Join Wayne Giles as he takes us through a deeply personal moment in his recovery journey during Step 4 of Alcoholics Anonymous. Wayne opens up about childhood trauma and how his initial approach to his fourth step provided temporary relief but not lasting healing. His sponsor had told him he was a victim and had no part in the event, offering him permission to move on, but true healing didn’t follow. Years later, during another fourth step process, Wayne added the trauma back to his list and...

Join Wayne Giles as he unpacks the role fear plays in our lives, especially in the context of Step 4 in Alcoholics Anonymous. Wayne discusses the underlying fear that drives us—whether it’s the fear of losing something we already have or not getting something we want—and how that fear often leads to poor decisions. These choices, rooted in fear, set off a chain of events that result in misfortune, even though we feel we didn’t deserve it. In this session, Wayne highlights how our...

Join Wayne Giles as he dives into Step 4 of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, focusing on how we deal with resentments and begin the action steps of recovery. Wayne reminds us that in dealing with resentments, we set them on paper, listing people, institutions, or principles with which we’re angry. He emphasizes that we often think we can control ourselves—yet we were unable to control our actions when caught in the grips of addiction, so why would we think we can control anything...

Join Wayne Giles as he discusses the concept of spiritual sickness in Step 4 of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. In this session, Wayne emphasizes the importance of compassion when dealing with others who are spiritually unwell. Just as we wouldn’t judge someone with cancer for the symptoms of their illness, we must extend the same understanding to those suffering from spiritual sickness. Often, those who offend us are manifesting their own pain and struggles, and it is through...

Join Wayne Giles as he explores the deep connection between fear and the impact it has on our spiritual and personal lives in Step 4 of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. In this session, Wayne addresses how fear can consume us, much like how stealing robs us of our time, peace, and focus. Fear becomes a thief, holding us back from the growth we seek and causing us to spiral into unproductive thinking and worry. Through the process of self-examination, we learn to confront the fears that...

Join Wayne Giles as he expands on the concepts found in Step 4 of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, focusing on the critical shift in perspective needed for growth. In this session, Wayne highlights the importance of recognizing that the people we encounter in life, just like us, are often sick in their own ways. This shift helps us extend grace, not just to others but to ourselves, especially when reflecting on our behavior in active addiction. Wayne shares personal reflections on how,...

Join Wayne Giles as he expands on the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, sharing insights into the simple but profound process of overcoming fear in Step 4. In this session, Wayne discusses how we ask God to remove our fear and direct our focus toward what He would have us be. The message reminds us that we are human beings, not human doings—our primary task is to be present and aligned with spiritual guidance. Through Wayne’s explanation, we see how Step 4 teaches us to move beyond fear by...

Join Wayne Giles as he shares a personal reflection on the miraculous power of God and the life-changing experiences he’s had in his recovery journey. In this Step 4 session of Alcoholics Anonymous, Wayne reflects on the importance of letting God demonstrate what He can do through us. This powerful message emphasizes how recovery is not just about what we say, but about what we allow God to do through our actions and lives. Wayne’s testimony shines a light on the transformative power of...

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Join Wayne Giles as he delves into the deeply serious nature of resentment and its impact on the spiritual journey. In this Step 4 AA session, Wayne shares his reflections on how holding on to resentments, anger, and fear prevents spiritual growth. He emphasizes the vital importance of the maintenance and growth of a spiritual experience in the recovery process. Resentment, along with other negative emotions, can keep us stuck in self-will, spinning our wheels without progress. This message...

Join Wayne Giles as he dives into the paradoxical nature of faith and strength, reflecting on how true courage is facing fear despite feeling it. Drawing from the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous and his personal experiences, Wayne helps us understand that faith isn’t about avoiding fear, but about walking straight into it with spiritual empowerment. In Step 4, we are challenged to face our fears, weaknesses, and past mistakes, and as Wayne shares, this process is where real courage is...

Join Wayne Giles as he breaks down the complexities of Step 4 from the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, focusing on deeply held resentments, societal principles, and personal identity struggles. In this segment, Wayne courageously shares his own personal inventory, including his resentment towards homosexuality and God, a conflict that stems from feeling at odds with both his faith and his own identity. Wayne highlights the confusion and frustration many experience when told how they...

Join Wayne Giles as he explores a key principle in the recovery process—shifting our focus from ourselves to serving others, especially when faced with personal challenges. This passage from Step 4 of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous reminds us that when urges or self-centered desires become overwhelming, the solution lies in helping others. By thinking of their needs and working for their well-being, we quiet our own troubling urges and avoid the heartache that comes from acting on...

