My Prayer for You

I thoguht of you so much today

I went to God in prayer,

To ask Him to watch over you

And show you that we care.

My prayer for you was not for rewards

That you could touch or feel,

But true rewards for happiness

That are so very real.

Like love and understanding

In all the things you do,

And guidance when you need it most

To see your troubles through.

I asked Him for good health for you

So your future could be bright,

And faith to accept life's challenges

And the courage to do what's right.

I gave thanks to Him

For granting my prayer

To bring you peace and love.

May you feel the warmth in your life

With God's blessing from above

The 12 Step Prayer Book

Prayer for the Day: Love is

"Love is friendship that has caught fire. It is quiet understanding, mutual confidence, sharing, and forgiving. It is loyalty through good times and bad. It settles for less than perfection and makes allowances for human weaknesses.

Love is content with the present, it hopes for the future, and it doesn't brood over the past. It's the day-in-and-day-out chronicle of irritations, problems, comprimises, small disappointments, big victories, and common goals.

If you have love in your life, it can make up for a great many things you lack. If you don't have it, no matter what else there is it's not enough."

--The 12 Step Prayer Book

Anniversary Prayer

Dear God, I had another anniversary today, one more year in recovery. It has been difficult at times, but it has allowed many blessings. I am a human being again. I feel new strength in my body, spirit, and mind. The world has never looked so good. I have the respect of my friends and family. I am productive in my work. I do not miss the slippery people and places. When I have been tempted, You, my Higher Power, have sustained me. I have found a home in the Fellowship and friends support me. Stay close by me, God. I thank You. This is the life I love.

Serenity Prayer (Original)

Of all the prayers that have made their way into broad public consciousness, one is certainly the “Serenity Prayer” attributed to Reinhold Niebuhr, though many other possible authors have also been uncovered by scholars. This prayer, often used in 12-step groups as well as church gatherings, is deeply loved for its simplicity and grace. What is less known is that the prayer that Niebuhr first prayed was a more expansive version of the one that came to be widely available. Here is the original prayer attributed to Niebuhr, probably written/prayed/adapted while he was serving as a minister in Detroit in the 1920’s. However it was written and whatever version comes to us, it’s well worth some of our prayer time.

Mark Ramsey

God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed,

Courage to change the things which should be changed,

and the Wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.

Living one day at a time,

Enjoying one moment at a time,

Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,

Taking, as Jesus did,

This sinful world as it is,

Not as I would have it,

Trusting that You will make all things right,

If I surrender to Your will,

So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,

And supremely happy with You forever in the next.

Amen.

- Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971)

Relationship Prayers

Lord, Your ways are higher than mine. How do You see this
person? Show me the good things You see that I’m not seeing right now. Help me keep sight of Your heavenly and eternal perspective instead of my own earthly, limited one. (1 Sam. 16:7; Is. 55:9)

God, give me insight into Your purposes so I can better
cooperate with You in what You’re doing in this relationship.
Give me Your Spirit of wisdom and revelation so I can know
You better through this and can relate to the situation from
Your perspective. (Jer. 29:11; Eph. 1:17-18)

Give me the confidence, God, that You work all things
together for good for those who love You. Help me to trust
that You will bring good things out of this situation and
restoration to the relationship. (Ro. 8:28; Gen. 50:20)

Sanskrit Proverb

Look to this day,
For it is life,
The very life of life.
In its brief course lies all
The realities and verities of existence,
The bliss of growth,
The splendor of action,
The glory of power.
For yesterday is but a dream,
And tomorrow is only a vision.
But today, well lived,
Makes every yesterday a dream of happiness.
And every tomorrow a vision of hope.
Look well, therefore, to this day.

Today's Thought

I am but one, but I am one;

I can't do everything,

But I can do SOMETHING;

What I can do, I ought to do,

What I ought to do, God helping me,

I WILL DO.

Relationship Prayer

God thy will be done for _____ as well as for myself. Take our relationship and make it what you want it to be and show me the truth.

--Anonymous

4th Step Prayer

WHEN I AM DISTURBED BY THE CONDUCT (SYMPTOMS) OF OTHERS:

This is a sick man. How can I be helpful to him? God save me from being angry. Thy will be done.

