Orange County, CA Adult Children Of Alcoholics (ACAs)


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Prayers


Recovery Prayer #1

Dear Lord,

I humbly come before you this day
to ask that you give me one more day of wholeness.
Free me of all cravings, addictive and dysfunctional behavior.
Show me how I can serve you this day
instead of serving false idols and obsessions.
Fill me with your strength, that I may have hope.
Guide me, that I may walk in your path and not mine.
Cast out all darkness within me and replace it with light,
that I may shine before others who need a helping hand.


Recovery Prayer #2

Dear Lord,

I am powerless over my addictions and dysfunctions.
Grant me today, the ability to turn my troubles,
my will and my life over to your loving care.
I trust in you to completely restore my
brokenness into wholeness, insanity to saneness
willfulness into willingness and fear into courage.
Lighten my load and free me from all bondage
that I may walk through this day
in freedom and in peace.


A Prayer For The Addicts

Dear Lord, bless those who seek
solace in substances;
helplessly hurting their bodies,
trying to feed their souls.

Father, let them see You are the
food they crave.
Envelop them in the warm blanket
of Your eternal love.

God, please keep them safe from the
perils of their actions.
Protect those around them as well.

Give them the strength, O Lord, to see
that it is You they've been searching for.
For there is no void You cannot fill.
And You are always with them.

With You there is no fear, no pain,
no judgment -
And all their sins will be forgiven.

They need only look to Your hopeful
light within them all,
Instead of the demons that beckon.

We pray they know they are always
worthy of Your love,
And can forever bask in Your
Holy Grace. May peace be theirs.

Copyright 2005 by Dawn Rodonski


Thoughts In Solitude

MY LORD GOD, I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself,
and the fact that I think that I am following your will
does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road
though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust you always
though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me,
and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

by Thomas Merton


On Being Light & Love

Prayer adapted from: On Being Light And Love - Mother Teresa

God,

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered.
I pray you help me forgive them anyway.
If I am kind, people may accuse me of selfish, ulterior motives.
Help me be kind anyway.
If I am successful, I will win some false friends and some true enemies.
Help me succeed anyway.
If I am honest and frank, people may cheat me.
May I be honest and frank anyway.
What I spend years building, someone could destroy overnight.
Let me build anyway.
If I find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous.
Help me choose happiness anyway.
The good I do today, people will often forget tomorrow.
May I do good anyway.
If I give the world the best I have, it may never be enough.
I choose to give the world the best I've got anyway.
I see, in the final analysis, it is between myself and God.
It was never myself and them anyway.



~First Step Prayer~

Dear Lord, I admit that I am powerless over my addiction. I admit that my life is unmanageable when I try to control it. Help me this day to understand the true meaning of powerlessness. Remove from me all denial of my addiction.

~Second Step Prayer~

Heavenly Father, I know in my heart that only you can restore me to sanity. I humbly ask that you remove all twisted thought and addictive behavior from me this day. Heal my spirit and restore in me a clear mind.

~Third Step Prayer~ (Page 63 - A. A. Big Book)

God, I offer myself to Thee To build with me and to do with me as Thou wilt. Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do Thy will.

Take away my difficulties, that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of Thy Power, Thy Love and Thy Way of life, May I do Thy will always!

~Fourth Step Prayer~

Dear God, It is I who have made my life a mess. I have done it, but I cannot undo it. My mistakes are mine, and I will begin a searching and fearless moral inventory. I will write down my wrongs, but I will also include that which is good. I pray for the strength to complete the task.

~Fifth Step Prayer~

Higher Power, My inventory has shown me who I am, yet I ask for Your help in admitting my wrongs to another person and to You. Assure me, and be with me, in this Step, for without this Step I cannot progress in my recovery. With Your help, I can do this, and I do it.

~Sixth Step Prayer~

Dear God, I am ready for Your help in removing from me the defects of character which I now realize are an obstacle to my recovery. Help me to continue being honest with myself and guide me toward spiritual and mental health.

~Seventh Step Prayer~ (Page 76 - A. A. Big Book)

My Creator, I am now willing that you should have all of me, good and bad. I pray that you now remove from me every single defect of character which stands in the way of my usefulness to you and my fellows. Grant me strength, as I go out from here to do your bidding. Amen

~Eighth Step Prayer~

Higher Power, I ask Your help in making my list of all those I have harmed. I will take responsibility for my mistakes, and be forgiving to others as You are forgiving to me. Grant me the willingness to begin my restitution. This I pray.

~Ninth Step Prayer~

Higher Power, I pray for the right attitude to make my amends, being ever mindful not to harm others in the process. I ask for Your guidance in making indirect amends. Most important, I will continue to make amends by staying abstinent, helping others, and growing in spiritual progress.

~Tenth Step Prayer~

I pray I may continue: To grow in understanding and effectiveness; To take daily spot check inventories of myself; To correct mistakes when I make them; To take responsibility for my actions; To be ever aware of my negative and self-defeating attitudes and behaviors; To keep my willfulness in check; To always remember I need Your help; To keep love and tolerance of others as my code; And to continue in daily prayer how I can best serve You, my Higher Power.

~Eleventh Step Prayer~

Higher Power, as I understand You, I pray to keep my connection with You open and clear from the confusion of daily life. Through my prayers and meditation I ask especially for freedom from self-will, rationalization, and wishful thinking. I pray for the guidance of correct thought and positive action. Your will Higher Power, not mine, be done.

~Twelfth Step Prayer~

Dear God, My spiritual awakening continues to unfold. The help I have received I shall pass on and give to others, both in and out of the Fellowship. For this opportunity I am grateful. I pray most humbly to continue walking day by day on the road of spiritual progress. I pray for the inner strength and wisdom to practice the principles of this way of life in all I do and say. I need You, my friends, and the Program every hour of every day. This is a better way to live.


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The Problem
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The Serenity Prayer

"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change
The courage to change the things I can
and the wisdom to know the difference."

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