The 12 steps was given to men from God as guideposts for living and walking in freedom with Him.  Yes, it is for alcoholics and drug users. It is also for anyone seeking freedom from something on which we form an excessive dependency.  It can be a person, a thing, or a behavior and the key word here is EXCESSIVE.  It’s spiraling out of control and taking over our thoughts and stealing our peace and joy. This thing we are doing is interfering with relationships ~ with God and others.  These are addictive agents and the catalogue includes

1. Alcohol and Drugs ~ most known for helping with these
2. Work, achievement, or success
3. Money addictions, such as overspending, gambling, hoarding
4. Control addictions, especially if they surface in personal, sexual, family, and business relationships
5. Food addictions
6. Sexual addictions
7. Approval dependency (the need to please people)
8. Rescuing patterns toward other persons
9. Dependency on toxic relationships (relationships that are damaging or hurtful)
10. Physical illness (hypochondria)
11. Exercise and physical conditioning
12. Cosmetics, clothes, cosmetic surgery, trying to look good on the outside
13. Academic pursuit and excessive intellectualizing
14. Religiosity or religious legalism (preoccupation with the form, and the rules and regulations of religion, rather than benefiting from the real spiritual message)
15. Preoccupation with thoughts that lead to one or all ~ guilt, condemnation, anger, resentment, bitterness, unforgiving spirit, depression, anxiety
16. General perfectionism
17. Obsessive Compulsive Behaviors
18. Materialism

“Most of us can see ourselves somewhere in this list.  And all of us can benefit from the truths that emerge from Twelve Step recovery, because all of us are, to some degree, codependent.” ~ from Serenity, A Companion for Twelve Step Recovery by Dr. Robert Hemfelt and Dr. Richard Fowler

If you are feeling that your life has spun out of control by things you are doing and thinking, then this program can help.  These are lamp posts along the narrow path with God.  They light our way and help us turn our lives and wills over to the care of God ~ one day at a time. This is what living freely looks like.  Please stop and pray about your life and let us know if we can help you.  God loves you so very much!