For myself, I don't know about the god thing, but I do know about a Higher Power. Like when it says " blocked you off from him" I'm not sure if its a he, she, or it but by keeping an open mind which I was taught that can always change.

What i try to tell people that ask me - how do you and why do you have faith in God - and I ask why not? I can only show people by my actions of what the Power of God can do for me, my attitude towards life and my ability to leave peacefully no matter what the day brings my way.

God is IMO the only HP that exists other than Hewlitt Packard (every time I write HP or see it written, that's exactly what I think of)

I do think when you lived in a life of hell it's hard to see God or an HP (please understand that when i write HP does not mean I believe that way but for many that's what they hold onto so I will include it) because all you can see is the hell and in our feeble mind thoughts we say - IF there was a God or IF there was an HP they would've never let all this stuff happen in my life or wouldn't let me be this way - aaaaaahhhhhhhh there falls acceptance - the acceptance of non perfection, the acceptance of TOTAL responsibility for ones actions, acceptance of the unkindness of others and then follows forgiveness, forgiveness of others and ourselves. Most Christians know your sins will not be forgiven unless you can forgive others - - hence - the art of forgiveness - when you don't forgive the turmoil lives active in your mind. In my spiritual counseling I learned that forgiveness of others is not acceptance of their acts of unkindness when I finally learned that the art of forgiveness became a very easy thing for me to do. Instead of just believing in God I have grown into a relationship with God - my creator - who I seek strength and guideance in every aspect of my life, not just sobriety - God will help you along the way - but you have to be committed to work at it. Expectations of God and any other person for that matter is setting yourself up for a let down - i had to learn my expectations and God's will are two different things - aahhhh the journey of faith ....... very fulfilling.

Faith - it's a beautiful word with a beautiful meaning - and it's not really that hard of a thing to have and live -

Peace everyone!

As far as HP meaning Hewlett Packard for some, others believe its part of there being. Just like god being part of theirs. Key here is to respect whatever one's beliefs are & works for them personally.

I do think when you lived in a life of hell it's hard to see God or an HP (please understand that when i write HP does not mean I believe that way but for many that's what they hold onto so I will include it)

I have a hard time with this idea that everyone's beliefs have to be respected. I say that because I'm a retired barstool theologian m'self, and nobody should have to respect the sort of person I was then or what I believed in.

Maybe this "God stuff" makes more sense to those who approach AA as agnostics, atheists or from a religious denomination that frowns on drunkenness. But for someone like me who came from an Irish-American Catholic background, it was confusing at best and a cruel joke at worst even to hint that there was something immoral or ungodly about drinking.

Among us, just about any religious ceremony or other gathering was followed by a reception with a well-stocked bar. In fact, it was a stigma not to drink, because it meant the teetotaler was probably afraid that the liquor would loosen up his tongue and he'd reveal some damaging secret about himself. There was something deeply disturbing and intrinsically untrustworthy about anyone who didn't drink, and that was equally true for everyone from the bricklayer to the bishop.

Among us of Irish descent, drinking, even to excess, was a just man's God-given reward for fighting the good fight. As I've already told here many times, before I got down to any serious drinking in my late twenties, I was a sober Catholic monk for five and a half years and had more theology and scripture study under my belt by the time I was 25 than most Christians get in a lifetime.

Obviously none of that prevented me from becoming a full-blown alcoholic, and a pretty devout one at that. Many times in my 30's and 40's I raised my glass to the setting sun and prayed from the bottom of my heart, "Thank you, God. Thank you and thank you again for Scotch whiskey, because I don't know how I'd get through this valley of bullshit and tears without it."

So right away in early sobriety it was painfully clear that that sort of piety wasn't going to get me very far, and I'm convinced that if it hadn't been for "God as we understood Him," I would surely have been one of those who turned his face to the wall and died.

I believe in the god and goddess.I kind of forgot them for awaile but when I came back to my senses they were still there just waiting for me to return.

My sobriety is thanks to God's grace - I could not do this alone, or even with the help of other people.