Overeaters Anonymous
Newsletter
Heart of Texas Intergroup
March 2015
Never doubt that your higher power cares for you
By Mary Elaine
STEP THREE Made a decision to turn our will and our lives
over to the care of God as we understood him.
This step seems impossible to me! I've been taught that God
is invisible! How can I give him my life? How can I
surrender my will, which seems even harder?
I learned as a child that an idol is a thing in my life that is
more important to me than God. Obviously up until the time I
began OA, and during relapses lasting for years at different
times, food has dominated my mind, thoughts and actions. So
I can honestly claim to have worshiped food. I persisted in
trying to make it the cure-all for depression, loneliness,
heartache, fear, anger and alienation from my family. It
continued to let me down, yet I mistakenly believed it to be
my best friend and truly grieved food.
At the age of 15 I read the 12 Steps posted on a wall and said
to myself, “I need to do that!” But how? I had no guidance,
no one to explain them, no literature to read, no tools. At 21,
at 240 pounds, I was incredibly miserable, desperate and
buried under a mountain of food and emotional problems it
would take decades to untangle. OA promised no “easier,
softer way” than working the 12 Steps.
So I was definitely powerless with an unmanageable life. I
believed in God and his healing power. A sponsor named
Chris who had many years of OA and AA experience
commented that I was the most self-willed person she had
EVER MET!
My unwillingness to abstain needed a first-aid kit — prayer
to be willing to be willing to work these steps, particularly to
move past the battleground with God. Abstinence is a gift.
Until I could PRAY the first three steps, my stubborn selfwill was almost always what I tried many times, with the
same negative results — INSANITY! Finally, a dear sponsor
led me to this prayer:
“God (as I understand you) I now turn my self-will
and my life over to YOUR CARE for this 24
hours.”
HE CARES!!!! WOW!! He cares about me in every
intricate detail — my food plan, my attitudes toward life, my
relationships with my family, my OA meetings, my
journaling, my quiet times with him each morning. He
grieves when I am sad, lonely, or brokenhearted and wants to
comfort me. He gives me caring OA friends who will guide
me, listen, hug me and support me through life's hills and
valleys.
Our OA 12 Steps and 12 Traditions book says that when we
are indecisive, we can ask God to increase our desire to do
his will (what is best for all concerned) and decrease our
desire to do what is not (usually my self-centeredness
dominating the situation).
As with any human relationship, I need to pay him daily
attention, and he showers me with blessings and
miracles. Some are recovery from cancer, maintaining a 150pound weight loss, teaching violin (my dream job), healthy
relationships with my siblings and my six nieces and two
nephews.... My gratitude lists sometimes reach over 100!
Announcements
!
!
New Meeting: New meeting:
Monday, 12 PM, Hill Country
Bible Church 100 Commons
Road #4 Dripping Springs, TX
78620. The meeting will be in
the children’s area next to Grand
Slam Pizza Contact Anna F.
512-970-324
Se habla español. Spanish
Speaking Meeting. Contact Cleo
G. at 512-299-0106.
3/22
9/9
Sailing to Recovery Cruise,
3/22-29. For more info contact
Andrea M (719-332-0367).
Region III Assembly — Sept 911, 2016, tentative, in Austin. If
you would like to volunteer for
the planning committee, call
Mercy, 512-363-3345 or
[email protected].
!
Monthly newsletter articles will
be based on the corresponding
12 Steps. For example, in the
fourth month of the year (April),
we will have an article on Step
Four. Contact Sarah A. to help
([email protected]).
*** Any changes to any meeting on this list must be updated at the oa.org website. Contact Barbara G @ [email protected]
if you need help.
Greater Austin Area meetings: Hotline # (512) 327-2802 – Website: heartoftexasoa.org - The only requirement for membership is a desire to
stop eating compulsively. If you have a problem with food/weight (including anorexia or bulimia), you are welcome at any OA meeting.
~ Heart of Texas Intergroup Texas #09229
Sun. 3 PM
Group #12501
Contact: Jennie, 512-569-3269
Topic: Lifeline, St Georges Episcopal, 4301 N
IH35, Austin, 78722. Crestwood Entrance.
