Broken for the Hope

Alex Miller, ’23, is completely comfortable talking to homeless people, addicts, alcoholics – anyone destitute. It doesn’t scare her. In a sense, it’s actually refreshing.

“I care a lot about being real with people. When you talk with these kinds of people, it’s the most genuine conversation you’ll ever have,” she said. “There’s no striving. They know they’re at the lowest point in their lives. They’ll tell you how they really feel. They are so humble… I see the image of God in them so strongly.”

Alex knows better than most how to connect with people who are struggling with hard circumstances and hurtful behaviors. Her mother was addicted to drugs for several years, and her father was an alcoholic for most of Alex’s life. She saw the very real effect that those struggles had on her parents, herself, and those around them. She also saw how the way people treated her parents (herself included) either helped or hurt the situation.

“Yes, there are some people who will try to manipulate you. But I’ve honestly not seen much of that,” Alex said. “A lot of people had unfortunate circumstances happen to them, things so traumatic that they turned to anything to try and cope. I met a guy once who lost his whole family in a house fire in a night. I mean, how in the world do you handle that? Some people think everyone who’s on the street or addicted is only looking for a handout. That’s not true. They’re at their darkest point in their life. What they need is hope.”

The hearts of those who are hurting are incredibly vulnerable. When you’ve lost everything you cared about most in life, all the pride and put-together façade you may have had before crumbles before your eyes. There’s no fooling anyone anymore –not even yourself.

As Jesus says in John 16:33. “In this world you will have trouble…”

Alex said, “When my parents were going through things, they just needed somebody to be there for them and to love them through it. I’ve seen the faithfulness of God in my life and my parents’ lives. He’s restored my family. My mom has been good for five or six years now, and my dad got sober within the last couple years.”

John 16:33 continues, “… But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

After all of Alex’s experiences sharing God’s truth and hope with those who need it most, she knows the Lord has prepared her for her next step after graduation: serving with Love Thy Neighborhood in Louisville, Kentucky. In three weeks and with minimal effort, the Lord provided Alex the whole $3,600 she needed to participate in the internship. She’ll be combining her gift of teaching scripture with her passion for building relationships with others, and, though she’s uncertain where God will take her after summer, she’s sure God will guide her. After all, He’s already shown her His faithfulness every step of the way.