You had to be there … She came into the home with her arms crossed, defiantly gloomy, intimidatingly unfriendly. In my role, I mostly watch our residents from a distance and from that perspective, her manner made me wonder why she even bothered coming to Mercy Ministries, and whether she would stay. Residents come of their own free will and are free to go if they choose to.
Executive Director, Nicola Bartel with Shelly
“God turns your misery in ministry” is a favorite saying of Mercy Ministries’ Executive Director Nicola Bartel. One Mercy Ministries’ resident experienced this first hand as she shared her testimony at Richmond Christian High School Chapel last Friday.
You could have heard a pin drop as Shelly told a room of teenagers how, she became caught up in being popular and ended up in a self destructive cycle:
“Popularity doesn’t exist outside of high school; you need to know that you are beautiful. That your worth comes from God.”
As the students filed out after chapel, one girl lingered over the “Mercy For” series of books by Nancy Alcorn. Noticing her, Shelly gently said “I read that when I just went to Mercy, and it hit so close to home.” “Would you like to get that?” asked a staff member, and handed her a book. As tears rolled down her eyes, Shelly took her aside to comfort her. This girl had had big dreams of becoming a missionary, but because of struggles, now believed that there was no hope for her to achieve her dreams, because she felt unaccepted at school and at home. Shelly shared with her how she had felt just like that seven months earlier, but now, with the knowledge of God’s love she knew that there was hope for her, and assured the girl that she had the same hope.
Just as Shelly prepared to leave, a teacher came up to her and thanked her for her talk; “I have three young daughters” he said “What can I do to keep them from going through some of the things you went through.” Shelly talked to this father about what she had learned at Mercy about the importance of dads and the need for him to make sure that his daughters know that they are accepted by him no matter what.
2 Cor 1: 3-4 in The Message Bible reads “He [God] comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us.” For Shelly, after years of struggling with a poor self image, God came alongside her at Mercy Ministries and then brought her alongside others in a high school hallway!
Happy Friday everyone!
Here are a few links from around the Mercy community that are worth your time this weekend. If you have read anything that really impacted you this week, feel free to share it in the comments with the rest of us.
Becoming a Dreamer who Takes Action (SheLoves Magazine)
Natasha is an amazing writer, a friend of Mercy and a woman on a mission. She has a weekly column at one of our favourite e-zines, SheLoves. This week, she highlights our own founder, Nancy Alcorn, as an example of someone who took a God-dream and saw it become reality. Completely inspiring!
A new baby was born to a resident at the Nashville home. We are celebrating with Aiden’s birth mum and his new forever family at his safe arrival.
Mercy Ministries of America just launched a new call-in radio show, hosted by Nancy Alcorn called Mercy Multiplied. The show discusses various issues that affect teens and young adults across the country. Some of the issues discussed are sexual and physical abuse, including sex trafficking, eating disorders, cutting and other forms of self-harm, addictions and more. The purpose of this show is to give you, the listeners, the opportunity to discuss how your life, or a loved one’s life, has been affected by these life-controlling issues, while we discuss and share amazing stories from individuals whose lives have been transformed and their hope restored. Click the LISTEN LIVE button at the site to hear this thought-provoking, yet encouraging show or you can subscribe to listen to the podcasts.
Mercy has been a part of the fight against sex-trafficking for many years now. Mercy Ministries of America has now launched a new website, End Sex Trafficking, to help in this fight. Even though it is a USA-based work at this time, there are many ways that you can help.
Along those same lines, this post from Nancy’s blog impacted many of us. She wrote, “It’s hard to believe that the average age of entry into sex trafficking is 12 to 14 and according to the Polaris Project, over 200,000 American youth are at high risk for commercial sexual exploitation each year. I came across the below video this week about how one pre-teen was manipulated and lured into this dark world, and it just reinforced to me the urgency of how much we need to take action NOW in order to bring these girls from death to life.”
Changing topics, also from Nancy’s blog, here is a WOW-moment for you. A graduate has written Nancy to share her thanks with our supporters for your role in changing her life. Must-read.
We’re hiring here at Mercy. If you’re interested in joining our team or know someone who would love it here, we have two maternity leave contracts available (yay for babies!) as well as some permanent positions for Night/Weekend Staff. Click here for details.
Finally, the Dollar 4 Mercy is coming up next month. We are looking for churches that want to be a part of making a difference in the lives of Canada’s women by highlighting Mercy for one Sunday. Full details of this flexible event are here. Your church – and $1 – can save a life.
We have some very special announcements coming up soon so make sure you keep checking back. I’ll give you a hint: It starts with GRAD and ends with UATION….
Have a lovely weekend!
- Sarah
We hope everyone is having a great weekend! Here are a few good reads for you to enjoy 0ver a cup of coffee this weekend.
First of all, here is a very powerful video of Mercy graduate, Kim, sharing her story at the Catalyst Conference in Atlanta, USA.
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Mercy graduates see a very bright future ahead of them! Congrats to 6 more graduates from our sister homes.
Here is Kiersten’s story but you can click this link to read all 6 of them. Congratulations ladies! It is so wonderful to see you trusting God with your future and looking forward to what he has in store for you!
Kiersten
Before Mercy, I had no direction and no hope of ever going anywhere in life. I was sexually abused and was caught in a horrible cycle of cutting, an eating disorder, and drug overdoses. I felt completely worthless and wanted to die but couldn’t. I found out about Mercy from the website and decided to apply.
