Andrea: A Woman of Hope

"I once was lost but now I am found"
Andrea: A Woman of Hope

Amazing Grace how Sweet the Sound that saves a wretch like me, I once was lost but now I am found was blind but now I see.

This morning I got to sit with Andrea as a smile brimmed across her face, She will be graduating from the Acres of Hope program this Saturday.

She has worked hard, fought the good fight, and Acres is so proud of her.

She was asked what she would like to tell other mothers who may need to come to Acres of Hope, her response was:

"This is a good program, it's definitely life changing, It's worth the good fight."

She was asked what was the most important thing she has learned, she said,

"I've learned to find myself and believe in me. I have built a strong relationship with God.

Her Dreams:
Get her G.E.D.
Attend Sierra College
Go into a career of social work with Foster Youth or Juvenile kids.

"I want to help kids who were like me", she said.

At the end, I asked one final question, "What do you think the theme quote of your life is", she replied, "I once was lost but now I am found".

I am thankful for Andrea, her good fight, that she is found, and moving toward a hopeful tomorrow. Please pray for her and her family as she journey's into the next beautiful, Hopeful phase of her life.

Andrea is a Woman of Hope.

Laura King: A Woman of Hope

Laura King: A Woman Of Hope

“Acres Gave My Kids a Clean and Sober Mom”

Laura grew up in a world of violence and addiction. She was four years old when her father was murdered in 1990. Her mother was in addiction, at the age of 12 years old she was put in foster care. Her maternal Aunt got custody of her. Her mother passed away shortly after, when Laura was 14 years old. 3 months after the passing of her mother Laura began to use Meth. This began her downward spiral. She found herself in a world of no safety, identity, and just playing a game of survival. She graduated high school, but then shortly after at the age of 19 got pregnant with her first son. The father had went to prison while she was three months pregnant. She was single and homeless and went back to using Meth after her son was born. Laura eventually gave her son to her sister to care for in January of 2009. She decided she needed to change her life. She decided to give Acres of Hope a try. While at Acres which Laura calls, “The Real Deal”, she cleaned up her act. She got her son back within 4 months, after going to family court with some of the Acres of Hope staff and saying my life is changing for the better. Acres was teaching her, she didn’t just have to survive anymore, but she could truly live. Laura’s favorite scripture is Proverbs 3:5-6 which says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding”. Laura Said, “I was looking at the world through my eyes and couldn’t see another way, until I got to Acres and found out life could be different. Laura now has finished nursing school. She has two biological sons 11 and 5 years old, along with 3 step children. She has been clean and sober since 2009. Laura was asked what is the one thing, you want readers to know about Acres of Hope, she said, “Acres gave my kids a life with a mom who is clean and sober. Acres truly gives the safety and love needed to TRANSFORM HEARTS of the broken. That's what Acres did for me.”

One of her former coworkers Joanne Weston said of Laura: She’s amazing and radiates compassion, she’s seen a lot and been through a lot, so she cares a lot.

Laura King is a Woman of Hope.

To share your Woman of Hope Story contact Jackie Turner @ jackie@acresofhopeonline.org

Acresofhopeonline.org

Christie's Story: A Woman of Hope

“Legion”

Christie Griffith, knows what it is to be a woman of hope by the grace of God. In Mark 5:1-20 there is a story of a man named Legion, he calls himself that because he is filled with oppressive spirits, and Christ comes and sets him free so that he can go and share with others of his transformation by God’s amazing power. Christie shares that this is a passage that is symbolic of her life. A life of transformation by God’s grace to go out and share God’s glory through a message of grace, hope, longsuffering alongside woman and children who need it. She says, “God isn’t looking for finished pieces to show his work, he is looking for those who can share in the tears, the dirty knees, and the all between. 
Christie knows what it means to face homelessness. As a child she was homeless due to a dysfunctional family. Her dad was not around, and her mom wasn’t able to protect her in the way she needed. Christie faced physical and sexual abuse. By her teen years she was drinking, cutting, had suicide attempts. By her adult years she was fully addicted to crack cocaine. By God’s grace her life turned around.

She had three beautiful children and she had started to participate in a group called Celebrate Recovery. This recovery meant working through the pain and sin. After a while Christie began to take on leadership roles for recovery groups. She also pursued work in mental health.

Christie said, “My life reminded me of Legion, there were so many past demons to slay, but with God’s help, I began to slay them one at a time.

Homelessness is a ministry Christie has enjoyed working in a long time. As a child she was homeless and then when she was a young woman with her young children she repeated the cycle as she had seen in her childhood. She became a young woman who was homeless with her children. However, with God’s help she broke the cycle, and she wants to help others do the same.

Today Christie is a Woman of Hope, bringing hope to woman who are walking in her shoes. She is a light and helping to set free woman who need to know they can slay their demons with God one issue at a time. She is our Director of Family Services. She is bringing hope here at Acres.

God You Bring Me Freedom: A Poem of Hope

God bring me freedom, from the pain I've known
God give me shelter, remind me I am not alone,
For on my own I know I am destined for my fears
Oh God bring me freedom, show me that you're still here

God bring me hope now, for I see I've lost my way
Give me love God, for I'm barely holding on today
Remind me I am here with purpose and that you grafted me
I'm holding onto to a prayer, that you truly see me

God I know I've fallen short, I know I have lived in sin
Yet God at your altar you can find me on my knees again
I'm hoping for your love Lord, hoping for a chance
Hoping I can be your bride, deeply loved by your romance

God you've clothed me, you call me your beautiful bride
The wounds are healing, and joy lives inside
The chains don't bind me, you've been setting me free
I never knew how close you were until from the pit you lifted me

I am your beloved, I am your child, I have hope, and I can smile
I can trust, oh I can see, that you had a purpose when you created me

I am a Woman of Hope

Acres of Hope by Carol L. Barron

I stand here alone

With my children

My burden is great and

I am ready to run.

I am lost

and no longer can cope,

but you took my hand and lead me to

Acres of Hope

 

You have lead me here

to this beautiful place

and when I look around

I can see your face

shining in people I don't even know

I'm given a fresh start

with new chances to grow.

 

Walking through each room your love abounds

Where laborers have worked

transformation can be found

not just in the walls, or the paint,

or the floor

but a change in our heart down to

the very core.

 

You see, grace truly lives here

and fear is cast away.

I want to give it my all

each day that I stay,

giving back as I have been given

proving you live and truly risen.

This is the place 

to the Lord we'll be yoked

new beginnings

for all who reside here at

Acres of Hope.