to shine as we trudge the road to happy destiny. Much love to you from yr. Auntie T.
Hello Nadia and all. I’m another grateful girl and how the hell did that happen 😊. 37 years for me. I just shared your post with a few women who are struggling at the moment and I know it’ll do good. 12th step in action. Thankyou Nadia. Love to you one day at a time from me here in Oz. (Ahh that’d be Australia, not the land where I tap my boots together and magic happens. I’m sure I may have tried that when I was pissed but living more in reality now 😁). 🙏💚
Awesome accomplishment!! I’m another sober Rev. Got 31 years in November. What a trip! Love reading everything you’ve written, identify greatly. Thank you. God finds us, calls us and raises us up. 🙏
Congrats on 30 years! I just wanted to tell you that you have been a constant inspiration for me in my 10 years of sobriety, and you have also brought me back to my Lutheran roots. Thank you sooo much, and that prayer… well i’m crying. ❤️💕
Congratulations! Quite an accomplishment. I'm only half-way there. I started drinking when I was 16, with my boyfriend, who would then become my husband. We were married 24 years, together for 33 years, before he died of alcohol. He was born with polio, and was in considerable pain for his whole life. When a teen, the docs did surgery to move a muscle from the good leg to the bad, which only gave him 1 good muscle each leg. He was brought up 'normal', went to regular school, did everything 'normal' people do. His disability did not stop him. When in his 40's we found that the muscles were giving out, and there is no replacement yet for muscles. He just could not face life being in a wheelchair when he had lead a non-disabled life as possible. He died at 49, leaving me with a 12 year old son. It broke my heart, because, as it was explained to me later, he was my call at that time. It took me three years after he passed before I was able to quit. I'm an avid reader, mostly of mysteries, and every book, every series that I read, had to do with an alcoholic becoming sober. So one day, I looked up, and said, "Ok God, I get it." Talk about being hit in the head with a two-by-four. I was working and raising a child, so had to do it myself. At the thime I lived in an apartment where there were 15 bars within a mile of my place. No matter which direction I went, I had to go by a bar. But with lots of prayer, and some AA, and the support of God, I made it. After I got sober, which took a year to get the poison out, I made a covenant with God, as a thank you, that I would not drink. And I haven't, only take juice at communion. I went back to church, and as I sat in the pew, I could feel my late husband's presence leaving my heart, and it being replace by the presence of God. I became an ELCA Synod Authorized Deacon, and God pulled me from that church to the one that my late husband and I attended. Our pastor left 6 years ago, and it took us 5 years to find a part-time pastor. In those 5 years, the 3 Deacons at our church did the services, gave communion, baptized, etc. Pluse we started a second service for sex-offenders who have been released from jail, and others who are margainalized, and mostly overlooked by most of society. As you said, If someone had told me that I would be here, leading a church, years ago when I was drinking, I would have thought they were nuts. Congrats to all who have become un-addicted, and strength and peace to those who are still trying. It's very hard, but you're really not alone. Not only is God with you, but so are all of us, even though you may not hear our prayers, they are there. Blessings all, for 2022.
Good morning! I read everything that gets to my email from you immediately and give some input. This one I had to wait. I think because my family has so much addiction in so many ways. My brother has 15 years clean! He had 7 then started using again and is now 15 years in. I had never realized how hard the day to day was, he never told us. Thank you for sharing! I now understand the depth and joy he feels that like you he has the gift of recovery! Much love,
I'm at 18 years, not from alcohol addiction, but from food addiction, and weight loss surgery, and a shit load of group and personal therapy thereafter. I'm not perfect. I'm still fat. But I'm not morbidly obese. I wear size 16 or 18 ( I'm 5"9"). I can 'pass' for normal. People don't know the battle within just by looking at me.
And I too am grateful. I too am given the gift of sharing and helping others. I too realize I am a tool in God's hand basket.
Thank you for being a voice of clarity in this sea of madness.
30 years is a BFD!!! Congratulations. I am struggling right now. I've been physically sober since 8/15/1999. I went to a meeting last night for the first time in several months. Not a lot of people, however I was asked to chair the meeting. I really wanted to say NO, but my sponsee was sitting right by me. So I sat in the chair and got of cup of coffee and some pie and told the truth. I am angry, resentful, and in so much grief. In sept my cousins 14 month old granddaughter was murdered by her daycare provider. I will not go into detail about how I feel towards this POS woman, but it is bad. On November 19, 2021 one of my best friends had a stroke and died. I am heart broken. I've been crying for months now. Baby E was the 4th relative I lost in 2021. My emotional sobriety is in the shitter right now, and I know it, and I don't care and am unwilling to do anything about it. Pure ego sobriety right now. It will have to do. Just venting. Thanks for the space.
I love this. Congratulations on your 30 years! What a big deal! I’m grateful for these posts. They come just in time. I can easily forget sometimes how hard it is to stay sober and what a miracle it is. I needed this reminder today. At 1 yr and 4 months sober, I aspire to get to the double digits one day, “one day at a time”. Thank you for staying the course and lighting the way for the rest of us!
