Inner Voice

July 2024

Newsletter of New Freedom Intergroup of OA
Step 7: Humbly asked
Him to remove ourshortcomings.
• Spiritual Principle:
Humility
Tradition 7: Every OA
group ought to be fully
self-supporting,declining outsidecontributions.
• Spiritual Principle:
Responsibility

OA in a Variety of Languages
Cyndy L. of OA’s Website Review Committee announced the imminent release of the newoa.org pages that are auto-translated through new software. Every existing page will betranslated into the list of selected languages below.
This change will replace the Google Translate feature that has been in use until now andallows designated members the ability to edit pages where the translation software isn't quite
accurate.

Concept 7: The Board ofTrustees has legal rights
and responsibilities
accorded to them by OA
Bylaws, Subpart A; therights andresponsibilities of theWorld Service Business
Conference areaccorded to it by
Tradition and by OA
Bylaws, Subpart B.
• Spiritual Principle:
Balance
Promise 7: Self-Seeking
will slip away.

As you might expect Translation Collaborators are needed to help with this important work.
We at NFI are asking your help in distributing this message to members who are willing tocorrect translation errors. The site for applicants is at https://forms.office.com/r/xaM2Z9Qesj
If they meet the qualification, an account will be created for the translator and training will be
provided. The work is no more difficult that editing a Word document.

-1NEW FREEDOM INTERGROUPPO Box 31072 • Savannah, GA 31410 • Email: oanfig@gmail.com • Website: www.oanfig.org

Step 7: In My Own Words

Step 7: Humbly asked Him to remove ourshortcomings.

To complete the seventh step, the Big Book says we make a request of our Higher Power. We say something like what
has become known as the Seventh Step Prayer. We can use the prayer in the Big Book, or we can use our own words.
We state our willingness to let go of our defects, then ask for them to be removed. The word “humbly” indicates that we
make this important request not just to be better people, but we ask for the defects to be removed so that we can do
the work of our Higher Power, so that we can be more effective in helping others. We ask for the strength to “do your(HP’s) bidding.”
The seventh step prayer is part of my daily routine. I find solace in the words as written in the Big Book: “My Creator, I
am now willing that you should have all of me, good and bad. I pray that you now remove from me every single defect ofcharacter that stands in the way of my usefulness to you and my fellows. Grant me strength as I go out from here to doyour bidding. Amen.”I also find it helpful to think of this prayer in my own words:
To my own personal God, my Source, the one who made me –I am ready to give over to you everything that I learned in my fourth step inventory about myself: my weaknesses, mychallenges, those aspects of my personality that do not fit in with your magnificent plan for me. I humbly ask you to takethese negative behaviors, thoughts, actions away from me because they block me from being helpful to you, my God, my
Source and they block me from being helpful to my friends, my family and the people I come into contact with every day.
Give me power and courage as I live my daily life, to think and behave, as you would have me think and behave. Amen.
— Lucy B.

Steps 6 & 7 From Our Region
After completing a thorough 4th and 5th Step I had more awareness of how my defects of character had caused a lot ofpain in my life. Of course, I said I wanted my defects of character removed but what was I willing to do? Often, I
struggled with the willingness to be “entirely ready” to let go of my defects and needed to take more recovery actions.
For example, I have struggled with the character defect of anger in my daily lifestyle. Here is how I used Steps 6 and 7 toinventory it:
Defect of character: Anger
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

How it shows up: I am short with people. I snap at people at work.
How it serves me: I get to discharge my uncomfortable feelings in the moment. I get to blame other people for
irritating me and making me upset.
What it does to me: I feel bad about myself. It hurts my relationships. It threatens my job security.
My Higher Power would help me pause and pray before acting on my angry feelings. My Higher Power would
give me the willingness to use the tools of phone calls and writing to deal with my angry feelings.
I would then visualize myself doing the recovery behaviors instead of acting out on my defect.
Prayer – Dear Higher Power, please remove my anger and replace it with acceptance of myself and others. Your
will not mine be done. Amen.

