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awakening Europe

Hello! My name is Maik and I'm an alcoholic and cocaine addict,

After struggling for about 3,5 years in several fellowships I couldn't stay sober for 40 days. Most of the time I couldn't keep sober for 1 week. In this period of time I took step 1, 2 and 3 for three times but had a hard time taking the rest of the steps and following the rest of the program. The needed power wasn't there...

Then I came across this fellow when I returned (once again after a major crisis) in the fellowship. There was something in his eyes that appealed to me, so I started calling him. He started asking me questions about my step one and I didn't have any clue what the f*ck he was talking about. But didn't I take step one already 3 times? Yes I did, sort of...

After a while I asked him to sponsor me after another bender and we started working together. Thank God he is a BBA sponsor and I took these step without asking any questions. The step one experience I got from the BBA step one was vital for me to motivate me to proceed with the rest of the program; to stop thinking and believing in my own reasoning, finally admitting I am powerless and this is my only answer. For the first time in my life I understood what was wrong with me and what I had to do to turn my life around.

Finding out God is an inside job rather than an outside issue gave me the power I needed to follow through. Although the BBA program is hard work, is this for me the only easier and softer way to recover!

From a sparkle in someone's eyes, to a sparkle in my own eyes in no time is for me what this is all about. Which has been there since 02-01-2019. Today I am blessed to have the privilege I can give others what have been given to me through this work, which has enriched my life like I never have could imagined.

I'm still cleaning up the mess I made in active addiction, but I'm sure I could never have been so happy with so little without the BBA program (of action)!

From one sparkle to another, and another, and another, and another.

(+31)06 83 84 5007

What has BBA done for me?

I arrived in the rooms of OA in October 2016. I was drowning in a very deep and black ocean of self-pity and suicidal thoughts. My body and mind was absolutely ravaged by the never ending self-harming fog of compulsively overeating. The addiction indoctrinated my head and constantly without any reprieve, filled it with obsessive thoughts, from food to dieting, to compulsively overworking and always seeking the next new relationship fantasies.

The 12 steps in OA were the only place that started to make any sense, however I was struggling to seek sponsorship. I was fortunate enough that the rooms I was in, did focus on a spiritual solution and taught me the power of prayer. Hence I started to pray to find a sponsorship and that is exactly what I found in BBA and so much more.

I initially was introduced to a Big Book Awakening workshop where I was buddied with an absolute gem of a sponsor. Initially I was reluctant to work the 12th steps through the Big Book, as I was bitter from being divorced from a raging alcoholic, had no identification with the AA founders being white American men from the 30’s and don’t get me started with how I felt nauseated with all (what felt to me) the ‘religious’ language.

BBA absolutely revolutionised my experience. It all started by being taught the ‘Set Aside Prayer’, which was encouraged to use before each step and assignment. How enlightening it was to learn how to invite God in for a new experience! However the everlasting profound effect is when they taught me how to turn the Big Book statement into questions and personalise ‘Alcoholic’ to ‘Compulsive overeater’. Suddenly the miracles started to happen as it opened up my heart to let God in and do what I could never do for myself. It completely took away the delusion that if I understood my addiction I could then control my addiction. Instead it offers a ‘psychic change’ by giving such profound and simple spiritual awakenings.

Today, I am in immense gratitude that BBA keeps teaching me through the Big Book to have spiritual experiences where the awakening is to let God in and become my parent, my director, my employer and my best friend.

To all the beautiful BBA fellows, thank you for being shoulder to shoulder! .

(WhatsApp) 0044 7719 211 628

I hit rock bottom somewhere in late August 2015. After I sobered up in rehab I searched for a way to STAY SOBER. I had a sponsor, went to meetings, frequently, worked the steps. But somehow I couldn't really believe in this way of life. Throughout 2016 I relapsed multiple times. First after 4 months sober. After that, I couldn't stay sober for long. 30 days, 60 days. That frustrated me and I started lying about my sobriety time. My last relapse was on the 20th of January 2017. Funny thing, because I wanted to be sober on my birthday. (Jan 26th) After that I managed to stay sober on mainly willpower and some help from the fellowship. All that because I didn't wanted to use anymore.

In the spring of that year Erik H. brought BBA to Holland. He introduced us to Adam M, Michael K. & Catherine P. We formed a Dutch group of 6 and got started. The first step in BBA is an 8 week journey were I asked myself some really important questions. Why I'm behaving the way I do? Why am I thinking the way I do? What happens after I start drinking or using? Am I an alcoholic of the hopeless variety? Do I need help from a Higher Power? Well for me those questions are simple now. And the rest of the steps made clear that I need a spiritual solution to my problems! If one thing is clear to me now I have to say that lack of power is my problem. BBA gave me the power I need to stop for good. Power to be helpful to others. Power to enjoy life as it comes. And still BBA is growing here in Holland and the rest of Europe.

Thanks for BBA Dan!

Hi, my name is Melissa.

When I first tried to get sober, I had no clue what recovery was all about. I thought it was about getting clean, just clean and sober. Of course this was my motive when I came in. The first couple of times I went through the steps in various ways. I felt better, but deep down inside I still felt empty and alone. I couldn’t grasp the real message and I just did the bare minimum. I didn’t have a relationship with God, I tried but was lost in the how and why of it.

BBA changed that. It really helped me understand what recovery is all about. Now I feel (most of the time) connected with God and His message. I face my fears, because God is with me. And most important I am blessed to give this wonderful program to others. I never felt so connected with myself since I worked the steps this way. Step 4 gave me so many insights and taught me that my problems are (mostly) of my own making. I just can’t do it different on my own power, that’s why I need God.

God is there. Always. I never have to feel alone again.

(+31)628222512