Danielle borrowed the timeless McDonald’s slogan, “I’m lovin’ it,” not to describe her french fries but her new house that became a home last Saturday.
Deed and Truth partnered with Pacific Crossroads Church this past weekend to turn Danielle’s vacant apartment into a beautiful home. Danielle sent us a text yesterday saying, “I just wanna say thank you so much again for everything you guys did. I am absolutely loving my new home. I am so grateful for you guys.”
But Danielle hasn’t always been lovin’ life. She told our team all about her difficult journey. The told us how things happened to her even before her eighth birthday that should never happen to anyone. It changed her. It wounded her. Before she turned a teenager she had already experienced her first addiction… cutting herself regularly. Then came other addictions. Danielle recalls how all this caused confusion about her own sexual identity.
Someone told her about Teen Challenge and she eventually entered their recovery program. Danielle was introduced to Jesus and everything changed again. This time, she was no longer confused. Although she knows that her story isn’t the norm, she was immediately healed of her desire for substances and found her true identity in Christ. Her sexual identity confusion was also over.
Upon graduating the Teen Challenge program she enrolled in the Teen Challenge Ministry Institute to study the bible and learn a life of Christian service. Danielle has recently graduated that program as well. She had such a complete transformation that she was recently hired to work for Teen Challenge to develop the alumni association, oversee one of the group homes, among other responsibilities.
As our team from Pacific Crossroads Church was asking her about how we could pray for her she eventually revealed a hidden concern she was dealing with since moving out of the program. Danielle said that emotionally she was a little fearful about living alone. For two years now she has had many people around her. In her last house she had eight roommates. Independent living can generate feelings of fear and loneliness in the lives of those who are in transition.
Her new friends from Pacific Crossroads are making a commitment, not simply to move her in and then move on, but to stay in touch as Phone Friends to provide encouragement and prayer support.
Please pray for Danielle and her new ministry at Teen Challenge. Also pray for her to find confidence and courage as she transitions into living on her own. Please pray for our new partnership with Teen Challenge and Pacific Crossroads Church. We look forward to serving together to meet their goal of moving in and “adopting” six families transitioning out of homelessness in the coming year.
If you’d like to learn more about joining a House2Home team, starting one of your own, or becoming a Phone Friend please contact Betty Anderson via email… betty@deedandtruth.org.
