202- Father Bill W- Part 2
Father Bill W 00:00
She will get back to what was wrong inside of me there was a longing for intimacy with the divine. That’s it. And without that, I’m going to try to fill it with something else. And I can fill it with work or I could fill it with sex or I could fill it with money or whatever, but it’s not going to satisfy the only thing that satisfies is the inside and the outside are matching. And if you haven’t gone deep in the inside, there’s nothing to match with. So that’s why the meditations on
John M 00:35
Well hello friends of build, and other friends you have landed on sober speak. My name is John M. I am an alcoholic. And we are glad you’re all here, especially newcomers newcomers that is both to recovery as a whole and newcomers to this podcast. sober speak is a podcast about recovery centered around the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. My job here on sober speak is simple. My job is to provide a platform to the amazing stories of recovery. All around does consider sober speak, if you will, your meeting between meetings. Please remember, we do not speak for a or any 12 step community. We represent only ourselves. We’re here to share our experience, strength and hope with those who wish to come along for the ride. Take what you want, and leave the rest at the curb for the trash man to pick up. welcome welcome welcome to oh no mass episode of sober speak at get ready for some additional audio gold coming atcha This is episode number 202 dose zero dose with Father bill W and we are glad you are here. But first things first, this episode right here right now is coming at you and brought to you by sponsored by if you will. Maria and Michelle and Anna Do you know what Maria and Michelle and Anna did will let me fill you in? They went to our website www dot superspeed comm it clicked on the little yeller donate tab and they made a contribution to thank you so much Maria and Michelle and Anna for your contribution young. This episode is coming right out to Yeah, I John M just the navour bozo on the bus will be the chair person for this meeting between meetings and yes I am generally speaking well not even generally speaking, I think 100% of the time I am the chair person in this particular scenario we do not rotate leadership I’m maybe someday I’ll get somebody else in here to to guess hos for me but nonetheless, I will be the chairperson for this meeting between meetings and guess what? I am truly honored and privileged to serve all of you listening is to take a seat if you will, around this virtual table and let’s get spun up. Not remember now no matter who you are, or what’s your past like you are welcome here it is an open table to all and we are glad you are here. So let me give you a little insight about what is going on around me right now. So I am in the studio, which is basically just the guest bedroom up upstairs. I am in the studio recording the podcast and my wife is behind me in a bathroom that is connected to the studio and she told me to stay out of the bathroom because how do I put this is not gonna get gross with her it’s okay so she was giving our bearded dragon named Charlie which is a she It’s a long story there. She was giving our bearded dragon a bath and apparently a why after your Bearded Dragons bass I don’t know that’s my wife keeps up with all that. But anyway, the lovely Mrs. M was giving him a bath her excuse me a bath and The Bearded Dragon has a tendency to get relaxed when they are in the bath. And guess what? The bearded dragon just pooped all over the place and
John M 05:15
the smell was not the most pleasant. From what I understand my olfactory senses would not soak it up in a pleasant way. am I explaining that correctly? Probably not. But you get the idea. So, anyway, that’s just a little scene that we have going on here. But I yes, being the committed podcaster that I am decided to go ahead and record anyway and my daughter actually came in at the same time as she held her nose and she said, stay out of there, dad. Anyway, it’s life with the bearded dragon, Charlie and we also have a couple of other little love reptiles in that well, one’s a reptile, we have a What is it called a chameleon? It’s my daughter’s. The chameleons name is a well I call her Rango. But, you know, you know, like the the movie Ranga. But then like when I call her Rango, her real name is me or Ellie, I guess me. So anyway, Emmys in there as a little she’s a chameleon. And then the third animal that we have in the household, just in case you’re counting and are curious, is a mini hamster tiny hamster. I mean, it is really, really tiny. And that little Munchkins name is cookie, as my wife and my daughter call it cookie beam. But you know, I don’t go down that route. I just call it cookie. And you’re probably wondering, why don’t we have actual animal? Well, I guess those are actual animals. But you get the idea. Like, like a lot of people have cats and dogs and things like that. Well, me and my son are highly allergic to the cats and dogs. So this is what we have settled on in our household instead. Alright, that’s enough about what’s going on with me. Let’s go on to Mr. Excuse me, Father, Bill w a part two. If you didn’t catch father, Bill w a part one, I would? Well, you don’t have to pause your device. I think you can listen to both independently go in and listen to this one since you’ve already got it cranked up. And then you can pause your device. Look for the episode previous to this and get father bill w part one, but this is father bill w part two, we are back again. With father bill w we primarily focus on the art in skill, if you will, of something that he teaches father Bill dubya. And he absolutely loves and it is called two way prayer and the roots of that practice and how father bill actually discovered that practice. Father bill discusses the connection between the four absolutes from the Oxford group if you don’t know what that is, stay tuned and you will find out and step six and seven of Alcoholics Anonymous father bill says he works only three steps today, and he’ll describe anthill explain what he means by that. And there’s so much more on this episode. Ladies and Gents without further ado, please welcome Mr. Excuse me, Father, Bill, Divya. Enjoy, and I will have plenty listener feedback on the end of this. Enjoy. Okay, everybody. So today, we are sitting here one more time with Father bill W. And for those who did not hear our episode last time. This is not the bill w who actually started the organization. He’s nodding his head and smiling. No, no. This is father bill though. Yes. So Father bill, why don’t you go ahead, introduce yourself, give her sobriety date if you would, and tell people where you live in this great land of ours.
