Big Book Cards

1: "Our ideas did not work. But the God idea did." - page 52

2: "But we aren't a glum lot. If newcomers could see no joy or fun in our existence, they wouldn't want it. We absolutely insist on enjoying life." - Page 132

3: "We learned that we had to fully concede to our innermost selves that we were alcoholics. This is the first step in recovery." - Page 30

4: "Love and tolerance of others is our code" - Page 84

5: "If you are seriously alcoholic as we were, we believe there is no middle-of-the-road solution" - Page 25

6: "The tremendous fact for every one of us is that we have discovered a common solution." - Page 17

7: "The delusion that we are like other people, or presently may be, has to be smashed." - Page 30

8: "And we have ceased fighting anything or anyone - even alcohol." - Page 84

9: "If we skip this vital step, we may not overcome drinking." - Page 72

10: "Resentment is the number one offender. It destroys more alcoholics than anything else." - Page 64

11: "Lack of power that was our dilemma. We had to find a power by which we could live, and it had to be a power greater than ourselves." - Page 45

12: "We had a new employer. Being all powerful, He provided what we needed, if we kept close to Him and performed His work well." - Page 63

13: "The age of miracles is still with us. Our own recovery proves that!" - Page 153

14: "Our liquor was but a symptom. So we had to get down to causes and conditions." - Page 64

15: "As we go through the day we pause, when agitated or doubtful, and ask for the right thought or action." - Page 87

16: "As soon as a man can say that he does believe, or is willing to believe, we emphatically assure him that he is on his way." - Page 47

17: "There is a solution." - Page 25

18: "Half measures availed us nothing. We stood at the turning point. We asked His protection and care with complete abandon." - Page 59

19: "Above everything, we alcoholics must be rid of this selfishness. We must, or it kills us! God makes that possible." - Page 62

20: "It is easy to let up on the spiritual program of action and rest on our laurels. We are headed for trouble if we do, for alcohol is a subtle foe." - Page 85

21: "We have found much of heaven and we have been rocketed into a fourth dimension of existence of which we had dreamed." - Page 25

22: "The idea that somehow, someday he will control his drinking is the great obsession of every abnormal drinker." - Page 30

23: "Therefore, the main problem of the alcoholic centers in the mind, rather than the body." - Page 23

24: "We found the Great Reality deep down within us. In the last analysis it is only there that He may be found." - Page 55

25: "Here we ask God for inspiration, an intuitive thought or a decision." - Page 86

26: "We have entered the world of the Spirit. Our next function is to grow in understanding and effectiveness." - Page 84

27: "See to it that your relationship with Him is right, and great events will come to pass for you and countless others." - Page 164

28: "What we really have is a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition." - Page 85

29: "We must be entirely honest with somebody if we expect to live long or happily in this world." - Page 73

30: "Our real purpose is to fit ourselves to be maximum service to God and the people about us." - Page 77

31: "...we find that our thinking will, as time passes, be more on the plane of inspiration. We come to rely upon it." - Page 87

32: "We trust infinite God rather than our finite selves." - Page 68

33: "To us, the Realm of Spirit is broad, roomy, all inclusive; never exclusive or forbidding to those who earnestly seek." - Page 46

34: "Do not be discouraged. No one among us has been able to maintain anything like perfect adherence to these principles." - Page 60

35: "We relax and take it easy. We don't struggle." - Page 86

36: "First things first. Live and let live. Easy does it." - Page 135

37: "Actually we were fooling ourselves, for deep down in every man, woman, and child, is the fundamental idea of God." - Page 55

38: "Most alcoholics owe money. We do not dodge our creditors." - Page 78

39: "Some of us have tried to hold on to our old ideas and the result was nil until we let go absolutely." - Page 58

40: "If sex is very troublesome, we throw ourselves the harder into helping others. We think of their needs and work for them. This takes us out of ourselves." - Page 70

41: "Rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path" - Page 58

42: "When the spiritual malady is overcome, we straighten out mentally and physically." - Page 64

43: "If we were to live, we had to be free of anger." - Page 66

44: "People of faith have a logical idea of what life is all about." - Page 49

45: "The first requirement is that we be convinced that any life run on self-will can hardly be a success." - Page 60

46: "Physicians who are familiar with alcoholism agree there is no such thing as making a normal drinker out of an alcoholic." - Page 31