Dear Friends,
This year our clients and staff are looking forward to a special Thanksgiving meal
at the Hot Springs Village Church of Christ. The meal will be special because it will
be cooked entirely by members of the congregation and SOZO and friends will be
the only guests in the church Family Life Center.
All year long this church makes the clients and staff of SOZO feel special. Their
love and generosity remind us of God’s wish for all of His children….to love one
another.
I feel so blessed that the SOZO version of faith-based recovery is so much more
than mere abstinence from alcohol and drugs. At SOZO, the focus in not on what
we’re giving up, but rather on what we’re receiving and where these blessings
come from. We try hard to live up to the goal of being God-centered in all that we
do……..one day at a time…………..all year long.
So, at SOZO, giving thanks is a lot more than a turkey dinner. It is thanking God for
the chance to be reborn in His spirit. A spirit that nurtures us far more than any
holiday dinner could ever do. But we love the fun, decorations, and traditions of
the Holidays. In fact, the clients are busily decorating our float that we’ll be
entering into the 2022 Hot Springs Christmas Parade to be held on December 5th.
For many recovering people, thankfulness is maintained by expressing gratitude
all year long for the gift of sobriety and all the blessings that flow out of that
miracle. Because we’re grateful to be connected to SOZO, we believe that all
things are God-centered and given to us through grace.
Watching clients remembering what it was like as a child to really enjoy their first
sober Thanksgiving in a long time is a special blessing. I’m very grateful that God
has given me 365 “holidays” every year.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Bob O’Dowd, Executive Director