Father Bill W 09:50
Yeah, well, I’m an Episcopal priest. I’m sober since December 27 of 1972. And living just south of Austin, Texas in a little town called Buda.
John M 10:06
Buda bu d a Texan? Yes,
Father Bill W 10:09
yes. Not Buddha, not Buddha. Yep. Be very careful. That’s how they spot the tourists.
John M 10:20
And I do want to talk about one thing real quick before we before we started recording, I noticed the bill reaching down and opening up a door and he led is what is that you have a dog? They’re coming in the room? Yeah,
Father Bill W 10:32
she’s 15. She’s devoted to me. My wife makes note of that often. Where I go, she goes, and you dog, not my wife.
John M 10:54
And you said, you noted that when she does snore, it does not come through on the recordings.
Father Bill W 11:01
No, we’ve test we’ve tested it out. I was very nervous the first few times she’d come in here and start sewing Z’s. There’s Oh my god. There goes this podcast, you know. But the microphone is very sensitive. So it doesn’t seem to pick up the snores. It’s good. Good. All right. So
John M 11:21
I’m going to talk a little bit about what we chatted about the last time we got together. And as you know, you know, we wanted to come back, spend some more time kind of fleshing out some areas that we didn’t get to go into, we really just kind of got into your story, the first part of your story, but you know, as you said on the beginning of this, so verses 1972, which for those trying to figure it out in their head that is 48 years, which is God bless you. All right. I always hate to say congratulations to people because it always To me it congratulations feels like no, I don’t know. Yeah, it’s just not the right word.
Father Bill W 12:00
Yeah, yeah. Lucky you. Somebody’s pulling for you up there. That’s good.
John M 12:10
But last time we got together and you can go back and listen to Bill’s first episode father, Bill Viet, but we got we he talked about his, what he called pilgrimage from Detroit to La Jolla, California, which I liked. It was basically a hitchhiking experience, right, going from one point to another. What’s the difference between hitchhiking from one point to another and having a pilgrimage?
Father Bill W 12:35
Well, it’s all in your mind. Yeah, you know, it was intentional. It was, it was prayerful, I met some amazing people along the route. I mean, it was quite profound. pilgrimage. I mean, it’s one of the spiritual practices really, that you’re going somewhere. And in the going, you’re, you’re meeting God along the way, you’re open, much more open to the environment to the surroundings. And it’s, it’s as much it’s as important as the destination. Hmm. So now,
John M 13:29
for those listening at home, I don’t know if nowadays, I would suggest you go out and start hitchhiking from Detroit to La Jolla. But what the heck, you know, is a different time in a different world. But there are still many ways to have a pilgrimage.
Father Bill W 13:42
Absolutely, absolutely.
John M 13:45
All right. So we talked about that. We talked about your wall that you hit when you came running 20 years story now, excuse me, 20 years sober. And then what I was going to do next is we talked about the story of the five M’s and you know, you may want to recount that on this particular episode. You don’t have to, but we also talked about the Oxford group. So we never really got to flesh out the the the ideas, which I know are passions of yours, by the way. I didn’t talk about it on the last episode, at least during our time together, I’m sure I’ll put it in the introduction and such but you have a website, and podcast and I want to point people to that. Usually we’ll do it on the back end, but I just want to make sure people know about it. Why don’t you tell folks about what you have out there where they can go access?
