New Life News - July 2021 Issue

CHARMAINE’S STORY: A TIME TO HEAL

The road that led Charmaine to CRM was not an easy one, but looking back, God knew exactly who and what she needed at the right time - to heal and continue on a path of victorious living.

Charmaine entered City Rescue Mission’s LifeBuilders program in May 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The road that led her to CRM was not an easy one, but looking back, God knew exactly who and what she needed at the right time - to heal and continue on a path of victorious living.

Growing up, Charmaine can’t remember a time where her life wasn’t in a cycle of abuse and alcohol. Whether it was her own or a family members’, it was all she really knew. So, when her mother passed in late 2019, Charmaine turned to drugs and alcohol to deal with the pain which eventually led to her being kicked out of a family member’s home. “I was heavy into drugs and alcohol, and it only increased after my mother passed away. When I was at my family member’s house, I wasn’t taking care of myself. I was too busy drinking and drowning my pain from losing my mother. I was sleeping on the floor or on the couch. There was no type of peace for me.”

Little did she know that God had started to lead her on a path towards healing and love. When Charmaine was kicked out, she went to a local park and was sitting on a bench, trying to figure out what she was going to do next, when the unexpected kindness of a stranger put her one step closer to CRM. A man on a bike came out of nowhere and said ‘it looks like you need some help,’ and gave me five dollars right out of the blue. Before I knew it, he was gone. I didn’t see him come, and I didn’t see him go. To me, looking back, that was God right there. I grabbed my suitcase and I walked down to the convenience store and got something to eat and a can of beer. I just had enough to catch the bus downtown. When I got off the bus, I sat there and saw City Rescue Mission.”

The next day, Charmaine entered CRM’s Emergency Shelter Services, where she was given a hot meal, a shower, and a warm bed. “The first night I got here, I was so grateful - I cried. It felt so good to be clean, and I was able to close my eyes and go to sleep. I was clean and safe.”

Now that God had Charmaine in a safe place, it was time to show her His love. At the time, EMS was an overnight shelter so Charmaine would go to churches during the day to stay out of the elements and stay safe until she was able to return for the evening. “That is when my relationship with God started. I would sit there and listen to the music and the messages. That is when I started asking for help and knew I wanted to receive God into my heart. That’s when I wanted to heal; I wanted the pain in my heart to stop. I didn’t want to drink or do drugs anymore. I was tired and ready for a change. I filled out the application for the LifeBuilders program as soon they were accepting students again.”

Over the past year, Charmaine has received the help and love she needed to heal and let go of all the anger and hurt she had been carrying around for so long. It is with the love of God that she has found her true self. “Realizing who God really is and who I am; I am his daughter and He is the earthly father I never had. It is so freeing. I am starting to break out of the mold I put myself in for so long. He has given me stability and structure. He has given me so much. I will soon move into my own apartment. I am nervous and excited at the same time. God guided me here and is cheering me on. I am finally excited about life and I feel like a new person. I feel alive. This is the beginning of something new for me.”

SUMMER FURNITURE BLOWOUT

For the whole month of July, all furniture is marked 15%off! 5343 Normandy Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32205 Store Hours: Monday - Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. All proceeds o directly to help fund our mission to transform the lives of the homeless, needy, and addicted here in Jax.

Paul’s Ponderings

Ernest Hemingway was once challenged to write a story with six words. How can we tell our CRM story in six words? With Micah 6:8 in mind, I wrote this six-word story. Act justly, love kindness, walk humbly. Let’s take a deeper look. Act justly: This refers to deciding a case in a court of law; therefore, it has to do with fairness and justice. CRM is committed to a grace model of service. When we show compassion in the name of Jesus, and someone receives grace and mercy, they experience the true heart of God. Psalm 140:12 “The Lord secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy.” It is on God’s heart to bring justice to the poor, needy, fatherless, widow, and orphan. They need help to rectify their current situations. Love kindness: This is performing acts of loving-kindness and compassion. Too often, those who we serve have not experienced this kind of love. Often, it is conditional with a quid pro quo. When we show agape love, it is deep. We love no matter what the person does. We may not like the behavior, but we love the person because the person and the behavior are two different things. Often behavior is worn as an identity. We help those we serve to see their royal identity in Christ. Walk humbly: Humility is difficult for many. It has to do with setting aside any overblown sense of importance or selfrighteousness, and not taking one’s self too seriously. At the same time, we must take God seriously. No matter what a person’s walk in life, pride can easily creep in. Pride comes before the fall. Godly humility is being comfortable with who you are in the Lord and therefore putting others first. C.S. Lewis said, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less”. We simply could not offer this justice, love and humility to those who daily come through our doors without your prayers and commitment to your transformational giving ethos. You are a part of everyone who we help, and the Lord recognizes that. Thank you!

HELP FOR TROUBLED TIMES

In times of uncertainty, it’s important to know we can trust God. Psalm 46 says “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” An addition way to exerpience security is to consider entering into a Charitble Gift Annuity with City Rescue Mission. CGAs provide:

• An income stream for life

• Immediate partial tax deduction

• Opportunity to bless a ministry like City Rescue Mission

To learn more, request our free bulletin “God’s Provision for Uncertain Times.”

Reply with the enclosed envelope or contact Angela Washington at (904) 421-5147 or awashington@ crmjax.org. To bless your family with a God-honoring Will, go to christianwill.org/crm.

WE NEED YOUR HELPCity Rescue Mission is in need of the following items:

• Replacement of windows on McDuff AdminBuilding - $275,000

• Homes of Hope - $60,000

• Fencing for McDuff Campus - $50,000

• Red Barn renovation - $12,000

• Two vacuums - $300

• White twin sheet sets and pillows

• White towels and washcloths

• Travel size shampoo and conditioner

• Sanitizing wipes

• Rubber flip flops

• One-way bus ticket

• Bibles (NIV) - large print

For more information, please contact Angela Washington at (904) 421-5147 or awashington@crmjax.org.

Board of Directors

Kendall Spencer, Chair

Barbara Darby, Vice Chair

Doug Milne, Secretary

Brad Anderson, Mark Anderson, Marge Burgess, Jim Dickenson, Carrie Chupp Harper, Robin Hyde, Chad Perce, Ed Perez, Trevor Ross, Gary Walsh, Andrea WilliamsClay Yarborough