Danielle came to the Mission in search of a new start.
After a devastating personal loss pushed her into depression and substance use, Danielle knew she needed to tap into spiritual power if she was going to find hope for a new life.
A new believer with no connections, Danielle came to Yakima to stay at a faith-based sober living house. She joined Celebrate Recovery and began volunteering at the Mission. There she met her now best friend, Noon, who serves on staff at Madison House. She prompted Danielle to consider the Women’s New Life Program.
“Pain and trauma are what drives most addicts to seek escape with drugs and alcohol. When you make a decision to follow Jesus and give up substance use, you have to sit with that pain. It’s vulnerable. I needed a community of support to help me process my loss and find hope in Jesus- hope for healing and hope for my future!”
She recounts it was during the hardest parts of the program that her faith really went deep. She had to face her sin nature and challenge herself to see her own God-given value. She also began to feel God calling her into ministry.
“He wants to redeem my story by using it to encourage and inspire other people.”
Danielle is truly a new creation. She said the most profound moment was reading Scripture and realizing her life is the play-out of salvation.
God is calling her to a new endeavor: she recently accepted a position as Retail Manager of The Olde Lighthouse Shoppe!
It’s a beautiful cycle. Donors bring their gently-used clothes and household items to the thrift stores. We re-purpose them and give them new life by selling them to the community. The proceeds from the sale of those goods then go directly back into funding the life-changing programs at the Mission!
“I feel so honored to be able to give back in this way. It’s hugely rewarding to know that I’m making it possible for other people to find new life in Christ at the Mission. Kind of like the things we sell at the stores- repurposed for a greater purpose.”
Thank YOU, faithful friends, for the hope you offer to people like Danielle when you give to the Mission and support our thrift stores!
Letter From Mike
ReCreated: Belonging to Christ
Paul told us in Romans 8:28 that God repurposes every bad thing for good when we walk with Christ. I love what this says about God: He refuses that satan should have anything to call his own.
Our spiritual enemy wants to lay claim– to have a kingdom of his own. He uses abuse, trauma, and addiction to say “mine!” But he lies.
God creates… and recreates! Everything is His because He makes and remakes it in Christ. Ministry is the joy of repeatedly telling the Father of Lies, “That doesn’t belong to you!” Because of support from friends like you, we get to see this at the Mission over and over.
Recently, we lost an amazing 34 year-old former guest to a trucking accident. At the Mission, he met Jesus and was set free. Repurposed in Christ, he was working and enjoying life! We grieve his loss…but not like the world grieves. We know that our brother now has what we all want… perfect love in the presence of Christ.
When God remakes, He re-asserts His ownership. He’s saying, “I really mean it: this dear one is mine!”
In Him,
Mike Johnson, CEO
Article from the YUGM July 2020 Newsletter.
If you would like more stories about our program, feel free to sign up for our email newsletter list located at the bottom of our website.
If you feel moved to help support our program, head over to our Get Involved page to learn how you can make a difference in someone’s life here in Yakima, WA.