Every Tuesday at noon, the men of Guiding Light Recovery sit down with Scott Lenger for an hour-long book study. Scott has been volunteering and working with the men of Guiding Light Recovery for many years now and has become a beloved figure among the clients and staff of the program.
His optimistic and inspirational energy has been something that the men have looked forward to working with every week. Scott’s facilitation of open-ended conversations about spirituality, life, and what it means to be human, is a welcome reprieve and opportunity for many men to “let their hair down” and to discuss their lives without judgement. Often these book study group discussions revolve around the struggles that many men have when it comes to spirituality in their lives. Although Scott is a Christian himself and drums for the Sunday service at the local Cornerstone church, he is open, amenable, and receptive to men from all walks of life. “It’s very helpful to read about how others struggle with faith like I do,” said one Recovery client. “Everybody thinks that they have to think this or that exact way and if you don’t then you’re supposed to feel bad and you’re not a Christian or whatever.” Scott is someone that understands where these men are coming from and facilitates an environment where they can be themselves and simply talk about the human condition, whether it is in the context of their sobriety or not.
We are so grateful for volunteers like Scott who dedicate their time to helping our clients find happiness, freedom, and joy in their recovery. Often, especially in the early months of sobriety, it is easy for men to be caught up in the very real and deadly seriousness of their predicaments. Having someone like Scott to guide them and remind them that, no matter what their past has been, they are human beings and deserving of love in this existence is incalculably valuable for our clients.
