By Wayne Dozier
I have been Praying about what to write to express my thankfulness and gratitude to you as we approach this THANKSGIVING season. Let me first say that everyday should be a day of THANKSGIVING.
I felt I should just share with you what this past week has been like. Even though I am the one writing this please understand that this is not all about me. All these things have happened because of YOU. When I say YOU, you know if I am referring to you personally or something that you are a part of. I am omitting names and places for a purpose. There is no way I can write about every little thing that has happened this week, but this is a start.
Last Sunday we visited a church that sponsors a local Celebrate Recovery meeting for a cardboard testimony. There were 30-40 individuals of all ages that carried a piece of cardboard with a few words that were hand written in large letters. These were people from all walks of life. They did not speak a word. These written words explained the transformation that has happened in their life since being a part of a Celebration Recovery program, or should I say met God in a way like never before. REMEMBER…Celebrate Recovery is for anyone who has a HURT, HANGUP OR HABIT. That covers most of us if we will be honest enough to admit it…It was an awesome worship service.
Monday,
Tuesday & Thursday night there were several local Celebrate Recovery
programs being held at local churches in our area. There are several step
studies that are conducted dealing with these areas and led by people that are
in the program. These studies are held on week nights and Sunday afternoon.
We have several teams that go weekly into our local jails and the men/women
prisons. These teams recruit prisoners to join in their Celebrate Recovery
(inside) program. They are then encouraged to get into one of the local C/R
programs if they are going to be living in this area after they get out.
Wednesday morning the local Sheriff took 3 of our men to speak at one of our public schools. Over the last several months this team has been allowed to visit several of the schools in this area and speak. The sheriff along with these men are VERY honest and bold as to what they tell the students. They tell about the dangers and horrible things that happen in jail and prison. The students are told of how addiction to alcohol, drugs, pornography (due to wrong use of the smart/dumb phone or computer) is devastating the lives of many teenagers……!!!! We have gotten reports from the students themselves and they have said THANK YOU for opening our eyes in this way.
Wednesday afternoon we went to the jail with a C/R team. Let me pause here and thank the officers and staff of our jails and prisons who work with our teams coming into their facility. They are so helpful and cooperative. Each week I read one of my Facebook articles to the men and women prisoners. This week I read my last article about “IF THE SHOE FITS, WEAR IT”….. It was about being THANKFUL… I try to write my articles about life in general and talk to the prisoners in a way that they can identify with. I always ask them to become my ‘friend’ on Facebook. That way they can continue reading the articles after they get out. I jokingly tell them that I don’t have a whole lot of friends out in real life and I surely would love to have them as a friend. I have several thousand F/B friends from my request…..This week several cases of C/R Bibles were handed out to the prisoners as they turned in a 2 page testimony of their life. We have Prayer warriors to Pray over each one of these. THERE IS POWER IN PRAYER…
Thursday night I received a phone call from an older couple who minister regularly at the jail. They had spent the day in court on behalf of a lady with whom the wife had spent a lot of time ministering to in jail. They had asked the courts to allow this lady to be assigned to a local halfway house. This is a home where they can live, and the staff help them find work in order to get on their feet. They helped her get some staple food items. They also shared the plan of salvation which she gladly heard and accepted Jesus as her Savior.
This Sunday one of our local churches had a baptismal service. Several of those baptized were from Celebrate Recovery programs in this area.
NOTICE: We did not mention any church or denomination or people’s names. The reason is that you have made this possible. I want to thank each of you for helping to make the above happen this past year.
BETTY AND I PRAY YOU & YOUR FAMILY HAVE A THANKFUL THANKSGIVING.
Mr. Dozier is the founder and Director of Family Home and Parenting Ministries and a resident of Elmore County.