Since coming to Mercy, God has given me hope. He showed me who I am and how He sees me. I know I am loved and forgiven, worthy and wanted.
After graduation, I plan to pursue a master’s degree in social work and work with developmentally delayed children.
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A big congratulations from Canada to Laura, currently at Mercy in the USA, who just safely delivered Dakota. Here is the link to the story (and a picture of the beautiful baby boy!). Laura has made the decision to parent her son. “Because of our faithful supporters, girls like Laura who are facing unplanned pregnancy can receive the help they need to reach the best decision about whether to parent or place their babies for adoption. Your support is literally saving and changing lives every day. Thank you for being a part of this special little boy’s future!”
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Here are a few more graduation stories from Mercy.
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5 Ways You Can Help the Homeless Today from SheLoves Magazine
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An excellent article from Joyce Meyer about how Perfect Love Casts Out Fear. Excerpt: “But we do not have to fear that God doesn’t love us or that He won’t come through for us in our time of need. We need to learn to accept the reality of His love for us, so that our fears do not control us.”
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John & Lisa Bevere, in addition to their TV show, multiple books and speaking engagements, also write an excellent blog. The lead entry by Lisa is a call to action, a prophetic word for all women and church leaders. Check it out!
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You still have time to enter to win the gift certificate from Mystique Hair Design.
Have a great rest of your weekend! We’ll all be praying for you.
- Sarah
Here are a few links that caught our eye this week. Enjoy!
A big congratulations to Whitney who just graduated from the Monroe, Louisiana home in the States. (I can’t wait until our first Canadian graduation!)
Before Mercy, I was battling drug and alcohol addiction. I started smoking marijuana at 16 to cope with depression, but soon marijuana was no longer enough so I started experimenting with cocaine and prescription pills. Before I knew it, I was stealing to pay for my addictions. I stole money, drugs, and I shoplifted frequently. When I was 21, I accidentally overdosed and ended up going to rehab. The withdrawal was so terrible, I swore that I would never use again, but as soon as I got out, I picked up right where I left off. My addiction grew even worse and I added alcohol to the mix. The only reason I got out of bed was to get high or drunk and I didn’t care about anyone unless they were helping feed my addiction. My life was miserable and I hated myself and who I had become. I carried so much guilt and shame that I felt there was no hope for me. Someone at my church suggested Mercy Ministries, so I went to the website to get more information. I knew God was the only one who could pull me out of the pit I was in, so I decided to apply.
God has taken me on an incredible journey at Mercy. It’s been hard but amazing! He has shown me that my identity is in Him and not in being a drug addict. I know I can choose life and now I have hope. I am excited about my life and my future!
After graduation, I plan to go to Beauty College and pursue a career as a hair dresser. I also have a desire to work in ministry some day.
Here are another 8 amazing stories of transformation.
Lisa Bevere, a great friend of Mercy Ministries, has a new book out called “Lioness Arising: Wake Up and Change Your World.” Here’s what Nancy had to say about it: “Every female on the planet should read this God-inspired message – a wake-up call for women to rise up and challenge the status quo! Lisa reminds us that we as women are at our best when we lay aside our differences and work together to bring solutions to the world’s problems.” We can’t wait to read it!
This is a very powerful video from one of our sister homes in the States. 24 residents were baptized in Nashville at their request. Haven’t been able to watch it without getting a bit teary, so thought you might enjoy it as well.
http://www.youtube.com/v/dzZ2glYo8-w&rel=0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3
Nancy Alcorn’s blog is always a fantastic read but this post of hers about a 30-year-drug-addict that she met at a conference is AMAZING. Check it out – here’s an excerpt: Denise is a true miracle, and a true example of the freedom and transformation that is available through Christ. Mercy is being multiplied, and we are so thankful that when we call upon the Lord, He hears us and He answers us.
Hope you enjoy your weekend and that it is filled with worship, friendship and beautiful rest for you.
I just can’t wait until Saturday to feature these stories in our link round-up. They’re so amazing!
SheLoves Magazine has featured Mercy Ministries of Canada stories for the past few days. We love this magazine already – their mission is to tell the stories of God’s girls all over the world. I never come away there without being challenged and inspired. The sisterhood of God is alive and active all over the world!
First of all, here is an interview with the designer of our new, gorgeous home. Danica Goward is not only a talented designer but her heart for God blesses us all so much. And that woman is a servant! She was here for hours and hours and hours during the renovation, painstakingly hanging wallpaper, painting those black mirrors by hand, you name it in the house, she was a part of it. No diva designers around here! In this short interview, she shares about her motivation behind the wall of mirrors in our gathering room.
Next, SheLoves interviewed our founder and president, Nancy Alcorn, about the opening of the new home.
Here’s just a short snippet:
SLM: Tell us about your heart for the young women of Canada, including the Canadian girls who have had to come to the United States to be a part of Mercy.
Nancy: My heart for the young women of Canada, including the Canadian girls who have had to come to the United States before we opened this home, is that they will totally fulfill their destiny in Christ. My heart for them is also that they will walk in their freedom and not be entangled again with the same yoke of bondage because it is for freedom that Christ has set us free (Galatians 5:1).
“My heart for each and every woman is that they will impact their generation, as well as the generations following them, for Kingdom purposes.”
Finally, SheLoves interviewed one of our Canadian grads, Natasha, about what it’s like to be walking in freedom, being set free from fear and turning the corner towards home. After struggling wtih an eating disorder, depression and suicidal thoughts, she shares her powerful story.
A big thank you to SheLoves!
- Sarah
