Resources for your course

Session 2 – Out of Control?

Step 1: We admitted we were powerless over our addiction - that our lives had become unmanageable

“But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can't keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realise that I don't have what it takes. I can will it, but I can't do it. I decide to do good, but I don't really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.” Romans 7:17-20 – The Message

Topic for thought

This week’s session looks at being out of control. We have begun to see that we have been powerless to change our addictive behaviour no matter how hard we may have tried. We might have occasionally found short-term success, but it has never lasted. As a result our lives have become increasingly out of control.

The Issue

The purpose of Step 1 is to enable us to step out of the shadowy world of denial and to start living in the light of truth. It is the most important step of all and is absolutely foundational to the success of this course. It is upon this step that all the other steps are built. If at a later stage we relapse, it is normally this step we have to come back to and do again. In completing this step successfully, a whole new way of life will begin for each one of us.

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  • WATCH OR DOWNLOAD VIDEO

  • WATCH OR DOWNLOAD VIDEO

    Every group is different. For each session, choose the approach that works best for your group: select one of the testimony videos that you feel fits with your group, invite someone to share their recovery story live, or choose not to include a testimony.

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  • DOWNLOAD PDF

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Sharing Resources with Guests

Providing guests with access to the weekly resources gives them the opportunity to revisit the session, reflect on what they have learned and continue engaging with the course between sessions.

What do the guest resources include?

Each week’s resources may include:

  • Session video

  • Pause for Thought

  • Coursework

These resources are designed to support guests between sessions and can be used in whatever way is most helpful to them — whether that’s watching the session again, taking time to reflect or completing the coursework.

How can you share the resources?

There are three simple ways to share each week’s resources with your guests at the end of the session:

Option 1: Email

Use the link below to email this week’s resources directly to your course guests.

Option 2: PowerPoint

Display the PowerPoint at the end of the session. Guests can scan the QR code to access the session materials on their own device.

Option 3: Printed Handout

At the end of the session, give guests a printed handout with the QR code. They can scan it in their own time to access the session materials on their own device.

Alternatively, print the resources for your guests

You may prefer to print the Pause for Thought and Coursework and give these directly to guests at the end of the session. This can be particularly helpful for guests who prefer to work from printed materials or who may have limited access to digital devices or the internet.

Choose the approach that works best for your group. Consider the number of guests attending, their accessibility needs, their access to digital devices and the way they would prefer to receive and use the resources. You can also use a combination of approaches to make sure everyone can access the resources in a way that works for them.

Weekly Course Session Resources