February newsletter

Soaked to the bone from the persistent rain that fell throughout the day we shut the trunk of our packed car and said goodbye to our training in Port Townsend.   On the way home we reflected on how much God had done in our lives over the past four months.  Saying good bye to our “Discipleship Training School family” was difficult and picking up our family once again to move was hard.  While we were excited to finally begin full time at the New Beginnings Home we were reticent.  How would we effectively “parent” women who have come from varying backgrounds, many which were dysfunctional.  We were reminded of something one of our speakers taught on, that God is sovereign and knows each of these women inside and out.  If we were willing, He would use us to touch their lives. Having been full time at the New Beginnings Home for over a month now, God has continued to remind us of His sovereignty and been faithful to His word.

Many of you may remember Amelia, a young lady we wrote about in our October newsletter.  While at New Beginnings Amelia began to experience the love of Jesus in a way she hadn’t before.  Seeking a healthy lifestyle she began consistently attending AA and church.  Both of these avenues led to some important milestones she celebrated in December; on the 13^th she was baptized and on the 27th received her one year sobriety coin at her AA meeting.  Both of these events were reflections of God’s sovereignty in her life.  We have all been blessed to watch Amelia continue to flourish and felt bittersweet when she was accepted into a housing program which will provide her low cost housing while pursuing her education in Social services. Her growth over the past couple of months has inspired her to mentor other women who have struggled over their lives.  On Saturday, January 23^rd, Amelia moved out of the New Beginnings Home. We have greatly missed her (and her fantastic cooking) but know that the New Beginnings Home functioned just as it should in her life.  Our home gave her a place to sleep, food to eat, time to dream, mentorship, life skills and friendship.  She will be welcoming her son Isaiah in just a couple of weeks and now she has a place of her own to welcome him into.   Thank you for making a difference in Amelia and Isaiah’s lives.  We appreciate your commitment to this ministry!