By using this method to deal with character defects I have been able to take positive actions toward their removal. The
result is that I have experienced a positive change in my relationship with myself, with others, and with my Higher
Power. Thank God for OA!!!
— Region 8 12th Step Within committee member-2NEW FREEDOM INTERGROUPPO Box 31072 • Savannah, GA 31410 • Email: oanfig@gmail.com • Website: www.oanfig.org

What the Steps Have Given Me
I originally wrote this in 1984, and recently shared it at a meeting. It remains true and I appreciate the chance to share it.
Only minor edits have been made.
Step 1 has given me the willingness to give up the pain; the pain of overeating and the pain of being overweight.
Step 2 gives me the hope that someday I will be restored to sanity. That I can live my life without the constant obsession
with food.
Step 3 taught me to trust in a Higher Power. I had never trusted anyone or anything before in my life. When I learned totrust HP, I realized I would never be alone again.
Step 4 made me see myself as I really was when I first came into the program. And that is okay. That person no longer
exists. When I took Step 5, I got rid of all of the garbage that I carried around with me all of my life. I became empty andclean so that I could be the person I always wanted to be.
Steps 6 & 7 made me acknowledge the character defects that I had. I accepted them and that they, my character
defects, did not make me a bad person. I didn’t need to put myself down anymore. I could ask to have them taken away
and I knew that if I worked my recovery program, they would be lifted.
Steps 8 & 9 showed me discipline. I needed to make a list of people that I had harmed and then make amends. I had topay back all the hurt I had caused with good feelings. I have no room in my life for guilt and resentments.
Step 10 keeps me in the now. I need to take a personal inventory daily. Then when I am wrong, promptly admit it. This
step teaches me to be honest with myself and others.
Step 11 I pray to become closer to my Higher Power. I pray for the self-esteem and the knowledge that I am following
HP’s will for me.
Then when I share with people who are suffering, I find the miracle of this program. Step 12 is the greatest gift of all.
The ability to share a part of me is not a burden. It is a relief. It keeps my program growing.
I am very grateful for the Twelve Steps!
— Georgette
7: Every OA group ought to be fully selfTradition 7: At Home as Well Tradition
supporting, declining outside contributions
The Traditions have been called homicide prevention (as opposed to the Steps being called suicide prevention). They
teach us how to get along!
Tradition 7 had an immediate impact on me when another member mentioned how this tradition worked in her
family. It helped her get along with her husband. At the time my husband was earning all our money working at homeand I was not working at all, yet trying to nag him into doing half the housework. Her share pointed out that being fully
self-supporting meant not depending on someone else to carry the whole load. Oops! so my attitude changed. I did
the housework and he wrote all day, and we got along better.
How do we do our part with the seventh tradition? We donate our own money to pay for books, meeting space,workshops, and to keep meetings open. We also donate our time, doing service to support meetings, intergroup,
regions and world service. There is always something that needs to be done.
It takes a bit of thinking to remain fully self-supporting. We can’t make copies on the printer at our job without paying
for them. We can’t accept free rent. Accepting big donations can skew the emphasis of the meeting which is what AA
found out. The traditions are the results of the mistakes AA made in the early days.
Our format used to say, “Give what you can, and if you can’t give anything, keep coming back.” I am able to give morethese days, and I do so, so the impoverished compulsive overeater will feel as welcome at the meetings as I did when
we were broke.
— Patience M., Gainesville FL-3NEW FREEDOM INTERGROUPPO Box 31072 • Savannah, GA 31410 • Email: oanfig@gmail.com • Website: www.oanfig.org

Promises: 100%? 50%?

Promise 7: Self-Seeking will slip away.

