I grew up religious

I grew up religious, and I will always be grateful for that. It gave me fellowship, a moral compass, opportunities to serve, and some pretty stellar examples of Christ in my life. I was also born with an innate faith. I do NOT say that to brag! I think God knew I was lazy He knew there was a pretty solid chance I wouldn’t search very hard, so when I came to earth, He threw me an obvious trail of breadcrumbs to follow. And thankfully, I followed.

All that to say, what I think is most beautiful about the program of AA, and what makes it so successful, is that you can find your own conception of a Higher Power. All that is suggested is that we find something greater than ourselves to lean on.

Pretty simple. I love, love, LOVE hearing people’s versions of their Creator outside the walls of a church. I used to think there was only one way to believe in a Higher Power. I even had the audacity to pity people who believed differently. What?!  Hearing people in the rooms of AA talk about their spiritual experiences has been eye-opening. More than that, it has expanded my understanding of God and humbled me.

Who am I to judge another person’s belief or their relationship with their Creator? There’s a catchy little tune that talks about AA being "more church than church."

I don’t believe one is more spiritual than the other.

I believe they are both spiritual. They can, and do, coexist. God is everywhere and anywhere if we are willing to seek. I recently heard a man share that his very first spiritual experience—one that brought him to physical tears and gave him a belief in a Higher Power—happened at an Iron Maiden concert. If you don’t know the band, look them up, because you’ll see the “irony” in all of that.

And honestly, I love that.

Because that is part of what I am learning: God doesn’t need to fit inside the box I built for Him. He can meet us in a church. He can meet us in the rooms of AA. He can meet us in a quiet moment, in a song, in nature, in another person, or apparently, at an Iron Maiden concert.

My job isn’t to decide where God is allowed to show up. My job is to keep my eyes open. To stay humble. To seek. And to recognize Him when I find Him—even when He looks nothing like I expected.