Never give up

I remember having a conversation with Pastor Liz about ministry almost a year ago to this date. I recall saying something to her along the lines of, “I don’t see myself as a traditional pastor, I see myself doing pastoral things but not under the title of a pastor.” Fast forward to now and my current role as STORM (StReet OutReach Ministry) ministry Chaplain, I’m doing pastoral things like serving the homeless, helping people get into recovery and rescuing women from human trafficking but not under the title of a pastor. 

 

I’ve met some beautiful people along the way. This particular young lady has the same birthday as my youngest daughter which I thought was an interesting connection. One day on the STORM outreach bus she shared with us some of her story on how she lost her mother, sister and another family member due to a car accident almost 10 years ago. You can imagine she has her ups and downs, back and forth to recovery and on and off the streets as she battles with heroin addiction. I still see God at work in her life when after we’ve ministered to her on the bus, she ministers to us through prayer. I won’t give up on her because God DIDN’T/DOESN’T give up on me. 🙌🏾

 

This effort to make a difference would be exhausting and overwhelming if I was in it by myself. Thank God for volunteers like Alex who helps shoulder this responsibility and can really relate to many of our young ladies because Alex is close to celebrating 10 years of recovery herself. Now through agencies like Beckett Springs, HopeLine, Cincinnati Addiction Treatment and Change Court she is on the same streets she once used and was involved in sex work, finding PURPOSE as she is rescuing young ladies from the past lifestyle that almost took her life. 

 

In this picture you see Alex recruiting other volunteers with similar stories from other agencies to help serve on the STORM outreach bus and rescue young ladies from the streets.  Thank you Alex for being willing to leave the ninety-nine and going after the ONE!!!