Abstinence is the most important thing

"Abstinence is the most important thing in my life, because without it I have no life."

I remember hearing that in the beginning and not being able to get my head around it. I said to myself, "God and my family are the most important things in my life." BUT it has been my experience, through the school of hard knocks, that without abstinence, I cannot experience God's presence and I am not "there" for my family or my friends.

God never leaves me, but I feel separated and left-behind, so to speak, when I am overeating--then obsessing on where I am going to get my next hit (along with feeling physically, emotionally and spiritually exhausted in a matter of minutes). I was not a grazer, but a binger. It was either abstinence or a binge. I had no in-between.

THEREFORE, I am here to say that "abstinence is the most important thing in my life, because without it I have no life." I go to any length to support my abstinence. Today it's not that difficult because it is my way of life.

Each day, I write to the loop, foodaddictsfulloffaith@yahoogroups.com and tell the folks there what my day looks like and what I am going to eat. It was hard at first trusting that people were not going to judge my food plan or my life-style, but I swallowed my pride and took a leap of faith and did it afraid.

Today is it easier because I know that what people think of me is none of my business. I try really hard to remember that I am a God-pleaser, not a people-pleaser.

So my goal is to continue to do what I am doing. I know that it works for me. Abstinence is the zero step. After that, I "work" the steps as a way of life by posting on AWOLforchristians@yahoogroups.com (mon-fri), and I go to committed phone meetings throughout the week. Actually, I work all the tools on a daily basis. Go to my web site and open the file "recovery tools" if you want to see the list.

I am enjoying the good life...because I do the footwork to stay happy, joyous and free one day at a time.