LESSON 7 - SPONSOR

LESSON 7 - SPONSOR

Principle 4:  Openly examine and confess my faults to myself, to God, and to someone I trust.

Step 4:  We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

"Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord."  Lamentations 3:40

1.  Why is it important for you to have a support team?  Working a recovery program is hard work and can be emotionally draining at times.  By having a support team, I am surrounding myself with others who have either been through the recovery process already, or are in it along side me.  My support team can see me for who I am, even in areas I don't recognize, and provide me honest and loving feedback about my hurts, hang-ups, and habits.  My support team can also help walk me through areas of recovery that I need help with, or talk me off a ledge if things get too difficult.  Two are better than one; iron sharpens iron. 

2.  What qualities are you looking for in a sponsor?  A Godly woman who walks her talk, one who has completed the 12 steps herself, she is open about her recovery and struggles, and she isn't too proud to let her own support team help her when she needs it.  She is compassionate and caring, without being judgmental.  She gets gratification by helping others with their recovery, and she is strong enough to handle my "what you see is what you get" personality.  I need a woman who isn't intimidated by me (no pushovers!), and can stand up to me and tell me the truth about myself, in love, when she needs to.

3.  How have you attempted to find a sponsor/accountability partner?  I have been in CR at New Hope for 18 months now, and over the course of that time, I have gotten to know many amazing women.  I have an awesome support system in place already, and I will continue to add "formally" to my accountability partners in the coming weeks.

4.  What are some new places and ways you can try to find a sponsor/accountability partner?  I can broaden my circle by getting to better know the women who are in other small groups outside of my own, and can socialize with groups of women from CR.

5.  What is the difference between a sponsor and an accountability partner?  A sponsor is a woman with whom I develop a close, intimate, trusting relationship, that allows us to be transparent with one another so that she can help coach me through the good and bad of my recovery.  An accountability partner is a woman who is in recovery like I am, who agrees to hold me accountable to my own behaviors associated with my hurts, hang-ups, and habits, and encourages me to keep going.

6.  List the names and phone numbers of possible sponsors or accountability partners.  These should be individuals you have met on your "Road to Recovery" who have touched you in the sharing of their experiences, strengths, and hopes.

Susan S
Cynthia A
Cuky
Sarah B
Kim F
Martha B