I’m half way through this challenging and inspiring CAC course taught by Jim Finley. It’s based on the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous & focusses on the spiritual lessons we can learn from this wonderful healing programme so greatly used and valued throughout the world.

I’m especially enjoying the opportunities both of Jim’s deeply satisfying , though sometimes quite hard to understand, teaching because it is so well-paced. The video teaching (and hour or so in each of the 8 modules) is grounded in the other elements of the modules–through personal meditation and journalling based on the teachings.

Only half way through because although the modules are finished now

the course has built in a 3 month deep reflection period during which we are encouraged to complete ‘a thorough and fearless moral inventory’ seeking God’s grace in letting the results of this sink down into our hearts/spirits.

Sometime ago , on one of the TV interview shows, we heard Foster & Allen talking about their unique brand of music and then closing the show by singing one of their own songs.

Last Christmas we were given an ‘Alexa’ echo which we now use in the kitchen and listen to a lovely variety of music and so Foster and Allen fairly often. One of our favourites is the song about ‘Hugs’ –these are some of the words

‘We all need a hug in the morning

And one at the end of the day

As many as possible squeezed in between

To keep life’s troubles at bay’

For me, God’s loving hug comes with the words ‘I love you’ so , a prayer using the inbreath ‘I love you’ is hearing God’s words to me

and the outbreath ‘I love you’ contains my responsive words to God

As Jesus said to His disciples ‘If you love me , keep my commandments’ (John 14:15) and after His resurrection to reinstate Peter we read the challenging words ‘Do you love me’ (John 21:15-18)

This daily ‘hug of love’ is both a wonderful comfort and a challenge to show my loving response by loving God and my neighbour (Luke 24:25-27)

So who shall we give a ‘hug of love ‘ to today ?