Father Bill W 14:35
Well, the website is called two way prayer, Tw o two way prayer. And the podcasts are father, Bill W. Get them just about anywhere. And then I do workshops. I started doing this two way prayer practice. Once I learned about the Oxford group at 20 years sober and it changed my life. Changed my changed my understanding of the 11th step and and gave, I was never very good at prayer and meditation, you know? And, and, you know, 20 minutes in the, in the lotus position are such just wasn’t my style. So I did the usual you know, I would read the 24 hour book and say some prayers and have my Coffee and Cigarettes in the early days though. Long gone, you know, and 325 cups of coffee and wonder why I can’t sleep, you know, that was early sobriety. But, but this open doors for me. And so my, my guidance because that’s what you receive into a prayer is guidance and particularly guidance for Where’s God leading you in your life? You know, what is it what is he calling you to do? And that’s how I became a priest. I had been in the Jesuits and, and felt a calling to priests to those going to monasteries, for retreats and a meta and a Pisco, Pisco monastery in California, Holy Cross up in the mountains of Santa Barbara and, and I met the abbot, actually, at an AA meeting. I ran into him at a meeting and he said, Well, what he didn’t know I was there. And I didn’t know that he was an Abbot. And we just started talking. And we became friends. And he said, you have a calling to be a priest, you know, and it goes really deep. I mean, when I was six or seven years old, I was or LDS will older than that I was an altar boy. And I’m, I was stealing communion from the sacristy and playing mass. Other kids were out playing football, I was playing mass. I mean, my follow G. JOHN is very deep, you know. I’m a very sick man. And so I had joined the Episcopal Church by that point. And because I had a wife and three kids, and while the Jesuits were liberals, I don’t they weren’t that liberal, that, that that was going to work. So yeah, I spoke to the bishop. I said, I don’t feel called to regular ministry. But I do feel called to help alcoholics and addicts. And particularly with this thing on two way prayer. And so that was that was kind of how it all began for that point. So, so 20 of my last 28 years, in sobriety, I’ve been practicing this form of meditation and prayer that they did in early a, and in the Oxford group, and, and my guidance has been to get this out to people in 12 step fellowships. So that’s why the website, that’s why the workshops. That’s, that’s, that’s what that’s, that’s what I’m charged to do. And Okay,
John M 18:19
so let’s talk about your first exposure to it and kind of your I remember, you talked in the last episode, basically, about you came across that gentleman, who was a historian, in a or literary historian, archivist, archivist, archivist, thank you. And he helped to change your life by giving you exposure to these various, the history. And through that history. I guess, in the five absolute you came across two way prayer. So connect all the dots on that for me, if you would,
Father Bill W 18:51
well, I’m a reader. I was a history major in college taught history. And, and so I dug into this stuff. And as I dug, I felt fulfilled. And I felt led to go, I kept coming across this two way prayer. You know, if we’ve mentioned here be mentioned there. But there was an exact way to do it. It was somewhat vague. But it was done. And it was the heart and soul of it says,
John M 19:25
Let me make sure I understand when you said you’re coming across it. Does that mean, you’re coming across the reference to that? Yes. Did that back then?
