New Year to Shine the Light!

Sisters of Strength Support Group at Hope Ministries . . .

We will be holding our meetings at a local shelter downtown South Bend for women with addictions, abuse and abandonment. Reaching out to our community is a way to shine the light on social and spiritual issues. For the healing to begin there needs to be a reveal of hurts, wounds and scars. The Word of God is a balm that the Great Physician applies to our lives. The way to move forward is to be able to deal with the past and look ahead to the future!

As we begin 2018 on January 4th we'll have our first class of the New year

We'll have some worship & get into the Word of God

Building relationship is important and we look forward to growing together!

Our guest speaker is Dr. Mark Lantz, Pastor of Christian Center Church

With a message of vision & good news for the New Year there will be a time of connecting the women of Hope with a local church that has a heart for their souls.

My Christmas Wish

The song says . . .

"No more lives torn apart,
Then wars would never start
And time would heal all hearts.
And everyone would have a friend,
And right would always win,
And love would never end
This is my grown-up Christmas list."

Songwriters: Linda Thompson / David Foster

Grown-Up Christmas List lyrics copyright Peermusic Publishing, Warner/Chappell Music Inc.

This Christmas we took time out of our busy holiday schedules to show some women that the body of Christ cares. We read the Christmas story to the children and moms at a local shelter in our city. Our ladies in our group brought goodies & drinks as well as a lot of love and the light of Jesus. The evening there gave us an opportunity to share, listen and pray with the women and children.

Volunteers for Daughters of Naomi Embraced 

with Volunteer Coordinator, Jill Gunn at 

Hope Ministries downtown South Bend

Their situations are delicate, most having hard times, in different ways, but the struggle is evident. Women not having a sense of self-worth or relying on someone else to be their source, sometimes to their detriment. Only the good news of the gospel can change these lives. What a privilege to represent our Saviour and Lord, Jesus Christ! 

2nd Corinthians 4:16-18 "So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."

HOPE MINISTRIES CHRISTMAS OUTREACH

Monday, December 18th at 7:00 p.m.

The reading of the Christmas story for the women 

& children at Hope Ministries downtown South Bend.

We will aslo have refreshments, goodies & sing carols!

Mentoring & Support Group

Sisters of Strength

For the last two years we have met to teach, encourage and guide women that have come from various backgrounds. Most have been through some type of abuse, addiction and/or abandonment. The wonderful thing about women that come to us is that their lives are being changed by the choice they make to seek help. 

Those who remain consistent to attend the weekly meetings and stay plugged into the group eventually become free to overcome the hurts of their past. Some have run from God and yet know He is there only source of hope and deliverance. They are given the encouragement they needs as well as the disciplines of living a victorious life through the power of the Word of God.

Many share their testimonies of lives transformed from death, destructive behavior & incarceration. Others needed to know the love of God that will restore, heal and empower them to be the confident woman they were created. As the old person finds a new way to live and they discover there's a power they've never experienced before anything becomes possible!

We've had our women's stories told on radio, television and podcasts . . . 

Fighting on the Frontlines: Courtney's Second Chance

Regardless of the medium used to tell the stories, we know that none of this would be possible without the support of those that believe in the work being done. For that, we say thank you for making a difference in lives of women.

D.O.N.E. Women's Home 1st Annual Banquet & Auction

This first year of our Banquet & Auction we had a successful fundraiser as our friends sponsored tables and bid on the desserts. The setting of the Harvest Grind Cafe at Christian Center Church was perfect!

We had over a half a dozen churches give or participate in the evening. Our thanks to Pastor Mark & Crystal Lantz, Pastor Dave & Tina Spurlock, Pastor Dave & Jeaneen Klahr, New Creation Fellowhip, Corner Stone Bible Fellowship, Pastor Canneth Lee, Kingdom Harvest Christian Center, Pastor Dave & Sharon Wickens, Living Water Church, and Pastor Gil Michel, That Church Downtown. The body of Christ coming together as one as is the will of God!

