Good evening family, Charles here, alcoholic.

I am sometimes amazed at the divine guidance apparent in the choice of language found in the Big Book: "Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity." My sanity is a work in progress, and at the first, I did not believe. It has been a process. I have been active in a church for some years now, but never used spiritual principles on a daily basis and at best, paid lip service to any spiritual guide in my daily life. I have found that Faith is not a noun. Faith is a verb and an action verb, at that. By doing the spiritual exercises: prayer, meditation, spiritual readings, service work, talking with other AA's and other spiritually aware people, the effects of faith have expressed themselves in my life. And the madness, which led me to these rooms, has been eased. Not cured, for there is no cure, but I am relieved. It is that Higher Power which has provided that relief. I have come to a point where I know if I have been remiss in working my faith. Anger is the first warning sign for me. Frustration, being judgmental ... when those things happen, I know it is time to engage my faith mechanisms. I know I need to spend more time in prayer, pick up a book, go to a meeting, and let the God of my understanding give my sanity a booster shot.

Thank you all for being here with me tonight. God bless!