IH35, Airport Exit, go E. then quick R. on
Parkwood, then R. on Crestwood. Bldg on L,
past parking lot
Sun. 5 PM
Group #00247
Contact: Becky, 512-787-8390
Topic: Literature Study, Emmanuel Episcopal,
117 N Church St, Lockhart, 78644
Tues. 12 PM
Group #50800
Contact: Lynn, 512-357-2049
Topic: OA Steps /Traditions Study, First
Lutheran Church, 130 W. Holly, San Marcos,
78666. Closed meeting except last Tues. of the
month, which is open.
Tues. 12 PM
Group #53543
Contact: Mary Elaine, 512-454-8418
Topic: Relapse/12th Step Within, Christ’s
Workshop, 212 E. Monroe, Austin, 78704
Note: 2 blocks E. of S. Congress, Monroe @
Brackenridge
Sun. 6 PM
Group #53002
Contact: Lisa, 512-289-4828
Topic: Speaker, Focus: Commitment to
Abstinence, Red River Church, 4425 Red River
St, Austin 78751
Tue. 6 PM;
Group #48997,
Contact: Brenda, 254-432-2616
First Baptist Church; 300 W Ave B,
Copperas Cove, 76522
Mon. 12 Noon
Group #31924
Contact: Kathy, 512-751-7150
Austin Christian Fellowship, 6401 River Place
Blvd, Room 207, Austin, 78730. Notes: Take
road to R. until dead end, Room 207.
Tue. 6 PM
Group #53056
Contact: Yvette, 512-791-5035
Topic: Meditation, St Andrew’s Presbyterian,
14311 Wellsport Dr. Austin, 78728, (Wells
Branch & Wellsport)
Mon. 12 Noon
Group #53838
Contact Anna F. 512-970-3240
Hill Country Bible Church, 100 Commons
Road #4, Dripping Springs, TX 78620
Meeting in the children’s area by Grand Slam
Pizza.
Tues. 6:30 PM
Group #52417
Contact: Rob, 512-827-8313
Focus: Gay/Lesbian/Bi/Trans, Austin Galano
Club, 6809 Guadalupe St, Austin, 78752. All
are welcome.
Mon. 12:15 PM
Group #13664
Contact: Sheila, 512-650-7365
Holy Cross Lutheran, 4622 S. Lamar, Austin,
78745: 1st parking lot, Fellowship Hall/
Business office.
Mon. 5:45 PM
Group # 50529
Contact: Anna Kay, 254-498-6898
Topic: Big Book OA Steps &/or Traditions
Study, Central United Methodist Ch., 5740
Bagby Ave @ Loop 340, Waco, 76712. Across
the Loop from Central TX Market Place
Shopping Center take 2nd entrance into parking
lot, go around to south side and enter through
door next to Youth signage.
Mon. 6:30 PM
Group #40260
Contact: Bob C, 512-914-0262
Topic: Newcomer, St Georges Episcopal,
Library, 4301 N IH35, Austin 78722.
Entrance is on Crestwood. From IH35, take
Airport Exit, go E. then quick R. on Parkwood,
then R. on Crestwood, Bldg on left, past
parking lot.
Mon. 7 PM
Group #51327
Contact: Glenda M., 512-494-5770 (h),
515-800-9207 (c)
Topic: Chair picks/Open discussion, Live Oak
Unitarian U., 3315 El Salido Pkwy, Cedar
Park, 78613, Room 111 (Through double
doors and turn right. See note on “Church
Building” door if a room change.)
Tues. 12 PM
Group #45279
Contact: Carol, 512-971-4087
Topic: Literature Study, St. John’s Episcopal,
11201 Parkfield Dr, Austin, 78758, Parkfield
@ Braker Lane, Admin Bldg, Room A
Tues. 6:30 PM
Group #51361
Contact: Heather, 254-931-1741
St. Luke's Catholic, 2807 Oakdale Dr.,
Temple, 7650. Enter left side door of Religious
Ed. Bldg, Room 104.