--4th ed. Big Book pg. 67

Prayer: God help me to show this person the same tolerance, pity and patience that I would Cheerfully grant a sick friend. This is a sick person, how can I be helpful to him? God save me from being angry. Thy will be done.

The above excerpts are from the book titled, Alcoholics Anonymous,

Copyright © Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

In practicing our Traditions, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. has neither endorsed nor are they affiliated with this site. Alcoholics Anonymous®, AA®, and the Big Book® are registered trademarks of Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Serenity Prayer - Long Form

God grant me the serenity 

to accept the things I cannot change; 

courage to change the things I can;

and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time; 

Enjoying one moment at a time; 

Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; 

Taking, as He did, this sinful world

as it is, not as I would have it; 

Trusting that He will make all things right

if I surrender to His Will;

That I may be reasonably happy in this life 

and supremely happy with Him

Forever in the next.

Amen.

--Reinhold Niebuhr

Indian Prayer

O' Great Spirit 

Whose voice I hear in the winds, 

And whose breath gives life 

To all the world, hear me!  

I am small and weak,  

I need your strength and wisdom.

Let me walk in beauty, 

And make my eyes ever behold 

The red and purple sunset. 

Make my hands Respect the things you have made,

 And my ears sharp to hear your voice. 

Make me wise, 

So that I may understand 

The things you have taught my people.

Let me learn the lessons

You have hidden In every leaf and rock.

 I seek strength, 

Not to be greater than my brother, 

But to fight my greatest enemy- myself. 

Make me always ready 

To come to you with clean hands 

And straight eyes.

 So when life fades, 

As the fading sunset, 

My spirit may come to you 

Without shame.

--Anonymous

The Lord's Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy Name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done,

On earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

As we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

But deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom,

and the power, and the glory,

for ever and ever.

Amen.

--Mathew 6:9-13

Awesome Power of Prayer

When you read this, just recite the following prayer.

That's all you have to do. There is nothing else attached.

This is the power of prayer at work.

May today there be peace within you.

May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.

May you not forget the infinite possibilities

that are born of faith.

May you use those gifts that you have received,

and pass on the love that has been given to you.

May you be content knowing that you are a child of God.

Let His presence settle into your bones,

and allow your soul the freedom to sing,

dance, and to bask in the sun.

It is there for each and every one of you.

Send this to the people in your life

and witness...

The Awesome Power of Prayer

-- Anonymous

Night Prayer

God forgive me where I have been resentful, selfish, dishonest or afraid today. Help me to not keep anything to myself but to discuss it all openly with another person - show me where I owe an apology and help me make it. Help me to be kind and loving to all people. Use me in the mainstream of life God. Remove worry, remorse or morbid (sick) reflections that I may be of usefulness to others. AMEN

-4th ed. Big Book pg. 86

The above excerpts are from the book titled, Alcoholics Anonymous,

Copyright © Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

In practicing our Traditions, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. has neither endorsed nor are they affiliated with this site. Alcoholics Anonymous®, AA®, and the Big Book® are registered trademarks of Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Morning Prayer

God direct my thinking today so that it be divorced of self pity, dishonesty, self-will, self-seeking and fear. God inspire my thinking, decisions and intuitions. Help me to relax and take it easy. Free me from doubt and indecision. Guide me through this day and show me my next step. God give me what I need to take care of any problems. I ask all these things that I may be of maximum service to you and my fellow man in the name of the Steps I pray. AMEN

--4th ed. Big Book pg. 86

The above excerpts are from the book titled, Alcoholics Anonymous,

Copyright © Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

In practicing our Traditions, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. has neither endorsed nor are they affiliated with this site. Alcoholics Anonymous®, AA®, and the Big Book® are registered trademarks of Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Suggestions About Prayer and Meditation from the Big Book

(1) Make no requests in prayer for yourself only.

(2) Never prayer for your own selfish ends.

(3) Select and memorize a few set prayers that emphasize the principles of the Steps.

(4) Ask a priest, minister or rabbi about helpful books and prayers that emphasize the principles of the Steps.

(5) Be quick to see where religious people are right.

(6) Make use of what religious people have to offer.

