Spirit of Recovery

Respect is often demanded, and we are told it has to be earned. It is closely tied with esteem of self and others. With our jaded histories, how do we learn respect for others as well as self-respect? Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share their experiences with this perplexing concept and the peace they found along the way.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our very active inner critic berates us for every little perceived mistake we make once in recovery. We try very hard and yet seem to miss the mark fairly often. We see others fail and try again. Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share tips and principles that led them from condemnation to compassion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The question “Can we talk?” strikes fear into the hearts of many a person. In active addiction, it usually meant someone was displeased with us. Arguments, emotional upsets, and bad behavior often followed. In recovery, we learn to use spiritual principles to engage in healthy dialogue. Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share their experience, strength, and hope in learning how to connect in meani...

Sometimes it seems that there is only one right way—our way. We get immensely uncomfortable when jarred out of our comfort zone by exploring a new way of being, trying someone else’s suggestions. Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share the journey from reliance only on self to joy in community and self.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Active addicts live in a world of “make believe.” Our minds become confused to the point where we can’t tell the true from the false. Once we enter recovery, we break the denial, confront and begin to change our “reality.” Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share their journey from hopelessness to a new reality. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On one hand, we are told we are unique and special, individualized expressions of God. On the other hand, we addicts are often told we have a big ego, to get over ourselves, and quit playing God! Who are we, really? How do we become right-sized? Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share what worked for them in balancing individual uniqueness with humility and service. Learn more about your ad choice...

We interact with our fellow humans on this journey of life, in a multitude of ways, for a variety of reasons. On the spiritual path, we ask ourselves: Why do we do what we do? What’s in it for us? Who are we trying to please, impress, or persuade? Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share how they learned to be in integrity with and honest about motives while still being true to personal aspirations...

Holidays are hard. With so much family drama and personal pain, how can a person get through it all without losing sanity and sobriety? If the temptations were too great, now what? Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share their experience, strength, and hope about meeting the challenge of difficult holiday gatherings clean and sober. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Long-term addiction has a way of befuddling our minds and obscuring our clarity on many levels. Fortunately, we can regain our faculties and clear our thinking as we walk the path of recovery. Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share how they moved from bewilderment to clarity of mind and purpose using simple spiritual principles in recovery. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adc...

In active addition we often used our skills and abilities to serve our own needs and addictions! But in recovery we have the opportunity to learn to use our gifts in service of others. Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share how they moved from using skills and abilities in service of self to using them in service to the world, finding joy and freedom along the way. Learn more about your ad choice...

One way self-centeredness shows up in addicts and alcoholics is in the attitude that says, "I'll just do it myself!" We have not been adept at allowing others to participate with us in our lives. In recovery we learn to be an equal partner, which allows us to work well with others. No longer do we feel the need to do everything our way by ourselves! Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they explore how th...

For those of us with serious addictions, the word balance has been defined as "the middle point we go flying past on the way from one extreme to the other." How true that has been for so many of us! But in recovery we learn the power and wisdom found in balance. Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share how they moved from being at "one extreme or the other" to a life of peace through spiritual bala...

All people deserve to be heard and valued. Addiction says “me first” and “I’m more important!” In recovery, we learn to live harmoniously in community and take our rightful place as “one of the bunch.” Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share the path from placing self above others to a life of joyful community using the spiritual principle of consideration.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visi...

In active addiction many of us put ourselves first in unhealthy ways, often seeing our needs as more important than the needs of others. While self-care is important, we often went too far. In recovery we learn that we are equal with all people, no better and no worse. We learn to balance our needs with the needs of others in a healthy way. Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share how to cocreate a...

Addiction has a way of eroding confidence. In active addiction, although our intentions may have been good, we were often unable to follow through on commitments. Fortunately, we regained the ability to be trustworthy and to learn to trust others. Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share how they moved from dropping the ball to being a reliable partner through the spiritual principle of trust. Lear...

Before we got into recovery, many things took a backseat to feeding our addictions. We may have neglected family and friends, done poorly at work, and ignored our health. But in recovery we realize that it's essential to listen to that inner voice of conscience and to do the next right thing. Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share how they moved from backward priorities to a life of joy using the...

"We are known by the company we keep," says one well-worn adage. But do each of those folks in that group reflect your values? Or do you not quite "fit the mold" and sometimes seem to step out of the box when explaining the group to others? Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share how to stay out of personality and live in principle.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Perhaps all of us have, at one time or another, been hurt by unfounded gossip. Another has chosen to speak for us, inappropriately. How do we avoid this triangulation, inauthentic relationships, and boundary violations? Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan to learn how to maintain serenity using the spiritual principle of personal anonymity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are so many questions in the world, and many times we have opinions on all of them! We may find ourselves tied up in knots regarding conflicting ideas that have little impact on our daily lives. How do we regain our serenity? Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share the value of maintaining a neutral stance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sometimes when we enter a new situation or engage a new group, we are not quite sure how we fit in. Sometimes we offer suggestions before we know what is going on. At other times, we may think, If they would just do it my way, it would be okay. Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share how to be a valued member of a group without alienating others. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.f...

Loneliness is rampant in our society today. We spend hours on email, text, and social media, perhaps in front of a television or other screen. Although we interact all day long, we don't feel "connected." Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share how to ease that loneliness and become truly present for people in your life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Often in our active addiction, we expected other people to pick up the slack for us. Call in sick for us, go to the store for us, lie and “cover” for us, and pretend everything is fine ... the list goes on. But in recovery we learn that we as individuals need to take responsibility for ourselves and be fully self-supporting, just like our recovery groups. While it's fine and healthy to be interdep...

In our busy society, we often find our attention scattered among many competing activities. We are so used to being busy that we have a name for it: multitasking. But in recovery we learn the importance and the power of focus. Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they explore the essential skill of staying on task with our recovery. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When we were in active addiction we had a singleness of purpose in our lives: feeding our addiction. But now that we are in recovery, we have a different focus and purpose: helping others. Yes, we work to maintain our own sobriety, but bigger than that is our desire to carry the message to those who still suffer. Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share how to stay on purpose and the value of servi...

As we move ahead on our recovery journey, we learn many new ways to balance our lives. Just as each of us needs to learn balance, so must our recovery groups find balance. Each group can do as it sees fit, but it also has a duty to the recovery community in general. Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they talk about balancing the individual with the group, the good of each one, and the good of the peopl...