Wait. But isn’t it all about me? It’s been said that I’m not much, but I’m all I think about.
My sponsor once asked, “Why do you think about yourself 100 percent of the time?” I corrected him by saying, “No. I
only think of myself 50 percent of the time.” He replied, “What do you think about with the rest of your time?”
I replied, “The other 50 percent is thinking about what others think of me.”The Big Book teaches us that, “Selfishness—self-centeredness! That, we think, is the root of our troubles.” It reminds
us that people who are self-centered are driven by fear, self-delusion, self-seeking, and self-pity, and that they can end
up hurting others who then retaliate. The book goes on to say that alcoholics must get rid of their selfishness, or it will
kill them.
So, when I read this promise–as a real compulsive overeater/food addict–I was both skeptical and hopeful. I’m hopefulthat eventually my destructive pattern of self-seeking will slip away, and skeptical because I seem to be powerless overthis defect of character. Exactly how will self-seeking slip away? Will I have to join a monastery? Will I have to hand out
flowers at the airport? Will I become glum and boring? No, no, and no.
As we know, these are called the Ninth Step Promises for a reason. They are located on pages 83-84 of chapter six“Into Action” of the book Alcoholics Anonymous. The 12 promises are prefaced with this statement, “If we arepainstaking about this phase of our development we will be amazed before we are halfway through.” So, if I’m nothalf-way through my ninth step amends, and I haven’t been painstaking about the execution of steps 1-9, thesepromises may not come, or may be delayed. Ah, there’s always a catch.
Of our sober way of life (or design for living if you wish) it says on page 14 of the Big Book, “Simple, but not easy; aprice had to be paid. It meant destruction of self-centeredness. I must turn in all things to the Father of Light who
presides over us all.”A key to reducing my self-seeking resides in the power of the steps. For me, the most important are steps three andstep seven. If I have turned my will and my life over to God, and I’ve asked God to remove my shortcomings, God will
direct me away from my Ego and towards my fellows.
The more I think of you, the less I think of me.
— John K.

And More Promises
Here are some other promises in Big Book order with a few comments (see last month for the first installment). Notethat the promises are generally conditional. One needs to work the program for the promises to come true in our lives.
There Is a Solution“…there are no fees to pay, no axes to grind, no people to please, no lectures to be endured…” The barriers to entry aredeliberately kept low.
“Many could recover if they had the opportunity we have enjoyed.” And this is a wonderful reason to practice Step 12.
“There is a solution.” Despair is options—all we need is willingness to reach out to the proven solution.
“We have found much of heaven and we have been rocketed into a fourth dimension of existence of which we had noteven dreamed.” Out addictions blind us to the realm of possibilities.
“The great fact is just this, and nothing less: That we have had deep and effective spiritual experiences which have
revolutionized our whole attitude toward life, toward our fellows and toward God’s universe.”“The central fact of our lives today is the absolute certainty that our Creator has entered into our hearts and lives in a
way which is indeed miraculous. He has commenced to accomplish those things for us which we could never do byourselves.” One meeting I attended discussed the reading between gathering “hearts and lives” and separating “ourCreator…lives in a way.” The idea being that we have let our Creator live within us. See why we need specialist
translators for other languages (see page 1)?
— Mark W.

-4NEW FREEDOM INTERGROUPPO Box 31072 • Savannah, GA 31410 • Email: oanfig@gmail.com • Website: www.oanfig.org

Trusted Servants and Committee Chairs (New emails)
GENERAL INFORMATION
Chair
Vice Chair/Bylaws
Treasurer
Secretary
Delegate
Newsletter/Meeting List
Public Info/Prof. Outreach
Young Persons
12th Step Within
Sponsor CoordinatorWebsiteWays and Means

Secretary will forward as needed
Echo G.
561.704.2917
Barbara C.
352.474.1366
Augusta L.
912.508.4777
Sandi JC912.464.4231
VACANT—Consider doing service
Mark W.
904.527.3433
Nancy K.
516.286.1888
VACANT—Consider doing service
VACANT—Consider doing service
Hailey404.797.5586
Brian B.
904.616.0608
VACANT—Consider doing service

oanfig@gmail.com
chairnfi@gmail.com
vicechairnfi@gmail.com
nfitreasury@gmail.com
oanfig@gmail.com
delegatenfi@gmail.com
innervoicenfi@gmail.com
piponfig@gmail.com
youngpeoplenfi@gmail.com
TSWnfi@gmail.com
sponsor.nfig@gmail.com
websitenfi@gmail.com
wandmnfi@gmail.com

