The Twelve Steps Adapted for
Prayer Steps to Serenity

Step One

We admitted we were powerless over
our weaknesses—that our lives had become unmanageable.

Step Two

Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves
could restore us to sanity.

Step Three

Made a decision to turn our will and our lives
over to the care of God.

Step Four

Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

Step Five

Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being
the exact nature of our wrongs.

Step Six

Were entirely ready to have God
remove all these defects of character.

Step Seven

Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.

Step Eight

Made a list of all persons we had harmed,
and became willing to make amends to them all.

Step Nine

Made direct amends to such people whenever possible,
except when to do so would injure them or others.

Step Ten

Continued to take personal inventory
and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.

Step Eleven

Sought through prayer and meditation to improve
our conscious contact with God,
praying only for knowledge of His for us
and the power to carry that out.

Step Twelve

Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these Steps,
we tried to carry this message to others,
and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

In the first edition of Prayer Steps to Serenity, The First Step was changed to read: "We admitted we were powerless over our dependencies—that our lives had become unmanageable." Please note that I have changed that step to read: "We admitted we were powerless to overcome our weaknesses—that our lives had become unmanageable." I made this change because I did not want some to assume wrongly that dependence on God was wrong, or that we should not seek to live dependable and trustworthy lives. Not all weaknesses are wrong or blameworthy, but if any weakness has led us into living unmanageably in certain areas, we need to admit this problem and seek the help we need. You may want to discuss with your support group a different word to use in The First Step. For example, a member of Al-Anon might consider it a weakness when they keep enabling a loved one to remain actively addicted to using alcohol. A church member might consider their slavery to a sin a weakness, a weakness they need help from God and their church to overcome. As you think of The First Step, you might change the substance "alcohol" to some other substance; such as cocaine or crack. Or, you might want to change "alcohol" or "weakness" to some other addiction that is your problem. Or, perhaps the word "craving" is better, because it more accurately describes your feelings. I have used "weaknesses" in the plural form, because most people are weak in more than one area where they need help, and God is willing and able to help us overcome all of our weaknesses (or addictions or cravings or sins). The Apostle Paul wrote: "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express" Romans 8:26). And, "But Christ said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me" (2 Corinthians 12:8.9).

Join the Prayer Steps Group to make prayer requests, pray for others, share your thoughts on prayer, and how best to begin and maintain Serenity Groups.

The Prayer Steps to Serenity websites are copyrighted by L.G. Parkhurst, Jr., © 2007.
Contact: L.G. Parkhurst using this e-mail address (lgp@PrayerSteps.org).