Just a quick heads up. This, is one of the most powerful conversations I have had thus far. I feel that this is a vital episode to share with young men and young women as parents feel it an appropriate age to do so. But this story starts at the age of 12 and is really relatable to many issues of today.
This week we will be talking with Phil about Step 12. Phil’s story starts at 12 years old with exposure to internet pornography and quickly spins out of control to suicidal thoughts and plans. We follow his journey and desperate search for healing and a return to the feelings he had before he was exposed to pornography. In this conversation, he refers to a structured program that helped him finally find the way to the solution. He doesn’t name the program, but afterwards, he let me know that I could let all know what that program is. It is ARPsupport.org. It is a 12-Step sponsorship program, targeted primarily to men and women who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who are also sex addicts. Anyone is welcome to participate, but some of the documentation draws from scripture and leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints.
Step 12 reads, “Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.”
In this and other conversations, you may be introduced to concepts that you have never before considered, or may even seem contradictory to what you have considered truth for perhaps your whole life, but these concepts are shared as honestly and openly as possible, using real experiences that cannot be denied as being true to these people sharing them.
While you listen, take mental or physical notes of ideas of self-improvement that pop into your head. Then, at the end of this podcast, review those notes and make a plan about how you can implement them.
Now, kick back, or hit the road, work out, do house or yard work, or whatever you do while listening to podcasts and be ready to learn and feel and gain insights like you may have never considered before. Here we go with Phil.
So there you have it. Step 12. “Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.”
If you felt or were motivated to take some steps in your own life to make some changes, I invite you, no I plead with you, as Phil did, to Enter a room, get a sponsor, and start on the path.
In this time of pandemic and social distancing, getting to a physical meeting likely won’t happen, but there are countless call-in meetings, web-cam meetings, etc. Go to these. I will put many of them in the show notes for your reference. Just get out and take that next step, NOW.
Now for the housekeeping part of the program. Please go and check us out on Facebook and Instagram at @JTL Podcast, like and follow us. Check out our website, https://www.jtlpod.com. You can also drop us a note about your own experiences, strength, and hope at thejtlpodcast@gmail.com.
Please visit our sponsors who I purposely did not put at the beginning of this episode or any other for this 12 week series. But they are helping this podcast continue forward. They are alifeuntold.com, www.sheppardbrackets.com, and www.radfordpineshomedecor.com . Use promo code JUSTIN with A Life Untold to save 10% on your order, and JTLPOD5 at Sheppard Brackets and Radford Pines to save 5% on your orders there.
Have a good week, and press forward, one day at a time.
Resources:
ARPSupport: https://www.arpsupport.org/
Sexaholics Anonymous: https://www.sa.org/
S-Anon (for the loved ones of sex addicts): https://www.sanon.org/
Sexaholics Anonymous Lifeline: https://sal12step.org/
Sitting in a Rowboat Throwing Marbles at a Battleship: http://rowboatandmarbles.org/wordpress/