Good morning!  My name is Lauren and I'm a grateful, recovering alcoholic/addict.  We are blessed to have a friend staying with us right now.  He has decided to get his life together, so rode on a bus for 22 hours to get away from it and stay with us for a bit.  We went to a meeting last night and I was honored to give him his 24 hour coin. As I have said before, God puts certain people in your lives in at certain times right when you need them.  Sometimes they are life and death situations.  Change is a hard thing for anyone.  It is uncomfortable.  It isn't easy, but it doesn't have to be a bad thing.  There is not perfect time for it, so the time is NOW!  Start today!  You can do it, if you really want to. It may not be easy, but it WILL be worth it!  :)  That's all for today!  Have a great one!

Good morning!  My name is Lauren, and I'm a grateful, recovering alcoholic/addict. Today I heard some news that hit me like a ton a bricks, but read this verse and and did the only thing I could and prayed.  I am not alone.  You are not alone.  God will give you strength.  You just need to ask for it.  He is always there, the hard part is asking for His help or strength and guidance.  There is part of us that thinks we can do things by ourselves, but we really can't.  In the days and months ahead, my family and I will be praying a lot for strength and guidance.  If you pray, pray as well.  Thank you Lord for another beautiful day alive and sober!  That's all I have for today!  Have a great one!

Good morning!  My name is Lauren, and I'm a grateful, recovering alcoholic/addict.  God has a plan for me...a great plan!  You see God sees the big picture,  I see what is right in front of me.  And a lot of the time, I think I know what should happen and am USUALLY wrong about the whole situation.  God has HIS plan laid out and I need to just go with the flow and follow his plan.  It is alot easier said than done, but I need to do that.  He doesn't have harming me in the plan, I do that to myself.  Me and my thinking.  I get in the way of myself and make the situation harder than it needs to be.  If I would just get out of the way and let God, than it would be a lot simpler.  But once again, easier said than done, but as long as I keep practicing these things daily, I get better.  And as I get better, I am getting closer to God, I am growing, I am learning.  And in doing so, I have hope and I feel I am prospering.  That is all for today.  Have a great one!

Good afternoon!  My name is Lauren, and I'm a grateful, recovering alcoholic/addict.  We are not promised tomorrow.  I must live like today is my last, because is may be.  I kiss my my children and tell them I love them everytime I leave them, God forbid it it is the last time I see them, but who knows.  I am blessed for each morning that I open my eyes and wake up.  For each morning I get out of bed and am able to live a sober life.  God has given me so many things to be grateful for.  I don't really deserve any of it, but am still blessed with it.  I need to cherish every moment I have with my loved ones, family near and far.  I need to make today count.  I need to enjoy today. That's all I have for today.  Have a great one!

Good afternoon!  My name is Lauren and I'm a grateful, recovering alcoholic/addict.  Sometimes it's easy, sometimes it's hard.  In John 15:12, Christ instructs us to "...love one another, as I have loved you."  It is not something we should probably do.  I must do this, and when I do this I feel so good.  It really does make me happy...and not like Pharrell's song that has now become overplayed, but a real joy from God.  God has given me so many things since I have opened my heart to loving people.  Not physical things, or material things, much better things.  He has given me peace, serenity, joy, love, and hope.  These things are much better than any thing material in the world.  Thank you God for another day sober!  That's all for today.  Have a great one!

Good morning! My name is Lauren, and I'm a grateful, recovering alcoholic/addict.  I can do anything I want to I just have to put my mind to it AND actually follow through with it.  Just WANTING to do something doesn't get me anywhere.  Action is the key.  I could dream all day, but planning and working it is where the action comes in.  When I was drinking and using, I had so many ideas.  I would sit on the barstool and tell you all things I was "going to do." For years I would say what I was going to do.  Well I have finally started to do those things.  Only in sobriety could I have been able to actually achieve my goals.  I always wanted to write a book.  I would have never been able to do tha before.  Now, my second one is about to come out!  Never in a million years did I think that was possible!  Only by the grace of God.  So I thank Him for another day sober!  That's all I have for today!  Have a great one!

Good afternoon!  My name is Lauren, and I'm a grateful, recovering alcoholic/addict.  A lot of the time you have more than you think you do.  You have more potential too.  You are better than you think you are.  Give yourself some credit.  God has given you many gifts, use them.  I like to write and talk, so I figured I should put that to use. Everyone has a different gift and we are all blessed to be different so we can all do different things.  If we could all do the same things, life would be so boring.  God put you right where you are for a reason.  He has placed you there to help someone, and usually by helping someone you help yourself.  Use your gift, don't waste it.  That's all I have for today.  Have a great one!

Good afternoon!  My name is Lauren, and I'm a grateful, recovering alcoholic/addict.  The above quote is cute.  You just need to keep moving...forward that is.  Going backwards sure won't get you anywhere.   There are a lot of things in life to balance sometimes, a job, family, bills, etc.  Just keep going.  If you are having problems on the bike, get off and walk a little, just keep moving forward, not backwards.  Put one foot in front of the other, put your hand out too, someone is usually there to help you there too.  But as soon as you stop, you will fall down, that is for sure. There are usually a lot more people out there willing to help you than you think.  So, just ask.  That's all I have for today.  Have a great one!

Good afternoon!  My name is Lauren, and I'm a grateful, recovering alcoholic/addict.  Sometimes my brain tells me that since I'm sober now, I'm ok, but I'm not.  I could drink tonight.  I don't HAVE this.  There is no guarantee for me to be sober tomorrow.  I am sober now and that is all I have.  I can't "rest on my laurels."  I need to stay active in AA, go to meetings, and continue to chair meetings.  Not only does this go for my sobriety but for me spiritually as well.  I need to conitue going to church, fellowship with other Christians, read my Bible, and pray.  I can't do this alone. This sobriety thing, I don't think I could do by myself, as a matter of fact I know I couldn't.  I would have to have God in my life.  That's why it didn't work before when I tried and I wasn't realy walking with Him.  I was too selfish to ask for help.  With God my side I can do anything.  That's all I have for today.  Have a great one!

Good morning!  My name is Lauren, and I'm a grateful, recovering alcoholic/addict.  This weekend was amazing! One of my brothers was in town from Texas.  It was great to see him. We got to go out to eat with him, then to church, then just spend the afternoon with him at my parents and chat.  It was nice.  Then my other brother calls and tells us he got engaged!!!  How exciting!  And my other sister-in-law is pregnant!  Family is so important to me now.  Just getting my priorties straight, and rearanging my life.  Putting the puzzle pieces back together.  I want to spend as much time as I can with them.  We have a family reunion this weekend.  I know some people hate going them, but this is the only family I have and I only get to see them once a year and it's only for a few hours.  We always have fun, so I can't wait.  I like to get the kids excited for it too.  I want them to enjoy it!  we are blessed to have such a wonderful family.  That's all I have for today!  Have a great one!