Iwas introduced to the Twelve Step programs twenty-six years ago, when I lived in New York. Even before attending my first meeting, I knew that I could not get my life in order. I knew that I had to learn to do things in a way that did not resemble my way. I knew that if I did not find another way, all I could expect was oblivion.

	I was introduced to the Twelve Step programs twenty-six years ago, when I lived in New York.

    I learned that I was not unique when it came to having problems. I learned that I could trust my instincts only as long as I worked the program and stay connected to G-d, as I understood Him. The Twelve Step program I was in did not use the Big Book. I was introduced to the principles in it through slogans, and a few excerpts from it that I heard repeated for years. I attended multiple fellowships and worked the program imperfectly. However, I did experience the promises of the program to some extent. I was growing, sometimes slowly, sometimes quickly. Occasionally, I took two steps forward and one step back. Other times I went one step forward and two steps back. I believed that this was as good as it would get, and I accepted that.
    Nine years ago, I moved with my family to Israel. It was a dream come true for me and for my husband. A few of the fellowships I attended could be found in our new country. A handful of meetings were scattered all around. This was not the same as it had been in New York City where there were dozens of meetings every day, filled with people who were sober, clean, or abstinent for decades. In this country, I was the veteran. Oh, boy!
    I would travel 90 minutes to get to meetings — "going to any lengths" — check!
    I started two meetings, each from a different fellowship —Twelve Step work — check!
    I found that most people wanted counseling or advice instead of help working the Twelve Steps. I was losing ground and my connection to effective sponsoring. The promises of the program were not manifesting for me as they had before. While I was not in as bad shape as I had been when I first came into the program years ago, I felt lousy. I could not understand why the things I had done earlier were not working for me now. I felt lost, and afraid. My spiritual growth was withering. It was as if I had hit a glass ceiling.

A friend from the program told me about Recoveries Anonymous.

    A friend from the program told me about Recoveries Anonymous. My internal voice said, "That's all I need, another Twelve Step meeting." Then, another voice said, "I like and respect this person so give it a try." I soon attended my first R.A. phone meeting. In other fellowships, I had never felt connected to the people in the phone meetings. You came on the call and were automatically muted while waiting for the meeting to begin. You were acknowledged during the sharing portion of the meeting if the leader could hear you say your name over the others simultaneously asking to share. I never felt part of those groups.
    R.A. was different. I called into my first R.A. phone meeting five minutes early. When they heard the tone announcing my arrival, the people on the call immediately asked: "Who just joined us?" I gave my name, and they responded with, "Hi, how are you doing?" This happens on every R.A. call. In an R.A. meeting, everyone is taken care of because the meeting continues until everyone has had a chance to share the solution. I felt warmth, and understanding. I truly appreciate R.A.'s focus on internalizing the solution instead of rehashing the problem we all know so well. I was sold on R.A.
    After I had asked for an R.A. sponsor, my contact information was sent to an available R.A. Sponsor. She had moved to Israel just a few months earlier. We did not live near each other, so we went through R.A.'s Step Presentation via Skype. I learned that R.A. has Secondary Sponsors, and I began working with two other people simultaneously on Skype. One was in Israel, and the second in the U.K. During one of our sessions three more people joined our Skype call to help me go through R.A.'s Step Presentation; one of them was from South Africa. I was moved to tears when I saw five people on the screen setting aside time to help me. That is saying a lot because I am not a woman easily moved to tears.
(This story is continued in the next section of this newsletter.)

My sponsor has been in R.A. over thirty years and is committed to passing on R.A.'s message to those who still suffer. She encouraged me to "go to any lengths" by committing several hours each week for R.A.'s Step Presentation. This was great because we completed the work in less than six weeks! My understanding of how to work the Twelve Step program was completely transformed in R.A.!
    The R.A. Step Presentation uses R.A.'s Multilith Big Book. The material in it clarifies, expands, and gives powerful context to the pioneers' original "clear-cut directions." The pioneers' writing style is dated and easy to misunderstand. It is also easy to miss important pieces of the solution. This happens because their focus is on alcoholism. However, that is not the symptom of my spiritual malady. R.A.'s Step Presentation kept me anchored to the spiritual solution. I am very thankful to those who created it.

