She decided to give away what was freely given to her. 

As I reflect on my journey in recovery, I’m filled with gratitude for the AA Big Book and those who have carried its message. Working the steps as they’re written in the Big Book has been the most transformative path to true freedom that I’ve experienced.

I found SA in 2015, and have since worked the steps using five different methods. Each method has helped me grow in some way, but my life started to take a new course as I encountered members of Sexaholics Anonymous who embodied the principles outlined in the Big Book. I could see that they were actually happy, joyous, and free, and I desperately wanted the kind of recovery that they had.

Inspired by their example, I knew that I needed to work the steps through the AA Big Book. However, finding a woman to guide me through this specific method proved challenging. Just as I was losing hope, I was connected with a long-sober member of AA, and some of my SA brothers began a workshop using the same approach. Suddenly, God was abundantly providing everything that I needed to clear away the things that blocked me from Him.

The simplicity of working the steps as written changed my life! I used to be filled with fear, shame, and lust. Now I’m overflowing with love, joy, peace, and unimagined freedom. I am a completely different person, and to those who know me, the difference is undeniable. I don’t merely have sobriety, I have a life I didn’t know was possible. The Big Book puts it this way, “We have found much of heaven and we have been rocketed into a fourth dimension of existence of which we had not even dreamed” (AA 25).

I’m deeply grateful that this message was carried to me, and I’m eager to continue carrying it to others. My former sponsor encouraged me to lead a workshop, pointing out the need for women to share this message within our fellowship. I’m thrilled that an SA sister and I will begin a workshop for SA sisters and brothers on September 6th. She is a dear friend and sponsee whose life has also been transformed through this approach. We are both excited to continue to carry the message, and we hope others will soon experience this freedom.

For meeting announcements, please join https://tinyurl.com/BigBookWorkshop