Eight Recovery Principles based on the Beatitudes

1. Realize I’m not God; I admit that I am powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and my life is unmanageable. (Step 1)
   “Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor.” (Matthew 5:3)
2. Earnestly believe that God exists, that I matter to him, and that he has the power to help me recover. (Step 2)
   “Happy are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” (Matthew 5:4)
3. Consciously choose to commit all my life and will to Christ’s care and control. (Step 3)
   “Happy are the meek.” (Matthew 5:5)
4. Openly examine and confess my faults to God, to myself, and to someone I trust.  (Step 4 and 5)
   “Happy are the pure in heart”
5. Voluntarily submit to every change God wants to make in my life and humbly ask Him to remove my character defects.  (Steps 6 and 7)
   “Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires.” (Matthew 5:6)
6. Evaluate all my relationships; Offer forgiveness to those who have hurt me and make amends for harm I’ve done to others except when to do so would harm them or others. (Steps 8 and 9)
   “Happy are the merciful.” “Happy are the peacemakers.” (Matt 5:7, 5:9)
7. Reserve a daily time with God for self examination, Bible readings and prayer in order to know God and His will for my life and to gain the power to follow His will.  (Steps 10 and 11)
8. Yield myself to God to be used to bring this Good News to others, both by my example and by my words.  (Step 12)
   “Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires.” (Matthew 5:10)