I Am Your Disease:
Identifying as One of Many
One of the first service positions I took above the group level was as newsletter editor for my intergroup. I loved
searching other OA newsletters for stories and writing to share. I was going through my treasure trove of OA handouts
and various paperwork when I stumbled across this writing. It tells me the truth about my constant companion. The one
I relied on to keep me alive during the hardest part of my life. The problem was, when I finally saw the truth: that it was,and always has been, trying to kill me - it had such a grip on me that I could not imagine how I could live without it. I
could not separate myself from my disease. Who was I without it? Would I even like that person?
I found those answers in OA. My journey to find another way to live began on the day I asked a woman to be my firstsponsor, trusting her enough to speak my truth and work the steps. Building a relationship with a Higher Power gave me
the courage to slowly let go of my disease. I realized I had a choice. I chose freedom from the obsession. I choserecovery. I chose to live the life my Higher Power wants for me and guides me through. And over the last 30 years, I
continue to make that choice every day.
_______I AM YOUR DISEASE
I hate meetings. I hate a Higher Power. I hate anyone who has a program. To all who come into contact with me, I wish
you suffering and I wish you death.
Allow me to introduce myself. I am the disease of addiction. CUNNING, BAFFLING and POWERFUL, that's me.
I have KILLED MILLIONS and I am pleased.
I love to catch you with the element of surprise. I love pretending that I am your friend and your lover. I have given you
comfort, have I not? Wasn't I there when you were lonely? When you wanted to die, didn’t you call me? I was there.
I love to make you hurt. I love to make you cry. Better yet, I love to make you so numb that you can neither hurt nor cry.
When you can’t feel anything at all, this is true glory.
I will give you instant gratification and all I ask of you is long term suffering. I've been there for you always. When things
were going right in your life, you invited me. You said you didn't deserve these good things, and I was the ONLY ONE
who agreed with you. Together, we were able to DESTROY ALL THINGS GOOD in your life.
People don't take me seriously. They take strokes seriously, heart attacks seriously, even diabetes. Fools that they are,they don't know that without my help, many of these things would not be possible.

-5NEW FREEDOM INTERGROUPPO Box 31072 • Savannah, GA 31410 • Email: oanfig@gmail.com • Website: www.oanfig.org

I am such a hated disease, and yet I do not come uninvited. YOU CHOOSE TO HAVE ME. So many have chosen me over
REALITY and PEACE.
More than you hate me, I hate all of you who have a Twelve-Step Program. Your Program, your Meetings, Your Higher
Power, ALL WEAKEN ME and I can't function in the manner I am accustomed to.
Now I must lie here quietly. You don’t see me, BUT I AM GROWING, BIGGER THAN EVER. When you only exist, I may live.
When you live, I only exist. BUT I AM HERE... and until we meet again, I WISH YOU SUFFERING AND DEATH.
_________________
I don't know where this writing came from or who wrote it. I only know that we share a common bond. I hope you canidentify as I do. You ALWAYS have a choice. Which path will you choose today?
I wish you strength and courage to choose recovery. We are here for you. We WILL love you until you can love yourself.
You are not alone anymore. Welcome to OA. Welcome Home.
– Alice W.

See the Registration Form Attached!
Big Book Weekend
NOVEMBER 1-3, 2024
Join us in person as we witness examples of‘how to recover’ from the disease ofcompulsive eating, as outlined in the “BigBook” of Alcoholics Anonymous. Our
speaker will share how he practices his
program, maintains his recovery, lives inspiritual abundance, letting go of the food andworking with others. There will be groupsharing activities and plenty of time forfellowship, reflection and relaxation.
Abstinent meals, on the premises, will beavailable.

