God uses him to carry the message of recovery through his musical gifts.

My name is Winfried, and I come from Germany. I have been sober since February 14, 2013, thanks to God’s grace. 

I am an “amateur musician.” I always enjoyed improvising because there were no rules. I could play and press the keys that God showed me. Above all, it calmed me because there are no mistakes when I improvise. My playing cannot be controlled because there is no sheet music. That made me feel very free.

Two years ago, I was on vacation in the mountains, sitting by a lake. I had the text of the Serenity Prayer in my head and hummed a melody to it. It was just there. I was able to remember the melody because of the intervals between the notes. 

That was the start of setting four steps of prayers that are very close to my heart to music. They are the 2nd, 3rd, 7th, and 11th Steps. 

This is how God gives me music. I sit down at the piano, look at the words of a prayer, and am given a melody to go with it, which I then write down. It usually just flows. Sometimes it takes one, two, or three attempts. 

For a long time, I was unsure whether these pieces should be for the “public,” at least for the public in our community, because I struggle so much with my desire to please. 

Last week, I visited a sponsee whose wife is also in our program. There, I received feedback from her: “Winfried, you have been given this gift from God, and it does not belong to you, so share it with the community.” 

I understood this as a clear sign from my dear Higher Power and wrote to SAICO. Now I am grateful that I can pass on what God has given me, and I ask God to protect me from all the expectations and character flaws that come with it. 

Winfried, Germany