Father Bill W 19:33
That’s exactly right. That’s exactly right. Yeah. It was in this book and that book, and, I mean, it was central. And, and I was a pretty serious AIA guy, you know. I mean, I said I knew about the Oxford group knew about Frank Bookman, a little bit of the history, but this two way prayer thing, nah, didn’t really get that. And so I started doing it. I started practicing it. I didn’t tell my wife what I was doing, because she probably had me committed, you know, but she shows me dear, I’m gonna go listen to God for for next hour, so just me and the dog. But I started it and, and I heard the voice, I heard the voice. And I, you know, in my Jesuit training, they had talked about using imagination, in prayer, and that’s several 100 years old, but but to to allow your imagination to enter into your prayer life. And that is what I think this process is, is about, it’s, it’s not listening to the ego, it’s listening to the other than the the big books as the great reality is within I believe that you know, aware were within, not not in your liver so much as in your mind, you know, as in particularly in the unconscious, I believe. So, it is allowing the unconscious to become conscious. Now, I also did a lot of reading about Carl Jung, you know, who played a very important role in the beginnings of a, and we have the correspondence between Wilson and, and young, which were very, very important. And, and, and so young has this thing called active imagination, which he said was actually more powerful than dreamwork. And, and over the course of time, I think that’s, in effect, what two way prayer really is, it’s, it’s allowing our imagination to take over for a period of time, you know, in the eastern tradition, you go towards nothingness. Well, in this tradition, you go towards a voice inside. Jung called it Jung called it the self with a capital S. And some refer to that as the Christ consciousness, the Buddha consciousness, it’s the it’s that true self, which resides within us. And, and, and, and it has business with us. You know, it has worked for us to do. And and in this process, you’re finding out what is it that God is asking of you, in your life in your day, and that’s what they were doing. They were they were guided, they were seeking God’s guidance in their daily activities in their life’s work in in the the needs that they had, and they and they accessed that through this prayer process, and wrote down the thoughts that came to them. You know, and we call them lumen ative, like light luminous ative thoughts, they shine, you look at this one, and oh, what is this? Where’d this one come from? So anyway, I’ve been doing that for many years. I did it by myself for 10. And then a friend of mine called asked what I was doing. And I told him, and he said, we’ll teach me how to do it. So I did. And then we got together once a week, and he shared his quiet time writings, his two way prayer with me. And I would share my two way prayer writings with him. And I really saw it change him very dramatically. See, see, we get back to what was wrong, what was wrong inside of me? Well, there was a longing for intimacy with the divine. That’s it. You know, and without that, I’m going to try to fill it with something else. And I can fill it with work, or I could fill it with sex, or I could fill it with money or whatever.
Father Bill W 24:34
But it’s not going to satisfy. The only thing that satisfies is is is is if if the inside and the outside are matching, you know, and if you haven’t gone deep in the inside, there’s nothing to match with. So that’s why the meditation is so important. That’s why they said it was more important than the meetings in the beginning, when I first came across that quote, and that’s Sounded like absolute heresy, you know, but it’s not, you know, it’s not heresy, it’s, it’s what brought about the transformation was this inner work of connecting at the deepest level with the reality that is within now, it takes work, it takes commitment, it takes a pen and a pencil, you know, a paper. So anyway, I did it and it changed my life. So,
John M 25:35
we will be continuing our conversation with Father, Bill, Davi in just a moment, just a reminder, you are listening to sober speak, you can find us on the worldwide web as sober speak.com. There you will find approximately 200 or so other episodes you can listen to for free. You can also find the donate button on our website, which you can use only if and only if the spirit moves you to do such Please keep in mind this is a podcast funded by you, the listener, so to speak is a self supporting organization through our own contributions. We are not allied with any sect denomination politics, organization or institution, we do not wish to engage in any controversy. Neither endorses nor opposes any causes. Now back to father bill. Why so?
Father Bill W 26:22
Well, you didn’t warn me about the no controversy? I’m sorry.
John M 26:28
No, that’s okay. I like it. You know, we do talk about a lot of things on this podcast that, you know, kind of make people think and make people kind of come up with their own. Yeah, you know, yeah, you can come up with your own point of view, you know, you can it’s just like an a meeting, you know, take what you want and leave the rest behind. And, and I’m very good with that. Okay, so one of the questions I wanted to ask you about, right in the beginning there, you talked about hearing the voice. Yeah. And a voice inside, right. And the self with a capital S and all those sorts of things. So, right. You know, I understand what you’re saying, right? It’s his gut. And I, when I go through decision making process, Father bill, I do the exact same thing I get inside, I kind of go for me, I kind of go with two different decisions, which where I need to go, what gives me peace one does not night, I go through all that. Right. And I completely understand what you’re talking about. But there are going to be people that are listening to this and go, would you me like the voice inside? Do you actually hear a voice? Once you talk about that?
