“My growing awareness & connection with a loving God has come a long way, but there is still so much to learn, and unlearn.”

“We were driven by insatiable desires, unable to get enough of anything - material possessions, physical sensations, social acceptance. Yet the fulfillment of these desires left us spiritually bankrupt. Our recovery begins with the discovery that we already have what we need, that love is what really matters. And we get love by giving love. When we invest our time in doing loving things, going deep into ourselves to learn God's will for us,. we get even more than we hoped for. Today I want to know my Higher Power's will for me and trust that I have the love I can never give too much of.”

“There can be no doubt that as a matter of fact a religious life, exclusively pursued, does tend to make the person exceptional and eccentric. I speak not now of your ordinary religious believer, who follows the conventional observances of his country, whether it be Buddhist, Christian, Jewish, or Mohammedan. His religion has been made for him by others, communicated to him by tradition, determined to fixed forms by imitation, and retained by habit. It would profit us little to study this second-hand religious life. We must make search rather for the original experiences which were the pattern-setters to all this mass of suggested feeling and imitated conduct. These experiences we can only find in individuals for whom religion exists not as a dull habit, but as an acute fever rather.”

“My friend had emphasized the absolute necessity of demonstrating these principles in all my affairs. Particularly was it imperative to work with others as he had worked with me. Faith without works was dead, he said. And how appallingly true for the alcoholic! For if an alcoholic failed to perfect and enlarge his spiritual life through work and self-sacrifice for others, he could not survive the certain trials and low spots ahead. If he did not work, he would surely drink again, and if he drank, he would surely die. Then faith would be dead indeed. With us it is just like that.”

“The anonymity, altruism, and alterity of the Samaritan are the signposts that point to just such a love. His actions have shown us for his time, for our time, and for all time the meaning of love. He looked upon a fallen fellow human being with the eyes of compassion. He treated his wounds with mercy. He provided for him in the spirit of the law of a God who has commanded us to love the neighbor we encounter on the Jericho road of life. Let us go and do likewise.”