Change from the inside out

Early this week, some of our resident women cornered me to complain about their hectic schedules and busy lives with classes, homework, work, counseling, cooking, and the needs of their children. They just wanted to find a little time for themselves and a chance to get away from it all. Selfishly, I brushed it off thinking they aren’t any busier than I am - working full-time, speaking engagements, being wife, mother, grandmother, household projects, gardening, etc.

As I thought about this the following days, God showed me I was wrong to feel this way. Their schedules aren’t much different than most of ours, until you consider what’s going on in the inside with the struggles and life-change that happens in their hearts and minds. Besides the meaningful goal-directed activities that fill their days, they live with 8 other families in the Hope Alive community (now that every bed is full), they need to replace old ways of thinking with new, reframe their beliefs and values, learn new skills, heal from past trauma, embrace hope, and dream about what’s possible for their futures. It’s a total life-transformation from the inside out!

One young mother once told me the only life she knew was family chaos and hanging out at the local bar. Until she came to Hope Alive, she didn’t know life was about education, healthy living, working toward a career and productive life for herself and her children.

I hope you can join us at our upcoming Resident Achievement Banquet on October 20 at Dutch’s Daughters Restaurant to hear our resident families’ inspiring stories and how wonderfully God has blessed their lives. Visit our website at www.hopealiveministries.org for the details or call us at 301-241-4005 for more information. Until next week …

Sue Oehmig
Founder and Executive Director