Father Bill W 27:42
Yeah. You know, to two thoughts come to mind. One is when people push me on this, and I get it a lot. I asked them, Do you have a critic? Who lives inside of you? Do you have a Do you have a voice that speaks to you? Who says terrible things to you? Now, this is common words, sentences. You know what, tell me about it. And everybody’s got it. Everybody’s got it. So this is kind of how the mind works. I remember I was in therapy. And the therapist said to me, Bill, if someone said to you, the things you say to you about yourself, what would you do to him? And I said I’d kill him. And he said, Good morning. Good morning. I mean, there’s your alcoholism, there’s, there’s, there’s the alcoholism, speaking to me, you know, in that form, well, there’s another voice that’s honest, kind, unselfish, loving. We call it the god voice. But, you know, I’m as content with agnostics and people who are not practicing religion. And there’s many, many in our 12 step fellowships, who call it by other names, but it’s the sacred that resides within us. And we can be in touch with that. That’s what’s so important. We can be in touch with that. And, and, and you said, that thing that was was is within wants to be in touch with us wants to be in touch with us. So, you know, we talked about intuition. I mean, the big book big was said, you know, we will intuitively know Well, where’s that coming from? You know, it’s it’s, it’s from this center, this divine center that resides within each of us. And we want to get in touch with it. And we want to benefit from it. And we want to, we want to communicate with it. And I mean, what an empty prayer life I had for many years. I was talking and got nothing back. Nothing. Well, I get stuff back now, in the 24 hour book that I had sobered up on, you know, the meditations in that book, what are they? They are the writings of two women in England who were doing two way prayer.
John M 30:44
That’s what they were our,
Father Bill W 30:48
well, people have no problem reading that. But what are we doing? You know, we’re reading somebody else’s meditation. Well, why do that? Why not do your own? Know and listen to the voice. I mean, I do workshops a lot, and teach people how to do the practices, it’s pretty simple. At the end of the week, we get 2030. People, if time for to, and everybody hears the voice. everybody hears the voice. It’s in us. It’s in us.
John M 31:26
So let’s talk about that workshop a little bit. or just in general, what you said. What two way prayers all about some of the mechanics of it, right? We know, I guess the, the ultimate goal is you want to hear the voice inside for your own self, right?
Father Bill W 31:47
Well, the ultimate goal is to do God’s will. The ultimate goal is to do God’s will.
John M 31:53
And by hearing the voice that leads you into God’s will. And
Father Bill W 31:57
it’s right, it’s, it’s going to give you the guidance, the particular guidance that you need.
John M 32:05
Okay, so what is the workshop all about? That? Can you can you give kind of out
Father Bill W 32:09
when I do the workshop, it’s it’s usually about two, two and a half hours. And it’s, I give the history so that I ground this, this work, historically, in the Oxford group, and in early a with lots and lots of references to that. So that they know, this is not something I’m bringing in out of California. I didn’t pick it up in La Jolla when I was out there. And it’s a it’s not crystals and that sort of thing. I mean, it’s, it’s, it’s what they did. And I want them to know that. I want them to know that. I want them to know that when Bill Wilson wrote the 12 steps, he was he was doing it in a quiet time session, asking for God’s guidance, and then picked up the pen and began to write. And he’s talks about it was almost as if it wrote itself. And so maybe there’s there’s a classic example of the process. quotes from Sam Shoemaker, who was his spiritual mentor. Wilson wanted Sam to write the steps. He said, No, one alcoholic should write them. But they took the Oxford group process that had never been really written down. And, and, and he formulated it in a way that sneaky alcoholics would have a hard time getting around it. So he wanted to kind of pin them down. This is what we did. Well, it is kind of what they did. But they didn’t do it mechanically. They, they did it more organically. And I think there’s a blessing to the 12 steps. And I think there’s a bit of a curse to them as well. And the curse is that we can make them mechanical. You know, we can make them mechanical. Yeah, I mean, a woman some years ago is sweet sweetheart, you know, but she sent me a 12 step rosary. That’s it. Oh my god. Here we go. The 12. Now I do the 12 steps mechanically on my beads. Now. It’s a process. It’s a process you’re supposed to go through. It’s not a set of words you’re supposed to worship and know that do you do the process? Are you living it? I’ll give one more heresy. The only three steps I work today are the last three steps 1011 and 12. They’re the only steps I work. No. And a lot of the old timers i get i get validation for that. That the steps are not to be gone through, over and over and over again. You know, if you’re living 1011, and 12, and you’ve done the very best you can on one through nine, then all of those spiritual principles and practices are going to become alive for you. In 10, 11 and 12, you’re going to continue to do inventory, you’re going to experience a deeper and deeper surrender your awareness of the end and an understanding of God will change. Merton said, if it doesn’t change every five years, you’re not you’re not working. You know, you’re not you’re not growing. So, so yeah, to me, the the two way prayer in a quiet time session, which is his spiritual reading, and, and other forms of prayer. And and if someone does yoga, incorporate that. If someone does journaling, incorporate that if someone does centering prayer, you can incorporate that. But save five minutes for listening to God, and seeing if God has guidance for you, for that day for your life, for things that are troubling you and begin writing that down. They weren’t stupid people they would check. Is it honest? Is it pure? Is it unselfish? Is it loving? If it’s not, you can throw it out. Dr. Bob said something important. I think he said, you know, it’s, if it’s a choice between what’s right and what’s wrong, you don’t need guidance. You need a conscience. But if it’s a choice between what’s right, and what’s right, that’s when you need guidance.
