Spirit of Recovery

Respect is often demanded, and we are told it has to be earned. It is closely tied with esteem of self and others. With our jaded histories, how do we learn respect for others as well as self-respect? Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share their experiences with this perplexing concept and the peace they found along the way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our very active inner critic berates us for every little perceived mistake we make once in recovery. We try very hard and yet seem to miss the mark fairly often. We see others fail and try again. Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share tips and principles that led them from condemnation to compassion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The question “Can we talk?” strikes fear into the hearts of many a person. In active addiction, it usually meant someone was displeased with us. Arguments, emotional upsets, and bad behavior often followed. In recovery, we learn to use spiritual principles to engage in healthy dialogue. Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share their experience, strength, and hope in learning how to connect in meaningful ways. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sometimes it seems that there is only one right way—our way. We get immensely uncomfortable when jarred out of our comfort zone by exploring a new way of being, trying someone else’s suggestions. Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share the journey from reliance only on self to joy in community and self. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Active addicts live in a world of “make believe.” Our minds become confused to the point where we can’t tell the true from the false. Once we enter recovery, we break the denial, confront and begin to change our “reality.” Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share their journey from hopelessness to a new reality. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On one hand, we are told we are unique and special, individualized expressions of God. On the other hand, we addicts are often told we have a big ego, to get over ourselves, and quit playing God! Who are we, really? How do we become right-sized? Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share what worked for them in balancing individual uniqueness with humility and service. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We interact with our fellow humans on this journey of life, in a multitude of ways, for a variety of reasons. On the spiritual path, we ask ourselves: Why do we do what we do? What’s in it for us? Who are we trying to please, impress, or persuade? Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share how they learned to be in integrity with and honest about motives while still being true to personal aspirations and goals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Holidays are hard. With so much family drama and personal pain, how can a person get through it all without losing sanity and sobriety? If the temptations were too great, now what? Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share their experience, strength, and hope about meeting the challenge of difficult holiday gatherings clean and sober. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Long-term addiction has a way of befuddling our minds and obscuring our clarity on many levels. Fortunately, we can regain our faculties and clear our thinking as we walk the path of recovery. Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share how they moved from bewilderment to clarity of mind and purpose using simple spiritual principles in recovery. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In active addition we often used our skills and abilities to serve our own needs and addictions! But in recovery we have the opportunity to learn to use our gifts in service of others. Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share how they moved from using skills and abilities in service of self to using them in service to the world, finding joy and freedom along the way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One way self-centeredness shows up in addicts and alcoholics is in the attitude that says, "I'll just do it myself!" We have not been adept at allowing others to participate with us in our lives. In recovery we learn to be an equal partner, which allows us to work well with others. No longer do we feel the need to do everything our way by ourselves! Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they explore how they learned to share the burdens of life with others and find community and peace along the way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For those of us with serious addictions, the word balance has been defined as "the middle point we go flying past on the way from one extreme to the other." How true that has been for so many of us! But in recovery we learn the power and wisdom found in balance. Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share how they moved from being at "one extreme or the other" to a life of peace through spiritual balance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

All people deserve to be heard and valued. Addiction says “me first” and “I’m more important!” In recovery, we learn to live harmoniously in community and take our rightful place as “one of the bunch.” Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share the path from placing self above others to a life of joyful community using the spiritual principle of consideration. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In active addiction many of us put ourselves first in unhealthy ways, often seeing our needs as more important than the needs of others. While self-care is important, we often went too far. In recovery we learn that we are equal with all people, no better and no worse. We learn to balance our needs with the needs of others in a healthy way. Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share how to cocreate a life of harmony with others using the spiritual strategy of boundaries. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Addiction has a way of eroding confidence. In active addiction, although our intentions may have been good, we were often unable to follow through on commitments. Fortunately, we regained the ability to be trustworthy and to learn to trust others. Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share how they moved from dropping the ball to being a reliable partner through the spiritual principle of trust. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before we got into recovery, many things took a backseat to feeding our addictions. We may have neglected family and friends, done poorly at work, and ignored our health. But in recovery we realize that it's essential to listen to that inner voice of conscience and to do the next right thing. Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share how they moved from backward priorities to a life of joy using the spiritual principle of inner guidance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"We are known by the company we keep," says one well-worn adage. But do each of those folks in that group reflect your values? Or do you not quite "fit the mold" and sometimes seem to step out of the box when explaining the group to others? Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share how to stay out of personality and live in principle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Perhaps all of us have, at one time or another, been hurt by unfounded gossip. Another has chosen to speak for us, inappropriately. How do we avoid this triangulation, inauthentic relationships, and boundary violations? Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan to learn how to maintain serenity using the spiritual principle of personal anonymity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are so many questions in the world, and many times we have opinions on all of them! We may find ourselves tied up in knots regarding conflicting ideas that have little impact on our daily lives. How do we regain our serenity? Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share the value of maintaining a neutral stance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sometimes when we enter a new situation or engage a new group, we are not quite sure how we fit in. Sometimes we offer suggestions before we know what is going on. At other times, we may think, If they would just do it my way, it would be okay. Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share how to be a valued member of a group without alienating others. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Loneliness is rampant in our society today. We spend hours on email, text, and social media, perhaps in front of a television or other screen. Although we interact all day long, we don't feel "connected." Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share how to ease that loneliness and become truly present for people in your life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Often in our active addiction, we expected other people to pick up the slack for us. Call in sick for us, go to the store for us, lie and “cover” for us, and pretend everything is fine ... the list goes on. But in recovery we learn that we as individuals need to take responsibility for ourselves and be fully self-supporting, just like our recovery groups. While it's fine and healthy to be interdependent, it's not healthy to be overdependent or codependent. How can we learn to carry our own weight and still be part of the group? Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share how to stand on our own two feet and be one of the bunch at the same time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In our busy society, we often find our attention scattered among many competing activities. We are so used to being busy that we have a name for it: multitasking. But in recovery we learn the importance and the power of focus. Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they explore the essential skill of staying on task with our recovery. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When we were in active addiction we had a singleness of purpose in our lives: feeding our addiction. But now that we are in recovery, we have a different focus and purpose: helping others. Yes, we work to maintain our own sobriety, but bigger than that is our desire to carry the message to those who still suffer. Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share how to stay on purpose and the value of service to others. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As we move ahead on our recovery journey, we learn many new ways to balance our lives. Just as each of us needs to learn balance, so must our recovery groups find balance. Each group can do as it sees fit, but it also has a duty to the recovery community in general. Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they talk about balancing the individual with the group, the good of each one, and the good of the people. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever encountered a group or club where other people decided whether it was okay for you to join in and be a part of it or not? Well, we find in addiction recovery that it's just the opposite! Nobody can tell us whether we belong or not, only we can. As we walk our recovery path we see that this has important implications for our journey. Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they talk about the power of the decision to belong and the power that inclusion brings us in recovery. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Has your trust ever been shattered? Have you ever felt betrayed by an authority figure? Many of us in recovery will say yes to those questions. But do we want to spend the rest of our lives in distrust and fear? No, we do not! So, then, how do we regain trust if we have lost confidence in another? Join Revs. and Dan as they share the path to regaining trust in our higher power and in others around us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most people who have suffered from the disease of addiction will describe their experience of life as “standing on the outside looking in.” The spiritual principle of Unity changes us—we rise above our selfishness and come together for the good of the whole. Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they share about the journey from separation to community and the power of the group! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did you ever wish you could just start over? Well, good news! You can! In fact, you can start over anytime you decide to. Our higher power gives us the ability to leave behind that which no longer serves us and move ahead with a clean slate. Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they discuss how to energize your life with a fresh start. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When we begin our recovery journey, we learn that we need a higher power in order to get clean and sober. Later, we realize we need this same power in order to stay clean and sober! But just how do we create and maintain conscious contact with our higher power? And what do we do with those experiences anyway? Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as we share how to lead a God-connected life, a divinely guided life of joy and freedom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Know thyself,” says the ancient Greek wisdom. And for those of us in addiction recovery, doing so may well be a matter of life and death! Fortunately for us, Step 10 teaches us to make self-examination a regular part of our day-to-day lives. Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as we share how self-knowledge can bring freedom and joy to your recovery journey, just as it has for us and many others. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Those of us in recovery know that even the best of intentions is often not enough. When it comes to repairing the wreckage of our past, we must combine right intention with guidance and wise action in order to get results. But just how do we go about doing that? We’ve turned over a new leaf, so how do we make things right? Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as we share how Spirit has helped us find our way through, and can help you find your way too. