ALCOHOL ADDICTION; how to learn and understand what is going on.

Addiction  Joe Pellow is a man of God, a recovering alcoholic; sober to this day still. He is in charge of a series of homes in Oklahoma City where young men can go to live and learn and grow after being released from treatment. Joe's heart is to bring others to health and a happy, fulfilled life. Joe ministers to many; always has room for more in his heart; and dedicates himself to this task. Joe is to be commended and recognized for his faithful service to God and to these men. Read his testimony.and feel encouraged. YOU can do it! . . 

I am Joe Pellow, Alcoholic. . . 2003

thepellowhouse April 1, 2015Addiction, Joe's Story

I said the words for the first time in 2003. I am from a proud, hard working Edmond family. I was popular in school and was always the life of the party. I grew up in a nice two story house and my parents provided everything a child could want or need. Yet at 36 years old I found myself in an 8 by 10 concrete cell. My family would not speak with me, I had embarrassed them terribly. I thought to myself as I sat in the cell “Lord how did I get from there to here?”
Yes, I have always been a man of faith and believe the good Lord answers prayers; however that day the lord sent one of his helpers to get me back on the right path.
Jim Riley, a family friend, signed for me to get out of jail and arranged for me to go to in-patient drug and alcohol rehabilitation. I have been sober since February 24th, 2003! However it hasn’t always been smooth sailing. In sobriety you have good days and not so good days, but nothing as bad as you had while you were living in your addiction. Over time I became close with my family again. I became an even better follower of my Lord Jesus Christ. I also developed a special relationship with Jim Riley that has led me to where I am at now in my life. If it were not for Jim, I would not be running four mentoring & sober living houses. I don’t think I would be running anything. I would be locked up or covered up. It took someone of Jim Riley’s stature both physically and emotionally to look me in the eye and ask me if I was “tired of being a looser?”  Jim let me know that I had lost all my dignity, integrity, trust and honor, while explaining that my word meant nothing.  Yes I felt low, but this was the rock bottom that I bounced off of.
Rob Liddell was a great guy from a great family.  He married a friend of mine from high school.  Rob struggled with some of the same issues I did, so I could identify with him.  Rob’s last phone call was to his dad on his way to a prison boot camp.  Rob’s conversation went “Thank you Dad for always being here all these years and sending me to all 37 treatment centers.  Dad when I complete this boot camp I want to open sober living homes to help others.”  Unfortunately Robbie was not one of the lucky ones, he did not make it.  Rob had gone to a prison work camp and because of his past use of drugs his heart gave out in the hot sun.  When Robs father, Dick Liddell, was sharing this story with me, I knew then that God had chosen me to carry out and fulfill Robert Clay Liddell’s dream!
Rob’s family named two treatment centers after him, Clay’s Crossing and Rob’s Ranch, and started a foundation in his name. Rob’s story continues to save people to this day.  Because of Rob Clay Liddell, the Jim Riley OUTREACH mentoring and Pellow houses have had over 400 men come through the program, and 82 percent are still sober!
I am blessed that I  never went back to drinking and drugging and my life today is unbelievably rewarding! To be able to help other men like me with their struggles is the most rewarding thing I can imagine! If someone told me when I was sitting in that jail cell, that someday I would be mentoring addicts, I would not have believed them. What could I possibly offer an addict? Well as it turns out, I can offer a heck of a lot more than I ever believed I could! God is so Good!

• ·  What I Think About Tobacco?
• What I Expect of the Men in the Pellow House
• I am Joe Pellow, Alcoholic. . . 2003

·  What Would Joe Say?

Joe Pellow is an advocate for the still suffering addict where ever he may find them. As a warrior in the Jim Riley OUTREACH, Joe has had the opportunity to speak all over the country, to conduct interventions, to council and console family members of addicts and recruit new men to live in the Pellow house. He has a full plate and that is why it is even more impressive he has made time to blog about his experiences in fighting the war on substance abuse. Joe is a big hearted yet very outspoken guy and is known to inject a little light hearted sarcasm into his blog post, which make them an interesting read. Please check back here weekly or so to hear what Joe thinks