From Despair to Hope

Just before summer last year, single mom Trudy was struggling to support herself and her three children. And then, the unthinkable happened…the family suffered a devastating blow when 8-year-old Anna was diagnosed with cancer. This crisis proved too much for Trudy's already shaky circumstances. Anna’s medical appointments and hospitalizations forced Trudy to miss work and lose her job. Without a job and medical bills piling up, Trudy soon lost the family’s apartment. At first they were able to stay with family members, but Trudy’s past generosity to others was not reciprocated for long. In desperation, Trudy turned to Catholic Charities' Holy Family Shelter.

Soon after arriving at the shelter, Trudy met with a case manager who helped her create a resume and provided several job leads. Anna continued her medical treatments and although chemotherapy often made her sick, she attended school as much as possible. The individualized tutoring she and her older siblings received at the shelter helped them all keep their grades up during this difficult time.

Within ten days, Trudy found a job with hours that accommodated Anna's treatments. With employment secured, Trudy’s case manager then helped her begin the intense application process required for Trudy and her family to move into Holy Family's Transitional Housing program. One month after they entered the shelter, Trudy and her family were moving into their own apartment in Fountain Square where they can live for up to two years. United Way funding helps significantly subsidize the family’s rent so they can save more for the future.

Transitional Housing has provided a fresh start for Trudy and her family. During weekly meetings with her case manager, Trudy continues to work on budgeting and debt management strategies. More importantly, she has somewhere to turn when the challenges of being a single mother begin to weigh her down. Trudy is regaining confidence in her ability to successfully support her family. Her despair has turned to hope for their future.

Opportunities Abound

For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. Romans 5:19

When we trust and obey God, we can more clearly hear His voice. When we hear and obey his voice, we find fulfillment to serve not only those closest to us, but it pours out into a heart to serve others.

Our obedience is not just for our benefit – it is for the benefit of others. The choices and decisions we make will impact our family, friends, and the future.

At Catholic Charities, our obedience directly affects the thousands of families that come through our doors every year and the thousands of families that will come through our doors in the future years. We live in a community where our choices make a difference in the lives of others. It is our responsibility to take care of each other and in order to do that, we must first choose to hear and then obey the voice of God.  

When we trust God and follow Him, He opens up unexpected but often simple opportunities for us to make a difference in the lives of others.

·       Reassessing our finances may afford us the ability to bless a family whose father just lost his job.

·       Looking beyond our own needs may allow us to see the lawn of the elderly woman next door that needs mowing.

·       Giving an hour of our time to talk with a young pregnant woman may not only change her life, but the life of her unborn child.

Opportunities abound when we practice obedience. Obedience can change your life – and the life of someone near you. Obedience has transformed Catholic Charities into a place where we daily provide help and create hope in our community. Will you join us?

It’s a Journey

Obedience is a journey. It is a daily decision to surrender our will and exchange it for trust in God alone.

We most often see the obedience God desires of us through the eyes of parenting. A good parent wants their child to obey because they have the child’s best interest at heart – keeping them safe, helping them learn, and showing love. When a child is disobedient, it hurts the relationship of the parent and child; but more importantly it hurts the child personally. The repercussions of disobedience are sometimes temporary, but more often are eternal. Disobedience in childhood can form habits that will be destructive in adulthood.

God calls us to obedience because He loves us. Romans 6:16 says,

       Don’t you know that when 
       you offer yourselves to 
       someone as obedient slaves, 
       you are slaves of the one 
       you obey—whether you are 
       slaves to sin, which leads to 
       death, or to obedience, 
       which leads to righteousness?

God wants what is best for us and does not want any harm to come our way. He sees the big picture and obedience is the best way for us to trust Him – to believe that He is working for our good.

Obedience is a daily decision. Some days God will ask you to walk five miles, while others only a few feet. Each day, we must listen and be open to what he is calling us to do.

Obedience means we must let go of our pride, our plan for our life, and our control. Let’s go on this journey, with God by our side – working for our good.