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While in addiction recovery, it is not uncommon to learn that some of our unhelpful behaviors and thought patterns seem to be set in concrete! Fortunately, once we are a few steps down the recovery path we become prepared to make different choices. But how do we let go of our old ways and move into a new life of freedom and joy? Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as we walk with you into your new life, sharing our real-world experience, strength, and hope as we go. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It takes courage and integrity to walk an addiction recovery path. Those who have come out of the nightmare of substance abuse know there is a lot of work to be done. Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as we illuminate a path through the Shadow into the Light, sharing our own experience, strength, and hope as we go. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many of us in recovery will hold on to old ideas until the pain and confusion pushes us to a point of willingness. I’ve heard it said that we never let anything go that didn't have claw marks on it! However, when we become willing to try a new way, our lives begin to change. When we can truly “let go” and allow a higher power to provide guidance and direction, our lives begin to become amazing. Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan to learn how to let go, trust a higher power, and build the life that you have dreamed of. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We can live lives of peace, comfort, and joy, although that may seem far off when we are in early recovery. We must first extricate ourselves from the confusion, disarray, and insanity of an undirected life. Learn to trust a Presence and Power that brings sanity and hope. Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan to learn how to move from disarray to genuine peace, comfort, and joy in your life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When we take action in our lives, powerful and positive changes begin to happen. In fact, action is essential to addiction recovery and spiritual growth. Our recovery literature states, "There is action and more action,” and in Scripture we read that, "Faith without works is dead." Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan to learn how to take effective action and build a life you love. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Unity minister and author Rev. Eric Butterworth was fond of saying, "Change your thoughts, change your life." When we bring our mental powers to bear on a topic, one thought feeds another and our lives change. If we direct our thoughts with integrity, our lives come together beautifully. Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan to learn how you can use the power of your thoughts to support health, prosperity, love, and joy in your life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Revs. Lonnie and Dan explore effective ways to make conscious contact with God as you understand God, and to see concrete, positive results in your life. Am I alone in the universe? I'm supposed to pray, but how and for what, and to whom? I prayed as a child with seemingly no results. What's different now? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan to find out who you really are and how your new identity can bring deep meaning to your life and your life’s work. Our former lives in addiction left us feeling at best like bad actors and at worst like monsters. The recovery journey offers an opportunity to grow into an entirely new sense of ourselves. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Revs. Lonnie and Dan help you find your way to an understanding of God that truly works and can guide you on your recovery journey. Does God exist or not? Many of us denied the existence—after all, how could your life be like this if there is a God? Then again, perhaps you've had a nagging feeling that there’s more to all this than just flesh and circumstances. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Revs. Lonnie and Dan explore how to create a life of vitality and purpose—a life worth living! In addiction many of us became down, even perhaps deeply depressed. Now that we’re in recovery, how can we create a new life that repairs body and soul and becomes truly satisfying? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Revs. Lonnie and Dan explain how to use your excess energy to create a life that works—right here and now—one day at a time. We enter recovery with an excess of energy, not always knowing where to put it. We can exhaust ourselves by overcommitting and trying to make up for lost time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Twelve-step wisdom teaches that we are powerless over our addiction. However, does that mean we are powerless over everything? Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan as they explore ways you can live according to a higher power, yet not lose your personal power in the process. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn to unlock a new way of experiencing life as Revs. Lonnie Vanderslice and Dan Beckett share practical tools and insights. Murphy’s Law seems operable in the life of many addicts—whatever can go wrong, will go wrong. Beaten into submission by the school of hard knocks, we wonder if we have to learn everything the hard way. Spiritual science says, “No!” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many of us in recovery have experienced the results of questionable decisions—even some we’ve made repeatedly. How do we move away from these seemingly bad decisions, bad relationships, and bad situations? Revs. Lonnie and Dan share practical ways you can do just that and experience new levels of joy and freedom in your life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Beatles said, “All you need is love.” Is that true for everything? Recovery literature says love and tolerance is our code. Love means different things to different people. How can this relate to our individual recovery process? Join Revs. Lonnie and Dan to find out! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s a common experience when getting clean and sober to find your life in some degree of chaos. If you’re feeling topsy-turvy, you’re not alone! Tune in for ways to bring more peace and order into your life while you are on the path to recovery. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A quotation of Henry David Thoreau is often paraphrased as "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams." Many of us begin the recovery journey feeling stuck and limited. And sometimes even after years of clean and sober time, we can find ourselves feeling aimless. Rev. Lonnie and Rev. Dan share practical ways you can rekindle your dreams and advance confidently toward making them realities! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do we get from fear to faith? Fear keeps us stuck. Fear of the future, fear of change, fear of pain. Join us this week as Rev. Lonnie and Rev. Dan share steps to learning the essential skill of letting go. In recovery we learn that fear is future-based and of the imagination—so what? A popular 12-step program slogan is “Let go and let God,” but how do we get from fear to faith? Tune in for real-life strategies today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices