Jim Egan played a big role in my early SA years. I loved his shares, which were always a loving, humble meander. I’m grateful to have learned from his shares to be loving and humble myself. Always with a smile on his face, he also helped me feel comfortable at the SA International Conventions I attended.

My sponsor credited Jim (who was his sponsor, so my grand-sponsor) with what became one of my most effective personal SA practices: When surrendering lust, don’t just pray your surrender; bring it into the light with another SA member.

Once in a discussion with Harry B., he and Jim spontaneously asked each other some probing questions about their recovery. These questions later became the Daily Sobriety Renewal practice, a beloved tool of many in the Fellowship.

I was delighted to see Jim credited in the AA book, The Soul of Sponsorship, a memoir of the relationship between Bill Wilson and Father Ed Dowling. Jim was the archivist of Father Ed’s writings, some of which were used in this comforting little gem of 12-Step history.

Jim was a true peacemaker and helped us all strive for unity in SA. He died in 2008 after 20+ years of sexual sobriety. He is still very much missed.

Here is the original renewal (with one omission, where a short phrase from a particular religion was quoted):
Desire for Sobriety: daily renewal with sobriety partners
1. Are you willing to admit you are powerless over lust?
2. Do you desire sobriety for the next 24 hours? (freedom from the obsessions and actions of lust [freedom from fear, resentment, shame, self pity, etc.])
3. Are you willing to do whatever is necessary to protect this desire for the next 24 hours? (setting boundaries, prayer, reading, physical care of your body, reaching out and calling others)
4. Do you understand that at the end of this 24 hours you are free to choose this sobriety for another day or go another way?
5. Just for today, are you willing, with me, to hand over your will and your life to the care of the One who kept you sober yesterday and protected you from the full consequences of your lust in the past?