This time, however, I saw obedience more in context. The motto helped, because I recognized some basic truths, truths I knew, in what it said. My twelve-step work has taught me that Christ is the reason for everything I am today and everything I do. I’m totally powerless on my own. I fall into the mortal traps of compulsion and addiction and sin (which doth easily beset me, too).

What do I do to be set free from these problems of my mortality? I know the answer to that too, I turn my life and my will over to Jesus Christ every hour of every day. Suddenly I knew another way of expressing that concept. Obedience! Yes, obedience. Obedience to His will for me (which I have to frequently seek to know). Obedience to the actions that the Spirit urges me to do when it speaks the words of Christ in my mind and in my heart. I seek this knowledge because of the love I feel for and from my Savior. I constantly ask for the power to do His will– and that power does come from my faith in Him.

I reviewed the motto again, this time backwards, as I am prone to think and understand best. "Christ is the reason." Yes, He certainly is. "The Spirit is the key." Check, again. That’s the way I can connect with Him and receive the knowledge I need. "Love is the motive." Oh yes. Why do any of us humans do anything, if not for love? I need to connect with God and through Him, with others. That is pretty powerful motivation for me. And yes, I know where that power comes from, too. Not from me, that’s certain. It comes from my faith and trust in Jesus Christ. "Faith is the power." I’m getting the picture.

What is the action I need to take to put all of this into motion in my life today? I see it now, and I can even use the word– obedience. Not obedience to my parents, not obedience to my husband or my children, certainly not obedience to the wishes of others who want to control me. I have to keep my eye single to the glory of God and obey Him first. Okay, okay, He usually gives me inspiration to obey some of those "others." But just as I don’t have faith first in myself or in another mortal– my faith is based squarely on Jesus Christ– I don’t have to focus on obedience in those other contexts either. I obey, I submit totally, to the will of Jesus Christ and to my Heavenly Father (one and the same, since Jesus also knows the power of "Thy will, not mine, be done). "Obedience is the price." I can buy that.

Old-timers in program offer some pros and cons about the use of recovery medallions. First, it is important to always keep in mind that changes come from the inside out, rather than vice-versa. It is Christ who changes our hearts, and our goal is of course, to completely turn our will over to Him rather than to white-knuckle a certain amount of abstinence for an external reward. If that type of reward becomes our focus, rather than the recovery given to us by Jesus Christ, it can be a distraction rather than a help. Pressure to succeed with this external focus may even hinder rather than help our program.

On the other hand, symbolism is certainly appropriate and useful in remembering our recovery focus. Symbols are used extensively by God and in His true gospel. A recovery token used in this sense may be helpful. In addition, the fourth and fifth step encourage us to be honest and thorough

in our inventory and to share that inventory with another person as well as ourselves and with God. Keeping track of progress in the program is appropriate as a means of honest inventory and accountability. The tool of sponsorship is another way that this honest accountability is maintained.

A recovery medallion or token may be used simply as a way of celebrating time and success in recovery, and that recovery may be defined however the group or the individual desires, perhaps as time in the program rather than back-to-back abstinence. Counting time in recovery can be a way to help us count the many blessings we have all received from God.

We will also feature a tool and step each month. Please send thoughts on these topics at least one month in advance.  Following is a tentative schedule for the rest of the year:

LDS Family Services Substance Abuse Recovery Groups also distributes an excellent brochure on Sponsorship. Following are some excerpts from that brochure.

"What is a sponsor? A sponsor is a trustworthy person who has a working knowledge of the Twelve Steps of recovery and is willing to guide another by sharing his personal experiences, faith, and hope. Preferably, a sponsor is a person who has been [in recovery] for at least a year. This person has the desire to ‘carry the message’ of recovery to another who is suffering from the effects of addiction.

"Can I sponsor myself? Your best thinking got you where you are today.

"Do we all need a sponsor? Yes! Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is the ultimate and supreme sponsor for us all. However, here on earth, at times we need the loving hand of another person who can relate to us, guide us and give us hope. Much of God’s work is accomplished through other people. By another person sharing his experiences, we gain perspective and humility and learn how to live and enjoy life free of addiction.