Stepping
Our Way to
Recovery(A Big Book Buffet)

Program begins at 7:00 pm Friday evening and ends at 12:00 pm Sunday.
LOCATION: MARYWOOD RETREAT AND CONFERENCE CENTER
235 Marywood Drive, St. Johns, FL 32259
www.marywoodcenter.org
904.287-2525
If you cannot attend the full weekend in person, virtual access will be available for the speakers. Virtual
registration will give you access to these workshops, but not any of the after-hours activities.
The two-page registration flyer is attached to this newsletter.

-6NEW FREEDOM INTERGROUPPO Box 31072 • Savannah, GA 31410 • Email: oanfig@gmail.com • Website: www.oanfig.org

Highlights of the June NFI Business Meeting:(Note: These are NOT the official minutes; they are only a recap of what was discussed. Official minutes are released
after changes and approval in the next month’s business meeting.)
New Freedom Intergroup business meeting was held June 8. Each meeting is welcome and encouraged to send two
voting members, and as many observers as desire to attend. The meeting is always the second Saturday of the month(unless otherwise decided) and runs for one and a half hours. Thus, the next business meeting is Saturday, July 13 from10:00 am to 11:30 am by Zoom. (Meeting ID: 872 7218 1719, Password: 883350).
Highlights of what was covered at the June business meeting:Service Opportunities:••••

We need to fill the following service positions: Delegate, Parliamentarian, Young Persons subcommittee chair,
Twelfth Step Within chair, and Ways and Means chair. Other committees also need volunteers to provide
service.
SERVICE ROTATION REMINDER: At the end of this year, we will need to elect a new Vice Chair and a newNewsletter Chair per the term limits of these positions. If you are interested in either of these roles, pleaseconsidering reaching out to learn more and possibly even to begin shadowing on the job.
We’ll be hosting a Big Book Retreat at Marywood on November 1-3, 2024. There will be many opportunities togive service as we plan for this event and at the event itself. If you are interested in volunteering in any way,please reach out to Nancy K. Registration is open!
In August of 2025, the World Service Convention will be held in Orlando, FL. While NFI is not officiallysponsoring or hosting this event, ANYONE is welcome to give service for it! If you are interested in helping withplanning or otherwise volunteering, please contact Susan B. by email at chair@oaregion8.org

Other Items of Note:▪
▪
▪

All meetings are to let Chair know about changes in format. Thank you to those who sent us updates thismonth! They should be reflected on the website and meeting list.
Reviewed the wrap up report from the World Service Business Conference (which can be found on the OA.org
website here: https://media.oa.org/app/uploads/2024/05/05162328/wrap-up-report-wsbc-2024-1.pdf)
Discussed concerns surrounding retaining membership at our meetings and fears that we’re seeing less andless repeat attendance at meetings. Highlights of the discussion and suggestions that were shared:o For Zoom or Hybrid meetings, provide the meeting ID and meeting password at the end of the meetingso that it is easy for newcomers or visitors to come back.
▪ Consider also sharing the meeting information for other meetings in the areao Welcome newcomers specifically, and make sure to invite them back.
▪ One meeting tells their newcomers “We’ve been waiting for you!” to personalize the welcome
a little more.
o Another meeting has a rotating service position for someone to do the outreach calls for that week
and they agree to call every member of the meeting that week, thus engaging newcomers and current
members and encouraging everyone to come back again.
o There is frequently a spike in attendance at the beginning of the year, as people make their resolution
and then during the summer a lot of people drop off in favor of other activities, travel, vacation, etc.
Some meetings take a summer break because of this.
o As a reminder, ANYONE can ask for a group conscious at a meeting for any subject.
o Consider doing a version of the strong meeting checklist/inventory.
▪ We’ll discuss this at NFI in July, see if we can help with a simplified version to help groups do a
spot check and see where they may want to make changes.

