Recovery glossary

Making amends means repairing harm you caused, not just saying sorry. How amends work in Steps 8 and 9, when to hold back, and what the Bible says.

Carrying the message means sharing how you got sober with someone who still struggles. What it looks like in Step 12, what it isn't, and why it helps you.

Character defects are habits of the heart, like pride, fear and self-pity, that keep driving you to drink. How Steps 6 and 7 deal with them, and why.

Cross-addiction is when someone gives up alcohol and leans hard on something else instead, like pills, gambling, food or screens. Signs and what helps.

A dry drunk has put down the drink but still lives with the same anger, fear and self-pity. The signs, why it happens, and the way out with God's help.

Fellowship in recovery means the people who walk sober with you: meetings, coffee after, phone calls. Why it matters so much, and how the church shares it.

Grace is God's love and help given freely to people who haven't earned it. What grace means for you in recovery, after a slip, and in working the steps.

Half measures means doing just enough recovery to feel better but not enough to change. Where the phrase comes from, what it looks like, and what to do.

HALT stands for hungry, angry, lonely and tired, four states that make cravings stronger. How to use the HALT check and what Scripture shows about it.

Higher power is the open phrase 12-step groups use for God so anyone can begin. What it means, where it comes from, and how a Christian names that power.

Hitting bottom is when drinking costs more than you can stand and you become willing to change. High and low bottoms, and why you don't have to wait.

A home group is the one recovery meeting you commit to every week. Why it matters, how to choose one, and how it echoes the way the early church gathered.

Humility in recovery isn't thinking poorly of yourself. It's seeing yourself honestly before God. How it shapes Step 7, and what Jesus showed about it.

Living amends means repairing harm by how you live from now on, not only by words. When living amends fit, how to make them real, and what Scripture says.

A moral inventory is an honest written look at your resentments, fears and the harm you've done. What it means in Step 4 and how it's set up.

A newcomer is someone new to recovery meetings, often in their first days or months sober. What to expect, what helps, and why groups say newcomers matter.

A nightly review is a short, honest look back at your day before sleep. How it works with Steps 10 and 11, and a simple Christian way to do it tonight.

One day at a time means staying sober for today only, not forever. Why the saying works in recovery and how it fits what Jesus taught about worry.

Open meetings welcome anyone, including family and friends. Closed meetings are for people who want help with their own drinking. Which to try first.

The pink cloud is the burst of joy some people feel early in sobriety. Why it happens, why it fades, and how to use it well without being caught off guard.

Powerlessness means admitting you can't reliably control your drinking once you start. What Step 1 asks you to admit, and why Christians call it good news.

A relapse is going back to drinking after a time sober, often after warning signs build for weeks. What it means, how it differs from a slip, what next.

Resentment is feeling an old hurt again and again. Why 12-step recovery sees it as a top danger for drinkers, and how Scripture and prayer loosen its grip.

Restored to sanity is the hope of Step 2: that God can bring clear thinking back to a mind that kept choosing a drink. What it means and how it happens.

Serenity is a settled peace that doesn't depend on everything going your way. What it means in recovery, how the Serenity Prayer frames it, how it grows.

Service in recovery means doing useful work for your group and others, from making coffee to sponsoring. Why it matters and how it follows Jesus' example.

A slip is a short return to drinking, like one night or one drink, after a stretch sober. What it means, how it differs from relapse, and what to do today.

A sobriety chip is a token given at recovery meetings to mark sober time, from 24 hours to many years. What chips mean and how a Christian can see them.

Your sobriety date is the first full day you didn't drink. How people pick it, why groups mark it with chips, and what happens to it if you drink again.

A spiritual awakening in recovery is a real change in how you see God, yourself and others, the result Step 12 points to. What it looks like.

A sponsee is the newer person a sponsor guides through the Twelve Steps. What a good sponsee does, what to expect, and why sponsoring helps both people.

A sponsor is a sober person who guides you through the Twelve Steps and answers on hard nights. What a sponsor does and doesn't do, and how to ask someone.

A spot-check inventory is a quick pause to notice anger, fear or pride as it happens and set things right fast. How to do one in under a minute.

Step work means actually doing the Twelve Steps, in order, usually with a sponsor and on paper. What working the steps involves and how a Christian begins.

Surrender in recovery means admitting you can't win this fight alone and handing your will and life to God. What it looks like day to day, and why.

The Promises are a well-known passage about changes people often find as they work the steps: freedom, peace and less fear. What they describe, plainly.

Triggers are the people, places, feelings and times that set off the urge to drink. How to spot yours, plan around them, and bring them to God honestly.

Unmanageability is the second half of Step 1: admitting your life has gotten out of hand. What it looks like inside and out, and what God does with it.

Sobriety means not being under the influence. In recovery it means much more: a changed life, a clear mind and peace with God. What the word really means.

White knuckling means staying sober on willpower alone, gritting your teeth through every craving. Why it wears people out, and what works better.

Willingness in recovery means being ready to do the next thing asked of you, even before you feel like it. Where it shows up in the steps and how to pray.