Hello all--I've been reading some of the Al-Anon literature since, I guess, last
winter, and have attended a few meetings; my wife has been much more active
attending. It's difficult for us both to be out at the same time, and we both
feel she needs the meetings more. So I'm trying to do as much as I can in
reading the daily meditations, studying the steps, and occasionally dropping in
here.

It was not a big problem for me to admit that I was powerless over our son's
drinking and that my life was out of control. It would have been hard to deny
that. But it seems as if I'm stuck there. I always thought of myself as a
religious or spiritual person, even if I wasn't much of a churchgoer, but
struggling with the second and third steps has made me realize just how shallow
and useless my so-called "faith" was. It's not that I don't believe ar some
level in a higher power--but how do I make that leap to believing that that
power can restore me to sanity? Is it possible to move forward if I don't have
any confidence that God (and I have to admit now I'm not even sure of how I
understand him) would want to help me or would be able to?