Join Wayne Giles as he delves deeper into Step 4 of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. This crucial part of the process teaches us that while making a decision is essential, it holds little lasting value unless we immediately follow it with action. In Step 4, we face the things in ourselves that have been blocking us from true spiritual progress. We often dismiss harmful behaviors, chalking them up to “just the way I am.” But are these patterns really serving us? Wayne emphasizes the...

Join Wayne Giles as he delves deeper into the concept of surrendering self-will in Step 4 of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). This step teaches us that it’s not about being ready at this exact moment but about being willing at some point in the future to face the truth about ourselves. As the Big Book states, “Faith did for us what we could not do for ourselves,” reminding us that God is doing for us what we are powerless to do under our own strength. By making the decision to turn our lives over...

Join Wayne Giles as he delves into Step 4 of the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) program, focusing on how our perspectives shift as we begin to see the world and its people dominating us. In our attempt to control everything around us—people, places, and things—we find ourselves being the ones controlled and dominated. Step 4 helps us reflect on this reality, realizing how the wrongdoings of others, whether real or imagined, hold power over us. As Wayne shares, this self-reflection is critical in...

Join Wayne Giles as he continues to guide us through the critical self-examination process in Step 4 of Alcoholics Anonymous. In this session, Wayne delves into the heart of our actions and reactions: fear. Often, when we reflect on moments of anger, we realize that it’s just a secondary emotion masking a deeper fear. Whether it’s fear of rejection, fear of failure, or fear of losing control, these feelings drive much of our selfishness and self-seeking behaviors. In Step 4, the Big Book...

Join Wayne Giles as he guides us through a critical aspect of Step 4 in Alcoholics Anonymous: the practice of releasing shame and taking ownership of our part in past events. Wayne reflects on the common advice from therapists to “lay it down” and move on, yet many of us struggle with how to let go of feelings like shame, guilt, and regret. For years, shame may have been a constant companion, and even today, moments of shame may creep back in. However, the wisdom in the Big Book teaches us...

Join Wayne Giles as he reads and expands on the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, offering deeper understanding and practical advice for those on their recovery journey. In this Step 4 AA session, Wayne explores the need for a power greater than ourselves to overcome the destructive patterns of self-will. He reminds us how often we step on the toes of others, only to face retaliation, trapped in a cycle we cannot will away on our own. Wayne emphasizes that true freedom comes through...

Join Joe McDonald as he reads and expands on the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, offering deeper understanding and practical advice for those on their recovery journey. In this powerful Step 3 AA session, Joe walks us through the moment of true surrender, where we offer ourselves completely to a higher power. This step is marked by the famous Third Step Prayer: "God, I offer myself to Thee..."—a prayer of total surrender, asking for relief from the bondage of self so we may live according...

Join Joe McDonald as he reads and expands on the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, offering deeper understanding and practical advice for those on their recovery journey. In this Step 3 AA session, Joe focuses on the dangers of self-will and the constant collision it creates in our lives. He emphasizes the importance of recognizing that even with good motives, a life driven by self-propulsion is destined for failure. The Big Book teaches that we cannot judge our actions or thoughts based on...

Join Joe McDonald as he reads and expands on the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, offering deeper understanding and practical advice for those on their recovery journey. In this Step 3 AA session, Joe delves into the realization that looking to the world for happiness and peace will ultimately fail. He emphasizes that true peace and happiness come from a higher power, guiding us to a more fulfilled life. This session explores how the early AA members learned from their mistakes, sharing both...

Join Joe McDonald as he reads and expands on the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, offering deeper understanding and practical advice for those on their recovery journey. In this Step 3 AA session, Joe emphasizes the need to overcome selfishness with the help of a higher power. He explains that while we may attempt to defeat our selfish desires on our own, it's ultimately the power of God that makes it possible to walk a new path. Drawing parallels to spiritual teachings, Joe reflects on how...

JJoin Joe McDonald as he reads and expands on the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, offering deeper understanding and practical advice for those on their recovery journey. In this Step 3 AA session, Joe speaks about the transformation that occurs when a higher power enters our lives. Reflecting on his own experience, Joe describes how he was a “dead man” before encountering this power, which brought life in abundance. This newfound life doesn’t just heal us, but it makes us uniquely useful to...