-7NEW FREEDOM INTERGROUPPO Box 31072 • Savannah, GA 31410 • Email: oanfig@gmail.com • Website: www.oanfig.org

World Service Appeal 2024
World Service has published an appeal for annual contributions, spelling out many ways that OA has made a differencein the last year. The link for the appeal letter is below, and they have asked that the letter be read at the group level
for three consecutive weeks.
Here are some of the wonderful new ways OA has been able to put donations to work:
•
•
•
•
•
•

In 2023, we created a public service video to extend a hand to others with compulsive food challenges.
Your funding also enabled us to post OA bylaws and policies as web pages and create a video that explains
bylaws and service in a simplified way.
OA continues to update and maintain the Find-a-Meeting tool on the website.
Within the publications sphere, your contributions allowed us to translate Where Do I Start? into Icelandic,
thereby increasing access to 21 languages, including Arabic, Chinese, Finnish, Italian, Mongolian, Norwegian,
Persian, Romanian, Slovenian, and Zulu.
New publications enabled through your funding included combined Public Information and Professional
Outreach Service Manual, Twelve Traditions Workbook of Overeaters Anonymous, and e-pamphlet To the Man
Who Wants to Stop Compulsive Overeating, Welcome.
Finally, your funding enables us to fulfill your publication orders and answer your questions by phone andemail.

As technology and costs accelerate, we will need your support in 2024 to continue our outreach to diverse populations
and to offer innovative ways for you to connect with others who suffer from compulsive food behaviors.
The link to the letter is: https://media.oa.org/app/uploads/2024/04/10135858/annual-appeal-letter-2024.pdf-8NEW FREEDOM INTERGROUPPO Box 31072 • Savannah, GA 31410 • Email: oanfig@gmail.com • Website: www.oanfig.org

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-10NEW FREEDOM INTERGROUPPO Box 31072 • Savannah, GA 31410 • Email: oanfig@gmail.com • Website: www.oanfig.org

Events from All Over

-11NEW FREEDOM INTERGROUPPO Box 31072 • Savannah, GA 31410 • Email: oanfig@gmail.com • Website: www.oanfig.org

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More from Region 8
A new way to carry the message!
Region 8 announces an excellent resource page with links to valuable OA information to benefit
newcomers, returning and current members. Maybe even the "old timers."
Have you read the appendices to Overeaters Anonymous, Third Edition? They include writings on
The Role of a Plan of Eating, A Disease of the Mind, A Disease of the Mind, A Disease of the Body,
A Disease of the Spirit and more.
People may scan this QR code (point your smart phone’s camera at the QR code and it will pop
up a link) and connect to the Region 8 resources page. Please feel free to print this information and pass around in
face-to-face meetings or insert into a visual format for virtual meetings.
Check it out — Pass it on!
Articles printed in this newsletter reflect the opinion of each individual OA member and do not represent OA as awhole. Intergroup meets on the 2nd Saturday of each month. The deadline to submit articles is the 20th of the month
before the Intergroup meeting. Articles may be edited. When submitting articles, please include your name andphone number and whether or not you would like your name printed. This newsletter may be reproduced andenjoyed by other 12-steppers without written permission. If you would like to submit articles and/or comments, or if
you would like to receive the Inner Voice in color as a pdf, send your email address to the Newsletter Chair at
innervoicenfi@gmail.com.

-17NEW FREEDOM INTERGROUPPO Box 31072 • Savannah, GA 31410 • Email: oanfig@gmail.com • Website: www.oanfig.org

rot

7

Where are your donations going?
According to our Seventh Tradition, we are self-supporting through our own contributions. To donate directly toIntergroup, write a check made payable to ‘NFI’ and mail to: OA NFI, PO Box 550842, Jacksonville, FL 32255; or log onto
oanfig.org and scroll down to the ‘donate’ button. You may pay by PayPal or credit card.
When you contribute your 7th Tradition donations, if you indicate your group number, the donation will be recorded forthat specific group. When we do not have a group number to work with, we may include the donations as unspecified.
Each month, NFI tallies the group donations and sends 10% of the total to Region 8, with an additional 30% to the World
Service Office. Donations sent directly to World Service Office do not reflect in our group donations total.

-18NEW FREEDOM INTERGROUPPO Box 31072 • Savannah, GA 31410 • Email: oanfig@gmail.com • Website: www.oanfig.org