--4th ed. Big Book pg. 87

The above excerpts are from the book titled, Alcoholics Anonymous,

Copyright © Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

In practicing our Traditions, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. has neither endorsed nor are they affiliated with this site. Alcoholics Anonymous®, AA®, and the Big Book® are registered trademarks of Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Excerpts from the 12x12

And when we turn away from meditation and prayer, we likewise deprive our minds, our emotions, and our intuitions of vitally needed support. (p. 97 in 29th printing/ p. 100 in 10th printing) One of its first fruits is emotional balance. With it we can broaden and deepen the channel between ourselves and God as we understand Him. (p. 101-2 / 104) But its object is always the same: to improve our conscious contact with God, with His grace, wisdom, and love. (p. 101 / 104) As the day goes on, we can pause where situations must be met and decisions made, and renew the simple request: "Thy will, not mine, be done." If at these points our emotional disturbance happens to be great, we will more surely keep our balance, provided we remember, and repeat to ourselves, a particular prayer or phrase that has appealed to us in our reading or meditation. Just saying it over and over will often enable us to clear a channel choked up with anger, fear, frustration, or misunderstanding, and permit us to return to the surest help of all - our search for God's will, not our own, in the moment of stress. (p. 102-3 / 105)

In A.A. we have found that the actual good results of prayer are beyond question. They are matters of knowledge and experience. All those who have persisted have found strength not ordinarily their own. They have found wisdom beyond their usual capability. And they have increasingly found a peace of mind which can stand firm in the face of difficult circumstances . . . We discover that we do receive guidance for our lives to just about the extent that we stop making demands upon God to give it to us on order and on our terms. (p. 107 / p. 104) . . . Any experienced A.A. will tell how his affairs have taken remarkable and unexpected turns for the better as he tried to improve his conscious contact with God...new lessons for living were learned, new resources of courage were uncovered, and that finally, inescapably, the conviction came that God does "move in a mysterious way His wonders to perform." (p. 104-5 / 107)

SOUGHT THROUGH PRAYER AND MEDITATION TO IMPROVE OUR CONSCIOUS CONTACT WITH GOD ... PRAYING ONLY FOR HIS WILL AND THE POWER TO CARRY THAT OUT.

HAVING HAD A SPIRITUAL AWAKENING ... WE TRIED TO PRACTICE THESE PRINCIPLES IN ALL OUR AFFAIRS.

The above excerpts are from the book titled, Twelve Steps & Twelve Traditions,

Copyright © Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

In practicing our Traditions, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. has neither endorsed nor are they affiliated with this site. Alcoholics Anonymous®, AA®, and the Big Book® are registered trademarks of Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Prayer of St Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me a channel of thy peace - that where there is hatred, I may bring love - that where there is wrong, I may bring the spirit of forgiveness - that where there is discord, I may bring harmony - that where there is error, I may bring truth - that where there is doubt, I may bring faith - that where there is despair, I may bring hope - that where there are shadows, I may bring light - that where there is sadness, I may bring joy. Lord, grant that I may seek rather to comfort than to be comforted - to understand, than to be understood - to love, than to be loved. For it is by self-forgetting that one finds. It is by forgiving that one is forgiven. It is by dying that one awakens to Eternal Life. Amen.

--p. 99 Twelve Steps & Twelve Traditions

The above excerpts are from the book titled, Twelve Steps & Twelve Traditions,

Copyright © Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

In practicing our Traditions, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. has neither endorsed nor are they affiliated with this site. Alcoholics Anonymous®, AA®, and the Big Book® are registered trademarks of Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

11th Step Prayer

God, I'm agitated and doubtful right now. Help me to stop and remember that I've made a decision to let You be my God. Give me the right thoughts and actions. God save me from fear, anger, worry, self-pity or foolish decisions that Your will not mine be done. AMEN

11th Step Prayer

As we go through the day we pause, when agitated or doubtful, and ask for the right thought or action. We constantly remind ourselves we are no longer running the show, humbly saying to ourselves many times each day 'Thy will be done.'

--4th ed. Big Book pg. 87-88

The above excerpts are from the book titled, Alcoholics Anonymous,

Copyright © Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

In practicing our Traditions, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. has neither endorsed nor are they affiliated with this site. Alcoholics Anonymous®, AA®, and the Big Book® are registered trademarks of Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.