	My sponsor has been in R.A. over thirty years and is committed to passing on R.A.'s message to those who still suffer.

    For the first time, I learned how to live in Steps Ten, Eleven, and Twelve each day. In a few short months, some of the promises were manifesting even more powerfully than before in my life. The glass ceiling I had reached before joining R.A. was smashed. I am now living in the Steps in a way that I did not know was possible.
    I wanted the R.A. fellowship to grow in my country. At the start, there was only my sponsor, the friend who had recommended R.A. to me, and myself. So I began to speak with the people in the meetings I had started a few years ago. Many of these people also decided to join R.A. We now had an R.A. meeting in my hometown! I began a second R.A. meeting in the same town. Now, we have an R.A. meeting in the morning and one in the evening for people who work. Recently, my sponsor began a meeting in her town. On occasion, I will travel to support that meeting. I bring friends to that meeting, and so do other people. Today, each of these meetings is usually attended by anywhere from four to twelve people. R.A. continues to grow here.
    My understanding of sponsorship has been transformed thanks to R.A. I now know what to do if I want to stay in the solution and recover. I go back to R.A.'s Multilith Big Book and read the pioneers "clear-cut directions." I follow what they did. I share this same information with anyone who reaches out to me for help.
    I have stayed in contact with people I sponsored in other programs. Because of R.A., I see that I can more easily communicate with them when they are reading the Big Book. It has been my experience that they recover more effectively than those who are not exposed to the Big Book. In R.A., I have worked with people who have been involved with Big Book study for years. They share how R.A.'s Step Presentation really clarifies passages they did not understand before.

I learned in R.A. that if I want to keep my recovery, I have to practice these principles in all my affairs.

    I have sponsored people internationally. I have worked with people from the U.K., and Germany. Recently, I even worked with someone from Australia. Thanks to 21st-century technology, the world has become smaller. I have many opportunities to share R.A.'s message globally. Working with these newcomers has been an amazing journey.
    An old joke asks, "How do you get to Carnegie Hall?" The answer is, "Practice, practice, practice."
    As the Twelfth Step says, "...we practice these principles in all of our affairs…" I learned in R.A. that if I want to keep my recovery, I have to practice these principles in all my affairs. I now do this daily, to the best of my ability. When I do what the pioneers did the results are tremendous.
    I was in Twelve Step programs for twenty-six years before coming to R.A. I do have gratitude for what I gained from all those years. G-d decided that I needed more and brought me to R.A. My first anniversary in R.A. is coming up. The best gifts I have received are:
    (a) The promises keep coming and expanding for me.
    (b) I now believe that my ceiling is the sky.
    Thank you R.A.!

R.A.’s “How To Begin…” Guides
To find out more about our Twelve Step Fellowship, and how you can get started working the Twelve Steps of our Solution Focused Program of Recovery, we suggest that you visit our website and Download R.A.'s free "How To Begin…" guides. This includes the blue R.A.'s Newcomer Guide, and the brown "R.A.'s Meetings Guide."

R.A.’s Solution Focused Books
    Move up to the next step in your search for recovery by downloading and reading the PDF versions of R.A.'s Solution Focused Books. We do not charge for the PDF versions of our books. Instead, we give the passwords needed to open our books to thank those who support our efforts to help others. You can show your support by making a small, one time, tax-free contribution to R.A., or, if you truly cannot afford to make a contribution at this time, by filling out our Feedback Form.
    If you are reading this, you have probably spent a lot of time and energy trying things that did not work out the way you hoped they would. Doesn't it make sense to invest a little more time and energy in this time-proven method of finding the recovery you've been seeking? As the pioneers promise in the Multilith Big Book: ''It works—it really does. Try it.''

R.A. Is Self-supporting
If R.A. has helped you, please consider making a contribution in support of our efforts to help others.

Recoveries Anonymous
For more information about Recoveries Anonymous visit our website at www.R-A.org