What Makes Meetings Strong?

Building Positive Sobriety in Bogotá

When I came to SA in 2006, we were holding the meetings in the building of a foundation where a fellow member worked, but soon after it closed and we had to move. For about a year we were meeting in a park, sometimes in the rain, sometimes in the sun. Then we moved to the garage of another foundation, which also closed its doors soon thereafter.

By |2025-09-22T01:31:03-05:00May 22, 2021|Comments Off on Building Positive Sobriety in Bogotá

Hearing God’s Voice by Keeping Silent

Two months ago, a member told me that several members of our fellowship were angry with me. I told the situation in a very long audio message to my sponsor. He suggested to me to shut up for a while and to not speak in meetings. He also told me that he had experienced that himself, which had been a very enriching experience for him.

By |2025-09-22T01:31:07-05:00May 22, 2021|Comments Off on Hearing God’s Voice by Keeping Silent

VOIP Meetings as a Loner in Northern Africa

When I hit my bottom on April 16, 2014, I didn’t know if my wife would stay with me after I disclosed to her my double life between my family and my secret lust garden. I was not only mentally and spiritually sick but also physically ill because of acting-in. I suffered from terrible pain.

By |2025-09-22T01:31:10-05:00May 22, 2021|Comments Off on VOIP Meetings as a Loner in Northern Africa

Strong Meetings Need Committed Members

I have no doubt that if every SA meeting was conducted along the lines as prescribed in our White Book (185-187), our fellowship would have thousands of strong meetings globally and many, many thousands of members with strong recovery.

By |2025-09-22T01:31:14-05:00May 22, 2021|Comments Off on Strong Meetings Need Committed Members

Ask an Old-timer

There I was sitting at an AA meeting in early Feb ‘84, when a man announced he was starting an SA group in Nashville, TN. I surrendered six weeks later when I met at his apartment for my first SA meeting. Soon we outgrew his apartment and moved to my office building.

By |2025-09-22T01:31:18-05:00May 21, 2021|Comments Off on Ask an Old-timer

Tough Love Changing Lives

I came into SA in 1987 in Los Angeles. I attended meetings, went to international conferences, had three sponsors in succession, made as many as four phone calls every day and followed directions from those three sponsors. I was never sober for the first six years.

By |2025-09-22T01:31:38-05:00May 20, 2021|Comments Off on Tough Love Changing Lives

None of Us is as Smart as All of Us: The Power of Meetings

I’m battling a disease that is much greater than I am, and which needs no rest. My disease is focused on driving a wedge between me and everything I hold dear. It is intent on killing me. It knows that by isolating me it can make me believe its lies—but as long as I have others to talk with, I can keep my addiction at bay.

By |2024-08-05T14:38:08-05:00March 1, 2008|Comments Off on None of Us is as Smart as All of Us: The Power of Meetings

A Safe Haven?

Despite having a strong SA community in my region, the Fellowship here is facing a serious problem that I believe could one day lead to disaster.

By |2025-02-06T14:47:17-06:00September 27, 1999|Comments Off on A Safe Haven?