The Ministers Son's Change -- Dramatic, Convincing, and Moving.

Page: 57

Step we are on: Step Two

Chapter: "We Agnostics"

Subject: Conscious Contact, Miracles, Healing, Sanity

 Good morning. Bottom of page 57. This is the last of Step Two. 

This narrative segues into Step Three as the Minster's son has a dramatic Step Three experience and is restored to sanity by God.

• Did this man has a sudden spiritual experience or was it gradual?

To this man, the revelation was sudden.

• Did all of them experience an awakening this sudden?

Some of us grow into it more slowly.

 Frequently there were sudden, revolutionary changes followed by overwhelming “God-consciousness” effecting vast changes in feeling and outlook. This was a common occurrence to those who worked these steps as described in this book. 

These sudden, drastic awakening experiences still happen today (To those who keep with the directions) - but as in the beginning of the Fellowship some did not experience, “God-consciousness,” this way.

For some, this change came slower. For those who do not stick with the directions, it is not likely to happen at all  --  neither slowly or quickly.

• What is the prediction to all those seek God honestly?

But He has come to all who have honestly sought Him.

• If we try to apply these Steps to our lives, what will happen?

When we drew near to Him He disclosed Himself to us!

And when we ran away from Him . . . . .?

 Tomorrow we begin on Page 58 - and Step Three. 

Peace and  Love,

Danny S – RLRA

Real Live Recovered Alcoholic

http://stepelevencomesalive.blogspot.com/

A Spontaneous Step Three

Page: 57

Step we are on: Step Two

Chapter: "We Agnostics"

Subject: Conscious Contact, Miracles, Healing, Sanity

Good morning. The Minister’s Son is having his spiritual awakening experience after just one visit from his “sponsor” – (not Bill Wilson) who took him through Steps 1, 2 and now he is having a spontaneous Step Three event. Sometimes Step Three is just like that.

• What made it possible for him to come to believe?

Circumstances made him willing to believe.

This is in reference to Step Two.

• What did he do?

He humbly offered himself to his Maker

This is a reference to Step Three

• Then he what?

then he knew.

This is in reference to the Step Three experience where, “an effect, sometimes a very great one, was felt at once.”

• For how many had God repeated this miracle?

Even so has God restored us all to our right minds.

A "right mind" is one that is sane, free from obsession, no longer in danger from those "strange mental blank spots" that are the insanity of the "first drink".

It is fitting that we are ending this Step Two section of the Big Book with this wonderful segue straight intro Step Three. 

TOMORROW (We complete "We Agnostics"- Step Two.)

• Did this man have sudden spiritual or a gradual one?
• Then some of us must experience which?
• What is the promise to all those who will become students and practitioners of this Basic Textbook?
• If we try to apply these Steps to our lives, what will happen?

Peace and  Love,

Danny S – RLRA

Real Live Recovered Alcoholic

 http://stepelevencomesalive.blogspot.com/

A Step Two Wrap

In wrapping up Step Two we leave with this case example of the Minsters Son, a  man plagued by depression, alcoholism, PTSD, Suicide, Financial Loss, Atheism and who leaves the hospital a free man.

This book and all of its narratives use case examples like Fred, Jim, The Man of Thirty, The Ministers Son, Bill W, Bob, Bill D - to 'advance' the Twelve Step program of action giving readers numerous examples of how the 12 Steps results in a spiritual awakening and the removal of the desire to drink.

The account of The Minsters Son, in his hospital room, presents an example of someone having his spiritual awakening while at the Step Three phase of the program.

This is not an uncommon experience and is witnessed often while in the field, working with others, using this precise method in this book.

 The man making the approach is actually a 'patient' there himself (not Bill W.) - nine days off his relapse and already carrying the message - and although the details are not specifically delineated, the Ministers Son is clearly in the of the throes of the first three steps, at the least - and is having a spiritual awakening on his first day of ‘step taking’.

Steps One through Step Three takes only about an hour or so to complete when the directions in the book are followed. 

Many people have a Step Three spiritual experience such as the Ministers Son when Steps One, Two and Three are done as depicted in this book. This is further confirmed when we get to Step Three, on page 63, when the co-authors tell us “an effect, sometimes a very great one, was felt at once.”  -- not every single time, but sometimes.* The Ministers Son is clearly one of those times.

This Step Three awaking example comes at the end of the chapter on Step Two (“We Agnostics”) and is a fine segue into the co-authors Step Three presentation which we will begin here in this group in two days.

 Peace and  Love,

Danny S – RLRA

Real Live Recovered Alcoholic

http://stepelevencomesalive.blogspot.com/

* Most of the time the spiritual awakening occurs somewhere in between steps 5-7. But earlier, as here, is good too.

 

A Healing Miracle

Page: 57

Step we are on: Step Two

Chapter: "We Agnostics"

Subject: Depression, PTSD, Suicide, Financial Loss, Atheism, Conscious Contact, Miracles, Healing

• To what extent did the thought of drinking return to him?

Save for a few brief moments of temptation the thought of drink has never returned;

• How did he react to those brief moments?

and at such times a great revulsion has risen up in him.

• Had he now joined the First 100 as being a recovered alcoholic?

Seemingly he could not drink even if he would.

• Had the hope of Step Two become a reality in his life?

God had restored his sanity.

•  What do we call this type of event?

What is this but a miracle of healing?

Miracle – an act or happening in the material or physical sphere that apparently departs from the laws of nature or goes beyond what is known concerning these laws; a supernatural occurrence. ~

The Winston Simplified Dictionary – 1938

• Are its elements complex?

Yet its elements are simple.

           

Tomorrow

• What made it possible for him to come to believe?
• What did he do?
• Then he what?
• For how many had God repeated this miracle?

Peace and  Love,

Danny S – RLRA

Real Live Recovered Alcoholic

 http://stepelevencomesalive.blogspot.com/