Over the past few days, I’ve been searching for inspiration—something meaningful to write and witness. A single phrase has dominated my thoughts:
"Rise up, my children, take your stand, spread your truth throughout the land."
My first question was: Where does this come from? It feels ancient, almost prophetic. But when I searched, including asking ChatGPT, the answer was simple: this phrase isn’t found in any well-known religious scripture or classic text. And yet, its message resonates deeply. That led me to the next question: What does it mean in practice?
🔺 Rise Up
To "rise up" is a directive to act—to get moving. In recovery, it means leaving behind the life of addiction and stepping into a healthier, more honest way of living. This echoes the first three steps of Alcoholics Anonymous:
- Admit that we are ill, that our lives have become unmanageable.
- Believe that recovery is possible through faith and the example of others.
- Decide to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understand Him.
For me, rising up meant calling for help, attending meetings, and staying sober one day at a time. These were small actions with eternal significance.
The Bible encourages us to awaken and rise:
“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.” — Isaiah 60:1
And from the Book of Mormon:
“Awake, my sons; put on the armor of righteousness. Shake off the chains with which ye are bound.” — 2 Nephi 1:23
Even psychology adds weight to this idea. William James, a father of modern psychology and early influence on AA, once said:
“Begin to be now what you will be hereafter.”
🛡️ Take a Stand
Taking a stand is more challenging. It means having the courage of conviction. It means building on a foundation of truth. Socrates challenged us with these famous words:
“The unexamined life is not worth living.” — Apology 38a
In recovery, this stand is made when we take a fearless moral inventory and then admit “the exact nature of our wrongs” to God, to ourselves, and to another human being. We don’t just accept ourselves—we ask God to remove our shortcomings and make us whole. That is a stand worth taking.
Other voices echo this:
“A ‘no’ uttered from deepest conviction is better than a ‘yes’ merely uttered to please, or worse, to avoid trouble.” — Mahatma Gandhi
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
From the Book of Mormon:
“Have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?” — Alma 5:14
🕊️ Spread Your Truth
Finally, “carry your truth” or “spread your truth” is more than just expression—it’s testimony. It’s service. It’s how we live, not just what we say.
In the 12th Step of AA, we’re called to:
“Carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.”
Jesus taught:
“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” — John 8:32
And in the Book of Mormon:
“…to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places…” — Mosiah 18:9
In today’s world, where news is labeled as “false,” truth is politicized, and conversations are often weaponized, spreading truth can feel overwhelming. But in recovery and faith, truth is lived. It’s humble. It doesn’t shout; it shines.
✨ A Prophetic Distillation
So while this phrase —
“Rise up, my children, take your stand, spread your truth throughout the land”
— may not come from a specific text, it feels like a prophetic distillation of what scripture, philosophy, and recovery traditions all ask of us.
It reminds us:
- To wake up to who we are.
- To stand firm in truth.
- To share what we’ve learned with love and humility.
That is a spiritual path. That is a recovery plan. That is a life worth living.
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