John M 37:01
It’s called wisdom to them. So it’s take me through an actual two way prayer, what you do during a two way prayer session between you and God, how long does it last? You know,
Father Bill W 37:14
is there something for seven minutes, five to seven minutes, I mean, I sit generally for a half hour to an hour, most of that is in reading. And, and sometimes just in silence, sometimes just just sitting, but then I pick up the pen. And I, what I have done is I really incorporate 1011 and 12. So I take my inventory, briefly, briefly, in the in the morning, in the morning. And I look, is there is there some disconnection between me and another person? Is there fear, anxiety? anger? Is there. Is there a disconnect? Inside or outside? I look, I feel I watch. One of the old timers said, if you don’t watch, you won’t know what the hell to pray for. Oh, I love that. It’s so it’s really if you don’t do step 10. You won’t know where to go in 11. So you watch to see what’s out of whack. Now, I rarely have trouble finding something out of whack. You know, I mean, not finding something. It’s it’s there. Right? So is that is there fear? what’s what’s happening inside outside? How did I do with that waiter in the restaurant the other day? You know, that that came up for me. I was impatient. And I was only three of us in the restaurant. And this guy couldn’t get his attention. Well, I got angry. I could feel that inside of me. Now what’s that about? It’s my grandiosity. It’s been with the suit here. Does he have any idea who’s sitting here? No, I mean, it’s it. And this grandiosity, this God like image that, that that really takes over? if we are not careful. I mean, the big books, we have stopped playing God, they’re not fooling around with that. They’re not fooling around with that. That and nor, and that’s exactly what Jung would say, as well. You know, that that what we do is we take on God like characteristics. So you gotta watch for that. And then you then you pray about that. And so I write a short sentence. Oh, god, I’m feeling blah, blah, blah. Please help me.
John M 39:53
Okay, so what I’ve been trying to do in my little pea brain, my little piece, spiritual Brian, as you’re walking through this is to kind of figure out okay, what is the differentiators between two way prayer? And like what a lot of people, including myself would do now. And it sounds to me like is basically three things. intention, a kind of a deeper reflection, if you will. And then the journaling part that goes along with it.
Father Bill W 40:25
Would I be correct? Yes, you have to write?
John M 40:28
Yeah. So yeah, and I never write. So that is, so that is one of the differentiators between what they were doing early on, right. And what and I don’t even know if I can remember if that is the we’re talking about the 12 and 12, or the big book. So now I’m kind of understanding that a little bit better. Makes
Father Bill W 40:51
sense, right? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Well, they didn’t see Wilson did not want a to be connected in the mind of the general public. With the Oxford group. He was trying to differentiate it. So he was taking their ideas. And yet if he took the four absolutes, and if you took the two way prayer, the guidance piece, people would hear that in the 30s. And they said, Oh, that’s Oxford group. And he wanted to cover that up.
John M 41:24
And once again, go through the four absolutes, pure love, honesty,
Father Bill W 41:27
honesty, honesty, honesty, purity, on selfishness, and love.
John M 41:37
And honesty, purity, purity, as well
Father Bill W 41:41
as selfishness and love. And these were taken from member, Presbyterian missionary, by the name of Robert spear, he wrote a book called the principles of Jesus. And he took, he took the life of Jesus. And he distilled it, if you will, down to four characteristics that Jesus was absolutely honest, absolutely pure, absolutely unselfish, absolutely loving. And these Frank Bookman took as, as the standards, the way by which we’re going to judge our actions. Is it honest? And Wilson said, This is interesting. Wilson’s was asked, well let you so much the afra group was about the absolute, where did you put them? He said, I put them in six and seven. I put the absolutes and steps six and seven. And that amine opened another huge door for me in understanding a why they’re the shortest things in the big book. It’s two paragraphs, you know, because he didn’t want to, I think go into that in depth. But if you if you really read that, I mean, that’s, that’s where, you know, we’re giving everything we’re giving everything to God. And, and alcoholics and addicts are extremists. You know, it’s been my experience where extremists and if you just say, well give a little it’s not going to work. But if you say give it all. Haha, that’s different. That’s that’s worthy of Me.