Our ladies had wonderful things to share . . . Leigh Prathaftakis blessed us with a song, "Clean" accompanied by Brian Gillam on keys. Nancy Vasquez served along with Becca Hire, and the other ladies that gave testimony: Courtney and her husband Steve, Whitney, Keishanda, and Alexa. The night opened with a skit by Pastor Jennifer Sabin & Leigh followed by a praise dance by Pastor Christine Jacobs and Jashay Johnson to "It Ain't Over" as poster board testimonies proceeded.

Testimony speakers:

Courtney & Steve

Keishanda

Whitney

Alexa

We were blessed to have so many friends come to support us in raising funds and awareness for women in our community that have been abused, addicted & abandoned. The night included a dessert auction as well as music by Canneth Lee & friends. Our Pastor, Dr. Mark Lantz shared an encouraging word and closing prayer. Believing God to bring our vision to pass & moving forward as the Lord leads us. Please continue to pray for the Women's Home and those that we work with weekly to be completely delivered, set free & restored!!

                      Weekly Mentoring & Support Group

To donate make you can click the PayPal link for credit/debit card or mail check to: Daughters of Naomi Embraced 4217 York Rd. South Bend, IN 46614

Email: donewomenshome@gmail.com 

Phone: (574)360-8092

Jashay's Testimony

Testimony of Jashay

She was adopted, her mother is mentally ill & her father was murdered when she was a child, her adopted mother was emotionally & physically abusive passed away and she was left looking for love in whoever she could find it from . . . Her feelings of rejection & abandonment could only be healed through the power of the Holy Spirit. She explains her experience of being saved, delivered & being baptized in the Holy Spirit!

Later in College she got involved in church she found control in a different way. Moving back to her hometown she was searching again for a church home. Coming to Christian Center Church she found real anointing, real love & a way to overcome the hurt & offense from her past. Joining the Daughters of Naomi Embraced, Jashay has grown in her walk with Christ & developed her calling. She has participated in outreach, volunteered at the Right to Life booth at the St. Joseph County 4-H Fair & preformed a praise dance at the Annual Banquet this year.

Hope Ministries Shelter passing out Beauty Bags

Island Park Outreach in Elkhart

Right to Life booth at the St. Joseph Co. 4-H Fair

D.O.N.E. Women's Home Banquet praise dance

1st Annual Banquet & Auction

This Saturday in the Harvest Grind Cafe at Christian Center Church

We want to thank all our sponsors!

Corporate Sponsors:

Meijer

Martin's Supermarket

Kroger

Sam's Club

Also to all of our individuals who gave to help 

with this event: we appreciate your 

donations and look forward to giving 

you an update!!

HisStories Interview with Courtney

HisStories Broadcast at LeSea/WHME

We were asked to have one of our ladies share their testimony on the radio on Tuesday, August 15th. A Pastor friend of ours, Gil Michel and Pastor Kevin Mitschelen talked with Courtney about her story at LeSea Broadcasting in South Bend.Their podcast/broadcast is going to be aired on Saturday, August 26th at 9:00 a.m. on WHME 103.1 FM. It was a powerful morning as Courtney testified of being literally brought back from the brink of death and the saving mercy & grace of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Along with her, myself & her three girls sat in to listen. It is a proud moment when your own are giving back & ministering the same love & forgiveness they were given. When Courtney came into our life it was long distance as she was being detained in Rockville, Indiana. Her grandmother attends our church and reached to our ministry to write her granddaughter. After Courtney was released, she came to our church, Christian Center and we met in person. She was a beautiful young lady with great potential, but a scarred past.

I love the song that says, heal the wounds, but leave the scars. God's healing of our past can make all things new, yet the reminder of what He's done, how faith He was when we were not is the proof of His love. The Bible says while were yet sinners, Christ died for us. He saw Courtney as she could be and brought into a place that she could flourish. Her praying grandma helped to encourage and support her as she made it possible for her to go to beauty college, get her license and start a new life. Through contacts at church we were able to connect her with a salon owner and get her a job starting there as a receptionist. Once she obtained her license, she was hired on as a stylist.

Not only is Courtney reaching her God-given potential (in the words of our amazing Pastor, Dr. Mark Lantz), but she has helped other women along the way. Being a part of the Daughters of Naomi Embraced Courtney has shared her testimony in churches and events where women have come up and told us that they could relate and needed to be a part of our group. Her life has also developed in the area of family. She's been able to restore broken relationships. She had to start over, getting to live with her two daughters (at the time), regaining custody and being released from probation.

Meanwhile grandma introduced Courtney to the man she would later marry and his daughter would become hers. Their families combined into one Jesus-loving, God-serving, Holy Spirit filled home. She has been blessed to start over and be made a new creation. We are thankful to the Lord for His mighty work intervening in her life and countless others she will affect! Praise God!!

Serving the women of Hope Ministries

Michiana Christian Camp

Niles, Michigan

We have been blessed to be invited to host a Craft 

Night for the ladies of Hope Ministries. The shelter

 takes their resident to the camp in Niles each year. 

Our women's ministry took beads, stretch cords and

 leather bands to make bracelets with the ladies. This 

was a great night! Hope also had their pool party so 

we sat at the tables poolside to create beautiful

 pieces of jewelry. 

A couple of women donated the items to make the bracelets, shout out to Martha Randall & Bobbilee Darnold!! Thank you for helping bring joy & beauty to the women of the shelter.

All the creative minds came together and this was the result:

Love these ladies who are learning to embrace their beauty!

Corner Stone Bible Fellowship

On Sunday, July 16th we spoke at Corner Stone Bible Fellowship in South Bend.

Found, Jennifer Sabin sharing on the Women's Ministry

Sisters of Strength Mentoring & Support Group speaker, Bobbilee Darnold

Sharing her testimony

Our ladies received a message of God's mercy, grace 

& redemption through Bobbilee Darnold. She came 

to share her testimony and blessed us as her 

transparent and real life struggles led her to the only 

one who could deliver and save her. She showed us a 

very real savior. The fact that the enemy would love 

nothing more than to keep things in the dark and 

cover them in shame doesn't keep sister Bobbilee 

from telling it like it is and turning the tables on him.

This was only part of her story, she now is a wife and

 mother as well as a minister of reconciliation for 

those that find themselves lost and dying. 

The answer = Jesus.

Church of Living Water Sunday, July 9th

Founder, Pastor Jennifer Sabin speaking about the 

work being done in South Bend for the Women's 

Home, Mentoring & Support Group to help women

 in need . . . 

Last Sunday, Pastor Dave & Sharon Wickens 

hosted us at their church,

 Living Water in Williamsport, Indiana

Daughters of Naomi Embraced at Right to Life St. Joseph County 4H Fair

Keishanda, Nancy, Leigh, Jashay & Jennifer

Volunteering in the community is a great thing to do, 

but when you're advocating for those who cannot 

speak for themselves, it's even a greater honor. This 

was the second year for the Daughters of Naomi 

Embraced representing our home church, Christian 

Center to work at the St. Joseph County 4H Fair.The 

women who were able to come out that day were blessed. 

There were many great encounters with young women,

 families and men that stopped at the Right to Life booth. 

The young people that came by with their families

 understood better than some adults that killing 

innocent lives was unspeakable. The displays 

and video were moving, but the petition to stop 

Indiana University from buying brains of aborted 

fetuses for research & experimentation was the most 

fulfilling. See this link for more information:

 Indiana University Seeks Continued Access to Aborted Babies for Research

Ministry to the women at Hope Ministries shelter

Beauty bags, a message of encouragement & 

empowerment as well as lots of love! Our ladies 

from the Sister of Strength Mentoring & Support 

Group love each other and have compassion for 

those that struggle. Knowing what it's like to go 

through tough times, our ladies share their stories 

to help other women overcome. 

Keishanda Lee & Tira Freund

Pastor Christine Jacobs & Pastor Jennifer Sabin

We not only spoke to the women & pass out the 

bags, but also received a tour of the facility by 

Jill Gunn, Volunteer & Event Coordinator

We had a time of prayer with the women.

Art display in the dining hall

Sister Leigh Prathaftakis ministering & giving

Tira giving her testimony.

Jashay Johnson giving

Keishanda & Jashay