A "Daily Meditation" Book by Dick B.? My answer: Not needed!

Is a Dick B. “Daily Meditation” Book Needed? My Answer: No!

Dick B.
Copyright 2011 Anonymous. All rights reserved

About A.A. Meditation Books Actually Read by Pioneers and Christians

Not very long ago, an A.A. historian said the following in the Foreword to an A.A.-related title.
“There are not only “meditation books” today; there are too many.” For a person looking for an A.A. meditation book that fits with his biblical ideas, I have a suggestion “ Look at the many Quiet Time, prayer, and meditation books Dr. Bob was using and recommending, the early AAs were reading, and the major reading of that type that was studied by or led to early A.A.’s program.

You can find all you want in these titles by Dick B.: Dr. Bob and His Library: A Major A.A. Spiritual Source, 3rd ed, 1998: 18, 31-42, 64-70, 74-75, 87-89; The Books Early AAs Read for Spiritual Growth, 7th ed., 1998: 2, 20-21, 24-27, 33-36, 37-38, 43-45, 58-59, 61-62, 77, 83-85; Making Known the Biblical History and Roots of Alcoholics Anonymous: A Sixteen-Year Research, Writing, Publishing, and Fact Dissemination Project, 3rd ed., 2006 67-69, 75-95, 101-104, 107-10, 155-63, 182-84, 186-88

An Exchange Between Dick B. and John on the Question

Dear John:

1. Good to hear from you.

2. What we are encouraging people to do to further Christian recovery includes many important resources. These certainly include such books at Good Morning!: Quiet Time, Morning Watch, Meditation, and Early A.A. www.dickb.com/goodmorn.shtml. In many other places we list and describe the meditation books early AAs used. And they were Christians. Such materials as The Runner’s Bible did not have a day by day inspirational. Instead, they had groups of verses under subjects like I will heal thee. I will help thee. I will guide thee, etc. It was this book that Dr. Bob studied and passed along to others. Another guide is The Upper Room. While this book was not all that welcomed by early AAs, they used it because it was freely given them, it fit in their back pockets, and it was simple. However, early AAs gained a much deeper understanding of the Word and its application to their lives. That’s why Dr. Bob circulated Christian books among them. Anne recommended many.

3. I strongly endorse communication with our Creator and His Son every single day. The Bible itself contains many verses on studying the Word, turning to God each morning, Proverbs 3:5-6. The plethora of meditations are all too often tainted with secular or New Thought interpretations or encourage a moment with God instead a real substantial communication with Him, coupled with prayer and turning to the Word each day.

4. In other words, whatever will bring newcomers into a relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ and further their use of the Word is just great. But the minute we tinker with private interpretation, simplicity, and short, daily squirts, the less deeply are we encouraging folks to turn to God, talk to Him, hear from Him, use His Word, and bare their souls, thanks, forgiveness, and victory each day. Our task is difficult because there is so much to teach and so few ways to teach it personally. But we are using every kind of media to do so.

5. Today, there are many Christian leaders using a variety of daily tools. Rock Recovery Ministries of San Diego texts to all its adherents an item from the Upper Room each day. Many Christian AAs do a prayer meeting or Bible study or Big Book/AA Study with great frequency. I think that fellowship with like minded believers as is set forth in Acts 2 and Acts 4 is the model and was the model that caused so many to observe of early A.A.: “Why this is First Century Christianity. What can we do to help?” Whatever a Christian, a pastor, a fellowship, a church, or a Twelve Step group chooses to further along the lines of early A.A.’s Christian Fellowship is the model we urge. To do that, AAs and others need first to learn, evaluate, and then apply today from the early A.A. Akron Christian Fellowship.

Let’s be sure you become a Christian Recovery Movement participant and keep in touch. To do this, the starting point is this, our invitation, to have you list yourself—at no cost to you—as a participant in International Christian Recovery Coalition. Take a look at our mission statement on www.ChristianRecoveryCoalition.com. And if you approve, please send me a listing something like this:

“John. . ., Recovered Christian Believer, street address, city, state, zip, phone email, and ministry URL (if any)”

Thanks a million for writing, and keep those cards and letters coming.

God bless,

Dick B.
Author, 42 titles & over 650 articles on A.A. History and the Christian Recovery Movement
Exec. Dir., International Christian Recovery Coalition
Christian Recovery Resource Centers - Worldwide
www.DickB.com
DickB@DickB.com
(808) 874-4876
PO Box 837, Kihei, HI 96753-0837

Ps 118:17 (NJB):
I shall not die, I shall live to recount the great deeds of Yahweh.

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From: John. . .
Sent: Wednesday, December 14, 2011 11:12 AM
To: dickb@dickb.com
Subject: RE: Dick B.'s FYI Messages: Some Devoted, Experienced, Laboring Christian Twelfth-step Leaders Today

Dear Dick,

Your books have been and remain a great help since Dr George introduced me first to Anne Smiths journal in the early 90's.

I often wonder why you don't have a Dick B daily meditation book? There are great 24 Hour books but you have AA material which is fresh, enlivening and not seemingly available elsewhere. People often ask me where I get some of the AA histirical gems.

Thanks and best wishes,

John. . .