Manitoba Area Help & Info lines: Brandon (204) 727-2601 Winnipeg (204) 981-1730

Manitoba Area Newsline

August 2018 Issue 08/18

newsline@mascna.org

Here I am after working Step 5 with my sponsor. I felt like the fog had lifted and felt happy and light. Today, yes I still see that the fog has lifted, but oh the things I see! I see the pain my disease has caused. I see how the exact nature of my wrongs has harmed the people I love most and me. Some damage may not ever be repaired. The things I did…against my own morals, and why? Because of my own selfishness of wanting people to love me and doing things even though my Higher Power was saying, No Susy! Don’t do it! STOP!! I did it anyway

because my will to get what I wanted was so great that I pushed my Higher Power away. I turned my back on my Higher Power’s will for me and relied on my own will. No wonder I felt alone as though my Higher Power hated me! It was because I hated myself for not listening to that inner voice. How do I move past this and let the past go? There is so much pain inside me. So much regret! What is the answer? In my recovery I have learned that focusing on the problem keeps me in the problem. Therefore, the opposite is also true. focusing on the solution keeps me growing and in the solution. The solution to the problem; the Steps of Narcotics Anonymous! Only with the steps can I work through the pain and see the truth! I may have made some terrible mistakes in the past…but…steps 4 & 5 help me to take a

look at those things that made me so sick. I acted out on some unhealthy behavior, but I don’t have to behave that way today. I need to be brave and call up all my courage to work through the pain of the truth. Happily, I don’t have to do it alone. I have the fellowship of NA and I have my sponsor. My past doesn’t matter. I can’t change it. I can’t fix it. I can only move forward. I have a choice today because I am clean. I choose recovery…and I choose not to work alone, but with fellow addicts in NA. There is hope for ANY addict no matter their background or the extent of their disease. We can all recover and we can all do it together! Thank you for my recovery!

What brought you into the rooms of N.A? Being completely beaten and broken from everything using had brought to my life! I was lost and tired of living on the streets, in and out of jail, hurting my mother, my kids and grandkids by living that way of life. What keeps you coming back? The feeling of belonging, understanding, care, and the feeling I get from the getting and giving of help, support, love and acceptance from other recovering addicts who get me. What service work have you done in the past year or so? I organized events as part of the Fundraising for the Manitoba Area Convention of Narcotics Anonymous, I am currently the Newsline chair and I chair meetings regularly at my home group or other groups if they need What has been your “greatest challenge” in the last year? Self acceptance! Finding confidence in myself, accepting me for who I am and letting go of what other people think of me; learning to love myself without needing validation from anyone or anything outside myself. How did you deal with that challenge? I worked my steps honestly and openly with a sponsor, I took suggestions, I shared honestly at meetings, I listened and prayed for guidance as I went through the process of finding confidence in myself. My self esteem today is way greater than I ever thought it could ever be!

What do you suggest for the newcomer or those who are still struggling? Just keep coming back and don’t give up on yourself. No matter how many times you misstep, keep on keeping on!! Remember that no matter what, if you keep coming back, you will be ok! No matter how hard it may seem at times….it’s never going to be as hard as it was out there in active addiction!!! Any final thoughts? It took me to the age of 42 years old before I ever knew there was a different way to live. When I first started coming to the rooms in 2003, I never imagined I would be able to be anything other than who I had always been. Now after all these years and many relapses, here I am, living and enjoying the life I have been given to me by my Higher Power and the people of Narcotics Anonymous who came before and after me!

Taking a Look at ‘The Exact

Nature of My Wrongs.’

Submitted by Suzy Q.

Profile of an Addict Submitted by Tina Q.

All Submissions, Inquiries, and Comments welcome at any time. Please forward to newsline@mascna.org

Next deadline for the September issue is August 19th

. YOU can receive a FREE electronic copy of this Newsletter by forwarding your email address to: newsline@mascna.org *Material or wording in this newsletter is not necessarily the opinion of MASC or Narcotics Anonymous as a whole. All Submissions become the property of the Newsline,

which reserves the right to edit to facilitate publishing and ensure the NA message is carried. Articles will be printed anonymously upon request.