"How do we determine the right person for a sponsor? In diligent prayer we seek the Lord to guide us towards those who will be able to help and ultimately sponsor us. We listen to group members who share in meetings for someone who is honest, open-minded, and willing to share and give to others. We find someone to whom we can relate and with whom we can honestly and openly communicate. We look for someone that lives what he shares, ‘walks the walk.’

"Many recovery issues are gender-specific. As we begin recovery, we are usually physically, emotionally and spiritually drained and vulnerable. It is highly recommended that we do not have a sponsor of the opposite sex to avoid the pitfall of developing an unhealthy relationship.

"What to expect from a sponsor. It has been said that a person in recovery must ‘give it away in order to keep it.’ What does a sponsor give away? He shares the message of what happened to him and his recovery experience.

"We never need to be alone in recovery. a sponsor should be available and accessible to his sponsee. As we progress in recovery, we may find it necessary to change sponsors.

"What a sponsor expects. As we work with our sponsor, we must be rigorously honest, open-minded, willing, hard-working, and communicate frequently. We must truly want a new life free of [addiction].

"A sponsor cannot do it all. The time may come that we may be ready to go to our bishop for counsel, support and help. . . .

"How to be a sponsor. As sponsors, we assume a critical responsibility toward our sponsee. It is our responsibility to ‘carry the message, not the addict.’ We are willing to share our time and our recovery. A vital element in sponsoring is asking for God’s guidance and his will to be done. We listen. Then act.

"A sponsor’s own recovery must come first. If the time comes when we can no longer relate our own experience, faith, and hope appropriately, we must guide our sponsee to someone who can." (LDS Family Services Substance Abuse Recovery Groups brochure)

And now, my son, see that ye take care of these sacred things, yea, see that ye look to God and live. Go unto this people and declare the word, and be sober. (Alma 37:47)

"When you choose to follow Christ, you choose to be changed. ‘No man,’ said President David O. McKay, ‘can sincerely resolve to apply to his daily life the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth without sensing a change in his own nature. The phrase ‘born again’ has a deeper significance than many people attach to it. This changed feeling may be indescribable, but it is real.’ (In Conference Report Apr. 1962, p. 7)

"Can human hearts be changed? Why, of course! It happens every day in the great missionary work of the Church. It is one of the most widespread of Christ’s modern miracles. If it hasn’t happened to you– it should. . . .

"The Lord works from the inside out. The world works from the outside in. The world would take people out of the slums. Christ takes the slums out of people, and then they take themselves out of the slums. The world would mold men by changing their environment. Christ changes men, who then change their environment. The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human nature. . . .

"Yes, Christ changes men [and women], and changed men [and women] can change the world. Men [and women] changed for Christ will be captained by Christ. Like Paul they will be asking ‘Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?’ (Acts 9:6). . . .

"Finally men captained by Christ will be consumed in Christ. . . . Their will is swallowed up in his will. (See John 5:30.)" (July 1989 Ensign)

The Alcoholics Anonymous (Big Book) echoes President Benson’s strong words in the description of the alcoholic who has been changed by God. "We have found much of heaven and we have been rocketed into a fourth dimension of existence of which we had not even dreamed. The great fact is this, and nothing less: That we have had deep and effective spiritual experiences which have revolutionized our whole attitude toward life, toward our fellows and toward God’s universe. The central fact of our lives today is the absolute certainty that our Creator has entered into our hearts and lives in a way which is indeed miraculous. He has commenced to accomplish those things for us which we could never do by ourselves." (AA Big Book, p. 25)

"But the Lord knoweth all things from the beginning; wherefore, he prepareth a way to accomplish all his works among the children of men; for behold, he hath all power unto the fulfilling of all his words. And thus it is. Amen. (1 Nephi 9:6)

The opinions expressed in this newsletter are those of the individuals who expressed them and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Heart t’ Heart as a whole.