John M 43:42
Well, Father, Bill, W. Gosh, we’re
Father Bill W 43:46
out of time again.
John M 43:47
Yeah, we’re out of time again. I used to so good spending time with you. I really appreciate it. Is there anything, I will put the links to your website, in the show notes. If there’s something else you want to? We want me to put it there in the show notes. You just send it over to me. I’m more than
Father Bill W 44:10
podcast. There’s just a podcast father, Bill w people can listen to that. And, and drop me a line a two way prayer@gmail.com.
John M 44:20
That’s great. Well, thank you so much. I’m going to go ahead and read once again from the big book of Alcoholics Anonymous, page 164. To close this all out. It says a banner yourself to God as you understand God. admit your faults to Him and do your fellows. clear away the wreckage of your past. give freely of what you find and join us. We shall be with you in the fellowship of the Spirit. And you will surely meet some of us like me and father bill via as you trudge the road Happy destiny. May God bless you and keep you Until then, once again, Father bill, thanks for joining me.
Father Bill W 45:08
been my pleasure, good to get to know you, john.
John M 45:11
Thank you again, Father, Bill W. Now remember, for those of you listening out here, we do not want you sharing your gossip or your STD. But do share this episode with a friend or family member. It may be just what they need today. All you got to do is pause your little device and hit that little Share button and send it over to that friend or family member. Like I said it may be just what they need today. Now on to a little bit of a listener feedback. Darrin writes in and Darrin says Hey, John M Thank you for your great work and bringing us this wonderful podcast and I love your enthusiasm. Well thank you Darren, some people. I don’t think love my enthusiasm. I’ve heard about this from others. But hey, we are who we are right? He says I have enjoyed being tuned in this past eight or nine months or so. Thanks for being of service while you walk them down. Thanks for listening. He says I look forward to checking out Greg PS. O blog, sincere person excuse me sincere regards, Darrin G. Santa Rosa, California for 16 years. Well, what Darrin is referring to here is that a listener named Greg p submitted a blog post by the way, if you are interested in submitting a blog post and this could be to give us a review of one of the speakers you’ve heard on the podcast in the past, it could be something recovery related. Just send me an email to john j o h n. So we’re speak calm and I will give you some further direct shown. But Greg P has a blog post out there on he actually has a couple of Hold on just second let me go real quick. If you go to the website server speak calm and then you click on blog. And then you’ll see something called listener contributions. And Greg p just put a a blog out there and it’s called m i powerless over alcohol and basically what Greg p was doing was summarizing steps one and two by Brian P. A lot of you have heard Brian p in the past and he did a fantastic job. So that’s what Darren was saying that he was looking forward to reviewing and but and he has an other one who else Greg p also did Oh, he did something on steps 10 and 11 of Alcoholics Anonymous, he reviewed Matthew M. And he did a vantastic job on that one as well. And there’s other listener contributions out there as well. So if y’all want to check that out, go to sober speak comm click on blog and then click the listener contributions. But thank you, Darren g from Santa Jose, California for writing in appreciate it. Sergio writes in I love that name Sergio. He says hello john. I’m a 52 year old Mexico Mexican man. I live in Puebla, which is a city next to Mexico City on the south side. I used to be in a group about three years ago, and I stopped going there before the pandemic. I would like to go back but the infections are a bit high in my city. It is not recommended to be together in rooms in big groups. I listened to your podcast which I found out podcasts, iTunes, are really like listening to your podcast. I just started my recovery only 37 days sober. But I feel very motivated to listening to the speakers. Thank you very much. And let’s keep in touch. Well, let’s keep in touch. Mr. Sergio. Regards. Sergio. M was Sergio. Congratulations on your 37 days. And by the time you hear this, let’s hope it’s a little more than that. And God bless you. Thank you for writing in from Puebla, Mexico, Mr. Sergio. I sure do appreciate it. All right, everybody. That’s it for the week. One more in the can. One more in the books. one more episode finishes I guess is what I’m saying. I take this one week at a time I hope to be back next week and never can deal with any of us. God bless you keep coming back. It works. If you want Have a good week. Bye
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
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