Sun. July 29th

– Dawn B. is speaking at Road to Recovery;

8:00pm @ 146 Magnus St.

Tues. July 31st – Audra W. is speaking at Equinox - 7:30pm

at 195 Colligate St.

Sat. Aug. 4th – Outreach will be visiting the Howling

Wolves Group in Thompson to help support our out of town groups. If interested, please email outreach@mascna.org

Sat. Aug. 4th – Michelle P. - 7 years and Jonathon P. -16

years both celebrating at SOS @ 7pm; 125 Sherbrook St.

Mon. Aug. 6th – Broadway Group is closed

– Janelle L. - 1 year at Genesis @ 7pm; 187 Kilbride St.

Thurs. Aug. 9th

– Don M. - 11 years at Genisis @ 7pm; 187

Kilbride St.

Thurs. Aug. 16th – Joe E. I. - 4 years and Perry H. - 11

years both celebrating at Genesis @ 7pm; 187 Kilbride St.

Sat. Aug. 18th– M.A.S.C. meeting at 12 noon; 430 Langside

St. There are open positions to be filled including: MASC Chair, Treasurer, A&E, Public Relations and Convention Chair. NA members are encouraged to attend; please get involved.

Mon. Aug. 20th - Courtney B. - 8 years at Genesis @ 7pm;

187 Kilbride St.

Tues. Aug. 21st – Tina Q. – 18 months – 7:30pm @

Equinox; 195 Colligate St.

Fri. Aug. 24th – Infinity Group in Selkirk is hosting their 5th

anniversary celebration @ 7:30pm come on out for cake, coffee and fellowship! Dean W. will be speaking.

Sun. Aug. 26th – Lynn L. – 22 years at the women’s group,

WINA, @ 4pm; 130 Nassau St. N.

Tues. Aug. 28th – Dawn Marie K. - 12 years at Equinox @

7:30pm; 195 Colligate St.

Tues. Aug. 28th – Home At Last will be having a farewell

celebration BBQ @ 6pm followed by their last meeting at their current location. They are looking for a new home and more will be revealed.

MASC is in desperate need of a new treasurer. The

member, who is temporarily keeping the records, will no longer be doing this. If the area fails to fill the treasurer position, MASC can potentially cease to function in a manner that allows that body to help the still suffering addict in many different ways.

Broadway Group meets every Friday evening through the

summer at 6pm at the Louis Riel Statue behind the Legislature building.

Foundation for Freedom group needs volunteers to chair meetings. For more info, please attend their next

meeting. Wednesday’s at 6:30 at 400 Edmonton St.

Outreach is planning some trips to out of town meetings to try to build connection with and unite the isolated out-of-town fellowship with the fellowship in Winnipeg. If there are any interested members willing to come long to attend these meetings.

The dates are as follows: Saturday, August 4, 2018 - meeting at 4:00 p.m. It

takes approx. 9 hours to get there with pit stops.

We'll leave promptly at 6:30 a.m. and meet at the

Tim Horton's at 1848 Main Street. Please email

your interest to outreach@mascna.org

Howling

Wolves

Thompson

Wednesday, September 5, 2018 - meeting at 6:30

p.m. It takes approx. 3.5 hours to get there with a

pit stop. We’ll leave promptly at 2:45 p.m. and

meet at the Tim Horton’s at 1848 Main Street.

Please email your interest to

outreach@mascna.org

New

Freedom

Group

Dauphin

If interested, email the outreach chair at outreach@mascna.org with the following info:

- Your name and contact info - Which trip you would like to go on - If you are bringing your own car and how many

people will be coming with you - If you’re not bringing your own transportation,

you must contact the outreach chair to ensure there is room in the vehicle(s) if you want to ensure your ride on the trip.

Southern Saskatchewan Area of Narcotics Anonymous 34th Annual Convention

August 17th - August 19th, 2018

August Birthdays, Events & Announcements

MASC Happenings: (Manitoba Area Service Committee)