Cheers,
Gui
Dearest Nadia, I posted this on your FB page as well (big social media day for granny): Congratulations on your 30th anniversary—this is a BFD indeed. What a trip it's been, from semi-competitive one-liners at Sunlight to ministering to the vast community you've created—may your light continue to shine as we trudge the road to happy destiny. Much love to you from yr. Auntie T.
Thanks Trix! So grateful for the huge role you played in my sobriety. Love you.
Testimony. Pure testimony. Eshet chayil, woman of valour!
Hello Nadia and all. I’m another grateful girl and how the hell did that happen 😊. 37 years for me. I just shared your post with a few women who are struggling at the moment and I know it’ll do good. 12th step in action. Thankyou Nadia. Love to you one day at a time from me here in Oz. (Ahh that’d be Australia, not the land where I tap my boots together and magic happens. I’m sure I may have tried that when I was pissed but living more in reality now 😁). 🙏💚
Awesome accomplishment!! I’m another sober Rev. Got 31 years in November. What a trip! Love reading everything you’ve written, identify greatly. Thank you. God finds us, calls us and raises us up. 🙏
Congrats on 30 years! I just wanted to tell you that you have been a constant inspiration for me in my 10 years of sobriety, and you have also brought me back to my Lutheran roots. Thank you sooo much, and that prayer… well i’m crying. ❤️💕
Godspeed for your next 30!
"And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year:
'Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown'.
And he replied:
'Go out into the darkness, and put your hand into the Hand of God.
That shall be to you better than light, and safer than a known way'".
—Minnie Louise Haskins
Congratulations! Quite an accomplishment. I'm only half-way there. I started drinking when I was 16, with my boyfriend, who would then become my husband. We were married 24 years, together for 33 years, before he died of alcohol. He was born with polio, and was in considerable pain for his whole life. When a teen, the docs did surgery to move a muscle from the good leg to the bad, which only gave him 1 good muscle each leg. He was brought up 'normal', went to regular school, did everything 'normal' people do. His disability did not stop him. When in his 40's we found that the muscles were giving out, and there is no replacement yet for muscles. He just could not face life being in a wheelchair when he had lead a non-disabled life as possible. He died at 49, leaving me with a 12 year old son. It broke my heart, because, as it was explained to me later, he was my call at that time. It took me three years after he passed before I was able to quit. I'm an avid reader, mostly of mysteries, and every book, every series that I read, had to do with an alcoholic becoming sober. So one day, I looked up, and said, "Ok God, I get it." Talk about being hit in the head with a two-by-four. I was working and raising a child, so had to do it myself. At the thime I lived in an apartment where there were 15 bars within a mile of my place. No matter which direction I went, I had to go by a bar. But with lots of prayer, and some AA, and the support of God, I made it. After I got sober, which took a year to get the poison out, I made a covenant with God, as a thank you, that I would not drink. And I haven't, only take juice at communion. I went back to church, and as I sat in the pew, I could feel my late husband's presence leaving my heart, and it being replace by the presence of God. I became an ELCA Synod Authorized Deacon, and God pulled me from that church to the one that my late husband and I attended. Our pastor left 6 years ago, and it took us 5 years to find a part-time pastor. In those 5 years, the 3 Deacons at our church did the services, gave communion, baptized, etc. Pluse we started a second service for sex-offenders who have been released from jail, and others who are margainalized, and mostly overlooked by most of society. As you said, If someone had told me that I would be here, leading a church, years ago when I was drinking, I would have thought they were nuts. Congrats to all who have become un-addicted, and strength and peace to those who are still trying. It's very hard, but you're really not alone. Not only is God with you, but so are all of us, even though you may not hear our prayers, they are there. Blessings all, for 2022.
Judy MG
Rev Nadia, thank you for this beautiful meditation on how god-dess can do for us what we cannot do for ourselves.
Thank you for doing the do, for showing up and feeling your feelings and listening for the next right indicated thing.
My sober birthday is January 2, 2010, and I am so grateful for this lovely, complicated, messy, magnificent life. Many blessings! love, Anna.
Welcome to XXX club! Class of '91 here too. Love who you are for me and so many in the world.
Congratulations Nadia. I'm so glad God's grace has touched your heart & life & kept you sober. I too am in Recovery. 15 years last July. ❤
Amen
Good morning! I read everything that gets to my email from you immediately and give some input. This one I had to wait. I think because my family has so much addiction in so many ways. My brother has 15 years clean! He had 7 then started using again and is now 15 years in. I had never realized how hard the day to day was, he never told us. Thank you for sharing! I now understand the depth and joy he feels that like you he has the gift of recovery! Much love,
Gloria
30 years!. Congratulations!. I love your honesty.
I'm at 18 years, not from alcohol addiction, but from food addiction, and weight loss surgery, and a shit load of group and personal therapy thereafter. I'm not perfect. I'm still fat. But I'm not morbidly obese. I wear size 16 or 18 ( I'm 5"9"). I can 'pass' for normal. People don't know the battle within just by looking at me.
And I too am grateful. I too am given the gift of sharing and helping others. I too realize I am a tool in God's hand basket.
Thank you for being a voice of clarity in this sea of madness.
This is so badass! I'm a friend of Bill and this gave me all the feels! Thank you for your words and congrats!