Category Archives: Spiritual Experiences

When I began my spiritual journey, the first quality in others that I was attracted to was serenity. I didn’t know that I was attracted to the quality of serenity. Instead I was attracted to serene people. I was going to AA and one of the strengths that you are taught in 12 step meetings was to learn how to help others.

The jobs that a beginner can volunteer for include setting up the meetings and helping clean the rooms after the meeting. For the beginner it can be a humbling experience to begin learning the true lesson of anonymity which is to do something without taking credit or bragging about what was done.

The meetings that I volunteered for were overseen by this man that was so calm and peaceful that I knew I wanted whatever he had. Finally one night I asked how he had gotten whatever he had. It was hard for him to define “it”. But he recommended a little pamphlet about serenity. The booklet taught me two major lessons.

The first lesson was the story of the man in the desert with the whirling dervishes. Someone came up to the man and asked him what he did about the whirling dervishes and he said that he just let them whirl. What a concept! I was beginning to be introduced to detachment and letting it go and change what you can and let the rest go.

The second lesson I learned from the booklet was an illustration that contained an explanation of serenity as picturing a swan beautifully gliding on the surface of the water. But under the water, the swan was paddling furiously in order to go forward. With my thinking at the time, I thought that this seemed dishonest. Such was the power of my brain to distort everything I experienced.

From An Al-Anon Filter: “Anticipating Trouble”:

“Staying in the moment means that I must completely, willingly, with gratitude, give up all of the mental tortures with which I occupied so much of my time. Anticipating trouble took up a great deal of my waking hours. I could work out huge long interconnected horrifying possibilities, and create much misery for myself doing it. I’d imagine a terrible outcome, and then feel depressed about it.”

From Sober Nuggets: “affirmation”:

“I know that for me, I must find peace and serenity (especially in the face of difficulties and challenges/opportunities).  I didn’t come to A.A. to be miserable, I came because I already was miserable.  If I were still miserable, I’d more than likely find myself drinking and drugging again.  It has been years (thank God) since I’ve come to meetings in order to avoid drinking or drugging.  Now I come to meetings to maintain some sense of balance and serenity in my life.”

“Today, I ask God for guidance in all I do, try to see His Grace in my life and then live it out.  I’ll ask again later and probably again after that because I am a “slow learner and a fast forgetter.”  Today I know God is with me, through the Holy Spirit, through the people I encounter and in the Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous.  I merely need to remain open to His will, willing to do it and honest about myself and my motives.”

Photo credit.

Reprinted from Spiritual Experiences:

tell people that the Lord found me because at this point of my life I certainly wasn’t looking for him. As a young girl I was incredibly hurt by my mother. My spirit had been broken, battered, and emotionally abused. I acted out and was well on my way to self destruction when one day I attended church with a friend from school. I never would have imagined what the Lord was preparing me for.

I had never seen anything like what I saw that day. There were people at the alter on their knees with tears in their eyes. I found out later that no one had died and in fact there was no real reason for this radical flow of emotion.

I had enjoyed myself so much that I continued to go with her on a regular basis. I began to spend time with the youth group and made friends of my own. At this time in particular I was there for the boys and the friends that I had made with no serious interest in what was being taught in the youth group. None the less, I continued attending the youth services (for the boys) for about 2 more years when one day the Lord would reveal himself to me in a powerful way.

I was 15 years old and in high school by now when on this particular day I had been witnessing to a boy in my ceramics class. I was on my way to becoming a better christian. I had finished my assignment and asked the teacher if there was anything else I could do. He instructed me to help the teachers assistant in cleaning the clay machine. Teachers assistant was busy at the moment and showed me what exactly he needed me to do. I began cleaning the clay off of the sides of the machine and placing the excess near the entrance of the inside of the machine. I pulled my hand back and the blade had taken hold of my thumb and very slowly began to take the rest of my hand into the machine. At this very moment I knew that I was in danger. I spoke the words “JESUS HELP ME” and then proceeded to yell for help. I never cried, I was instructed to stay calm and focus and I did do just that. I began to pray as I arrived at the hospital. Scared and confused, all I could do was pray. I began to cry as the doctors spoke of surgery and asked his Holy Spirit to hold my hand.

As I was taken in and prepped for surgery I was wheeled out by the waiting room where my entire youth group and family members had been waiting for word. Instantly I began to feel the presence of the Holy Spirit and a calmness had come over me.

11hrs of reconstructive surgery and an almost certain report from the doctor that my hand would have to be amputated by the following week was of no worry to me as I knew that I was no longer alone. What I asked of his Holy Spirit he had granted. I did not just believe this to be true but I KNEW IT! Matter of factly.

The Doctors believed I would never be able to recover and they had convinced my mother that I would rely on my left hand for nearly everything for my entire life. I told my mother that she did not know the power of the Holy Spirit and recovered over 85% in two years. I believe today that he picked me. I still don’t know why but I am grateful that he did because I am no longer allowed to not believe.