Tues. 7 PM
Group #45659
Contact: Toni C., 512-751-8142
Seton Williamson Hospital; 201 Seton Pkwy,
Round Rock, 78665. Enter main entrance, turn
R. & take first R. Learning Center Meeting
Room, Room 3.
Wed. 12 PM
Group #13646
Contact: Barbara L., 512-627-1696
St Ignatius Martyr Catholic Church, Annex
Bldg, 2305 Euclid Ave, Austin, 78704: Park on
street, meeting is in the Father Zink Room, 2nd
door on the right side of the building.
Wed. 6:30 PM
Group #00542,
Contact: Mary S, 206-499-9525;
The Worship Place, 811 Sun City Blvd,
Georgetown, 78633. Meet in Choir Room
Wed. 8 PM
Group #00822
Martha, 512-589-4620; Lorena 512-587-2460
Topic: Literature Study, Focus: Young People
First Cumberland, 6800 Woodrow Ave,
Austin, 78757: Park behind, enter @ play area.
All ages welcome!
Thur. 12 PM
Group #49316
Contact: Gerald, 254-526-1166
Topic: Literature Study, Central TX College,
6200 West Central TX Expwy, Killeen, 76540.
Bldg 106, Room 110. No meeting college out.
Thur. 6:30 PM
Group #53009,
Contact: Jennie, 512-569-3269
Topic: AA Big Book Study, Red River Church,
4425 Red River St, Austin, 78751
Fri. 12 Noon
Group #52736
Contact: Mercy, 512-363-3345
Topic: Literature Study, Writing
Focus: Read, Write, Recharge!
First Cumberland Church, 6800 Woodrow Ave,
Austin, 78757 - Meets in Conference Rm.
Use main entrance by "Office" sign.
Fri. 12 PM
Group #45840
Topic: Newcomer,
Christ Workshop, 212 E Monroe, Austin,
78704, Notes: 2 blocks east of S. Congress
Ave, Monroe @ Brackenridge St.
Fri. 8:00 PM
Group #53655
Contact: Candy, 432-349-1512 or
Vicki, 512-925-7854
Topic: “Date Night” Big Book OA,
(South Austin) Unity Church Austin, Hwy.
290, Monterey Oaks Exit, Austin, 78735.
Notes: Park in front of church! Go to handicap
ramp on east side of church behind Prayer
Garden, follow sidewalk, right into main
church building, meeting is in the Gathering
Room. Wheelchair accessible.
Wed. 5:30 PM
Group #45471
Contact: Barbara W., 512-845-6117
Topic: Literature Study
Focus: Living the ‘Dignity of Choice’ Very
Low Carbohydrate plan of eating. Red River
Church, 4425 Red River St, Austin, 78751.
Enter parking lot from 45th St.
Sat 9:30-10:30 AM
Group #12518
Contact: Betty T., 512-431-3451
Topic: OA Steps/Traditions
Study, Speaker
St Martin's Lutheran Church, 606 W. 15th St,
Austin 78701. Notes: Room #150 Enter
parking lot from 16th St - Emphasis on
weighing/measuring & calling food into a food
sponsor daily.
Wed. 6:00 PM
Group # 53708
Contact: Pete 512-569-3269
Focus: Men’s Meeting, Epoch Coffee, 2700 W.
Anderson Lane, Austin, 78757 #409 (Same
area as Alamo DraftHouse, Northcross Drive.)
Sat 9:30 AM
Group #49196
Contact: Bernice, 512-635-3585
Church of Christ, 1525 W University Ave,
Georgetown, 78626. Notes: Sign on the door,
across from parking lot.
Wed. 6:30 PM
Group #51597
Glenda, 512-581-8571
Cedar Creek United Methodist, Annex 5630
FM 535, Cedar Creek, 78612. White bldg. on
right, see triangle on door. If calling, please
leave a message, and Glenda will call you back.
Sat. 10-11:15 AM
Group #24802
Contact: Tine, 512-445-5802
Topic: OA Steps/Traditions Study
St Georges Episcopal Church
4301 N IH35, Austin, 78722