Step 11: Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.

My Mother’s Grandfather was a Methodist minister. He taught me that you should always pray but never ask things of God. When you pray, take the time to thank God for everything that He has given you. As I’m getting sober, I’m finding more and more things to be grateful for! When my mind thinks about picking up, I remind myself of everything in my life that I have to lose:

• my wife
• my family
• my home
• my job
• my length of sobriety

Is taking a sip worth risking everything that I have? Everything that makes my life so wonderful? I thank God every day for these things and am sincerely grateful for them every day.

Meditation

One day, when I was beginning to learn to meditate, my yogi explained to the class that you have to free your mind of thoughts and “Just Be.” Just be. Don’t think about anything. Don’t think about what else you need to do today. Don’t think about what’s going on at work. Don’t let those kinds of thoughts come into your head.

Wait! What? But my brain won’t slow down! I can’t stop thinking!

Yes, I can. Just acknowledge the thoughts and let them be, too. Don’t dwell on them. Just let the thoughts come, and let them pass. Don’t stop and think through any of those thoughts.

I use my meditation practice in my sobriety, too. When I have a thought during the day that I want to have a drink, I just let it be. I don’t dwell on it, and I don’t let it take up space in my head. I acknowledge it and let it pass.

Prayer and meditation are extremely helpful tools while staying sober. Maintain your conscious contact with God! Prayer is like talking to God. When you meditate, you listen.